White House Presses Anthem Blue Cross on Rate Hike

[Roger Perry]

California's Largest Health Insurer Defends Premium Increases of Up to 39 Percent


By JAKE TAPPER
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2010

The Obama administration (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/President44/) is demanding answers from California's largest insurance firm, Anthem Blue Cross (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/GetsAnswers/story?id=6640663&page=2), about why the company is suddenly raising premiums (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/02/obama-administration-to-california-insurance-company-justify-your-39-premium-hike.html) on some customers by up to 39 percent; more than 10 times the rate of inflation.
White House wants Anthem Blue Cross to justify nearly 40 percent hike.


Nearly a million Californians with individual insurance plans have received letters from the company notifying them of the rate hike, which, some customers said, makes their insurance unaffordable.
"I really can't afford to spend $9,000 a year on health insurance," San Francisco attorney Pamela Fasick said of her policy premiums scheduled to increase 28 percent March 1.
"I would hate to give up give up insurance at this point in my life, but I wouldn't be able to pay that money out of my income without going into debt," she said.

Is this going to be the norm if Health Care does not pass?

[M&K's Retrievers]

California's Largest Health Insurer Defends Premium Increases of Up to 39 Percent


By JAKE TAPPER
WASHINGTON, Feb. 9, 2010

The Obama administration (http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/President44/) is demanding answers from California's largest insurance firm, Anthem Blue Cross (http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/GetsAnswers/story?id=6640663&page=2), about why the company is suddenly raising premiums (http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2010/02/obama-administration-to-california-insurance-company-justify-your-39-premium-hike.html) on some customers by up to 39 percent; more than 10 times the rate of inflation.
White House wants Anthem Blue Cross to justify nearly 40 percent hike.


Nearly a million Californians with individual insurance plans have received letters from the company notifying them of the rate hike, which, some customers said, makes their insurance unaffordable.
"I really can't afford to spend $9,000 a year on health insurance," San Francisco attorney Pamela Fasick said of her policy premiums scheduled to increase 28 percent March 1.
"I would hate to give up give up insurance at this point in my life, but I wouldn't be able to pay that money out of my income without going into debt," she said.

Is this going to be the norm if Health Care does not pass?


This is grandstanding by Obama. He bitches on the front page and Anthem will answer on the back page. He knows full well that Anthem can more than justify their rate action or the California Insurance Department wouldn't allow it. Inflation is a small factor in determining rate actions. It has been a while since I had to do any business in California, but at one time the state had more required mandated benefits than any other state which in turn results in higher costs. Add to that required guarantee issue, coverage for preexisting conditions, size and age of their block of business and most likely reductions in enrollment due to the economy you get the need for rate adjustments. I also suspect that Anthem's rates are still competitive in that market. Do you really think that Anthem would go after a needless rate hike only to face public outcry and Presidential ridicule?

[BonMallari]

California has the largest fraud for health insurance, one of my brother's was a controller for an east LA hospital and the practice of undocumented persons of different ethnicities using the same insurance # are rabid..there were so many scams, many involving the hospital employees themselves...when they cleaned out the staff and tightened the controls the hospital miraculously started operating in the black...Mother Superior and the other nuns on the board of directors were very happy and promoted him to CFO