Health insurers sue Massachusetts over 'premium rate caps'

[Dan J 277]

If they really could do it, don't you think they would have done it to improve their profit margins?

Its easier to raise rates than to do that. With the way the health care/insurance market works, they can do so with out worrying much about competitive pressure.

Most people get insurance from an employer which is often subsidized by that employer. An individual plan will not have that subsidy and in most cases will not be a cheaper option.

Employers are not that likely to switch their insurance plan options due to the amount of work it would take to do so, unless they will save more than the work it would take to make the switch.

Health care is not like Walmart. People will pay any amount of money to stay alive.

The same objective can be obtained for a lot less money, if the price control pressure is there. But since its not, and people will pay anything for medical care, companies can keep passing on higher prices.

[Pinay Wife 47]

Health care is not like Walmart. People will pay any amount of money to stay alive.

http://www.reuters.c...E58G6W520090917

(Reuters) - Nearly 45,000 people die in the United States each year -- one every 12 minutes -- in large part because they lack health insurance and can not get good care, Harvard Medical School researchers found in an analysis released on Thursday.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Pinay Wife

[SMOKE 1,426]

The same objective can be obtained for a lot less money, if the price control pressure is there. But since its not, and people will pay anything for medical care, companies can keep passing on higher prices.

N/S! thats why going after the insurance companies makes no sense. go after the one over charging for goods & services.

[Pinay Wife 47]

The same objective can be obtained for a lot less money, if the price control pressure is there. But since its not, and people will pay anything for medical care, companies can keep passing on higher prices.

So true.

According to an article I read, the annual cost for health coverage in the US, per capita, is nearly double that of health care in other countries. And for that amount of money, American citizens should definitely be able to enjoy the best health services in the world.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Pinay Wife

[Dan J 277]

dan cut the BS. we all know this healthcare legislation is going to drive private insurance out of business eventually. there is no way in hell a private company w/ share holders is going to compete w/ a federal program that does NOT have to make a profit. nor will it be cost efficient for employers to pay for healthcare coverage as opposed to paying the fines for not offering heathcare coverage & forcing their workforce into the government programs. & yes they can tax companies that charge 2-3-10 times the prices here as they do in other countries.

Private companies can differentiate themselves in other ways. But if they are competing on the same exact level of care as a federal program they probably wont survive. Instead they should offer services that a federal program would not. Like things that supplemental insurance companies do today. Example: income replacement if your sick or out of work due to medical issue.

Why is it so important to protect private insurance providers when its been clearly shown that they cannot provide an efficient health care system?

[mawilson 2,133]

The insurance companies alone spend $1.4 million a day on lobbyists. Add in the money spent my pharma companies and other interest groups and you have insurance rates/medicine costs soaring.

That's what, 0.007% of their revenues? (Hint: it's a 70 billion dollar industry)

[Pinay Wife 47]

That's what, 0.007% of their revenues? (Hint: it's a 70 billion dollar industry)

$1.4 million x 365 days = $511 million dollars!

Imagine how many lives that amount of money could have saved.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Pinay Wife

[mawilson 2,133]

http://www.reuters.c...E58G6W520090917

(Reuters) - Nearly 45,000 people die in the United States each year -- one every 12 minutes -- in large part because they lack health insurance and can not get good care, Harvard Medical School researchers found in an analysis released on Thursday.

The latest health insurance law doesn't change that. The universal coverage provisions

do not go into effect until 2014 - that's a lot of dead people.

$1.4 million x 365 days = $511 million dollars!

Imagine how many lives that amount of money could have saved.

Imagine what you could do with a million dollars, if only Warren Buffett was kind enough to give you one.

NOT THEIR MONEY!

[SMOKE 1,426]

Private companies can differentiate themselves in other ways. But if they are competing on the same exact level of care as a federal program they probably wont survive. Instead they should offer services that a federal program would not. Like things that supplemental insurance companies do today. Example: income replacement if your sick or out of work due to medical issue.

Why is it so important to protect private insurance providers when its been clearly shown that they cannot provide an efficient health care system?

who said anything about protecting private insurance? its great to make it where they can't drop or deny coverage. its BS to put the blame on health costs on the ones paying the bills. we're talking about the gov't forcing them out of business, by making it impossible for them to compete w/ the federal programs.

why put it in the hands of the folks w/ a 5 star track record in dealing w/ healthcare cost & coverage...medicare & medicaid being f'd up ringing any bells?

Edited April 7, 2010 by SMOKE

[Pinay Wife 47]

The latest health insurance law doesn't change that. The universal coverage provisions

do not go into effect until 2014 - that's a lot of dead people.

I know it will take time but at least I know that the government is doing something to put an end to status quo and to curtail the abusive behavior of insurance/pharma companies.

Imagine what you could do with a million dollars, if only Warren Buffett was kind enough to give you one.

NOT THEIR MONEY!

It's my money! I don't want to pay a penny more for my insurance premium so that the insurance companies can line the pockets of the lobbyists. I want my money to go to people who are sick.

[SMOKE 1,426]

It's my money! I don't want to pay a penny more for my insurance premium so that the insurance companies can line the pockets of the lobbyists. I want my money to go to people who are sick.

what exactly do you think was happening during those closed door meetings in nancy, harry, & obama's offices....yanno the ones that included lobbyist from pharma & medical associations, but no media & noone against the legislation were allowed to attend?

Edited April 7, 2010 by SMOKE

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Massachusetts health insurance works so well it gets Federal bail outs. Who's going to bail out the Federal government? Oh yeah, Obama will just print more money.

Massachusetts Health Insurance Plan Gets Its Own Federal Bailout

[one...two...tree 2,762]

If they really could do it, don't you think they would have done it to improve their profit margins?

Not without individual mandates.

[Pinay Wife 47]

what exactly do you think was happening during those closed door meetings in nancy, harry, & obama's offices....yanno the ones that included lobbyist from pharma & medical associations, but no media & noone against the legislation were allowed to attend?

Maybe we should ask those pharma and medical lobbyists to leak the info since they were privy to the closed door meetings.

Edited April 7, 2010 by Pinay Wife

[SMOKE 1,426]

Maybe we should ask those pharma and medical lobbyists to leak the info since they were privy to the closed door meetings.

that'd be nice. it'd also be nice to know just how much money the politicians in those meetings were promised for their future campaigns from those lobbyists too.