Blame Greed, Not Obama For Rise In Health Insurance Premiums

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I think it's more than just greed of insurance companies. What about Pharmaceutical companies and their bombardment of prime time commercials? What about hospitals and doctors offices? What about the makers of medical devices? Everything is overcharged.
Doctors charge 80,000 to a PPO for a procedure that they charge 40,000 to for an HMO. Doctors offices are trying to get what they can from the insurance companies in order to keep their business profitable and pay their doctors 6 figure salaries. It's a game they play with each other, and we are all just pawns stuck in the middle.
The system has needed an overhaul for years. A public option will help so many people. Both doctors offices and insurance companies must be held accountable for what they have been doing.
Let's get real here, a public option is a threat to the insurance industry so they are fighting back with all that they've got. From lobbyists to salesman scare tactics, they want you to believe that you must go PPO. They say doctors are now leaving HMOs, and are refusing to provide service to people with Medicare plans. Really? This is just insane.
They say it's because doctors want money. That good doctors expect to make lot's of money. Really? I would hope good doctors become doctors because they want to heal people. One day, we will all look back at this and truly be able to pinpoint when the system because corrupt. So sad. Is it really all about money?

Sarah of MD 3:35PM November 16, 2012

Obama is the skunk to blame for higher health insurance.
H's the one stinking up the place with his lies and his cronies who are as two-faced as he is. Sebellius and Holder are two lying crackpots carrying out the Massas' orders from the Oval Office.

Cainbest black President of WI 4:25PM October 13, 2011

"It's Obama's fault.
Isn't everything?"
Substitute "Bush" for "Obama".
Hasn't that been your time-tested mantra (or actually, excuse) for all of Obama's failings so far?

enzo of IN 12:26PM October 03, 2011

There's lots that marshall doesn't understand, an apparently just as much that she doesn't read:
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2011/09/new-study-underlines-unfulfilled-promises-of-health-care-bill/
Apparently also, she doesn't understand that the primary driver of healthcare costs, besides too many people living horrible lifestyles, is the fact that so much more can be done than even a few years ago.
More health care available to keep you alive = higher insurance costs to cover that increase in medical care that is available.
You want cheaper healthcare insurance?
Just decrease the number of life-saving medical procedures that your health plan can cover.

junior of DC 3:49PM October 01, 2011

Marshal doesn't understand basic economics. I have health care from my employer and that plan is essentially self funded by the employer and employee contributions. The plan costs are going up by 9% for 2012 because the claims in 2011 are 9% higher than the claims in 2010. If costs are up by 9%, then premiums must go up by 9%.
The insurance companies raise their premiums becuase their costs (resulting from paying claims) go up every year. Most major insurance companies have profit margins from 3-5%. If claims rise by 9% (more than their profit margins) they must raise premiums or go out of business. Lowering payments to corporate executives may limit the cost increase to 8.5% instead of 9%, but that won't solve the problem.
What needs to be addressed is why health care in the US costs so much more than in other developed countries. I see more "greed" in hospitals, doctors, drug companies and medical lawsuits than I see from the insurance companies.
If the financial meltdown is all Bush's fault, then everything bad now must be Obama's fault.

Bob of TX 11:04AM September 30, 2011

Couldn't agree more! Very well put. This needs to be repeated over and over to counter the untruths that are saturating the media.

Christine Carroll PA-C of SC 8:35AM September 30, 2011

Hunter
The always wise brucetee bases his opinions on his liberal ideas. Facts elude him:
“Canada’s health care system going broke”
http://radioviceonline.com/canadas-health-care-system-going-broke/
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"New CBO Report Proves We Cannot Afford Obamacare"
http://blog.heritage.org/2011/02/23/new-cbo-report-proves-we-cannot-afford-obamacare/

Bill Hedges of MO 1:02AM September 30, 2011

Actually, there is an element of truth to blaming the government for the rise in health insurance. I had the pleasure of experiencing RomneyCare in MA in 2009 and 2010. I found that the cost of health coverage rose dramatically because I lived in the state, more than I ever paid in NJ, NY or any other state I lived in. Point of the story: whenever the government becomes a competitor in a market, the private companies offering the same service tend to raise their prices because the quality of service theat they give is usually better than what the government would provide.

David of NY 12:48AM September 30, 2011

Bruce , you blind , moronic , talking head , don't you know that those countries are in worse shape than we are ,protests in the steets and economies that are close to ruin ?
You truley are ,a useless idiot .

Hunter of WI 11:29PM September 29, 2011

brucetee says "it;s a tragic commentary that the united states is the only non-third world country that does not provide basic universal care for it;s citizens"
OBAMACARE PASSED !!! REMEMBER ??? ASK DEMOCRATS WHY 4 YEAR WAIT AND LONGER. POLLS WAS AGAINST IT. REMEMBER NOV. 2, 2010 ??? CBO SAYS WE CAN NOT AFFORD OBAMACARE, THERE IS YOUR REASON...
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Why the 4 year and longer wait for most of obamacare to begin ? How much debt in MA health plan ? How much has expensive care been denied in Canada and Great Britain. Why $$$ 500 billion stolen from entitlements and given to obamacare ? Why will it cost AT&T $$$ 1 billion first quarter ?
Let's try to make this simple for brucetee. Say you don't buy health insurance. One day you have a pain. Bad enough you see a doctor. You have a cancer. Now you buy health insurance and they must take you and pay, pay, and pay. Brucetee doesn't understand how this raises health premiums. Let's all drop our health insurance until we need it, then drop when well.
Finally, finally, administration agrees with us to fast track obamacare lawsuits to Federal Supreme Court.
We had plumber-gate, rose garden-gate, gulf-gate,, gun-gate, solar panel-gate, so on and so forth gate.
Brucetee NV big democrat contributor Wynn stopped supporting obama. Another bid giver joined Wynn.
Joe Biden says administration owns economy.
___
"New CBO Report Proves We Cannot Afford Obamacare"
http://blog.heritage.org/2011/02/23/new-cbo-report-proves-we-cannot-afford-obamacare/

Bill Hedges of MO 11:09PM September 29, 2011