Sebelius threatens insurers who criticize ObamaCare

[christiefan915]

link?

You'll never get full context with hotair.com, it's a shill for conservatives.

"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."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100909/ap_on_bi_ge/us_health_insurance_warning

 

[apple0154]

Looking at the long term effects, I guess they are telling the truth when they say this bill is the first step toward single payer.

Of course it's the first step. That's what makes it a great bill. Like other legislation it will be fine-tuned as time passes and like the citizens in virtually every other country that has a single payer system Americans will never settle for less.

At the expense of sounding partisan President Obama has already made his legacy. Not bad for less than two years in office.

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So the gloves come off early. Play it our way or we'll put you out of business. It was pointed out what kinds of shenanigans would take place with the government usurping the authority to tell people what they can and cannot buy. Next will come the under-table deals (aka - bribes) from companies who will skirt regulations, but be placed on the government's official preferred list anyway while driving competitors out of business who have to abide by the regulations and will be excluded from the list for bogus (ie: not paying enough bribes) reasons.

Looking at the long term effects, I guess they are telling the truth when they say this bill is the first step toward single payer. By the time all the corruption winds its way through, one massive, corrupt health care assurance corporation will be all that is left - government mandated monopoly.

 

[hotdog]

Of course it's the first step. That's what makes it a great bill. Like other legislation it will be fine-tuned as time passes and like the citizens in virtually every other country that has a single payer system Americans will never settle for less.

At the expense of sounding partisan President Obama has already made his legacy. Not bad for less than two years in office.

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Health Care reform has been a failure. It hasn't saved the government or the american people any money. Health care reform is costing everyone more money. It was a step in the wrong direction. Has it accomplished anything good at all. This is hurting Obama's legacy not helping it.

 

[Minister of Truth]

Hotdog, do you think you could shut the hell up about climate change? At least go hang out on the APP if you want to talk about it!!

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

APP, the global warming forum.

 

[christiefan915]

Health Care reform has been a failure. It hasn't saved the government or the american people any money. Health care reform is costing everyone more money. It was a step in the wrong direction. Has it accomplished anything good at all. This is hurting Obama's legacy not helping it.

Health care reform isn't even fully-implemented yet so how can it be a failure?

Sept. 10, 2010 -- President Obama’s controversial health care reform law will have only a modest effect on the nation’s overall medical bills by 2019, according to government estimates released Thursday.

Overall spending on health care will make up 19.6% of the country’s total economic output by the end of the next decade. That’s actually 0.3 percentage points higher than it would have been if the Affordable Care Act was never enacted, according to actuaries at the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The report suggests that the growth of the nation’s medical costs -- at least in the first decade -- is unlikely to slow as the reform bill’s supporters predicted. But it also means tens of millions of Americans who don’t have coverage now will eventually have it, without the exploding costs predicted by some critics.

“What we show is that the impact (on overall health costs) is moderate,” said Andrea Sisko, an economist in the National Health Statistics Group at CMS.

About 33 million Americans who have no coverage now will have it by the end of the next decade, the report predicts. And health care will stay expensive to the country’s bottom line. By 2019, overall health care costs are expected to hit $4.6 trillion, up from $2.6 trillion this year, it states.


http://www.webmd.com/medicare/news/20100910/reform-law-to-slightly-boost-health-spending-by-2019

 

[Sammy Jankis]

Moderate impact? I thought it was supposed to be a clear money saver?

 

[Callinectes]

so bad if you do and bad if you do not

which would you prefer, the tyranny of the government or the insurance companies - we have had the tyranny of the insurance companies and look what they have done to us

Let me relate a true personal experience, followed by a speculation.
True story: I enlisted in the military in 1975. I was promised that my medical care would be completely free for the duration of my enlistment. And free for life through the VA if I stayed for 20 years or was combat wounded. I retired with 25 years of service in 2000, a veteren of Desert Storm, the former Yugoslavia, and a bunch of other painful and uncomfortable crap. Not combat wounded, but still banged up enough to rate a 30% disability rating from the VA. In 2001 I contracted bone spurs in my heels. No health insurance, but I got the VA, right? 5 WEEKS TO GET AN APPOINTMENT, 4 MONTHS TO GET THE APPLIANCES FOR MY SHOES BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T DO SURGERY! Of course, by this time I have lost a good paying job because I can't walk. (BTW, I do not blame the VA, they do the best they can).
Speculation: In 10 years, health care in America will look a lot like the way I described the VA. I find it difficult to believe you prefer the tyranny of the government COMBINED with it's demonstrated corruption and ineptitude, to the operations of insurance companies that you have been conditioned to believe are "tyranical". If you don't want to sign up for a hitch in the military and get a taste of obamacare, I suggest you look to Europe, where EU countries are moving closer to privitization everyday.

 

[SmarterthanYou]

At the expense of sounding partisan President Obama has already made his legacy. Not bad for less than two years in office.

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absolutely. great record for destroying the quality of health care in america. way to go libbies.

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

Prepare to wait in line America! It's what you wanted!

 

[cawacko]

Health care reform isn't even fully-implemented yet so how can it be a failure?

Sept. 10, 2010 -- President Obama’s controversial health care reform law will have only a modest effect on the nation’s overall medical bills by 2019, according to government estimates released Thursday.

Overall spending on health care will make up 19.6% of the country’s total economic output by the end of the next decade. That’s actually 0.3 percentage points higher than it would have been if the Affordable Care Act was never enacted, according to actuaries at the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

The report suggests that the growth of the nation’s medical costs -- at least in the first decade -- is unlikely to slow as the reform bill’s supporters predicted. But it also means tens of millions of Americans who don’t have coverage now will eventually have it, without the exploding costs predicted by some critics.

“What we show is that the impact (on overall health costs) is moderate,” said Andrea Sisko, an economist in the National Health Statistics Group at CMS.

About 33 million Americans who have no coverage now will have it by the end of the next decade, the report predicts. And health care will stay expensive to the country’s bottom line. By 2019, overall health care costs are expected to hit $4.6 trillion, up from $2.6 trillion this year, it states.


http://www.webmd.com/medicare/news/20100910/reform-law-to-slightly-boost-health-spending-by-2019

You are correct in that we will not know the full affects of this legislation for years. Based on how small businesses are reacting and how Obama is changing his rhetoric towards it we are getting an early indication though.

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

You are correct in that we will not know the full affects of this legislation for years.

Scary!

This is why I'm voting Republican!

 

[cawacko]

Scary!

This is why I'm voting Republican!

It's evil people like you who are trying to prevent our progress. This legislation isn't perfect but it is a great start. We need to move forward not backwards.

That is why I'm voting Democratic!