Should government get more power to block insurance hikes?
The new wrinkle in the health care debate is whether the government should get more power to block insurance rate hikes.
President Barack Obama said this week he wants to allow states and the federal government to screen and possibly block premium increases.
Here in Georgia, writes AJC reporter Craig Schneider, state Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine plans to submit legislation that would allow the insurance commissioner to reject rate hikes on individual policies.
Given the large increases that many policyholders are experiencing, do you think this is a good idea?
Will more government involvement distort the market, ending up creating other issues like shutting out some consumers?
Or is this what the doctor ordered, given the big rate hikes that are squeezing people?
For instant updates, follow me on Twitter.
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
98 comments Add your comment
WAW
February 24th, 2010
11:41 am
TIME magazine did an article in December 2008 (W was still president then) comparing US healthcare to other countries. We have known for years that we had a problem but the politics have prevented any action. Senior healthcare was addressed with Medicare, with much ado about socialism but it has worked until the states began requiring seniors to accept the add-on programs offered by insurance companies.
Anyone who is employed by a government entity whether federal, state or local (that would include military, teachers, firemen, clerks and anyone who’s paycheck is issued by government) and anyone on Medicare really should butt out of the debate. They have no idea what it is like to fear being ill or worse to have your family get sick. With deductions of $10,000.00 required to get premiums low enough to be affordable, you don’t run to the doctor for every little cough. The pain has to be almost unbearable. But this will become obvious to some as governments continue to cut programs and some of the vocal folks have to try to buy private policies.
Instead of putting the insurance companies out of business, Universal Healthcare would simply re-purpose them to be administrators. All the blow is about profit, plain and simple. Caring for the sick has little to do with it, “They sow the wind, and they reap the whirlwind”.
LoveTruthier
February 24th, 2010
11:43 am
Good idea, Pete. I have three degrees, one of which is a Master of Arts in English. However, my superior education is beside the point. The issue here is our broken healthcare system. Let’s all move to France!
More Clear Thinking . . .
February 24th, 2010
11:47 am
Hey @ “RJ”
Ponder this . . . those “losers” (poor choice of description but I will use it) may be in public healthcare, but who do you think is going to pay for that “public” healthcare? Certainly not the “losers” as Oblunder has already promised that if you can’t “afford” the Gov option, the Gov will provide it for you and when Oblunder says the Gov will provide it for you that is socialized healthcare funded by those who will ultimately be taxed beyond belief . . . ponder that!
Mr. Nobody
February 24th, 2010
11:48 am
RJ, we already have free health clinics. Give the losers gov. controlled public healthcare for free and eventually they will start to complain that they are not receiving the same quality treatment as someone who has private insurance…then the Dem’s in office (who want to be re-elected by these losers) will continue to push for more and more funding of this entitlement program. Why should they be covered with REAL health insurance for free?
Boo
February 24th, 2010
11:48 am
Done the research Pete. Been IN THE SYSTEM just like you. Unfortunately, my experience has not been as pleasant. Been working and paying for insurance for 50 years. Don’t try to explain your fanatical right wing ideas to me. Been there…
JH
February 24th, 2010
11:50 am
@ Big Tickles: I am fine with getting rid of ALL of it. I have done the right thing and can take care of myself. What about YOU?
More Clear Thinking . . .
February 24th, 2010
11:50 am
Hey @LoveTruthier
Take your three degrees and buy the first plane to Paris, with a Master’s in English you should be able to artculate your ticket purchase very well . . .
Greg
February 24th, 2010
11:51 am
@ Pete…wrote..”Everyone does not deserve good affordable healthcare, are you crazy? ”
No but people who think that people do not deserve it are most certainly crazy and unAmerican.
So you are saying…if you are dying and don’t have the means for HC then go somewhere and die? Spoken like a true hardcore uncaring Repub who takes profit over people, which is why we are in such a mess right now.
Pete
February 24th, 2010
11:51 am
For some reason I feel like Boo is lying here. Fanatical right wing? What have I said that is right wing? That I don’t expect someone to pay for my healthcare? Who calls themself Boo? Are you 15?
LoveTruthier
February 24th, 2010
11:54 am
Uh-oh. More Clear Thinking needs an education, too.
Mr. Nobody
February 24th, 2010
11:59 am
Greg-
“Spoken like a true hardcore uncaring Repub who takes profit over people, which is why we are in such a mess right now.”
