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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - HHS not gonna put up with insurance companies telling the truth!

Posted: 9/9/2010 7:05:28 PM EDT

from AP

HHS to insurers: Don't blame us for your rates

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama's top health official on Thursday warned the insurance industry that the administration won't tolerate blaming premium hikes on the new health overhaul law.

"There will be zero tolerance for this type of misinformation and unjustified rate increases," Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a letter to the insurance lobby.

"Simply stated, we will not stand idly by as insurers blame their premium hikes and increased profits on the requirement that they provide consumers with basic protections," Sebelius said. She warned that bad actors may be excluded from new health insurance markets that will open in 2014 under the law. They'd lose out on a big pool of customers, as many as 30 million people nationwide.

The letter to America's Health Insurance Plans was the latest volley in a war of words over who gets the blame for rising premiums. Polls show that many people expect their costs to go up as a result of the law, but there's also widespread mistrust of the insurance industry.

An HHS official said the letter is a pre-emptive move, after the department learned that several smaller carriers around the country are blaming the new law for rate increases this year.

The industry's top lobbyist responded that the health care law is a factor behind higher rates, but not the only one.

"Health insurance premiums are increasing because of soaring prices for medical services, the impact of younger and healthier people dropping their insurance during the weak economy, and additional benefits required under the new law," said Karen Ignagni, president of the insurers' trade group. "It's a basic law of economics that additional benefits incur additional costs."

Sebelius asked Ignagni to help stop "misinformation and scare tactics."

Although the law's big expansion of coverage under the law won't take place until 2014, several new benefits go into effect starting later this month. Lifetime dollar caps on coverage are abolished, and plans must allow parents to keep their children on the policy up to age 26. Many plans will also have to guarantee coverage for children regardless of a medical condition, and provide preventive care with no cost-sharing for the patient.

The administration estimates that those new benefits will raise premiums by no more than 1 to 2 percent. Major benefit consulting companies say the impact will be in the single digits, although it may vary considerably from plan to plan.

"Health plans will continue to do everything they can to incorporate all of these new benefits while keeping health care coverage as affordable as possible for families and employers," Ignagni said.

Unpredictable premium hikes are a constant worry for small businesses and people who buy coverage directly. Employees of large companies are generally shielded from big rate swings from year to year, although their costs also creep up.

Obama used premium hikes to his advantage earlier this year in the final push to get health care overhaul legislation through Congress.

After Anthem Blue Cross sought an increase of as much as 39 percent for some of its California customers who purchase coverage directly, the president made the company into a poster child for insurance problems. California regulators recently approved an increase averaging 14 percent for Anthem customers.

Analysts say the industry is generally in good financial condition this year, and that may help to keep premiums in check.

Posted: 9/9/2010 7:07:46 PM EDT

[#1]

so insurance companies that charge you for the services they are going to be FORCED to provide due to Obamacare will be put out of business if they TELL YOU that is the reason the rates went up?

In short this means "lie to your customers or you won't be allowed in the insurance pool that ALL POLICIES will be forced under" aka WE WILL PUT OU OUT OF BUSINESS IF YOU TELL THE TRUTH!
This is fucking insane.

Posted: 9/9/2010 7:09:52 PM EDT

[#2]

This is what happens when you get a bunch of incompetent boobs who have never had to run a business or make payroll and put them in positions of power.

Posted: 9/9/2010 7:13:36 PM EDT

[#3]

where's the reset button?

Posted: 9/9/2010 7:46:57 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:

where's the reset button?

hillary gave it to the enemy for safe keeping

Posted: 9/9/2010 7:55:15 PM EDT

[#5]

No, federal government hasn't overstepped its bounds at all... this is totally reasonable in a free society...

Nuts.

Posted: 9/9/2010 7:59:16 PM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:

No, federal government hasn't overstepped its bounds at all... this is totally reasonable in a free society...

Nuts.

technically I think a corperation could sue for 1st amendment violations due to being threatened by the government for saying something.

If that was directly quoted from HHS that they will not let them into the insurance pool they have just massively violated the 1st amendment. I think i will write some organizations and see if maybe someone will make a fuss about it. This SHOULD be front page news.

Posted: 9/10/2010 11:40:30 AM EDT

[#7]

bump for daytime discussion.

