Tuesday, February 16, 2010
With the apparent inability of the House, Senate, and the President to reach some kind of compromise on health care reform, will states step up and move forward with their own individual versions of reform?
A 2009 report from The Kaiser Family Foundation on health care reform indicates a small number of states have already passed reform measures: Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont. In addition, other states are in some phase of proposing reform measures, including: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin. http://www.kff.org.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on February 15, 2010 that Georgia State Senator Preston Smith(R) introduced two health care bills: one allowing small businesses to group together to insure their workers under a single policy. The second bill would remove certain coverage “caps”; permit children to remain covered on a parent’s policy up to age 25, and prohibit insurers from canceling policies and refusing claims under certain conditions. According to the report, Smith’s bills have the backing of 20 Democrats and Republicans. http://www.ajc.com/
The Wyoming Tribune-Eagle reported on February 13, 2010 that state lawmakers are attempting to pass legislation, for the third time, that would create a 500 participant pilot project for health-reform. The pilot’s design tests various cost savings measures, including: care for the state's uninsured, benefits package that encourages preventive care, and health savings accounts to cover deductibles and co-payments. Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal, the Wyoming Medical Society, and AARP support the proposal. http://www.wyomingnews.com/
If Congress fails to pass health care reform on a national level, there is a real possibility that states, acting out of their own self-interest will address the issue. Conceivable, the result will be 50 versions of health care reform, some similar, some as different as night and day. Multi-state employers will face the prospect of dealing with non-uniform mandates (some already are) in the various states they operate. Thus increasing the likelihood employers will abandon the sponsorship of health care plans.
In a February 13, 2010 report, the Associated Press noted that health insurance participants in 4 states are facing double-digit increases in their private individual premiums. California’s Anthem Blue Cross, has been facing strong pushback for its plan to up rates by as much as 39% for some 800,000 individually insured members. In Maine, Anthem Blue Cross has requested rate increases of 23% for some individual members. In 2009, rates increased as much as 32% for this same group. One un-named Kansas carrier proposed raising individual rates from 20% to 30% but was later convinced to limit the increases to 10% to 20%. Oregon granted increases of 15% and higher for multiple insurers for the 2010 policy year. This came on the heels of a 25 % increase in 2009.
Is the lid off the health care reform pressure cooker? Are we going to see increased pressure from individual states to affect health care cost control by denying carriers rate increases? Are carriers going to become emboldened by the lack of action by Congress and now feel free to implement double-digit increases? Are double-digit increases another indication that most individual policy holders are excessive users of health care?
With the apparent inability of the House, Senate, and the President to reach some kind of compromise on health care reform, will states step up and move forward with their own individual versions of reform?
A 2009 report from The Kaiser Family Foundation on health care reform indicates a small number of states have already passed reform measures: Maine, Massachusetts, and Vermont. In addition, other states are in some phase of proposing reform measures, including: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin. http://www.kff.org.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on February 15, 2010 that Georgia State Senator Preston Smith(R) introduced two health care bills: one allowing small businesses to group together to insure their workers under a single policy. The second bill would remove certain coverage “caps”; permit children to remain covered on a parent’s policy up to age 25, and prohibit insurers from canceling policies and refusing claims under certain conditions. According to the report, Smith’s bills have the backing of 20 Democrats and Republicans. http://www.ajc.com/
The Wyoming Tribune-Eagle reported on February 13, 2010 that state lawmakers are attempting to pass legislation, for the third time, that would create a 500 participant pilot project for health-reform. The pilot’s design tests various cost savings measures, including: care for the state's uninsured, benefits package that encourages preventive care, and health savings accounts to cover deductibles and co-payments. Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal, the Wyoming Medical Society, and AARP support the proposal. http://www.wyomingnews.com/
If Congress fails to pass health care reform on a national level, there is a real possibility that states, acting out of their own self-interest will address the issue. Conceivable, the result will be 50 versions of health care reform, some similar, some as different as night and day. Multi-state employers will face the prospect of dealing with non-uniform mandates (some already are) in the various states they operate. Thus increasing the likelihood employers will abandon the sponsorship of health care plans.
In a February 13, 2010 report, the Associated Press noted that health insurance participants in 4 states are facing double-digit increases in their private individual premiums. California’s Anthem Blue Cross, has been facing strong pushback for its plan to up rates by as much as 39% for some 800,000 individually insured members. In Maine, Anthem Blue Cross has requested rate increases of 23% for some individual members. In 2009, rates increased as much as 32% for this same group. One un-named Kansas carrier proposed raising individual rates from 20% to 30% but was later convinced to limit the increases to 10% to 20%. Oregon granted increases of 15% and higher for multiple insurers for the 2010 policy year. This came on the heels of a 25 % increase in 2009.
Is the lid off the health care reform pressure cooker? Are we going to see increased pressure from individual states to affect health care cost control by denying carriers rate increases? Are carriers going to become emboldened by the lack of action by Congress and now feel free to implement double-digit increases? Are double-digit increases another indication that most individual policy holders are excessive users of health care?
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