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?
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98 comments Add your comment
TnGelding
February 24th, 2010
7:46 am
Well, there usually are unintended consequences. I’d prefer eliminating the companies all together and have Medicare for all. You can’t expect a for-profit not to charge enough to make one. But we consumers need to be much smarter in using our health care dollars. And we need to take charge of our own health care. Politicians are bad about using health care and health insurance interchangeably. Our current health insurance system actually denies health care in some instances. And all of us need to stop participating in fraud and abuse, and report any we are aware of.
Buzz G
February 24th, 2010
8:35 am
That’s right. Keep driving the insurance companies out of business. Less competition will mean higher prices and will guarantee that our only option will be socialized medicine. Then we will have long wait times for every procedure, just like they do in Canada and England.
tc
February 24th, 2010
9:26 am
i wish a good team of cost accountants and efficiency experts would truly examine our system and then make recommendations. on the one hand it is amazing that profits are considered more important than the health of our citizens….many health insurance companies have morphed from not of profit to for profit, make that big profit. on the other hand, how can govt. with its history be trusted with providing an effective and efficient system? soon the govt monopoly gets lazy and the public is outraged by this burdensome structure. all i know is there are power hungry people on the left and money hungry people on the right.
Boo
February 24th, 2010
9:32 am
ABSOLUTELY! No question about it. We bail everybody out, then they turn around, make RECORD profits, and ream us! I’m SICK of it!
Neal Kelley
February 24th, 2010
9:33 am
And when Obama wanted to have a government option for healthcare.. we allowed the game of politics to play into our lives. We all derserve to die a shot life if we continue to allow public opionion to be minupulated by politicians that only care about if there party is gaining ground at the expense of the taxpayers life!!!
Ted
February 24th, 2010
9:34 am
Anything short of complete Tort Reform is just window dressing. It’s not the insurance companies that are making the rates go up, it’s the lawyers.
Doc Holliday
February 24th, 2010
9:40 am
People are looking for government to fix a problem that was caused by government intervention. Politicians for years have been stuffing their pockets with money from insurance companies so they will maintain laws that allow them specific grouping for higher rates. Our politicians allow insurance companies to place employees of smaller companies into small groups and rate them accordingly. When a person in the smaller group has a major health problem then everyone in that group faces a major rate increase due to he high percentage of claims based upon that “one” individual. Insurance companies should not be allowed to group small companies based on the number of employees that they have. This is your government at work and is a major part of this problem. Oh but our fine government will fix it for us won’t they? Hell NO!
TnGelding
February 24th, 2010
9:40 am
“Defensive medicine” only accounts for roughly 10% of costs at best. How much is your life worth?
” They found that liability reforms could reduce defensive medicine practices, leading to a 5 percent to 9 percent reduction in medical expenditures without any effect on mortality or medical complications.”
“Add to this the cost of defending malpractice cases, paying compensation, and covering additional administrative costs (a total of $29.4 billion). Thus, the average American family pays an additional $1,700 to $2,000 per year in healthcare costs simply to cover the costs of defensive medicine.”
http://www.aaos.org/news/aaosnow/nov08/managing7.asp
Mike
February 24th, 2010
9:46 am
Many of the insurance companies, hospitals, medical device companies and drug makers are publicly traded, so we can see all of their financials. Google has several ways of looking at these companies and their profit margins. Most insurance companies make under a 3% margin, which is nothing. Hospitals make 0% – 5% margin. Medical device makers make 5% – 10% margins (this includes GE). Drug companies make 10% – 30% margins. The insurance companies do not make much money. If you want to get angry at profits, look to Google, Apple, Microsoft and other companies like these who average 30% – 40% margins! A company needs to make some money to survive! If the insurance companies made no profit, your insurance cost would go down by about 3%!!! This is not the reason your insurance cost is going up!
dtboy
February 24th, 2010
9:49 am
We need tort reform and removal of government’s current hold on insurance companies, which stifles competition. This is a private industry, who’s in business to mitigate -your- potential health risk. The more of -your- health risk you want them to retain, the higher your premiums. If you wish to retain your own risk, then you don’t even need insurance companies. There’s no God-given “right” for someone else to take care of you, especially on their own dime.
JH
February 24th, 2010
9:52 am
@ Neal Kelley: So what your saying is that Obama should have just NOT listening the the overwhelming majority of public opinon??? THE People DO NOT want the government involved in their health care!!! The insurance companies have benn forced to raise their rates. I for one am SICK of the free ride that many have gotten that I have been forced to pay for.
