Healthcare Premiums to Rise According to Obama Advisor

BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN · Oct 31, 2012

Penned by someone currently a Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and a member of Mitt Romney’s Health Care Policy Advisory Group, and formerly employed by Bain capitol.

In other words, not credible.

The ACA is flawed, but if we are going to have honest discussion about it, we need to begin with accurate facts; not an almost entirely inaccurate, politically motivated assassination piece, lol.

SC_RNDude · Oct 31, 2012

Anyone who writes anything about a political issue probably has some bias. That doesn't necessarily mean they are wrong or not credible.

People should look at the studies he cites (links are provided) and decide for themselves. There are also good things mentioned about Obamacare, and one of the studies is done by a Obama advisor on healthcare.

elkpark · Oct 31, 2012

Yeah, I'm sure premiums will rise under the ACA, and I'm sure they would rise at least as much without the ACA. Your point being????

SC_RNDude · Oct 31, 2012

Yeah, I'm sure premiums will rise under the ACA, and I'm sure they would rise at least as much without the ACA. Your point being????

You are sure that premiums would increase just as much or more if the insurance companies did not have to provide benefits that they now are forced to? What are you basing that opinion on?

More importantly, let's not forget how wonderful President Obama and Speaker Pelosi said Obamacare would be because it would make health insurance affordable for all. For me at least, increased premiums does not equate to more affordable.

tntrn, ASN, RN · Oct 31, 2012

We were promised that Health Care Premiums would not rise.

Mindful, RN · Oct 31, 2012

... its hog wash...

Not_A_Hat_Person, RN · Nov 4, 2012

My health insurance premiums rose every year for 8 years, sometimes more than once a year, before Obamacare. The only real change is that Obamacare gives insurers a new scapegoat for premium increases.

VioletKaliLPN, LPN · Nov 5, 2012

"You are sure that premiums would increase just as much or more if the insurance companies did not have to provide benefits that they now are forced to? What are you basing that opinion on?"

I just wanted to comment on this statement. Health insurance premiums have risen every year for the past 10-20 years. Let's face it, people are continuously engaging in behaviors like smoking, overeating, lack of exercise, or other unhealthy habits. It is expensive to take care of illnesses, and it is becoming increasingly expensive thanks to "lifestyle" associated illnesses, refusal to comply with medical advice/medications, etc.

I know people who have 300-400-500$ car payments. Perhaps some should re think their priorities. I know plenty of people who "cannot afford" health insurance, but they can afford a 500$ car payment , vacations every year, and other luxuries.

mariebailey, MSN, RN · Nov 5, 2012

You left out an important quote from the article: "(DISCLOSURE: I am an outside adviser to the Romney campaign on health care issues. The opinions contained herein are mine alone, and do not necessarily correspond to those of the campaign.)" Forbes is already known to have a conservative bias.

Here are some legitimate resources on what will happen with Medicare and Ohio:

Scrutinizing unreasonable premium increases in Ohio:

"In every State and for the first time under Federal law, insurance companies are required to publicly justify their actions if they want to raise rates by 10 percent or more. Ohio has received $5,091,507 under the new law to help fight unreasonable premium increases." http://www.healthcare.gov/law/resources/oh.html

Medicare: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/resources/reports/affordablecareact.html

mariebailey, MSN, RN · Nov 5, 2012

You are sure that premiums would increase just as much or more if the insurance companies did not have to provide benefits that they now are forced to? What are you basing that opinion on?

Common sense dictates that premiums would rise in the absence of the ACA. The ACA, among other things, will implement cost-controlling measures to address it. Everyone, including the young & healthy folks who often opt out of purchasing health insurance, will now be participating. That's what makes health insurance work, just like any other insurance. If only wreckless drivers bought car insurance, auto insurance companies would be bankrupt. Having everyone participate is a cost-controlling measure.

elkpark · Nov 5, 2012

You are sure that premiums would increase just as much or more if the insurance companies did not have to provide benefits that they now are forced to? What are you basing that opinion on?

I had the misfortune, a few years ago, of needing to buy health insurance as an individual. I needed to renew the policy twice. Each time, the monthly premium went up just under 15% -- and this was when I had no claims, and had not cost them a single penny (other than the costs associated with billing me for the premiums ...), during the prior year. You cannot convince me that anything that happens under the ACA would be worse than what the insurance companies are already doing.

Of course, again, I'm not saying I'm any great fan of the ACA -- I would have much preferred a true single-payer system, and not just minor tweaking "around the edges" of our current, seriously dysfunctional system.