Health insurers drop coverage for children ahead of new rules under ObamaCare

[Soul Crusher]

www.thehill.com
Health insurers drop coverage for children ahead of new rules
By Julian Pecquet - 09/20/10 05:00 PM ET
 

________________________ ________________________ ____-


Health plans in at least four states have announced they're dropping children's coverage just days ahead of new rules created by the healthcare reform law, according to the liberal grassroots group Health Care for America Now (HCAN).

The new healthcare law forbids insurers from turning down children with pre-existing conditions starting Thursday, one of several reforms Democrats are eager to highlight this week as they try to build support for the law ahead of the mid-term elections. But news of insurers dropping their plans as a result of the new law has thrown a damper on that strategy and prompted fierce push-back from the administration's allies at HCAN.

The announcement could lead to higher costs for some parents who are buying separate coverage for themselves and their children at lower cost than the family coverage that's available to them.

"We’re just days away from a new era when insurance companies must stop denying coverage to kids just because they are sick, and now some of the biggest changed their minds and decided to refuse to sell child-only coverage," HCAN Executive Director Ethan Rome said in a statement. "The latest announcement by the insurance companies that they won't cover kids is immoral, and to blame their appalling behavior on the new law is patently dishonest.

"Instead, they should reverse their actions immediately and simply follow the law. If the insurance companies can casually turn their backs on sick children now, who will they abandon next? This offensive behavior by the insurance companies is yet another reminder of why the new law is so important and why the Republicans’ call for repeal is so misguided."

Health plans and state insurance commissioners in July raised concerns that the new rules could lead some insurers to stop children-only coverage because families could wait until their children get sick to buy coverage.

Days later, the Obama administration issued regulations clarifying that insurers would still be able to establish enrollment periods in accordance with state law.

"To address concerns over adverse selection, issuers in the individual market may restrict enrollment of children under 19, whether in family or individual coverage, to specific open enrollment periods if allowed under state law," the Department of Health and Human Services clarified.

The issue had largely dropped out of sight since then, but insurers including WellPoint and CoventryOne have announced in recent days that they're dropping children's coverage in California, Colorado, Ohio and Missouri, according to HCAN.


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240 - "Let's talk issues"

[MM2K]

OOPS!!!!

This is what Thomas Sowell refers to as "STAGE ONE THINKING" . This is a CLASSIC example. Ok, moderates and independents, please pay attention. This is what happens when you try to regulate the economy or any other industry within the economy. This is why us conservatives and libertarians are against it. What happened is that they didnt think about unintended consequences. I have heard people on this board try to dismiss conservative policies as "too simple", but in reality you could say that it is liberal policies that are simple minded because with thier policies, they are implicitly assuming that they have a simplistic view of the economy, if they think it is indeed simple enough to be managed.

[Soul Crusher]

OOPS!!!!

This is what Thomas Sowell refers to as "STAGE ONE THINKING" . This is a CLASSIC example. Ok, moderates and independents, please pay attention. This is what happens when you try to regulate the economy or any other industry within the economy. This is why us conservatives and libertarians are against it. What happened is that they didnt think about unintended consequences. I have heard people on this board try to dismiss conservative policies as "too simple", but in reality you could say that it is liberal policies that are simple minded because with thier policies, they are implicitly assuming that they have a simplistic view of the economy, if they think it is indeed simple enough to be managed.

Most libs act on emotion; not fact, logic, reason,or experience.

[Soul Crusher]

Senate Democrats Jump on Health Insurance Increases
www.wsj.com
________________________ ___________


Senate Democrats are jumping into the fight over a recent round of insurance rate increases – and this time, they are singling out specific insurers.

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus and Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Jay Rockefeller sent letters warning five insurance companies against telling consumers their rates are going up because of new mandates in the health law. “This level of misinformation is not acceptable,” the Democratic senators wrote.

Lots of volleys have gone back and forth since The Wall Street Journal reported earlier this month that insurers were partially attributing a batch of rate increases to the new law’s mandates.

Today, the senators sent letters directly to five insurers – WellPoint, UnitedHealth, Aetna, Health Care Services Corp. and CIGNA – saying they represent the biggest chunk of the nation’s health-insurance market. While the insurance industry, on the whole, has tolerated broad criticism from Democrats, individual companies have pushed back fiercely once singled out. Remember WellPoint’s vigorous defense of rate increase at a California subsidiary, Anthem Blue Cross?

This letter specifically asks the insurers to explain how adding some new benefits – like allowing children to stay on their parents insurance until their 26th birthday – costs so much more than the Obama administration predicted. State regulators have said that some insurers seem to be guessing at the additional costs.