As a spouse of an HR mgr, I know for a FACT that for many years too many people decided to gamble and do without healthcare benefits, and this is when it was affordable. Those same people would have rather spent that money on a new car etc.
Social programs don’t work. The goverment and others are through robbing me of money to pay for the problems of others. I do believe the People have spoken and will continue to speak loudly against anything remotely related with the word “socialized”.
Mr. Nobody
February 24th, 2010
9:54 am
The problem is that we have too many people wanting healthcare and getting healthcare for free as it is. I took my 4 month old son to the ER at children’s healthcare of Atlanta and saw first hand how people on welfare/Medicaid abuse the system. We were told to take him there by our physician and paid our $100 ER visit fee…only to wait in line behind losers who were bringing their kids up there for a “doctor’s visit” practically. Crap, this one mother brought her son up there (12:00 a.m.) and I watched him play his portable Playstation game system until he was called back only to learn that he had “pink-eye”…meanwhile there’s people waiting with REAL emergencies who PAY for their insurance having to wait behind these scumbags who get free emergency room visits (but can afford to buy their kid a $200 game system). I can only imagine what every other night is like up there. My point is, the whole time I thought to myself, “why don’t I just get on Medicaid so I won’t have to pay for my insurance?” Hell, why doesn’t everyone just be like the lady with the pink-eye kid and go to the ER for free? The answer is because if EVERYONE did this, who the crap would pay for everyone’s healthcare? Healthcare is expensive, yes I can agree. But the more people you have mooching the more it drives costs up for everyone who pay their part.
Kevin
February 24th, 2010
10:03 am
To TC at 9:26 am
I am a Controller in hospitals for the past 30 years. Even a non-profit entity has to make a small margin from it’s activity if for no other reason that to have funds available when emergencies arise.
To echo Mike, many hospitals do not have an operating margin and only post a total positive margin due to investment income. Most hospitals do not break even on Medicare nor Medicaid. If not for non-government insurance like Blue Cross and other non-government insurance payers, many hospitals and doctors would not have the cash flow to stay in business.
Doc Holliday
February 24th, 2010
10:14 am
UnitedHealth Group said yesterday that first-quarter earnings rose 41 percent from a year ago, driven by higher premiums and strong customer growth. They beat analysts’ expectations by 3 cents a share. Net income increased to $779 million, or $1.16 a share, compared with $554 million, or 88 cents a share, in the period a year ago. Revenue climbed 34 percent, to $10.89 billion, as premiums revenue grew to $9.87 billion, from $7.26 billion. Customer growth strengthened for UnitedHealth Group businesses in the first quarter, the company said. UnitedHealth, based in Minnetonka, Minn., also raised the company’s 2005 earnings outlook to $4.85 to $4.90 a share, up about 23 percent.
Mike- The above was cut & pasted from the NY Times. My insurer makes a lot more than 3% and I’m willing to bet that all Georgia insurers make much more profit than 3%, Our politicians guarantee that to them.
Doc Holliday
February 24th, 2010
10:25 am
Kevin- No doubt that our hospitals are taking a big hit due to our country’s lack of real government. We have a major immigration/border problem that our politicians view as opportunity for more votes so they choose not to address it. Along with that politicians know that if they give people these social programs and allow them to use your facilities at no cost for non-emergency visits then they will get more votes. No skin off their butts just job security from a blinded public. I must put some of the blame on the hospitals though as they do treat people for free even though their condition is not classified as an emergency (flu, colds, headache). You should police your business a little better.
Marcos
February 24th, 2010
10:29 am
The insurance companies drive up the cost of care then tell us that they need to raise their rates because health care costs are so high. This industry enjoys protection from our government leaders. Leaders who have their health care paid for by us while they are being feted by insurance industry lobbyists.
Does any of this make any sense to anyone? Other than the CEO gazilllionaires running this industry of course…
Pete
February 24th, 2010
10:35 am
The US is far and away the world leader in medical innovations. Do you think that will continue if it is changed to a not for profit run by the government system? Love how people expect others to pay for their healthcare.
The Truthier
February 24th, 2010
10:37 am
Oh really Pete?
