Real smart, they will lose a lot more customers if they raise rates by that much.

Dam that Obamacare, forcing all these double digit increases!
Leave the private sector alone, they understand capitalism.
But the meaning of ‘Social Good’ not at all.

The Insurance vultures are swooping in before the body’s even cold!! “Almost nothing to do with federal health reform law..” Yeah ,like “almost” 98 percent impacted by reform. Getting in under the wire before more controls kick in. The beast feeding upon itself is just the medical side chewing away more than the insurance b’tards can rake in from the customers. Like a good efficient parasite, kill the HOST (the American public) before you die (go bankrupt and get government bailouts and move to Dubai).

The Insurance vultures are swooping in before the body’s even cold!! “Almost nothing to do with federal health reform law..” Yeah ,like “almost” 98 percent impacted by reform. Getting in under the wire before more controls kick in. The beast feeding upon itself is just the medical side chewing away more than the insurance b’tards can rake in from the customers. Like a good efficient parasite, kill the HOST (the American public) before you die (go bankrupt and get government bailouts and move to Dubai).

…healthier people are dropping coverage during a bad economy…

Most of those who hold individual policies are self-employed, aren’t covered by their employer or have been laid off.

Sounds like excuses are needed to come up with the money to pay for the big bonuses for the executives.

If I were an executive I would be in my office at least twice a year. That’s the beauty of running the free market.

…healthier people are dropping coverage during a bad economy…

Most of those who hold individual policies are self-employed, aren’t covered by their employer or have been laid off.

Sounds like excuses are needed to come up with the money to pay for the big bonuses for the executives.

If I were an executive I would be in my office at least twice a year. That’s the beauty of running the free market.

I think this is the real reason we got Obamacare. The insurance company business model is unsustainable. The rates have been growing much faster than inflation for years now. Having .gov subsidize the insurance premiums keeps the unsustainable going for a bit longer, thats all.

I think this is the real reason we got Obamacare. The insurance company business model is unsustainable. The rates have been growing much faster than inflation for years now. Having .gov subsidize the insurance premiums keeps the unsustainable going for a bit longer, thats all.

The bottom line of a health insurance company is their profit, not your health.

Um, let’s see . . . what should I pay this and every month, my mortgage, property taxes and utilities OR my health insurance which costs MORE than my mortgage, property taxes and utilities COMBINED!!

THIS is the REAL “Death Panel”. People will be unable to pay for insurance or “sick care”, will not get “treatment” and will die early as a result. Anyone surprised here?

Exactly. Health care is one of the few fields left that consistently shows high profits, which translates into big fat bonuses for people like Rick Scott, who spent a good part of their lives trying to rip off the taxpayer and now have official seats as “public servants” to continue.

[...] Blue Shield of California plans huge rate increasesRaw StoryHealth insurance costs for hundreds of thousands of individual policy holders with Blue Shield of California could go up as much 59 percent …Blue Shield Seeks Significant Hike In California Health Insurance RatesNPR (blog)Blue Shield Plans to Raise Insurance RatesKMJ NowInsurance Rate HikeKEYTCalifornia Healthline -Newser -Los Angeles Timesall 64 news articles » [...]

The way to bring down health care costs is to get all the chemicals and coal tar extracts out of our food, the pollutants out of our air and water, and the stress of financial insecurity and labor exploitation out of our lives.

[...] Blue Shield of California plans huge rate increases | Raw Story. Posted by Robert on Thursday, January 6th, 2011. Filed under Health. You can follow any [...]

HA HA HA HA , the jokes on You Blue Sheild. I dumped you off my monthly expenses 2 years ago. Raise em to your hearts content. Your industry will go the way of the American Car manufactureres.

I suppose I should admit that if something serious happens that I need medical attention I can go to England where my father was born and get taken care of.

Yup, I’ll drop my coverage if Blue Cross (since they’re in cahoots) raises mine. But I’m eligible for Medicare this year anyway so it won’t mean much. I think people pay WAY too much for health insurance. If an American expatriate can get health care in France for $350 a year the US should be able to do so and even if it were $1000 a year would be a good deal.

The hospital, and pharmaceutical companies, are extorting us. Try getting an explanation for hospital charges, after a major hospitalization. Our pocket books, are a gold mine, for the politically connected corporotists. The beginning of a solution is Medicare for all.

