Eff You, Insurance Lobby

Posted on 10/12/2009 at 3:48 pm by Bob Cesca

Following up on this AHIP report, the health insurance cartel is basically saying that if the Finance bill is passed (again, as-is which is unlikely), premiums will rise by 111 percent. They’re basically saying: We gonna do it! Don’t make us do it! Don’t make us screw you because we will!

Without reform, and if the last 10 years are any indication, the health insurance companies will raise rates by at least 120 percent anyway.

111 percent with reform. 120 percent without.

Adding… Anthony Weiner:

That should be a tell to the Baucus team that you know what, maybe it’s time for them to go back and revisit the public option. In a strange way, and look, obviously they didn’t mean this, the health insurance lobby today fired the most important salvo in weeks for the public option, because they have said, as clear as day, left to their own devices, according to their own number crunchers, they’re going to raise rates 111%.

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  • mattpd

    and how many msm stories that mention if health care reform passes that our rates will up will mention that they’ve already been going up? My guess is none. Be afraid, be very afraid.Totally agree. This needs to be pointed out and they need to be asked… since you opened the door….speaking of rate increases, how much have they gone up each year in the last 10 years?

  • ec

    Weiner is a bright guy. This report practically begs for a public option. It also gives the Progressives a nice out. They can say that the insurance companies have guaranteed – guaranteed mind you – that rates will increase dramatically.The only way to counter that is to provide competition – which is what Obama has wanted all along.God forbid the insurance companies would consider cutting costs in their analysis.

  • Jan

    And on yop of this, as I recall, there are ZERO price controls in any of the bills to stop them from raising premiums sky high.And, they’ have a good 4 years to stick it to us since nothing goes into effect til 2013, except the pre existing condition thing and tossing folks out of their plan.This is all just friggin’ unbelievable. if we don’t get a po now, there’s something more wrong than I thought.

  • ceu

    interesting how they were able to get the Patriot Act implemented immediately, but it’s gonna take 4 more years (at least – if there is a public option, employers will be required to maintain their current insurance & can’t opt in for 5 years after that!) for reforms that would save people’s lives to go into effect.

  • J

    Reminds me of when Rachel Maddow had that energy company guy on (blanking on his name) and he kept saying that if cap and trade goes into effect, people’s energy bills are going to go up. And no matter how many times Rachel asked him to explain why our bills would go up, why it wouldn’t just be that he made less profit, he refused to address it and kept saying, basically, I’m gonna pass my expenses on to the consumer.@ceu: I see your point, but I don’t think the Patriot Act required much. It was mostly now it’s a free for all, which doesn’t require a lot of planning. If anything, it points to why this needs to take time to set up–so it can be put in place properly instead of slapped together, entirely mismanaged, and eventually falling apart.

  • ceu

    agreed, J – but 9 years?? for an system that is basically already in place (medicare)? boggles the mind. And in the meantime, people will still have high premiums – that will continue to rise, high deductibles, high co-pays, and shitty plans. :(

  • Jan

    I imagine Ed Schultz will be hot under the collar tonight.