"Obamacare premiums to soar 22%"

http://money.cnn.com/2016/10/24/news/economy/obamacare-premiums/index.html

“The price hike is the latest blow to Obamacare. Insurers are raising prices and downsizing their presence on the exchanges as they try to stem losses from sicker-than-anticipated customers. Enrollment for 2017 will be closely watched since insurers want to see younger and healthier consumers enroll.”

I know that nothing productive will come of the discussion here, but I like to raise higgmond’s blood pressure.

TLDR version: Insurers are raising rates or pulling out because the exchange customers tend to be poor quality (sicker than average).

Pro Obamacare argument: More Americans have health insurance. Rising costs are because insurers are transitioning out of an exploratory stage.

Anti Obamacare argument: Healthcare costs are still going up, causing a burden to consumers and the Federal government that provides subsidies. Many of the new insured people are young and healthy, and have it now to avoid fines.

Who could have possibly seen this coming?

I think the pro Obamacare people would also talk about how some states are screwing it up by not expanding Medicaid. At least that’s what some of my buddies always talk about

Are you referring to Ohai posting an actual link?

Project Single Payer intact and on track.

Ha ha ha. Good one!

Only anybody who paid attention in Econ 101

^ Non-obamacare and open enrollment…+22% Shiiiiitee

Thanks obama

But, but, but, 95.7 billion people who didn’t have health insurance before now have it.

^ Poor people on Mars don’t count

Some 77% of consumers will be able to find a plan that costs $100 or less after subsidies, officials said.

"Relatively few people will feel the premium increases, but everyone will hear about them," said Dan Mendelson, president of Avalere Health, a consulting firm. “That will have an effect on the perception of the program.”

What’s the big deal? Not like they will actually feel most of the increase.

I have a hard time believing this.

I was shopping on the marketplace the other day, and the cheapest plan available (for a family of 4) was $650 per month. And it covered absolutely nothing until you met your $13,500 deductible. (Then it covered 100%–after you’ve already spent $13,500.)

Is that because of your income? I mean most people on Obama care are lower income folks not covered by their company, my whole family is covered by the firm so I don’t even care.

You left out an important detail that administration officials whisper after that statistic: To get the best deal, people would have to pick a low-cost plan with limited benefits and take advantage of all the subsidies available.

They won’t feel it in their pocketbooks, but you and I will because we’re the ones who have to pay for the increased subsidies that keep the plans “affordable”. They will “feel” the reduced coverage of having to switch to a lower level plan. They’ll also “feel” in inability to keep their doctor in many cases:

“Another issue for consumers is finding or keeping a doctor and hospital they like. To keep costs down, insurers have been narrowing their networks of providers, and this could anger enrollees, said Sabrina Corlette, research professor at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute. If consumers don’t think it’s a good deal, they could opt to drop their plans or to remain uninsured.”

That’s cheap compared to what me and my employer pay (~2k per month), although to be fair that’s an insane deductible, especially if it truly covers absolutely nothing i.e. no regular check ups, dr visits, etc.

The exchanges are going to be difficult to maintain as long as 70-80% of the people out there get their insurance through their work. This leaves the exchange pools with the unemployed, struggling/early stage entrepreneurs plowing everything into their business, and private business owners of more established companies. Of that segment only one group can really insurance and they make up the smallest percentage.

All this means is that the Feds end up paying more in subsidies. A high % of the people who get Obamacare don’t have employer provided insurance and get a subsidy.

Hell ya, we finally did it! USA!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anNWYPfK2oU

obama is so gangstah!

Eh? Why is that Anti-Obamacare? Wouldn’t it be pro since these young health people would contribute to the pool but not take out much?

Anyway. We all know better solutions but can’t look for perfection. Transparency in pricing, incentivizing the doctor to keep the patient healthy instead of paying by procedure (except for drastic surgeries), expanding one-stop shops like Kaiser Permanente (so there is not much conflict of interest among the doctor, the lab, the pharmacy, the patient and the insurance company - all but the patient under one roof,) mandatory state insurance (for healthies to pay for sickos) plus option for additional coverage from your employer - like France. Lessen the number of people getting screwed financially or worse yet, healthcare-wise.