[...] Blue Shield of California plans huge rate increasesRaw StoryHealth insurance costs for hundreds of thousands of individual policy holders with Blue Shield of California could go up as much 59 percent …Blue Shield Seeks Significant Hike In California Health Insurance RatesNPR (blog)Blue Shield Plans to Raise Insurance RatesKMJ NowInsurance Rate HikeKEYTCalifornia Healthline -Newser -Los Angeles Timesall 64 news articles » [...]

Leach!

Wanna know why the GOP wants to repeal Obama care? Simple math really, a majority of the un-insured are Democrats so if they die or are to sick to vote the GOP wins!.

Wanna know why the GOP wants to repeal Obama care? Simple math really, a majority of the un-insured are Democrats so if they die or are to sick to vote the GOP wins!.

The begining and END of the solution is Medicare for all!

The begining and END of the solution is Medicare for all!

ALAN GRAYSON for Pres.

GOP cheat elections in case their Middle Class and Poor get smart………………

NaHHHHHHHHH………. never

Sure glad there is no public option to revert to if these paying customers don’t like what is being done to them now that the new government reform contains no viable option. The poor health insurance companies have got to retrieve all that money they spent on lobbyists and campaign contributions to make sure that the health insurance regulation bill didn’t contain anything they absolutely couldn’t countenance.

For a good easy to understand narrative of what happened during the health insurance reform fiasco, read the chapter entitled “The Trillion-Dollar Band-Aid: Health Care Reform” by Matt Taibbi in his book “Griftopia: Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con That Is Breaking America.” The whole book is good but this chapter is great!

Taibbi argues that “[r]eally Obamacare was designed to be a straight money trade. The administration meant to deal away those billions in subsidies and the premiums from millions in involuntary customers in exchange for the relevant industries campaign contributions for a few elections cycles going forward” (176). According to Taibbi the one thing that the Health Insurance Industry would not countenance under any circumstances was a repeal of the anti-trust exemption for health insurance companies first enshrined in the original McCarren-Ferguson act of 1944.

The act, which was slated to expire in 1947, was originally designed to “keep the government off the backs of the insurance companies” (184) but in truth “established the ground rules for decades of insurance robbery” (185). Roosevelt in signing the act said “After a moratorium period, the anti-trust laws will be applicable in full force and effect to the business of insurance” (185). This statement proved sanguine and instead of expiring in 1947 as planned when the act was re-approved it contained a new clause that said “that after January 1, 1948, the Sherman, Clayton, and Federal Trade Commission acts ‘shall be applicable to insurance to the extent that such business is not regulated by State law’ ” (185-186). In other words, federal regulation was generally inapplicable and “the insurance industry was given a permanent license to steal” (186).

It was this license to steal that the insurance companies (and this applies to all insurance companies, not just health care) were so anxious to prevent losing under Obamacare and it was absolutely this privilege that they didn’t lose. As these proposed rate increases demonstrate.

Sure glad there is no public option to revert to if these paying customers don’t like what is being done to them now that the new government reform contains no viable option. The poor health insurance companies have got to retrieve all that money they spent on lobbyists and campaign contributions to make sure that the health insurance regulation bill didn’t contain anything they absolutely couldn’t countenance.

For a good easy to understand narrative of what happened during the health insurance reform fiasco, read the chapter entitled “The Trillion-Dollar Band-Aid: Health Care Reform” by Matt Taibbi in his book “Griftopia: Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con That Is Breaking America.” The whole book is good but this chapter is great!

Taibbi argues that “[r]eally Obamacare was designed to be a straight money trade. The administration meant to deal away those billions in subsidies and the premiums from millions in involuntary customers in exchange for the relevant industries campaign contributions for a few elections cycles going forward” (176). According to Taibbi the one thing that the Health Insurance Industry would not countenance under any circumstances was a repeal of the anti-trust exemption for health insurance companies first enshrined in the original McCarren-Ferguson act of 1944.

The act, which was slated to expire in 1947, was originally designed to “keep the government off the backs of the insurance companies” (184) but in truth “established the ground rules for decades of insurance robbery” (185). Roosevelt in signing the act said “After a moratorium period, the anti-trust laws will be applicable in full force and effect to the business of insurance” (185). This statement proved sanguine and instead of expiring in 1947 as planned when the act was re-approved it contained a new clause that said “that after January 1, 1948, the Sherman, Clayton, and Federal Trade Commission acts ‘shall be applicable to insurance to the extent that such business is not regulated by State law’ ” (185-186). In other words, federal regulation was generally inapplicable and “the insurance industry was given a permanent license to steal” (186).