Posted: 9/10/2010 11:42:02 AM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:

HHS to insurers: Don't blame us for your rates

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http://d.yimg.com/a/p/ap/20100909/videolthumb.ce2b44b27dae6d906dc5ba90afe659b7.jpg?x=50&y=50&xc=51&yc=1&wc=300&hc=300&q=85&sig=..mDsZV9hwAal0P0RqZyMA–– Play Video Barack Obama Video:Fla. pastor cancels Quran burning event <cite>AP</cite>

http://d.yimg.com/a/p/fox/20100910/videolthumb.b644f6118fd2494d0a214dcd437b8e3f.jpg?x=50&y=50&xc=91&yc=1&wc=230&hc=230&q=85&sig=nPPDEVaF18C_g2TNp_ZL5A–– Play Video Barack Obama Video:Dems Divided Over Obama's Economic Agenda? <cite>FOX News</cite>

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<cite class="vcard"> By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR, Associated Press Writer Ricardo Alonso-zaldivar, Associated Press Writer </cite> –

Fer cryin' out loud!

Posted: 9/10/2010 11:48:39 AM EDT

[#9]

Misinformation and scare tactics is what the administration screams when someone is telling the truth. That's how bad it is, you can use it for a fact check if you wanted to.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Posted: 9/10/2010 11:56:18 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

Fer cryin' out loud!

better? lol

Posted: 9/10/2010 11:57:00 AM EDT

[#11]

It always amazes me when people assume that companies are NOT going to pass on increased cost to the customer.

Posted: 9/10/2010 11:59:39 AM EDT

[#12]

...and in other news, We have always been at war with Eastasia.

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:00:15 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

It always amazes me when people assume that companies are NOT going to pass on increased cost to the customer.

No shit, "We're going to stick it to the evil insurance companies!!"

Thanks a lot fucksticks.

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:00:48 PM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:
This is what happens when you get a bunch of incompetent boobs who have never had to run a business or make payroll and put them in positions of power.

BINGO!

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:03:49 PM EDT

[#15]

This will be standard procedure for our regressive administration. The truth is offensive to regressives.

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:05:02 PM EDT

[#16]

I really think a lot of people are just waiting for the first spark. Then, poof. The whole thing goes up in flames.

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:05:41 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

It always amazes me when people SOCIALISTS assume that companies are NOT going to pass on increased cost to the customer.

Hugo Chavez doesn't understand this concept.

Fidel Castro doesn't understand this concept.

Stalin didn't understand this concept.

Mao didn't understand this concept.

Obama doesn't understand this concept.

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:06:46 PM EDT

[#18]

just sent it to wife at BCBS..

lets see what she says.

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:21:34 PM EDT

[#19]

AS far as I can tell, none of the 0bamacare policies have kicked in yet. So, how do the insurance companies get away with saying they have to provide all this stuff? It looks like they are giving out a bunch of misinformation and using it to justify price increases.

I'm no fan of 0, but I'm even less of a fan of insurance companies.

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:22:52 PM EDT

[#20]

This is of course why you don't give the government control over your lives but some people never seem to understand this lesson or even prefer it to any sort of freedom. Sadly I think this is probably the majority these days.

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:25:21 PM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
AS far as I can tell, none of the 0bamacare policies have kicked in yet. So, how do the insurance companies get away with saying they have to provide all this stuff? It looks like they are giving out a bunch of misinformation and using it to justify price increases.

I'm no fan of 0, but I'm even less of a fan of insurance companies.

yes some of the stuff has kicked in.. like children on the plans till they are 24ish, and other new coverage items..

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:25:26 PM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
AS far as I can tell, none of the 0bamacare policies have kicked in yet. So, how do the insurance companies get away with saying they have to provide all this stuff? It looks like they are giving out a bunch of misinformation and using it to justify price increases.

I'm no fan of 0, but I'm even less of a fan of insurance companies.

Yeah, talk about the lesser of two evils. I suspect this little tit for tat will go on for a long time to come.

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:26:57 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:

Quoted:

where's the reset button?

hillary gave it to the enemy for safe keeping

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200903/r346793_1584251.jpg

Oh that was well played.

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:47:01 PM EDT

[#24]

I hope the stupid Health Industry leaders and employees choke on their own vomit when they realize they were duped...LMAO!!!