[Soul Crusher]

This letter specifically asks the insurers to explain how adding some new benefits – like allowing children to stay on their parents insurance until their 26th birthday – costs so much more than the Obama administration predicted. State regulators have said that some insurers seem to be guessing at the additional costs.



________________________ _______________


Unfreaking real.  This is a perfect example of the incompetence, ignorance, ineptness, idiocy, and stupidity of the Obama Admn. 

The kneepadders are very silent lately on this whole issue now that those who CORRECTLY PREDICTED said would happen, is happening, but far worse. 


Morons. 

[MB]

The insurance companies are running a business, which means they have to make a profit.  I've said all along, completely eliminate insurance companies from healthcare.  Why are we paying extra for our medical bills, so that insurance companies can make a hefty profit?  And what does the government do?  They mandate that we all have to buy health insurance and participate in this madness. 

[Kazan]

Because the government created the market for health insurance companies, HMO's didn't appear out of thin air.

[MCWAY]

www.thehill.com
Health insurers drop coverage for children ahead of new rules
By Julian Pecquet - 09/20/10 05:00 PM ET
 

________________________ ________________________ ____-


Health plans in at least four states have announced they're dropping children's coverage just days ahead of new rules created by the healthcare reform law, according to the liberal grassroots group Health Care for America Now (HCAN).

The new healthcare law forbids insurers from turning down children with pre-existing conditions starting Thursday, one of several reforms Democrats are eager to highlight this week as they try to build support for the law ahead of the mid-term elections. But news of insurers dropping their plans as a result of the new law has thrown a damper on that strategy and prompted fierce push-back from the administration's allies at HCAN.

The announcement could lead to higher costs for some parents who are buying separate coverage for themselves and their children at lower cost than the family coverage that's available to them.

"We’re just days away from a new era when insurance companies must stop denying coverage to kids just because they are sick, and now some of the biggest changed their minds and decided to refuse to sell child-only coverage," HCAN Executive Director Ethan Rome said in a statement. "The latest announcement by the insurance companies that they won't cover kids is immoral, and to blame their appalling behavior on the new law is patently dishonest.

"Instead, they should reverse their actions immediately and simply follow the law. If the insurance companies can casually turn their backs on sick children now, who will they abandon next? This offensive behavior by the insurance companies is yet another reminder of why the new law is so important and why the Republicans’ call for repeal is so misguided."

Health plans and state insurance commissioners in July raised concerns that the new rules could lead some insurers to stop children-only coverage because families could wait until their children get sick to buy coverage.

Days later, the Obama administration issued regulations clarifying that insurers would still be able to establish enrollment periods in accordance with state law.

"To address concerns over adverse selection, issuers in the individual market may restrict enrollment of children under 19, whether in family or individual coverage, to specific open enrollment periods if allowed under state law," the Department of Health and Human Services clarified.

The issue had largely dropped out of sight since then, but insurers including WellPoint and CoventryOne have announced in recent days that they're dropping children's coverage in California, Colorado, Ohio and Missouri, according to HCAN.


________________________ _____________--


240 - "Let's talk issues"

What is this goober, Ethan Rome, crying about? They are following the law. It says you can't turn down children, because of pre-existing conditions. So, logically, the insurance companies (who aren't about to go belly up for Obama's foolishness) simply say we ain't covering children at all (which is hardly a violation of the law).

[Soul Crusher]

This letter specifically asks the insurers to explain how adding some new benefits – like allowing children to stay on their parents insurance until their 26th birthday – costs so much more than the Obama administration predicted. State regulators have said that some insurers seem to be guessing at the additional costs.


________________________ _________________


Typical Obama FFFAAAIIILLLLL

[Skip8282]

Hmmm....where's Benny, TheLuke, KC, Blacken?

hahaha, morons.

It's going to be interesting to see what the insurance companies do when the real shit in this bill kicks in.

[MM2K]

The insurance companies are running a business, which means they have to make a profit.  I've said all along, completely eliminate insurance companies from healthcare.  Why are we paying extra for our medical bills, so that insurance companies can make a hefty profit?  And what does the government do?  They mandate that we all have to buy health insurance and participate in this madness. 

No thats not the answer. Insurance companies are needed for large scale health care operations that you cannot plan for that could destroy you financially. But you only need insurance for those kinds of very expensive operations. You dont need health insurance for things like physicals that you can easily plan for. Get the government out so that the market isnt distorted and so that insurance is only covering things that need to be covered. Your auto insurance doesnt cover oil changes. Your health insurance shouldnt cover physicals.

