Obamacare 3rd Anniversary ‘Sticker Shock’

‘The Price Increases Are A Downside Of President Barack Obama's Health Care Law’
‘Americans Could See Their Insurance Bills Double Next Year’

“Some Americans could see their insurance bills double next year as the health care overhaul law expands coverage to millions of people. The nation's big health insurers say they expect premiums — or the cost for insurance coverage — to rise from 20 to 100 percent for millions of people due to changes that will occur when key provisions of the Affordable Care Act roll out in January 2014. ‘We've done all the math, we've shared it with all the regulators, we've shared it with all the people in Washington that need to see it, and I think it's a big concern,’ Bertolini said during the company's annual meeting with investors in December.” (“Insurers Warn Of Overhaul-Induced Sticker Shock,” AP, 3/13/13)

• “The price increases are a downside of President Barack Obama's health care law…” (“Insurers Warn Of Overhaul-Induced Sticker Shock,” AP, 3/13/13)

“Officials at the California Department of Managed Health Care said increases that average more than 11% for about 47,000 individual and small-business policyholders of Blue Shield and Aetna… charging people more this year to recoup fees related to the federal healthcare law…” (“Blue Shield And Aetna To Raise Healthcare Rates Over State Objections,” LA Times, 3/6/13)

• “Blue Shield, a San Francisco nonprofit insurer, said the latest rate increases for nearly 30,000 individual customers, which became effective Friday, were justified based on rising medical costs and continued losses in its individual business. Some of its policyholders are paying as much as 20% more.” (“Blue Shield And Aetna To Raise Healthcare Rates Over State Objections,” LA Times, 3/6/13)

‘Federal Health Care Law Could Nearly Triple Premiums For Some’

“Young people who currently have low-cost coverage may see some of the biggest hikes.” (“Insurers Warn Of Overhaul-Induced Sticker Shock,” AP, 3/13/13)

“The federal health care law could nearly triple premiums for some young and healthy men, according to a forthcoming survey of insurers that singles out a group that might become a major public opinion battleground in the Obamacare wars. The survey, fielded by the conservative American Action Forum and made available to POLITICO, found that if the law’s insurance rules were in force, the premium for a relatively bare-bones policy for a 27-year-old male nonsmoker on the individual market would be nearly 190 percent higher.” (“Premium Price Shock Could Fuel Some ACA Foes,” Politico, 2/4/13)

“Imminent elements of Obama's grandest policy move, the health care overhaul known as ObamaCare, are calculated to screw his most passionate supporters … The passionate supporters are the youth, who voted for him by a margin of 60% to 36%, according to exit poll samples of people 29 and under." (“Obama Prepares To Screw His Base,” Buzzfeed, 2/10/13)

• “…insurers told the conservative American Action forum that small employers' premiums for healthy people 27 and under are likely to increase an average of 169%...” (“Obama Prepares To Screw His Base,” Buzzfeed, 2/10/13)

Unions: ‘Law's Requirements Will Drive Up The Costs’ For Their Plans

“Union leaders say many of the law's requirements will drive up the costs for their health-care plans and make unionized workers less competitive.” (“Some Unions Grow Wary Of Health Law They Backed,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/30/13)

“…the Sheet Metal Workers Local 85 in Atlanta, which has about 1,900 members. ... The law's requirements will add between 50 cents to $1 an hour to the cost of members' compensation package, said Randy Beall, business representative and political director for the local. Mr. Beall worries this will give small, nonunion contractors who don't provide health insurance an edge in getting work.” (“Some Unions Grow Wary Of Health Law They Backed,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/30/13)

• DAVE TREANOR, The International Union Of Operating Engineers: “Right now, it is costing us more.” (“Some Unions Grow Wary Of Health Law They Backed,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/30/13)
• RANDY BEALL, Sheet Metal Workers Local 85 In Atlanta, GA: “If we're not offering our members insurance and pension, why would you want to be union?” (“Some Unions Grow Wary Of Health Law They Backed,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/30/13)

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