Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Health Care: Behind the Debate

Oct 27,2009 Excerpts from

Employers, individuals face tough choices on health coverage
By ARNOLD PLATOU
October 17, 2009
arnoldp@herald-mail.com

HAGERSTOWN — Two years ago, CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield told Peter P. Thomas his agency would have to pay 16.4 percent more to keep its workers’ health insurance the same.

This past year, CareFirst wanted the consortium to pay 22 percent more and, for the new insurance year it began this month, 19.5 percent.

“Since 1999, premiums have gone up a total of 131 percent, far more rapidly than workers’ wages (up 38 percent since 1999) or inflation (up 28 percent since 1999),”

“When health care costs continue to rise much faster than overall inflation in a bad recession, workers and employers really feel the pain. That’s why we’re having a health reform debate,” said Drew Altman, president and CEO of Kaiser.

Across the nation, many companies are reducing benefits,(to deal with increased premiums) according to the Kaiser-HRET survey.
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comment: It would seem that the problem is increased medical costs because of unrestricted use of newer, more expensive technology, (not necessarily a bad thing, just more expensive), increasing number of uninsured patients not paying, and our current economic situation. We blame the insurance companies who raise premiums, yet publish lower profits. It is a complex problem and is complicated by the publics' hesitance to embrace any change (change is always scary) What our legislatures are faced with is the attitude that a change is critical, just don't mess with my plan!

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