Californians brace for 59% premium hike

[Amputate Your Head]

Californians brace for 59% premium hike - Jan 2011

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- One of California's largest health insurers - Blue Shield - announced plans to hike its premiums by as much as 59%. The jacked up premium rates are set to take effect on March 1, pending review from state insurance regulators. The company, a member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association with 3.3 million members, which announced the move late Thursday, stressed that its decision has "almost nothing to do with the federal health reform law" and that ultimately the law will help slow down health care costs.

But responding to this most recent increase the company said, "our individual market medical costs are rising rapidly due to higher provider prices, increased utilization, and the fact that healthier people are dropping coverage during a bad economy," the company said. Despite the steep double-digit hike, the insurer maintained it still expects to lose tens of millions of dollars on its individual healthcare business in both 2010 and 2011.

LINK


Prepare your asshole to be severely violated.

[Amputate Your Head]

The federal government does not have the authority to review and strike down unreasonable rate increase requests.

[xenigo]

Interesting. I find I'm saving a ton of money by just paying medical expenses out of pocket. In the past 5 years I've paid around $160 total.

[Vendzilla]

<sarcasm>the new healthcare law will protect us </sarcasm>

[Sly]

Originally Posted by xenigo

Interesting. I find I'm saving a ton of money by just paying medical expenses out of pocket. In the past 5 years I've paid around $160 total.

That only works until you get sick.

[jesse_adultdatingdollars]

Our health system sucks balls.

[marcop]

Originally Posted by Sly

That only works until you get sick.

Or get in a car accident, or fall off a ladder... be very careful.

[wdsguy]

I'm probably going to drop blue shield

[Amputate Your Head]

I know a few people that have Blue Shield and this will absolutely push them into a no coverage situation.

[baycouples]

I had my premium go from $191 to $426 in just one year and a half. If they'll raise it by $59 again in only a few months - that'll make it around $700/mo!!! I mean how do they expect people ( who are not in the porn industry ) pay for it??? And I'm only 33 and on a very high deductable plan already!

[docputer]

Originally Posted by Sly

That only works until you get sick.

Or until you put a sign on the wrong guys crap in the hallway.

[xenigo]

Originally Posted by docputer

Or until you put a sign on the wrong guys crap in the hallway.

Well the crap is gone now so I'm assuming the sign got the point across.

[IllTestYourGirls]

Odd this article says the exact opposite

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan...rates-20110106

San Francisco-based Blue Shield said the increases were the result of fast-rising healthcare costs and other expenses resulting from new healthcare laws.

"We raise rates only when absolutely necessary to pay the accelerating cost of medical care for our members," the nonprofit insurer told customers last month.

Oh yeah and this is a not for profit insurer. Those greedy bastards!

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally Posted by IllTestYourGirls

Odd this article says the exact opposite

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/jan...rates-20110106

just more spin and lies to keep the sheep confused.

[IllTestYourGirls]

Originally Posted by Amputate Your Head

just more spin and lies to keep the sheep confused.

Pretty much. Im still waiting for the liberals to explain why not for profit insurers rates are going up faster than for profit......

[TheDoc]

Originally Posted by IllTestYourGirls

Pretty much. Im still waiting for the liberals to explain why not for profit insurers rates are going up faster than for profit......

Because they run a shitty business? Because for profit has profit to pad with? Because they've already had a lot of people leave so they have to balance it out?

Just 3 out of a few 1000 possible guesses.

[ruff]

I've never heard of an insurance company that lost money. This must be something new.

[IllTestYourGirls]

Originally Posted by TheDoc

Because they run a shitty business? Because for profit has profit to pad with? Because they've already had a lot of people leave so they have to balance it out?

Just 3 out of a few 1000 possible guesses.

Lets face it, the real problem is not the insurance companies. Although I think the problem is the theory of insurance, but them raising costs is directly related to how much they need to pay the hospitals and doctors.

So lets predict the future. The federal government will someday step in and say doctors can only make X amount a year, can charge only X amount this and that. The hospitals costs will still be going up every year and the government will not be able to keep up with all the changes year to year so the quality of care will suffer while the hospitals try to balance their books.

