Insurers on Obamacare: Expect Premium Prices to Soar

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/insurers-obamacare-expect-premium-prices-180000930.html?bcmt=comments-postbox

Health insurance premiums will likely skyrocket next year, despite the Obama administration’s consistent assurance that consumers will not experience sticker shock under the president’s health care law.

That’s according to industry insiders who told The Hill that they are expecting the price of monthly premiums to increase significantly. In some states, rates could increase by as much as 300 percent.

Related: Obamacare Sticker Shock Found in Deductibles, Not Premiums

“There is extensive concern about rate increases next year,” said Avalere Health’s Vice President Caroline Pearson. “Particularly since early exchange enrollment is skewed toward older enrollees, some are concerned that plans will need to raise prices in 2015.”

Rates won’t be announced until the fall, however, and Pearson cautioned that it’s still too early to know what they are likely to be since the enrollment period for this year is still ongoing.

The industry’s concerns of rising premiums are largely out of step with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius’s comments at a congressional hearing last week, where the secretary downplayed any potential sticker shock.

“The increases are far less significant than what they were prior to the Affordable Care Act,” Sebelius said in testimony before the House Ways and Means Committee.

Related: Consumers Hit With Surprise Tax in Obamacare Premium

But insurers say a combination of Obamacare’s new taxes and fees, as well as rule changes and delays announced to cope with the rocky rollout, will likely contribute to higher than expected rates.

For instance, the administration’s decision to allow people to keep their old policies likely means that fewer people than anticipated are enrolling on the new exchanges.

This is bad news for the Obama administration, which has routinely pointed out that premiums on the exchanges are less expensive than comparable employer-based policies. While premiums may be cheaper, out of pocket costs on exchange plans tend to be higher. A survey by HealthPocket.com found the deductibles on the exchange plans were 42 percent higher than employer based policies. But now, insurers say Obamacare consumers can expect to experience sticker shock from both premiums and deductibles.

Still, administration officials as well as health policy experts say the rising cost of premiums and deductibles were an issue even before the law took effect.

“The bottom line is that we just don’t know. Premiums were rising 7 to 10 percent a year before the law. So the question is whether we will see a continuation of that sort of single digit increase, as Sebelius said, or whether it will be larger,” MIT professor and one of the architects of Obamacare, Jonathan Gruber told The Hill.

Insurers say not everyone will see premiums rise significantly. That’s because the rates vary depending on the region and carriers available in the area.

For instance, counties that have a population that skews older or have only one major hospital system in the area will likely be hit with higher premiums. In contrast, places with a mix of healthier younger people and more competition for providers will likely see lower premiums.

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Ouch.

2 Yahoo Posters below;

JOE 18 hours ago

12

445

Remember folks. Not a single Republican in congress voted for the ACA. Another fact: Out of the 4 million people that have signed up for ObamaDontCare only 400,000 of them were people who did not have insurance in the first place. Fact: This ACA was established for the uninsured and right now 1 in 10 have signed up. So lets do the math. A plan that is costing us billions and was set up to help 40 to 50 million uninsured American's has turned out to be less than 4 million enrolled and only 1 in 10 were uninsured to begin with. Great plan Democrats. Remember this come voting season

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JenDee 15 hours ago

8

320

Hi Harry, Yes Mr. Reid, it's me the liar. My premiums are akin or is that ACHING to a second mortgage or darn near my first mortgage, TRUTH! I am sitting on the phone for two days trying to solve my newest bill of $2088.00 for three months of healthcare that shows me owing what I have a receipt of paying for. I cannot believe this idiotic and colossal CLUSTER EFF I am solving day in/ day out month in/ month out.

Ouch. Ouch. Good New out of this Bad News? = Dems are TOAST this fall.

Edited March 20, 2014 by Crashed~N2~Me

[lostinblue 1,989]

Senate Democrats voted unanimously

[BatmanUSA 105]

I don't see the usual people coming out to support Obamacare anymore..