This ranking of health care quality is from WHO (the World Health Organization):
1 France
2 Italy
3 San Marino
4 Andorra
5 Malta
6 Singapore
7 Spain
8 Oman
9 Austria
10 Japan
11 Norway
12 Portugal
13 Monaco
14 Greece
15 Iceland
16 Luxembourg
17 Netherlands
18 United Kingdom
19 Ireland
20 Switzerland
21 Belgium
22 Colombia
23 Sweden
24 Cyprus
25 Germany
26 Saudi Arabia
27 United Arab Emirates
28 Israel
29 Morocco
30 Canada
31 Finland
32 Australia
33 Chile
34 Denmark
35 Dominica
36 Costa Rica
37 United States of America
38 Slovenia
39 Cuba
40 Brunei
Pete
February 24th, 2010
10:39 am
Please go to college and get an education. Medical Innovations and the WHO rankings are two seperate things. My goodness the copy and paste. Please google medical innovations and educate yourself. Then educate yourself on how the WHO comes to those rankings. they include things like car accidents, suicides and murder in the avrage life expectency. Do those things have anything to do with healthcare?
Doc Holliday
February 24th, 2010
10:39 am
Marcos- Right on! The government fools you into thinking they are the answer and they are a large part of the problem. Rigid accountability is the answer.
oldtimer
February 24th, 2010
10:40 am
United health care posted a 4% NET profit…that is after expenses. That is very little. The average company only posted 2-4.5% profit..NET profit that is. People must learn not to look at total profit. Out of the total expenses MUST be paid. Included in that are the medical bills for people who have purchased the insurance. This is from the business pages of AJC, The Tennessean, WSJ among others.
Roekest
February 24th, 2010
10:44 am
Even in a free market, some regulation is needed to keep the bandits from taking over the stagecoach. Some needs to ride shotgun. Regulate the insurance companies, but don’t ever tell me I HAVE to buy this insurance or that.
Jimbo24
February 24th, 2010
10:45 am
Keep the government out of regulating insurance company premiums. They have no knowledge of how the premiums are determimed or what is adequate or excessive in their calculation. Regulation should be left up to the states.
BigTickles
February 24th, 2010
10:45 am
@JH: “So what your saying is that Obama should have just NOT listening the the overwhelming majority of public opinon??? ”
What overwhelming majority? Oh I get it…the majority of the FAUX News watchers.
So now I am confused..do we want medicare or we don’t? Because we know that it is a government program. Also, lets get rid of social security while we are at it because it is ran by the government.
Now what shall we tell the people whose insurance rates are going up by the double digits … which is exactly the point Obama is trying to make? Let’s just wait until the Party of No presents its plan. Oh wait, I forgot, it does not have a plan because everything it suggested to Obama is ALREADY in the current plan..d’oh’
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2010/02/five_compronises_in_health_car.html
Pete
February 24th, 2010
10:50 am
You can also tell how much of a nutcase someone is when they refer to Fox News as Faux news. That is laughable. I do not watch Fox, but it is as much news as CNN(where my wife worked for 6 years), ABC, MSNBC, or any of the others. Grow up and debate
UGAclassof 2004
February 24th, 2010
10:51 am
“UnitedHealth Group said yesterday that first-quarter earnings rose 41 percent from a year ago, driven by higher premiums and strong customer growth. They beat analysts’ expectations by 3 cents a share. Net income increased to $779 million, or $1.16 a share, compared with $554 million, or 88 cents a share, in the period a year ago. Revenue climbed 34 percent, to $10.89 billion, as premiums revenue grew to $9.87 billion, from $7.26 billion. Customer growth strengthened for UnitedHealth Group businesses in the first quarter, the company said. UnitedHealth, based in Minnetonka, Minn., also raised the company’s 2005 earnings outlook to $4.85 to $4.90 a share, up about 23 percent.”
Mike,
Insurance companies= Crooked. Every single one of them. Let’s trust FOR PROFIT COMPANIES to have the American people’s backs. Sounds like a great idea!!! Yeah right, give me a break!
Pete
February 24th, 2010
10:55 am
I say we trust a government that is trillions in debt and has shown they cannot run any system to have our back. SS is almost bankrupt, Walter Reed hospital is terrible and you want them to control healthcare. You are as laughable as the Government. Not just Obama, but Bush before him and all the others.
MikeMidtown
February 24th, 2010
10:57 am
Actually, each state’s department of insurance is supposed to approve and oversee increases for commercial and individual health insurance policies. Shame on the state for not doing a better job.
