New Bill Would Raise Rates, Says Insurance Group....E X T O R T I O N

[spanone]

FUCKING OVER THE WHITE HOUSE

this is the fucking REASON for the bill

After months of collaboration on President Obama's attempt to overhaul the nation's health-care system, the insurance industry plans to strike out against the effort on Monday with a report warning that the typical family premium in 2019 could cost $4,000 more than projected.

The critique, coming one day before a critical Senate committee vote on the legislation, sparked a sharp response from the Obama administration. It also signaled an end to the fragile detente between two central players in this year's health-care reform drama.

Industry officials said they intend to circulate the report prepared by PricewaterhouseCoopers on Capitol Hill and promote it in new advertisements. That could complicate Democratic hopes for action on the legislation this week.

Administration officials, who spent much of the spring and summer wooing the insurers, questioned the timing and authorship of the report, which was paid for by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), an industry trade group.

"Those guys specialize in tax shelters," said Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform. "Clearly this is not their area of expertise."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/11/AR2009101102207_pf.html

[ashling]

1. Should we interpret this as a cry for help?

Sounds to me like the insurance industry is in essence saying:

"Help us, PLEASE! We need an intervention!" ... price controls + public option ... single payer?

A 12 step program for the health insurance industry

[Triana]

2. I'm for a ONE-step program for the health insurance industry....

...put them out of business...


NOW.

[spanone]

5. they blindsided the white house with this...wake up WHITE HOUSE they are fucking you over

[BR_Parkway]

3. just do single payer, tax health insurance profits at 90% to pay for it then

[Walk away]

4. Okay Blue Dogs...NOW can we get a real Public Option ?

I can't imagine anything short of a bill with a strong P.O. as an answer to that threat. How cowardly and greedy will our Senators be in the end?

[Warpy]

6. I notice everybody's premiums are going up by double digits nationwide

as they recoup the money they've squandered on lobbying Congress and disinforming the public with their slick ads, bought talking heads, and Astroturf mail campaigns. They're probably jacking their rates up in anticipation of controls on rate increases in the future, too.

There had better be an accessible public option. There is no way I'm giving any of those vultures a cent even when they're forced to accept me.

I know they won't pay when I get sick. I might as well save the megabucks for that eventuality.

[spanone]

7. yep, WE are paying for our insurance companies to lobby congress to keep on screwing us

[mimitabby]

8. if they raise the rates this high..

it won't work. Companies paying insurance are balking. People paying out of pocket are balking, and if the big insurance companies' prices go through the roof, smaller entities will pick it up and make a profit.

[blueworld]

9. Crazy like a fox & typical of abusers

They're raising rates & denying coverage in record proportions already, but now they can blame it on Pres. Obama & the Dems.

It's also been my experience that when victims take decisive steps to end abuse & reclaim healthy lives, the abusers first offer false contrition, then impotent promises & finally vicious attacks & retribution.

[laughingliberal]

11. So, perhaps, the vicious attacks and retribution are the sounds of death throes?

One can hope.

[laughingliberal]

10. Just emailed White House over this

And I said I thought their whining about penalties for people who don't buy their toxic, worthless products was indefensible and that after holding the public hostage for years their attempt to hold our legislators hostage should be met with an all out offensive. I suggested putting single payer on the table might give them a chance to think over the prospect of a reasonable amount of profit vs taking their toys and going home so we could all, finally, have some real health care devoid of vampires.

[felinetta]

12. They plan last second tactics. It's their strategy. Ignore them. They don't play fair.

[felinetta]

13. Delay, delay, delay is the name of their game. Very transparent.They should be ridiculed.