Blue Shield of California seeks rate hikes of as much as 59% for individuals

[cal04]

Insurer says the increases result from fast-rising healthcare costs and other expenses resulting from new healthcare laws. The move comes less than a year after Anthem Blue Cross tried and failed to raise rates as much as 39%.
http://www.latimes.com/health/healthcare/la-fi-insure-rates-20110106,0,6975599.story

Another big California health insurer has stunned individual policyholders with huge rate increases — this time it's Blue Shield of California seeking cumulative hikes of as much as 59% for tens of thousands of customers March 1.

Blue Shield's action comes less than a year after Anthem Blue Cross tried and failed to raise rates as much as 39% for about 700,000 California customers.

(snip)
The Blue Shield increases triggered complaints to new Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, and they could prove to be an early test of how the former Democratic state assemblyman deals with rate hikes and the insurance industry.

[hlthe2b]

1. Unbelievable.... I HATE these people....

Yup, fought that inclination all I could. Childhood "guilt" taught me not to hate. But, I HATE THESE Greedy assed, RETHUG-loving CRETINS.

[tabatha]

2. They will have to prove it.

Hopefully they can't.

[LinkUP]

3. funny thing

that they say we're all going to have to swallow some tough decisions coming up, but when big business hit rough waters, they just jack up the price of their product. God forbid they dont make as much money as they did the year before, they never have to deal with losses, we the consumers have to deal with it for them. Healthcare corps are the funniest jokes there is.

[abelenkpe]

4. So glad HCR reform kept the insurance industry intact. nt

[GeorgeGist]

5. Thank you President Obama for insuring ...

the Private Mandate will be with US indefinitely.

[burrowowl]

6. Single Payer!

Damn it!
:grr:

[subterranean]

7. Are they trying to whip up support for repealing the new health care law?

I find it hard to believe that the cost of medical care has risen 59 percent in just one year.

This is why we needed, and still need, real health care reform.

[begin_within]

8. Blue Shield is doing this to me... I'm going to have to let go of my health insurance.

I just got the letter from Blue Shield of California stating that beginning March 1, my monthly premium will be $273 per month... and that's for crappy coverage: $2,900 deductible, 40% copays, many out-of-pocket expenses, in other words really lousy coverage. I'm just going to let it go and go without. I'm self-employed and can't afford the $273 per month. Thanks Democrats for flushing the public option down the toilet a year ago! Any guess who I'll be voting for in the future?

[salin]

9. Blue Cross Blue Shield - was great when it was a not for profit org.

It is a perfect counter example that for profit orgs provide services at lower costs because of competition.