It was this license to steal that the insurance companies (and this applies to all insurance companies, not just health care) were so anxious to prevent losing under Obamacare and it was absolutely this privilege that they didn’t lose. As these proposed rate increases demonstrate.

I doubt if Blue Cross lost so many private customers to justify a 59% increase. If so, show us
the numbers. The medical cost to insurers that kicked in last year will require rebates to go
out starting 1/1/11. This is to offset those rebates, I’d think. here is the jist of that requirement:

“Minimum Medical Loss Ratio for InsurersRequires health plans to report the proportion of premium dollars spent on clinical services, quality, and other costs and provide rebates to consumers if the share of the premium spent on clinical services and quality is less than 85% for plans in the large group market and 80% for plans in the individual and small group markets.Implementation: Requirement to report medical loss ratio effective for 2010; requirement to provide rebates effective beginningJanuary 1, 2011″.

link to implementation of HCR is below:

http://healthreform.kff.org/timeline.aspx

I doubt if Blue Cross lost so many private customers to justify a 59% increase. If so, show us
the numbers. The medical cost to insurers that kicked in last year will require rebates to go
out starting 1/1/11. This is to offset those rebates, I’d think. here is the jist of that requirement:

“Minimum Medical Loss Ratio for InsurersRequires health plans to report the proportion of premium dollars spent on clinical services, quality, and other costs and provide rebates to consumers if the share of the premium spent on clinical services and quality is less than 85% for plans in the large group market and 80% for plans in the individual and small group markets.Implementation: Requirement to report medical loss ratio effective for 2010; requirement to provide rebates effective beginningJanuary 1, 2011″.

link to implementation of HCR is below:

http://healthreform.kff.org/timeline.aspx

[...] Blue Shield's 59% premium hike Exhibit A for legislation that would allow the Insurance …Blue Shield of California plans huge rate increasesRaw StoryBlue Shield Seeks Significant Hike In California Health Insurance RatesNPR (blog)Blue [...]

Americans must restart the fight for a Single-Payer
system. The alternative if corporated DEATH!

Haha, … they say it’s due to health care cost, … What a bunch of BS.

It’s due to Rising BONUSES and PROFITS!!!!

Anyone who believes that we can insure 30 million more people and actually save money is a fool. The CBO acted on assumptions provided by the Administration, namely that we can cut $500 million in fraud from Medicare…who really believes that! Also, in computing the cost of the medical care program, they double-counted some cost-savings and left out the massive figures for Doctor Care, where doctors are paid extra amounts for many services over and above what is officially allowed. It was all smoke and mirrors from the start.

I love Allan Grayson…He is a true Liberal Democrat!

These greedy chumps just suck ass.
I paid premiums to them for a few decades, then when I used my policy for a few minor problems, my premiums tripled.
We need to end their greed and put them out of business, all they add up to is a greedy unneeded third party.

This is what happens when you have a Congress financed by the big health insurance companies. The so-called “health bill” did nothing to lower the costs. We need single-payer and we need it NOW! Otherwise NO ONE will be able to afford to be covered.

[...] Blue Shield's 59% premium hike Exhibit A for legislation that would allow the Insurance …Blue Shield of California plans huge rate increasesRaw StoryBlue Shield Seeks Significant Hike In California Health Insurance RatesNPR (blog)Blue [...]

[...] heels of …Blue Shield Seeks Significant Hike In California Health Insurance RatesNPR (blog)Blue Shield of California plans huge rate increasesRaw StoryBlue Shield of California seeks rate hikes of as much as 59% for individualsLos Angeles [...]

That’s how they win.

Rich people are more profitable. They only buy insurance to protect their assets in case of a major disease.

Let the poor die in agony.

This country is more concerned with the health of corporations than it is with the health of people.

We’ll bomb and invade foreign countries if they try to raise their citizens standard of living if Phil Knight thinks it’s going to effect his profit margin.

Then hand the taxpayer the bill.

Your post is regressive drone smoke and mirrors from the start.

I agree.
Just start to lower the age limit, now!!

Is that all? You corporate pigs are leaving money on the table.