History is repeating itself.

[TheDoc]

Originally Posted by ruff

I've never heard of an insurance company that lost money. This must be something new.

I think these guys misplaced a few dollars.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America...national_Group

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally Posted by ruff

I've never heard of an insurance company that lost money. This must be something new.

never heard of AIG?

[tony286]

Originally Posted by IllTestYourGirls

Lets face it, the real problem is not the insurance companies. Although I think the problem is the theory of insurance, but them raising costs is directly related to how much they need to pay the hospitals and doctors.

So lets predict the future. The federal government will someday step in and say doctors can only make X amount a year, can charge only X amount this and that. The hospitals costs will still be going up every year and the government will not be able to keep up with all the changes year to year so the quality of care will suffer while the hospitals try to balance their books.

History is repeating itself.

Really when the chairman of united healthcare gave himself a 500 million dollar bonus?

[Rochard]

They charge like $20 for two aspirin in a hospital. Somewhere along the line someone is making money.

[TheDoc]

Originally Posted by IllTestYourGirls

Lets face it, the real problem is not the insurance companies. Although I think the problem is the theory of insurance, but them raising costs is directly related to how much they need to pay the hospitals and doctors.

So lets predict the future. The federal government will someday step in and say doctors can only make X amount a year, can charge only X amount this and that. The hospitals costs will still be going up every year and the government will not be able to keep up with all the changes year to year so the quality of care will suffer while the hospitals try to balance their books.

History is repeating itself.

I think the Gov will step in and regulate malpractice awards before they regulate how much a Doctor can make. Doctors have a fighting voice, malpractice people don't.

Other Countries don't seem to have a problem with this, they regulate costs from products, equip, services, drugs, returns, speeds of returns, etc.. In America, Insurance companies set the standards and practices.. they control the cost of products by allowing hospitals/doctors to over inflate the costs.

[IllTestYourGirls]

Originally Posted by tony286

Really when the chairman of united healthcare gave himself a 500 million dollar bonus?

Then dont use them

I dont like all the perks that the President of The United States gets. So can I bitch about that when there is only a public option and I have no choice? If I dont like the way a company does business I dont use them. But once there is only choice, which is the long term goal of Obamacare, then there are real problems.

[tony286]

Originally Posted by TheDoc

I think the Gov will step in and regulate malpractice awards before they regulate how much a Doctor can make. Doctors have a fighting voice, malpractice people don't.

Other Countries don't seem to have a problem with this, they regulate costs from products, equip, services, drugs, returns, speeds of returns, etc.. In America, Insurance companies set the standards and practices.. they control the cost of products by allowing hospitals/doctors to over inflate the costs.

if you look at the total cost of healthcare malpractice is such a small unimportant number compared to the big picture.

[IllTestYourGirls]

Originally Posted by TheDoc

I think the Gov will step in and regulate malpractice awards before they regulate how much a Doctor can make. Doctors have a fighting voice, malpractice people don't.

Other Countries don't seem to have a problem with this, they regulate costs from products, equip, services, drugs, returns, speeds of returns, etc.. In America, Insurance companies set the standards and practices.. they control the cost of products by allowing hospitals/doctors to over inflate the costs.

I thought lawyers were some of the biggest lobbyists in DC? Maybe Im wrong.

Other countries have a huge problem with all those regulations and we are starting to see it now where countries are starting to deregulate and cut their governments by a large %. Like the UK cutting government spending by 20%.

[TheDoc]

Originally Posted by tony286

if you look at the total cost of healthcare malpractice is such a small unimportant number compared to the big picture.

Malpractice insurance is the largest expense doctors have.

[IllTestYourGirls]

Originally Posted by tony286

if you look at the total cost of healthcare malpractice is such a small unimportant number compared to the big picture.

Yeah the real problem is Unions with ungodly ponzi schemes err I mean "pension plans", and government regulations, but you will never agree to that.

[TheDoc]

Originally Posted by IllTestYourGirls

I thought lawyers were some of the biggest lobbyists in DC? Maybe Im wrong.

Other countries have a huge problem with all those regulations and we are starting to see it now where countries are starting to deregulate and cut their governments by a large %. Like the UK cutting government spending by 20%.