Greg
February 24th, 2010
10:59 am
@Jimbo24..”Keep the government out of regulating insurance company premiums” Really….then explain to us why the profits keep growing and we keep paying more for HC. It seems that WE THE PEOPLE are just making the Ins. Companies richer and WE THE PEOPLE poorer for less care and more out of pocket expense.
The system needs an overhaul. Also, Medicine should never been made into traded entity. Everyone deserves good affordable HC.
Pete
February 24th, 2010
11:01 am
Everyone does not deserve good affordable healthcare, are you crazy? They made 4% profit, stop looking at total profit and look at profit margin and percent. Hate to be rude, but some of you have zero business sense.
The Truthier
February 24th, 2010
11:01 am
As long as you are happy being down there with Slovenia Pete… you just keep telling yourself that. But do tell me how the health care industry can spend up to $94.3 billion (that’s a 2003 est. so it might be higher now) and yet we rank 37th in care? What matters more to you? Innovative ideas you will never be able to afford or being able to provide your family with health insurance?
And your snarky comments about education do nothing to support your argument, but go a long way in exposing the sort of person you truly are.
Pete
February 24th, 2010
11:06 am
I see you cannot do the work and figure out how the WHO comes to those bogus conclusions. As far as not being able to afford the innovative care unless you are rich. I had a neck injury 7 months ago and have been to 5 specialist around the US and have paid a total of $100. It seems as though you want others to pay for things that you feel like you are entitled to. If you had actually done any research and not listened to the bs media you would realize about 20 million people make over 50K a year but choose not to have health insurance. You see, Americans would much rather have 2 new cars, cable, multiple laptops, multiple HD TVs, a large house payment instead of paying for healthcare. I will educate you over time, just be patient
God Bless America
February 24th, 2010
11:09 am
You’re right Pete,
Government doesn’t care about us any more than the insurance companies, thus proving that Americans really don’t have a choice when it comes to things that really matter in this country.SS is done, Retirement will be next, and Me thinks America is finished as well. Civilizations crumble when the elite prosper at the expense of the working class. Rome is burning my friends!
The Truthier
February 24th, 2010
11:10 am
Where DO you get your facts Pete? Seriously. By the sounds of it we are all taking the poor insurance companies for a ride! So explain this from the article attached to this blog:
“Sabbeth’s policy — with a $10,000 deductible — was with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Georgia. He had been paying $241.99 a month. The company’s letter told him that the new rate would be $415.40 a month, a one-shot increase of 71.6 percent.”
You think the hard working people of this country deserve to be treated like this? You think we should sink our entire paycheck into health care?
Let me guess… you work in the insurance industry. That is the only way to explain your thick-headedness.
Pete
February 24th, 2010
11:16 am
No, I do not work for the insurance industry. Number 1, I know how business works and do not rely on the news to give me my facts. Number 2, I have looked into how the WHO gets their rankings and it is a complete farce. I ask again, should car accidents, suicide, and murders count in life expectency ranking? What does that have to do with healthcare? Nothing. I will agree that something needs to be done to the health insurance industry, but allowing the government to run it is not the answer. I will ask you again, has the government shown an ability to run or manage systems? SS, Medicare, Walter Reed, how are all those working?
LoveTruthier
February 24th, 2010
11:18 am
Okay, I’m sold. Let’s go with France’s healthcare system. If they are number 1, and we are number 37, they must be doing something right. God knows we aren’t.
Pete
February 24th, 2010
11:20 am
That’s because the French share Americans’ distaste for restrictions on patient choice and they insist on autonomous private practitioners rather than a British-style national health service, which the French dismiss as “socialized medicine.” Virtually all physicians in France participate in the nation’s public health insurance, Sécurité Sociale.
Their freedoms of diagnosis and therapy are protected in ways that would make their managed-care-controlled US counterparts envious. However, the average American physician earns more than five times the average US wage while the average French physician makes only about two times the average earnings of his or her compatriots. But the lower income of French physicians is allayed by two factors. Practice liability is greatly diminished by a tort-averse legal system, and medical schools, although extremely competitive to enter, are tuition-free. Thus, French physicians enter their careers with little if any debt and pay much lower malpractice insurance premiums.
Nor do France’s doctors face the high nonmedical personnel payroll expenses that burden American physicians. Sécurité Sociale has created a standardized and speedy system for physician billing and patient reimbursement using electronic funds.