[...] to Enact Rate Regulation LawPR Newswire (press release)KEYT -California Healthline -Raw Storyall 78 news [...]

I read another story that millions more of people are in the poor house and many are in the age group of 60 on up (baby boomer’s). These useful idiots who fought hard for no single payer and even medicare for all did it because they wanted it for themselves but not others. Now they are seeing that they are losing their state funded insurance programs too, either by increasing the percent you have to pay to the point that you can’t hold it or getting rid of people all together.

Where a nation of fools, and as one saying goes “A fool and his money is soon parted”. And thats what they have been doing to us for years.

I read another story that millions more of people are in the poor house and many are in the age group of 60 on up (baby boomer’s). These useful idiots who fought hard for no single payer and even medicare for all did it because they wanted it for themselves but not others. Now they are seeing that they are losing their state funded insurance programs too, either by increasing the percent you have to pay to the point that you can’t hold it or getting rid of people all together.

Where a nation of fools, and as one saying goes “A fool and his money is soon parted”. And thats what they have been doing to us for years.

Health insurance industry execs do the same thing as the oil industry when justifying massive price increases.

They know you have to pay whatever price they set, however irrational it may seem, and they have a rotating grab bag of distracting reasons they turn to when they are asked to justify manipulated price hikes: increased costs, reduced refinery capacity, imaginary shortages, magnetic polarity reversal of the Earth, Oprah’s menstrual cycle, etc.

They can say whatever they want to justify why they’re stealing money from us, while ‘We The People’ just sit here and accept it, unquestioned, with a resignation of impotent disbelief; not dissimilar to a modern day Presidential press conference.

The 500 million was not fraud alone. A majoiryt was cuts to medicare advantage. You know the program that private enterprise said they could provide the same coverage as Medicare but they would need 12 cents more per dollar. So much for privatization SAVING money.

There are other savings to be had but YOU have yet to provide a specific aspect of the CBO projection that is not true!

Yep! Yep! Yep! I have said for two years now we should have a phased in reduction. Lowered to 60 NOW then 5 years every year thereafter until we are ALL covered!

Yep. I believe it. The motherfuckers are all doing this. From the electric company to the insurance companies. And you see, this is the ‘beauty’ of this. You see the Teabaggers screaming for deregulation and equality for the rich and cuts to social programs. Well, it’s already starting. Just you wait and see. That’s one that even they won’t be able to ignore.

And, this is no big news, really. I’ve been paying attention to this trend and the others have been doing it at 20% increments. These guys got ballsy and pulled 50%, by next year it will be 75% and then 100% and on and on it goes, where it stops nobody knows.

Yep. I believe it. The motherfuckers are all doing this. From the electric company to the insurance companies. And you see, this is the ‘beauty’ of this. You see the Teabaggers screaming for deregulation and equality for the rich and cuts to social programs. Well, it’s already starting. Just you wait and see. That’s one that even they won’t be able to ignore.

And, this is no big news, really. I’ve been paying attention to this trend and the others have been doing it at 20% increments. These guys got ballsy and pulled 50%, by next year it will be 75% and then 100% and on and on it goes, where it stops nobody knows.

They don’t have to justify any price hikes. They own the joint, remember?

Don’t worry, denny boy, they’ll be back for it soon enough.

Don’t worry, denny boy, they’ll be back for it soon enough.

There’s a very easy and simple way to do that: everybody drop their insurance policies. Done deal! Now, it’s up to you to figure out how to get about 300 million idiots to do that.

There’s a very easy and simple way to do that: everybody drop their insurance policies. Done deal! Now, it’s up to you to figure out how to get about 300 million idiots to do that.

*** TROLL ALERT *** *** DO NOT FEED THE TROLL ***

*** TROLL ALERT *** *** DO NOT FEED THE TROLL ***

And even if they did, who gives a rat’s ass? You win some, you lose some. Can we afford to ask our bosses (those of us who still have a job) for a raise when things go up? What’s good for the goose, should be good for the gander. If that causes them to fold, good riddance. Someone else will rise in their place. Such is the nature of Capitalism.

And even if they did, who gives a rat’s ass? You win some, you lose some. Can we afford to ask our bosses (those of us who still have a job) for a raise when things go up? What’s good for the goose, should be good for the gander. If that causes them to fold, good riddance. Someone else will rise in their place. Such is the nature of Capitalism.