[MB]

No thats not the answer. Insurance companies are needed for large scale health care operations that you cannot plan for that could destroy you financially. But you only need insurance for those kinds of very expensive operations. You dont need health insurance for things like physicals that you can easily plan for. Get the government out so that the market isnt distorted and so that insurance is only covering things that need to be covered. Your auto insurance doesnt cover oil changes. Your health insurance shouldnt cover physicals.

Why should a health scare destroy you financially?  Only in the current system where everything is hyperexpensive.  If we brought medical expenses back to reality by eliminating insurance profits and encouraging open market competition, there's no reason it can't be reasonably priced.  I also like the idea of employers setting up health savings accounts (at their discretion) that can build up over time to use for such emergencies. 

[Hugo Chavez]

Hmmm....where's Benny, TheLuke, KC, Blacken?

well a few still post here still but not that much anymore....  anything they say or post gets mocked massively and overwhelmingly and often with no intention of discussion.  I've gotten many requests to have several of them banned.

No offense but I've kinda wondered, if the few people left posting on the left where gone, who would the right be debating with here?  Would it just be rightwingers giving kudos to eachother lol?  It's coming close to looking like that lately lol...

[MCWAY]

well a few still post here still but not that much anymore....  anything they say or post gets mocked massively and overwhelmingly and often with no intention of discussion.  I've gotten many requests to have several of them banned.

No offense but I've kinda wondered, if the few people left posting on the left where gone, who would the right be debating with here?  Would it just be rightwingers giving kudos to eachother lol?  It's coming close to looking like that lately lol...

If they're scared, say they're scared!!!

 

If they get "mocked massively and overwhelmingly", it's because they post a bunch of foolishness that can be refuted in the time it takes to heat up a cup of coffee.

[Straw Man]

This letter specifically asks the insurers to explain how adding some new benefits – like allowing children to stay on their parents insurance until their 26th birthday – costs so much more than the Obama administration predicted. State regulators have said that some insurers seem to be guessing at the additional costs.


________________________ _________________


Typical Obama FFFAAAIIILLLLL

so insurers are just pulling numbers out of thin air and trying to get it through and state regulators are calling them on it and........that's somehow a FAIL?

[Hugo Chavez]

If they're scared, say they're scared!!!

 

If they get "mocked massively and overwhelmingly", it's because they post a bunch of foolishness that can be refuted in the time it takes to heat up a cup of coffee.

Well don't mess around lol, address the whole post...  what you forgot to include is that there have been calls for all of these people to be banned.  The point you forgot to address is the point I'm most interested in knowing.  who are you guys going to debate?  Will the forum just be a bunch of rightwingers handing out brownie points to eachother lol... Hey, I'm just wondering because each and every one of these guys on the left have been named a problem that needs delt with.  But look down the forum and tell me what you see... Mostly rightwing talk at this point and go ahead and pick the first few leftwing posts you can find and tell me what the responses read like... From what I've seen there is no attempt to talk to them, but rather mock them with sarcasm...  So I'm wondering, what do you guys want of this forum?  A place to pat yourselves on the back or a place to discuss the issues?  The message I get from the right here is that you don't want anybody from the left posting here.  I just gotta lol a bit at that and ask then what?

I also didn't say anyone was scared, that wasn't any point I made.

[James]

so insurers are just pulling numbers out of thin air and trying to get it through and state regulators are calling them on it and........that's somehow a FAIL?

Wrong again Straw.

Actuarist are not guessing, they are good at predicting future cost (risk). The ones guessing were Obama and the Democrats who passed this POS Bill into Law.

[Straw Man]

Wrong again Straw.

Actuarist are not guessing, they are good at predicting future cost (risk). The ones guessing were Obama and the Democrats who passed this POS Bill into Law.

333's quote said "State regulators have said that some insurers seem to be guessing at the additional costs"

I guess we should just assume that insurance companies would never do something like that.  Their intentions are pure so why bother even asking them to justify their numbers right?

 

[Skip8282]

well a few still post here still but not that much anymore....  anything they say or post gets mocked massively and overwhelmingly and often with no intention of discussion.  I've gotten many requests to have several of them banned.

No offense but I've kinda wondered, if the few people left posting on the left where gone, who would the right be debating with here?  Would it just be rightwingers giving kudos to eachother lol?  It's coming close to looking like that lately lol...

Is this serious?  Blacken typically doesn't comment, just drops Youtube videos (but sometimes will depending), and Benny mocks ENDLESSLY.  He's always posting the pic of the crying baby and calling people pea brain.  KC starts mocking the moment he can't put up an intelligent response and TheLuke regularly refers to people as being ignorant.