It’s not uncommon to visit a French medical office and see no nonmedical personnel. What a concept. No back office army of billing specialists who do daily battle with insurers’ arcane and constantly changing rules of payment.
Moreover, in contrast to Canada and Britain, there are no waiting lists for elective procedures and patients need not seek pre-authorizations. In other words, like in the United States, “rationing” is not a word that leaves the lips of hopeful politicians. How might the French case inform the US debate over healthcare reform?
LoveTruthier
February 24th, 2010
11:22 am
Oh, and Pete, please educate yourself. Your spelling and grammar are atrocious.
The Truthier
February 24th, 2010
11:22 am
Who is asking the government to run health care? I don’t think a public OPTION suggests a government take over. Surely you would keep your fancy insurance plan that allows you to only pay $100 for surgery. No one is asking you to give that up. We are just asking that there be an option for people not quit as wealthy as you appear to be. Hard working Americans who aren’t asking for a handout, just a fair shake to not die because they are not rich.
I used to consider myself a very pro-business conservative, but after seeing the way business treats people I have to question the intelligence of that position. There is NO respect for the American worker any longer. The country has devolved into an “I got mine so screw you” mentality and you, Pete, represent that perfectly.
Seriously
February 24th, 2010
11:25 am
Hey Truthier, Let me ask you this. Who helps BCBS when it turns out one of their clients has an aggressive stage 3 or 4 Cancer that is using extremely expensive experimental medical treatments at a cost near $40,000 a month. The insurance company is eating 80% of that to keep this person alive for years. This person has not contributed nearly that much to the pool of money this insurance company has. In addition, the investments BCBS depends on to increase the returns on the money they take in is decreasing with the slower economy. So yes, your premiums will go up. The only other solution is for them to offer less care and less availability, but that is what Obama care is all about. Better for everyone to have some bad healthcare. Certain things in live are previliges not rights. You want good stuff you pay for it. Enjoy socialism.
Pete
February 24th, 2010
11:25 am
I love how you did not answer a single question that I ask. I answered evrything you have ask me. You seem like you are ignoring things you cannot answer. How much a month would you be willing to pay for health insurance?
Pete
February 24th, 2010
11:26 am
lovetruthier, I have a degree from UGA and we can compare our educations anytime you like.
Clear Thinking . . .
February 24th, 2010
11:28 am
Hey @ “The Truthier”
This person who just had the 71.6% increase just turned 60. That is a huge health insurance coverage milestone. EVERYONE has to realize that healthcare is and should be a for profit business regardless of who runs it. If the Gove runs it it will surely lose money b/c the Gov can’t seem to run anything well . . .
The 60 year old just reached an age that historically has numerous and expensive claims so why would you expect the premiums to remain the same. If you were a bad driver say a male from 18-24 you will get charged higher premiums and as an older person with considerably more health risks you will have higher premiums! AND LET’S REMEMBER HEALTH CARE IS NOT A RIGHT . . . you should take care of yourself and pay for your healthcare!
Franklin
February 24th, 2010
11:29 am
I feel sad to call this my home state. These comments were fed to you by Fox News.
Boo
February 24th, 2010
11:29 am
Pete, You’ve been watching too much FOX News!
Pete
February 24th, 2010
11:32 am
I never ever watch Fox news. So there goes that theory. The thing is, you guys blame Fox news, but do not understand you are getting feed the other side by ABC, CNN, MSNBC and others. Do the reseacrh yourself and I think you will come to the same conclusion that I did.
Mr. Nobody
February 24th, 2010
11:32 am
Franklin, I feel sad that you live in my home state…keep tuning in to CNN, MSNBC, ABC and CBS
Pete
February 24th, 2010
11:33 am
Franklin, all you have to do is move to another state. You can move to any state that you feel has the same ideas that you do.
Larry
February 24th, 2010
11:35 am
Insurance company PROFITS are up over 250% in the last ten years! Not costs, not expenses, not payouts- PROFITS!!! Corporate greed is the only reason. This will continue until they have some real competition and federal regulation.
RJ
February 24th, 2010
11:37 am
@Mr Nobody – you are actually making a great argument for public healthcare. If those “losers” as you called them were actually covered w/ real health insurance, they wouldn’t be clogging up the emergency rooms w/ illnesses that should be treated by a primary care physician. Ponder that.
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.