No, we got Obamacare because he sold out to the insurance companies. Otherwise, we would/should have got Universal Healthcare.

No, we got Obamacare because he sold out to the insurance companies. Otherwise, we would/should have got Universal Healthcare.

That’s the silver lining in this. They’re putting themselves out of business. Of course, the dumbasses are also banking on that mandatory feature that Obama guaranteed them. So, it’s not as if we have a choice.

That’s the silver lining in this. They’re putting themselves out of business. Of course, the dumbasses are also banking on that mandatory feature that Obama guaranteed them. So, it’s not as if we have a choice.

To give you an idea, I pay $300/month for me and my kid. My employer pays another $300 (all of this is going down the toilet this year, btw). That entitles me to a $1,500 deductible, 80% coverage and $45 co-pay. We used it once as my kid got a shot for school this year. So, we effectively paid in the neighborhood of $7,800 for one vaccine. Where else but in Amerika, eh?

To give you an idea, I pay $300/month for me and my kid. My employer pays another $300 (all of this is going down the toilet this year, btw). That entitles me to a $1,500 deductible, 80% coverage and $45 co-pay. We used it once as my kid got a shot for school this year. So, we effectively paid in the neighborhood of $7,800 for one vaccine. Where else but in Amerika, eh?

I’ve read your comments on this article. I can’t quite figure out what your position is. Whether it is a social program for people of a certain age or privatizing with reduced fraud or ,,, what???

I haven’t been to a doctor for 10 years and that one was to get a certification for a scuba instructor…

I’ve read your comments on this article. I can’t quite figure out what your position is. Whether it is a social program for people of a certain age or privatizing with reduced fraud or ,,, what???

I haven’t been to a doctor for 10 years and that one was to get a certification for a scuba instructor…

I’d really like to agree with you about them putting themselves out of business or better yet, forcing real reform but I’m thinking that this is just the opening round of increases. Please correct me if I’m wrong (and I would like to be wrong on this) but it’s my understanding that with the new healthcare program coming up in 2012 that persons buying insurance under the mandated coverage will have a ceiling for their cost set based on their income. All cost beyond that ceiling will be picked up by the government. As of now there is no ceiling set for the cost of insurance. I suspect that all health insurance is going to skyrocket over the next 18 months.

I’m a Medicare for all advocate.

I’d really like to agree with you about them putting themselves out of business or better yet, forcing real reform but I’m thinking that this is just the opening round of increases. Please correct me if I’m wrong (and I would like to be wrong on this) but it’s my understanding that with the new healthcare program coming up in 2012 that persons buying insurance under the mandated coverage will have a ceiling for their cost set based on their income. All cost beyond that ceiling will be picked up by the government. As of now there is no ceiling set for the cost of insurance. I suspect that all health insurance is going to skyrocket over the next 18 months.

I’m a Medicare for all advocate.

California needs its own public option.

Blue Shield is raising rates to give big bonuses to their in-house death-panel officers for the good work they’ve done rejecting customers who need life saving treatments.

Blue Shield is raising rates to give big bonuses to their in-house death-panel officers for the good work they’ve done rejecting customers who need life saving treatments.

Blue Shield is raising rates to give big bonuses to their in-house death-panel officers for the good work they’ve done rejecting customers who need life saving treatments.

My BCBS has increased over 40 percent in the past Two years.

My BCBS has increased over 40 percent in the past Two years.

My BCBS has increased over 40 percent in the past Two years.

Actually, if you’re paying attention (and I know you are), the alternative media has been reporting that they’ve been increasing in 20% or so increments. If you’re interested I can try to come up with the article where Obama backed them on that with his usual blah blah blah.

I don’t know any of the details on the Obamacare abomination so I can’t answer your question. Either way, it seems like they’re on a feeding frenzy. There must be a reason why. There’s always a reason behind everything these bastards do.

Universal healthcare is the only option.

Actually, if you’re paying attention (and I know you are), the alternative media has been reporting that they’ve been increasing in 20% or so increments. If you’re interested I can try to come up with the article where Obama backed them on that with his usual blah blah blah.

I don’t know any of the details on the Obamacare abomination so I can’t answer your question. Either way, it seems like they’re on a feeding frenzy. There must be a reason why. There’s always a reason behind everything these bastards do.

Universal healthcare is the only option.

