Insurance companies in red states snickering all the way to the bank--and blaming Obamacare

[mnhtnbb]

Get ready to write LTTE --especially in red states--as folks in the
red states where Republican Governors/Legislatures refused to allow
Medicaid expansion or open state exchanges are now seeing people
furious over the rate increases on their insurance plans--all blamed
on Obamacare, of course.

I opened our local paper (Raleigh News&Observer) this morning to see a bunch of letters from
people complaining about their existing plans being canceled and their rates raised. So,
I fired off a LTTE:

It was disturbing to read the number of letters to the editor regarding the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) from people who have seen their insurance premiums dramatically raised by their insurance carriers (primarily BCBS). However, what is more disturbing is the lack of reporting from the News & Observer explaining why this has happened in North Carolina at the same time in many other states across the country people are overjoyed to discover that, not only can they finally find health insurance, but that it is extremely affordable. The NC Insurance Commissioner, Wayne Godwin, has been happy to explain it: thank the GOP in NC for rejecting the expansion of Medicaid, refusing to set up a state exchange to sell insurance and also passing a law which forbid the Department of Insurance from helping citizens to understand the ACA and recruit insurance carriers to a state exchange which would result in increased competition (and lower rates). I'm sure the Republicans are snickering all the way to the bank on this. Surely the irony has not escaped them: blame it on Obamacare and watch profits rise.



And how did I know what the Insurance Commissioner had said? Thanks to this interview (found on my fb news feed)

http://www.politicsnc.com/to-spite-your-face/


So, get ready to counter the complaints that you are bound to see in the red states that refused to expand Medicaid or
run a state exchange.

[Esse Quam Videri]

1. Thanks for the link.

Just posted to my FB for all my NC friends and family to see. This seems to be the norm for all of the Red states (except KY because of their Dem governor). They all rejected the medicaid increase thus resulting in limiting the private companies that their citizens could use for coverage.

[mnhtnbb]

2. The N&O editorial board has been pretty brutal on our Governor McCookie and the legislature

but they have missed the boat on informing people what to expect regarding insurance plan changes
because of the GOP actions.

I don't know what it's going to take to convince people that voting for a Republican--unless you're an
elite member of the 1%--is unlikely to ever help you personally.

If you have family in NC, you might want to also refer them to the Insurance Commissioner's webpage
where he details just what kind of benefits he's provided to citizens by kicking a$$ of insurance
companies. http://www.waynegoodwin.org/FightingForNC.php

[sakabatou]

3. *facepalm*

[bvar22]

4. The Health Insurance Corporations across the US are laughing all the way to The Bank.

The Smart Money is betting that the ACA is Gold Mine for the Health Insurance Industry.