Posted: 9/10/2010 12:54:27 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Quoted:
AS far as I can tell, none of the 0bamacare policies have kicked in yet. So, how do the insurance companies get away with saying they have to provide all this stuff? It looks like they are giving out a bunch of misinformation and using it to justify price increases.

I'm no fan of 0, but I'm even less of a fan of insurance companies.

Yeah, talk about the lesser of two evils. I suspect this little tit for tat will go on for a long time to come.

The idea is to break the cost structure and drive them out of business so the .gov can step in when they go bust.

Posted: 9/10/2010 1:00:44 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

"It's a basic law of economics that additional benefits incur additional costs."

nooo.. where they get this nonsence...

Fuck Obama...

and 26 is no fucking "child"

Idiots, every last one of them.

Posted: 9/10/2010 1:14:14 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
This is what happens when you get a bunch of incompetent boobs who have never had to run a business or make payroll and put them in positions of power.

Not incompetant, they know what they are doing, kill insurance then force everyone onto the government tit

Posted: 9/10/2010 4:45:35 PM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

AS far as I can tell, none of the 0bamacare policies have kicked in yet. So, how do the insurance companies get away with saying they have to provide all this stuff? It looks like they are giving out a bunch of misinformation and using it to justify price increases.

I'm no fan of 0, but I'm even less of a fan of insurance companies.

you can read the law. it defines what must be covered in the future. insurance companies know exactly what this covering all these things will cost because thats what they do. they will make adjustments to keep their future profit margins the same. average profit margin for insurance companies is between 5-7 percent. pretty low profit margin if you ask me. Ill bet you a dollar after all this crap kicks in their profit margins will stay the same except you will be paying more to cover all of the new costs they will have.

Posted: 9/10/2010 5:39:42 PM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:

Quoted:
AS far as I can tell, none of the 0bamacare policies have kicked in yet. So, how do the insurance companies get away with saying they have to provide all this stuff? It looks like they are giving out a bunch of misinformation and using it to justify price increases.

I'm no fan of 0, but I'm even less of a fan of insurance companies.

Yeah, talk about the lesser of two evils. I suspect this little tit for tat will go on for a long time to come.

The idea is to break the cost structure and drive them out of business so the .gov can step in when they go bust.

Bingo, we have a winner.

Posted: 9/10/2010 5:42:41 PM EDT

[#30]

We need a straight up PURGE once these jackasses are out of power. I want to build gulags, and dump them in their own little villages in the middle of a swamp with nothing but a big pile of flour to survive the winter. Give them something to write books about.

HAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Posted: 9/10/2010 6:26:45 PM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:
AS far as I can tell, none of the 0bamacare policies have kicked in yet. So, how do the insurance companies get away with saying they have to provide all this stuff? It looks like they are giving out a bunch of misinformation and using it to justify price increases.

I'm no fan of 0, but I'm even less of a fan of insurance companies.

RIF:

Although the law's big expansion of coverage under the law won't take place until 2014, several new benefits go into effect starting later this month. Lifetime dollar caps on coverage are abolished, and plans must allow parents to keep their children on the policy up to age 26. Many plans will also have to guarantee coverage for children regardless of a medical condition, and provide preventive care with no cost-sharing for the patient.

That's four new policies taking effect in just a few weeks. Each of them costs money to implement, which drives up premiums.

Posted: 9/10/2010 6:30:51 PM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
We need a straight up PURGE once these jackasses are out of power. I want to build gulags, and dump them in their own little villages in the middle of a swamp with nothing but a big pile of flour to survive the winter. Give them something to write books about.

HAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

I think a proper trial, a proper verdict, proper appeals, then a proper noose are more in order.

Posted: 9/10/2010 6:42:49 PM EDT

[#33]

It amazes me how stupid and arrogant this administration is. I absolutely can't wait to vote his sorry ass out of office.

Posted: 9/10/2010 6:51:30 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:

Quoted:

We need a straight up PURGE once these jackasses are out of power. I want to build gulags, and dump them in their own little villages in the middle of a swamp with nothing but a big pile of flour to survive the winter. Give them something to write books about.

HAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!

I think a proper trial, a proper verdict, proper appeals, then a proper noose are more in order.

Too slow. Ready the train cars.