Greg, spoken like a true Dem, whose compassion for everyone has been taken advantage of…which is why we are in such a mess right now
RJ
February 24th, 2010
12:00 pm
Hey @ More Clear Thinking, did you come up w/ “Oblunder” yourself? Lemme guess, you voted for Bush (TWICE!)….hmm, not sure you were thinking too clearly on those days. I guess you’d prefer your tax dollars to be spent on pointless wars where thousands of Americans die, than on saving lives through affordable healthcare. I guess “clear thinking” means something different to you.
TRUTH
February 24th, 2010
12:03 pm
As an insurance agent, we need the FULL public option. The premium increases are driving small to mid sized companies OUT of business. Period. I dare any agent to challenge me on that. Anyone. I doo not believe in a big government, however, the last administration deregulated banks and allowed them to purchase brokerages and insurance companies. To meet their bottom line, the forced these companies to gouge the insured, deny coverage, and to limit coverage. Insurance companies now have entire units dedicated to denying coverage, procedures, and look for reasons to drop certain customers (fearful that the next health issue could be costly). Again, I DOUBLE DOG dare anyone to refute that. “The People” that don’t want this either are partisan lunatics or have a hand in the profits that are being raked in from deaths of Americans who have no other option.
It is criminal what is happening. Instead of wanting to stop this killing of Americans, certain politicians and special interest (lobbyist), play to the worst of Americans to keep us divided. But NO MORE. Dammit. This whole mess started with deregulation and the banks are skullf****g us. It’s all in the name of money. And the Republicans and “Blue Dog” Democrats, and crazies like Limbaugh, Hannity and others could care less about our countrymen.
Bring it on. The insurance companies are OWNED by the banks. Reform is needed, now. We need to break the banks up and go back to more regulation. They have caused foreclosures, health failure, and arae raking in bonuses from our tax dollars. We all know it. WE can stop it.
RJ
February 24th, 2010
12:05 pm
@ Mr Nobody- you strike me as one of those people who were born on 3rd base and thinks he hit a triple. Yuk.
JH
February 24th, 2010
12:05 pm
Big Tickles says …”What overwhelming majority? Oh I get it…the majority of the FAUX News watchers.”
Please stop with same old response “Faux News” and everything is “W fault”. Those back at ya statements are old and tired. The FACT that RESPONSIBLE Americans DO NOT want socialized (goverment) healthcare doesn’t require watching TV. Get your butt off the couch and start asking real people and engaging in intelligent conversations.
JASon
February 24th, 2010
12:06 pm
Mr. President: if insurance companies are charging too much for their premiums, then wouldn’t cheaper insurance companies steal all of their business?
Pete
February 24th, 2010
12:06 pm
RJ reminds me of the type of guy the expects me hit for him.
Spanky Spankmeyer
February 24th, 2010
12:10 pm
As it stands, the govt, has too much power and encroaches on us ever more. The govt should have less power…FAR LESS POWER!
Spanky Spankmeyer
February 24th, 2010
12:10 pm
Barry is a Novice who knows much about nothing.
RJ
February 24th, 2010
12:12 pm
Pete- I’m sure your daddy hit for YOU, so that you don’t ever have to get your hands dirty.
Mr. Nobody
February 24th, 2010
12:13 pm
Very well put Pete…RJ, you are so right! I’ve never had to work for anything in my life! What do I know?
Mr. Nobody
February 24th, 2010
12:14 pm
RJ, are you mad at your father?
JH
February 24th, 2010
12:16 pm
@ TRUTH … you say “however, the last administration deregulated banks and allowed them to purchase brokerages and insurance companies.”
That is an absolutely FALSE statement. And goodluck with that insane manifesto you just ranted on about. You and what Army? I “double dog dare” you to make a complete and utter fool of yourself.
RJ
February 24th, 2010
12:17 pm
Mr Nobody- perhaps you are a hardworking American (like me), and you probably received a tax cut from Obama, like 95% of us. Maybe you should thank him.
Pete
February 24th, 2010
12:17 pm
He died when I was 1, so I doubt he really helped me.
RJ
February 24th, 2010
12:19 pm
Mr Nobody- nah, my Dad taught me valuable lessons about hard work and caring for others.