If they've moved on as you seem to be implying, that's may just be the nature of boards - people come and go.

But there's no way I buy that it's because they are being mocked.  Especially when they dish out just as much, if not more.

[James]

333's quote said "State regulators have said that some insurers seem to be guessing at the additional costs"

I guess we should just assume that insurance companies would never do something like that.  Their intentions are pure so why bother even asking them to justify their numbers right?

 

Just as "pure" as all the backroom deals your idol Obama did to get this piece of shit Bill passed, the Bill that the majority of people did not want, and now cant afford.

[Hugo Chavez]

Is this serious?  Blacken typically doesn't comment, just drops Youtube videos (but sometimes will depending), and Benny mocks ENDLESSLY.  He's always posting the pic of the crying baby and calling people pea brain.  KC starts mocking the moment he can't put up an intelligent response and TheLuke regularly refers to people as being ignorant.

If they've moved on as you seem to be implying, that's may just be the nature of boards - people come and go.

But there's no way I buy that it's because they are being mocked.  Especially when they dish out just as much, if not more.

as if there is not a shit load of the same thing and greater directed toward the left   The fact remains, look through the pages, look at the few threads started by a lefty and check out the replies they get.  Hell, they can't even post a youtube vid without it somehow being a major offense lol...  I watch people on the right here copy and paste articles all day long which I'm fine with, but god forbid some fool on the left posts a youtube vid lol...

I still wonder, what do you guys want?  I get the impression that this is to be a rightwing only forum.  Hey, I guess it will make it easy on everyone lol...

[Soul Crusher]

333's quote said "State regulators have said that some insurers seem to be guessing at the additional costs"

I guess we should just assume that insurance companies would never do something like that.  Their intentions are pure so why bother even asking them to justify their numbers right?

 

Dear God are you ignorant.  Do you know anything about this bill?  Apparently not.     

[Skip8282]

as if there is not a shit load of the same thing and greater directed toward the left  

I never said people on the right didn't do the same thing so I have no idea where you're going with this.  Your post seemed to suggest that certain people are not posting here anymore because they get mocked.  When the reality is, those people endlessly mock others.

The fact remains, look through the pages, look at the few threads started by a lefty and check out the replies they get.  Hell, they can't even post a youtube vid without it somehow being a major offense lol...  I watch people on the right here copy and paste articles all day long which I'm fine with, but god forbid some fool on the left posts a youtube vid lol...

As I said and have seen on lots of boards, people come and go.  Sometimes you just get tired of arguing with the same people and want a different perspective.  Hell, even you took some time away.  It's all good.

I still wonder, what do you guys want?  I get the impression that this is to be a rightwing only forum.  Hey, I guess it will make it easy on everyone lol...

I don't think this is what the board will become.  You don't always have to have people at the extremes arguing to have a solid political discussion.

[Soul Crusher]

The simply problem is that there is really nothing left for the Obamabots to debate.  They got what they wanted, healthcare, stim bill, etc, and everything is failing miserably.  What can they possibly say or defend at this point? 

When a palin or odonnell comes along, they are out in force, but on issues, they have nothing left to defend. 

[MCWAY]

Well don't mess around lol, address the whole post...  what you forgot to include is that there have been calls for all of these people to be banned.  The point you forgot to address is the point I'm most interested in knowing.  who are you guys going to debate?  Will the forum just be a bunch of rightwingers handing out brownie points to eachother lol... Hey, I'm just wondering because each and every one of these guys on the left have been named a problem that needs delt with.  But look down the forum and tell me what you see... Mostly rightwing talk at this point and go ahead and pick the first few leftwing posts you can find and tell me what the responses read like... From what I've seen there is no attempt to talk to them, but rather mock them with sarcasm...  So I'm wondering, what do you guys want of this forum?  A place to pat yourselves on the back or a place to discuss the issues?  The message I get from the right here is that you don't want anybody from the left posting here.  I just gotta lol a bit at that and ask then what?

I also didn't say anyone was scared, that wasn't any point I made.

You simply said that there were calls for them to be banned, NOT that they actually were banned.

As 333386 stated, they have nothing to debate; they've been served. Yet, they clearly haven't been blocked from being here, because anytime something comes up about Sarah Palin, out come Blacken and Benny with threads out the wazoo.

But, ask them to explain why you couldn't get Dems to run on the stimulus or ObamaCare if you put guns to their heads, kidnapped their wives, and held their kids over a vat of boiling oil; and all you get is......CRICKETS!!!