Actually, if you’re paying attention (and I know you are), the alternative media has been reporting that they’ve been increasing in 20% or so increments. If you’re interested I can try to come up with the article where Obama backed them on that with his usual blah blah blah.

I don’t know any of the details on the Obamacare abomination so I can’t answer your question. Either way, it seems like they’re on a feeding frenzy. There must be a reason why. There’s always a reason behind everything these bastards do.

Universal healthcare is the only option.

There is no way around the issue that Americans should have a single payer insurance , or at least a government run public option to take the control and corruption from Americans having a decent health program everyone can have.
Cheney is deciding if he wants another heart transparent and guess who will pay for it.
The elite says that the little people are feeding at the welfare trough.

Corporate welfare costs us 3+ times more than welfare for the poor.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389×9297759

GE, Exxon Paid No U.S. Income Taxes in ’09
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Tax/ge-exxon-paid-us-income-taxes-09/story?id=10300167

There is no way around the issue that Americans should have a single payer insurance , or at least a government run public option to take the control and corruption from Americans having a decent health program everyone can have.
Cheney is deciding if he wants another heart transparent and guess who will pay for it.
The elite says that the little people are feeding at the welfare trough.

Corporate welfare costs us 3+ times more than welfare for the poor.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389×9297759

GE, Exxon Paid No U.S. Income Taxes in ’09
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/Tax/ge-exxon-paid-us-income-taxes-09/story?id=10300167

you people don’t live in a nation – you live within the borders of a criminal enterprise!

you people don’t live in a nation – you live within the borders of a criminal enterprise!

This must be their plan to dump those who use their benefits too much without paying as much as BC would like to get.

Sounds good to me!

Sounds good to me!

Sounds good to me!

Free health care for all!
Free college tuition for all those entering the health care fields!
(Free college tuition for everyone else too!)
How do we pay for it? Tax the hell out of the rich and their corporations. When they try to hide, find them and tax them even more.
Health care is a basic human right. Anything less is barbaric.

Free health care for all!
Free college tuition for all those entering the health care fields!
(Free college tuition for everyone else too!)
How do we pay for it? Tax the hell out of the rich and their corporations. When they try to hide, find them and tax them even more.
Health care is a basic human right. Anything less is barbaric.

Free health care for all!
Free college tuition for all those entering the health care fields!
(Free college tuition for everyone else too!)
How do we pay for it? Tax the hell out of the rich and their corporations. When they try to hide, find them and tax them even more.
Health care is a basic human right. Anything less is barbaric.

Anything less is barbaric.
thats a great truth… kind of like Jesus saying “Love your enemy”

The Heath insurance companies said in May they would raise the premiums by 60 per cent because they were buying law makers to assure they weren’t stopped by Obama. Weeper Speaker Boehner announced the American people don’t want Obama’s health care because we have the greates system already. Who was Boehner refering to well he said his district of Ohio as he could care less what the rest of the American think or want. Boehner asked about his smoking he said I am who I am and will continue to smoke because his insurance is paid by the taxpayers.

Blue Shield of CA is nothing but a bunch of crooks!

References upon request.

[...] Shield Seeks Significant Hike In California Health Insurance RatesNPR (blog)CBS 47 -abc7.com -Raw Storyall 289 news articles [...]

Yep. That sounds just about right.

Yep. That sounds just about right.

You’re right. While you are in their hospital, their Stasis take your house keys and loot the rest of your belongings.

Here is your health care “package”: Duck my sick.

Just like AZ Governor, Jan Brewer, who sentenced at least 100 people to death by cutting funds for their transplants.

Is this a great country, or what!!

The Tea Baggers need to change their slogan from “Live Free or Die” to
“Pay Up or Die”.

The Tea Baggers need to change their slogan from “Live Free or Die” to
“Pay Up or Die”.

Saying things like that won’t get you food from the koch brothers tory-troll academy.

Saying things like that won’t get you food from the koch brothers tory-troll academy.

Corportization of medical treatment, has and will continue, to put profit, before patient wellbeing. We have a system of factory medicine, where procedures and testing are done based more on what the insurance market will bear, than on real need. MRIs, joint replacements, stents, and cosmetic surgery, are just a few that come to mind. There is no free, competitive market, for procedures and testing, where patients can price shop for the best deal. Try calling a few hospitals, and medical centers, and asking them for pricing, and see how far you get. The system did not work efficiently, before Obama care, and will not until there is true. open pricing, and competition. There also has to be honest, and open medical results reporting. Success and failures have to be tracked and available.