I care
February 24th, 2010
12:22 pm
People are so selfish. We don’t care until it directly impacts us or someone close to us. I used to think why should I be forced to pay more to insure others? I mean hell this is America, every man for himself! You get yours like I have to go out and get mine. That is the beauty of our democracy! That was util my girlfriend lost her job and all of her health benefits. The she found a lump in her breast six months later. She now has no insurance. Her medical medical are now over 6,000 just for a mammmogram, a breast Biopsy and a couple of medical visits to determine if she had breast cancer. Luckily she was fine, but she has to go back for testing every six moths to make sure she remains okay. This will of course cost her thousands more in the future. She has no help, no job and no way of paying these bills, so tell her that she does not need some kind of government intervention. Until it hits home, no one really cares. All these politicians who are so against health care reform, have health care, that we pay for. The People who are so against health insurance reform, by the grace of god, still have jobs to go to. It is not just the poor minority anymore that needs us to pay more, to help them “get over” on the system. No, it is the rest of us college educated, middle class Americans, who were pink slipped because of our messed up economy. Way to Go George Bush! When these now uninsured and unemployed people get sick, who is going to help them? We can spend millions on Iraq to help them get restablished after a costly war, but what about our own people? There are so many of us who are who are only one company decision away from joining the ranks of the unemployed. Does it have to really happen to us personally for us to all wake up and see the light? Many established countries already have universal healthcare for all of their citizens, and you know why? Because it is just the right thing to do. This issue should not be up for debate anymore. We need to stop being so selfish and self-centered. People are dying out here. My girlfriend recently told me that she is not going back to the doctor because she can’t afford more doctor bills, especially if she is fine. That is crazy to me. How can you put a price on your life? But I will never get it because I have insurance. I read an article that a lot of companies are doing credit checks now as a basis for employment. So if you don’t have a job, but you get sick, and can’t afford to pay your medical bill, it goes on your credit right? Right, but now they won’t hire you because of your credit, so you can try to pay off these same bills that messed your credit up in the first place? Wow…Does no one else think this is stupid? Like someone I knew said recently, ” you can travel all around the world and still not be well rounded.” Until you are able to put put yourself in someone else’s shoes and feel for them, you are socially blind. If you are still against health care reform you should be ashamed. How can you turn you back, when so many people are suffering under this broken system? For those of you that are still so against health care reform, I pray for your sake that God keeps you employed and insured!
Pete
February 24th, 2010
12:27 pm
Please tell me how many people are suffering under the US sytem? Would love to see those numbers.
Pete
February 24th, 2010
12:28 pm
As someone once said. ” You think health insurance is expensive now, wait until it is free.”
TRUTH
February 24th, 2010
12:34 pm
Oh, @JH, thanks for trying to refute the TRUTH. If you have a pulse on deregulation, then you’d be a little more informed. That is one of the first things Mr. Bush did when he got into office. Further, attacking me only proves my point. Your partisan view skews your knowledge of the truth. Insurance companies were bought by Banks. BB&T bought McGriff Insurance, Wachovia bought quite a few brokers, Wells Fargo bought its share, and on and on. Insurance carriers (AIG, Chubb, Aetna, Humana, etc.) are tied into the banking industry.
So, me and that Army of millions who are without insurance (or grossly underinsured) challenge your baseless and contentious statements. It is the direct result on deregulation and continued greed on the part of these institutions.
Calling me a fool does not change anything. I’m supposed to be afraid of that? Please. You cannot deny that truth. That is why you have nothing substantial to say.
Dare addressed.
Pete
February 24th, 2010
12:37 pm
I for one have not blamed Obama or the Dems. I blame the entire government. Republicans and Dems suck. Have you looked at the real number so the uninsured? About 18 million make over 50k and do not have insurance, that is a choice. Count the illegals and their are about 15 million Americans that do not have healthcare. What percent of 300 million is 15 million? Pretty damn low isn’t it?
TRUTH
February 24th, 2010
12:39 pm
@ JH, since you’re such a genius, please see the comment from “I Care.” You and those that think like you are growing smaller. And THAT is a good thing.
Cutty
February 24th, 2010
12:40 pm
Georgia passed tort reform laws years ago. Have premiums dropped for anyone since then?
Pete
February 24th, 2010
12:41 pm
If the healthcare that the Dems want to pass is so good, why are they not in it? Do any of you actually think that politicians give a damn about the people? All they care about is staying in power.
Gee
February 24th, 2010
12:41 pm
Let’s end the socialist military and its every man for himself. Thats how conservatives want it.
Pete
February 24th, 2010
12:45 pm
Love how people like Gee go to the extremes
TRUTH
February 24th, 2010
12:52 pm
That is sdaly true, Gee. How about the same care that I got in the Army? It IS socialized healthcare, and as a troop it was good to know that if I got injured or sick in the defense of my country I and my family were covered. So if the President thinks that’s a good idea to ease the financial stress on ALL Americans, what’s the problem with that?
Mr. Nobody
February 24th, 2010
12:58 pm
@I Care-
Don’t get me wrong, I support reform…free market reform, not gov. run Obamacare. Personally I would make an exception for your case (and this isn’t the fault of GB). But everyone who “lives” in this country is not entitled to healthcare…example: there are still a slew of ILLEGAL immigrants jumping the border each day and re-locating to this country…many reproduce spitting babies out left and right and can’t afford to pay for the healthcare of them. Don’t they need our healthcare system also? Where’s your compassion?