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Wouldn't think of interrupting your circlejerks. Carry on!

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

Wouldn't think of interrupting your circlejerks. Carry on!

& besides ...you're too busy restocking tissue for your next daily group tug.

I'm curious...is it you,,,some1 else..or does every1 get a turn? = wearing the Obama mask during liberal "play time"...?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

After reading your well thought & eloquent contribution = My thought exactly =

Edited March 21, 2014 by Crashed~N2~Me

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

After reading your well thought & eloquent contribution = My thought exactly =

It may have escaped you but I responded to the below post. I felt it appropriate to respond as well thought out and as eloquent as the post that I responded to.

I don't see the usual people coming out to support Obamacare anymore..

But please, don't let my intrusion interrupt what you guys were busy with.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

A lot of the "usual people" have gotten tired of this forum and don't feel the need to participate as passionately as they used to.

[LibCampFireClub 635]

There isn't much to say about topics like this. 0bama is running a race to be the least popular president in history. Anything bearing his name is like a hot potato in the political world.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

A lot of the "usual people" have gotten tired of this forum and don't feel the need to participate as passionately as they used to.

And some of the "usual people" simply quit playing chess with the pigeons.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

A lot of the "usual people" have gotten tired of this forum and don't feel the need to participate as passionately as they used to.

I just popped in for a flyby but Penny is right , the forum is wilting. The people here are mostly good folks with divergent views. I left or shall I saw abstaining because of the crazy arbitrary way the rules are applied and a personal vendetta by a mod As many of you know I was told I had to ignore someone because we argue , as if that is not what we all do here and is the purpose of the forums. I refused and still do. Btw. What's up Mr Big Dog. Ol buddy. My loyal opposition. Lol. One if my favorite opposing members here. Btw. I think under the TOS that just earned me a 24 hour ban. Peace

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

It may have escaped you but I responded to the below post. I felt it appropriate to respond as well thought out and as eloquent as the post that I responded to.

I caught it. & I (dare to assume) - you and I are just having a crude laugh.

But...I also think he might make a good point = As Obamacare implementation advances - Are people who were once fans - changing opinion..?

I haven't read any poll reports lately..but I keep seeing headlines here and remarks there = Obama's job approval #'s are in the tank. (Not Fox..coz I don't watch TV "news" more than a few minutes each month if even that)...Why? Why is O's numbers so low..?

No more Hope coz not liking the Change...?

Edited March 21, 2014 by Crashed~N2~Me

[Penny Lane 8,159]

And some of the "usual people" simply quit playing chess with the pigeons.

Meh.

We all know the conversations and debates go nowhere. There's really no point in having them anymore. Nobody's mind is going to change. People are going to believe whatever they want to believe and think the other side doesn't know what they're talking about.

Add in some snide remarks, the occasional personal insult, a "you lack reading comprehension" remark and that about sums it up.

What the point.

I just popped in for a flyby but Penny is right , the forum is wilting. The people here are mostly good folks with divergent views. I left or shall I saw abstaining because of the crazy arbitrary way the rules are applied and a personal vendetta by a mod As many of you know I was told I had to ignore someone because we argue , as if that is not what we all do here and is the purpose of the forums. I refused and still do. Btw. What's up Mr Big Dog. Ol buddy. My loyal opposition. Lol. One if my favorite opposing members here. Btw. I think under the TOS that just earned me a 24 hour ban. Peace

The moderation of this forum hasn't made me want to participate in it much outside of OT... you never know what will be enforced, what will get you thread banned, etc. There's no personal accountability from the mods so I kind of gave up. They want to drive away their members - they're doing a pretty good job.

[Crashed~N2~Me 970]

There isn't much to say about topics like this. 0bama is running a race to be the least popular president in history. Anything bearing his name is like a hot potato in the political world.

He definitely boosts Jimmy Carter's overall image.