Corportization of medical treatment, has and will continue, to put profit, before patient wellbeing. We have a system of factory medicine, where procedures and testing are done based more on what the insurance market will bear, than on real need. MRIs, joint replacements, stents, and cosmetic surgery, are just a few that come to mind. There is no free, competitive market, for procedures and testing, where patients can price shop for the best deal. Try calling a few hospitals, and medical centers, and asking them for pricing, and see how far you get. The system did not work efficiently, before Obama care, and will not until there is true. open pricing, and competition. There also has to be honest, and open medical results reporting. Success and failures have to be tracked and available.

boy, I’m sure glad we got health care reform. Whew!

But if we Nationalize everything your icon suggests….there won’t be taxes, the Govt. will be making all the money.

So do you. The whole planet is actually a prison.

Actually, just like law enforcement is now for-profit, I don’t see why the govt. can’t make some bucks insuring US. GOOOOOOOOO Public Option.

Actually, just like law enforcement is now for-profit, I don’t see why the govt. can’t make some bucks insuring US. GOOOOOOOOO Public Option.

If we don’t get public option and a bunch of caps…….Health care costs are going to quadruple in the next 5 yrs.

exactly.

exactly.

BCPS quadrupled on me, but I left a company where I co-bought it. They claimed because I was an individual buyer there were separate rates. Had to drop my policy.

BCPS quadrupled on me, but I left a company where I co-bought it. They claimed because I was an individual buyer there were separate rates. Had to drop my policy.

well, to some extent you are correct … gawd help me, i’m trapped in a dying organism in the phenomenal universe

What’s interesting is Americans were told this would happen in May of 2010 as punishment for the Obama Health Care Plan. Yet Americans rushed out to vote the Republicans and Tea Party in office to make sure the Insurance Companies wouldn’t be blocked to pass the large premiums rates. Each 6 months the premiums will continue to sky rocket until on the very Wealthy will be able to afford the prices and we still pay for the Law Makers coverage with our taxes.

What we got last year wasn’t `health care reform’ – that was bargained away by Rahm Emmanuel in a devil’s bargain with the health insurance (not `care’) industry. What we DID get was “Emmanuel Care” – A steaming “turd cupcake” which requires us to pay unregulated premiums into a voracious for-profit industry which profits most by paying-out the least…all we got was a dollop of frosting to entice us to buy- and bite (the end of life-time caps, keeping kids on parents’ policies til 26 [as if they could afford the costs]). But it’s still a mouthful of s-h-i-_…

But rate increases like this have been common for the last 3-4 years at least – THAT, at least cannot be directly blamed on Emmanuel-Care.

The industry leaders will continue to charge higher-and-higher premiums to fewer-and-fewer insureds who can afford them, until the system freezes and collapses…they they will walk away with their profits, and leave the wreckage to the Public Sector to clean up.

I think you know my brother Bill. He told me he knew you. Perhaps you will remember by the fact that he calls himself Will. WillJablome?

Remember, Teatards and Republicans, Blue Shield is a GOVERNMENT RUN INSURANCE COMPANY.

Oh… I’m sorry. It’s a private corporation that plans to RAISE rates. Start now. Start blaming Obama. He FORCED that privately-held company to raise your rates.

Any company making a profit off of the backs of sick people should be broken up. Public option is the only way to go.

why phase it in? 5 years every year means an 11 year wait until 10 year olds could be included. people are going broke right now. obama can do this with a stroke of the pen. let the republicans filibuster it, run against it, explain their opposition. he has refused to call their bluff on anything, and just keeps caving. they know they have a pushover and they’re giving it all they have.

why phase it in? 5 years every year means an 11 year wait until 10 year olds could be included. people are going broke right now. obama can do this with a stroke of the pen. let the republicans filibuster it, run against it, explain their opposition. he has refused to call their bluff on anything, and just keeps caving. they know they have a pushover and they’re giving it all they have.

so, if you have an emergency appendectomy, or a broken leg, you’re going to fly to england to get treatment? good luck, bro.

so, if you have an emergency appendectomy, or a broken leg, you’re going to fly to england to get treatment? good luck, bro.

Isn’t private insurance, aka The Multiple Payer Option, beautiful?