Gee
February 24th, 2010
1:02 pm
Pete wants to talk about long lines for health care services in Canada and France. He hasn’t been to an emergency room recently. And my statement isn’t extreme. Conservatives don’t want to pay for nothing, but still want those services. Your ilk wants tax breaks, but also want the deficit to come down WITHOUT cutting the defense budget which dwarfs education and other programs that you all think is wasteful. The Interstate Highway System was a socialist plan based on your way of thinking. Instead of begrudgingly blaming democrats of anything, look a little closer at how your current state leadership is handling business. Cutting education while keeping tax credits to businesses. Tax cuts don’t create jobs because rich tightwads keep their money. Where are all the jobs from Bush’s tax cuts in 2001 and 2003 (passed via reconciliation I might add)
And a degree from UGA isn’t all that. But you spend the rest of your day on here arguing your futile points, I got money to make.
Mr. Nobody
February 24th, 2010
1:09 pm
@Gee-
Tax cuts don’t create jobs because rich tightwads keep their money.
You are right, they put it in banks, which loan that money out to people like you and I…maybe even to someone looking for a loan to start a small business which will create jobs!
Pete
February 24th, 2010
1:12 pm
Let me get this straight Gee, you are in favor of socialism?That degree is allowing me to make money while arguing on the internet. LOL Do me a favor. Look into the Kansas City school system that received millions of dollars. Their test scores did not change over the next 5 years. Some people such as yourself thinks that throwing money at a problem will solve it. That is not true. Again, I am for some type of reform, but not the reform that is being purposed right now
Tom
February 24th, 2010
1:32 pm
I see a lot of comments about profit margins. Profit on huge cash flows can be low (like 4%), and the company’s return on assets is still quite healthy. Look at discount retailers. Many are very healthy, and their profit margins is very slim. You can’t just compare profit margins between businesses directly, you have to look a the company’s capitalization and assets. A safe bet would be that 4% is very, very nice….especially on hundreds of billions of dollars of revenue!
BTW – my wife had to use the emergency room in France years ago. Ambulance ride and all. Great care, incredibly competent staff…. and we ended up with a whopping $70 tab. Not too bad if I must say so… and no, there wasn’t a line.
Gee
February 24th, 2010
1:39 pm
I think what you and other cons think is socialism is nothing of the sort. Universal healthcare is socialism to me, but as long as private insurers are still in business whats wrong with competition? And don’t give me the free-enterprise, capitalism, government would undercut their business crap. There is no such thing as free enterprise in this country. If there was, none of these companies would get any tax break at all to subsidize their business.
ornery
February 24th, 2010
1:44 pm
Your still here> Where’s your buyout since you can’t seem to do any “original” reporting. I heard Lou Grant needs a stand in. Health Care is too complicated. Democrats got it wrong, and GOP doesn’t want to do a damn thing.
1. Reduce medical liability insurance costs,
2. Reduce time to market for drugs and R&D
3. Eliminate ads on prescriptions
4. Mandate health insurance coverage for everyone so more money in the pot. only a third pay their share.
5. Put management of premiums under insurance commissioner.
6. Re-do transplant and end of life services, you smoke, your fat, or a drunk your over 65 no transplants for you unless you pay out of pocket.
7. Remove nursing homes develop affordable home health care and monitoring.
8. Let the market work with these. government can’t run health care, but by reducing costs, increasing those who pay and provide penalty for those that don’t take care of themselves. we’ll be better off. now go to Hollywood and be Lou Grant.
ornery
February 24th, 2010
1:56 pm
As for those with real legitimate health problems divide them up as they do bad car drivers, so that not anyone company takes the risk also get non-profits like credit unions in health insurance. but no more than 10 per state.
JH
February 24th, 2010
2:59 pm
@ TRUTH Sorry, but you are a fool. That CHANGE that you voted for is NEVER going to happen. It will be a bittersweet day when I and the vast MAJORITY of RESPONSIBLE Americans come back and rub the phrase “I TOLD YOU SO” in your face. I pity your lack of intelligence. Good luck to you when your fantasies of a socialist America fail to come true. Hopefully you will find some way to cope and survive the defeat. Good day!
Whats the fuss?
February 24th, 2010
3:27 pm
Should government get more power to block insurance hikes?
YES
Whats the fuss?
February 24th, 2010
3:31 pm
They regulate everything else. If done properly, whats the problem? Oh, partisan politics. If there were no regulations (laws) this would be the wild west or pre-civil war south.