>Lobbysts are .lawyers.

Keyboard is fucked. You saw it here l.ive omn gfy.

[tony286]

Originally Posted by IllTestYourGirls

Then dont use them

I dont like all the perks that the President of The United States gets. So can I bitch about that when there is only a public option and I have no choice? If I dont like the way a company does business I dont use them. But once there is only choice, which is the long term goal of Obamacare, then there are real problems.

You cant say then well the insurance companies charge more because their costs are so high when they are taking half a billion dollar bonuses. People keep talking about we have to be competitive with the world, well the world has socialized medicine.

[TheDoc]

3 1/p2 years omn this keyboard... why now? Why onm Friday mnightxs?

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally Posted by TheDoc

>Lobbysts are .lawyers.

Keyboard is fucked. You saw it here l.ive omn gfy.

are you drunk?

[tony286]

To me if you live in CA you should look at Kaiser. They are based out of CA. I have them and they arent bad, they do raise my rates every year but not huge leaps.

[IllTestYourGirls]

Ha that sucks TheDoc, lets hope you have a back up!

[TheDoc]

Originally Posted by Amputate Your Head

are you drunk?

Nmot at a.l.l. - It just broke, no shit.. as I was typing a reply it started putting stupid characters. However... Now it looks like it fixed itself while writing to you. ~ Thanks Amp!

[tony286]

too bad you didnt live near me Doc,I got 6 of them collecting dust in assorted closets in my home.

[TheDoc]

Originally Posted by tony286

too bad you didnt live near me Doc,I got 6 of them collecting dust in assorted closets in my home.

I've got a few boards laying around, just not split boards :/

No idea what happened but it's all clear after replying to amp.

[TheDoc]

Damnit my ottom row of keys on the left side are dead..

[TheDoc]

pfft... dinner, tv, life.. laters

[Hawkeye]

They're raising rates due to compliance costs of ObamaCare.

You socialists thought all your mandates would be free?

[DateDoc]

The only way to fix healthcare in the US is to nationalize it.

[junction]

Originally Posted by Rochard

They charge like $20 for two aspirin in a hospital. Somewhere along the line someone is making money.

I went to the Hospital on June 18 of 2010.

Bill was just over 31k. My out of pocket was just shy of 3k. I have Blue Cross / Blue Shield.

My treatment consisted of:

Blood Draw
IV
Antacid w/ lidocaine
CT Scan (abdomen)
Fentanyl Injection

Then sent home and told they can't find anything wrong.

[PornoMonster]

Originally Posted by Sly

That only works until you get sick.

Right, but if the people put the amount of money they would of paid for a policy, plus the deductible every year into savings, kinda like self insured.

If something major happens, your prob fucked anyway, so do like most do and skip out on the bill.

Blah

[GAMEFINEST]

doctors want more money

[AmeliaG]

The fact that the insurance company admits that it is a problem for them when people who lose money with their service drop them . . . "the fact that healthier people are dropping coverage during a bad economy" . . . not news, but it does distress me.

[V_RocKs]

Soon you will be BEGGING for a national health care system.

[OY]

Originally Posted by V_RocKs

Soon you will be BEGGING for a national health care system.

quoted for truth.

[IllTestYourGirls]

Originally Posted by V_RocKs

Soon you will be BEGGING for a national health care system.

Without a doubt. The government has rigged it that way.

[Vendzilla]

Originally Posted by AmeliaG

The fact that the insurance company admits that it is a problem for them when people who lose money with their service drop them . . . "the fact that healthier people are dropping coverage during a bad economy" . . . not news, but it does distress me.

Too bad we had a president that worked on his healthcare law instead of the economy, if we had a better economy, more people would have healthcare anyways and the cost would be less because more people would be paying for it.

[Amputate Your Head]

Originally Posted by Vendzilla

Too bad we had a president that worked on his healthcare law instead of the economy, if we had a better economy, more people would have healthcare anyways and the cost would be less because more people would be paying for it.

this is a falsehood. there are more people paying for healthcare than ever before, and the costs have never gone down, only up.