Insurers Will Do Just About Anything to Avoid Public Plan

[LaurenG]

Les Masterson, for HealthLeaders Media, May 13, 2009

Health insurers are so concerned that a public insurance option could destroy their business that they have made concessions over the past few months that would have seemed impossible only a year ago.

Last week, Karen M. Ignagni, president of America's Health Insurance Plans, told the Senate Finance Committee that insurers planned to end the practice of charging women higher premiums than men in individual health plans.
<snip>

The bottom line is that health insurers think they could be in trouble if the Congress and president create public competition. Part of the problem is that Obama and Congress have not developed a specific public insurance plan. Without knowing the specifics and how to compete against a public plan, health insurers are making concessions in hopes that policymakers will remove a public option off the table.

<snip>

Insurers have opposed changes to gender ratings in the past. However, if cutting this kind of bedrock practice means they don't have to face a public option, health insurers are willing to change the way they do business.


more. http://healthplans.hcpro.com/content.cfm?content_id=232960&topic=WS_HLM2_HEP

[mikelgb]

1. they will cut us just enough slack....

[FiveGoodMen]

3. ...for just long enough to get the laws changed their way...

...and then...

[mikelgb]

8. we hang ourselves

[DJ13]

2. Like credit card companies, they prefer to keep everything voluntary

Outside of trying to thwart single payer, they want to make all their concessions on a voluntary basis (no federal regulations) so they can rescind those concessions little by little once the outcry for changing health care dies down.

Screw them, pass single payer!

[LaurenG]

5. I feel sick that anyone is even listening to them anymore

How long did they have the ball in their court and look what they've done to steer healthcare costs over the side of a cliff.

[subterranean]

9. That is EXACTLY what they'll do.

Any voluntary concessions they make now can be revoked later.

[NC_Nurse]

4. They can go fuck themselves. Too little, too late.

[diane in sf]

6. the concession they should make is to curl up and die

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. All this says to me is that they know their stand is untenable in the face

of a solid public plan - particularly single payer.

This is NOT the time to accept their concessions and back off - it is time to press the advantage. Hasn't ANYONE on our side read Sun Tzu?

[subterranean]

10. What is the reasoning behind charging women higher premiums?

Just wondering. Is it because women go to the doctor more often than men?