Isn’t private insurance, aka The Multiple Payer Option, beautiful?

Well there is that little hole in my plan. I just cannot continue to spend the 5K a year on a program that has such a sketchy chance of being there when I would need it. I just do not live in fear of some health issue that may happen. That is for the appendectomy, for the broken leg I will get into the car and run into something and use my car insurance. Best I can do right now.

Well there is that little hole in my plan. I just cannot continue to spend the 5K a year on a program that has such a sketchy chance of being there when I would need it. I just do not live in fear of some health issue that may happen. That is for the appendectomy, for the broken leg I will get into the car and run into something and use my car insurance. Best I can do right now.

This has everything to do with pressuring congress on the healthcare legislation I simply do not t accept “The rate increases reported today cover a period of more than one year and have almost nothing to do with the federal health reform law,” Blue Shield of California said in a statement.

Reminds me of the axiom ‘The difference between truth and honesty is that truth needs no explanation; you will know it as soon as you hear it.’

This has everything to do with pressuring congress on the healthcare legislation I simply do not t accept “The rate increases reported today cover a period of more than one year and have almost nothing to do with the federal health reform law,” Blue Shield of California said in a statement.

Reminds me of the axiom ‘The difference between truth and honesty is that truth needs no explanation; you will know it as soon as you hear it.’

We did NOT get “health care reform”. What we got was “health insurance reform”.

Who said anything about nationalizing anything? That’s not what we’re talking about here. Stop knee-jerking and start thinking.

That’s Exxon, as in THE most profitable company ON THE PLANET.

There are already two dealths directly attributable to this. Death panels indeed.

And the conservatives protect them.

Its called inflation. Whenever the government prints massive amounts of money, prices increase across the board as the money looses value. Prices are relative to the commodities traded. Dollars are a commodity. Big supply=lower demand. Low demand = low price. Low price equals=lower value to trade. And hence the appearance of “increasing prices”

However when you compare the cost of commodities which can’t be printed out of thin air, you find price stability. The price of electricity when paid in Silver is not going up.

The founder of Cornell wrote a great book about this:
http://mises.org/books/inflationinfrance.pdf

It follows the real story of what happened when the revolutionary French republic printed money to “stimulate” the purchasing of confiscated church lands. One of his major points is that people didn’t blame the spiraling prices on the cause, inflation, so the pain continued.

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Cody Kessler, Danyel Smith, Sue Wilson, kellia ramares, WorldNewsRecord and others. WorldNewsRecord said: rawstory.com: Blue Shield of California plans huge rate increases: http://bit.ly/hCin8f [...]

Here is a great movie about it:

http://www.dailypaul.com/node/97944

Your 20% figure as the national average is what I have read with the huge increases being perpetrated by one or two of the big players this year, next year its one or two of the other of the big five, or, the market sectors are selectively hit with large increases. That’s what you get with an industry that is exempt from the anti-trust laws. I’m sure that Obama didn’t castigate them but acted as their apologist, no cite needed but thanks for the offer. If I want to pi ss myself off further about insurance costs I’ll just search it out. :-)

Universal healthcare is the only way to do it. Just cut the middle man out entirely.

That’s actually a good comment. But I think you mean ‘profit’, not ‘money’. I say we worry about people getting their basic human needs, health care, homes, safe food, clean air and water and then we can worry about ‘profit’.

Don’t you think it odd that it’s opposite that now? Profit for the wealthy comes first before all else?

I can’t remember, was Blue Shield for, or against, Obamacare?

I can’t remember, was Blue Shield for, or against, Obamacare?

Obamacare is BS.

What America needs is public insurance as practised by the EU, Canada and others at a much lower cost.

There is no excuse forn America failing its people.

[...] http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/blue-shield-california-plans-huge-rate-increases/ [...]

Unfortunately, healthcare doesn’t cover stupid voter suicide.

Or just simply “Die free!”

We’re working on it! Keep our fingers crossed.

Nope, CBO used THE REPUBLICAN BILL as proposed to model their latest calculations, not the Dem model. 230 billion dollars deficit, gratis the Repulsican plan. Add to that, the $700 bil for the rich tax break. Good fiscal management, eh? No. I’d call it good Fuckscal management.

You mean to hint he likes Koch????

What if it’s the LEG you need to operate the clutch?

I never had to go to a doc for an emergency until after 33 years bike commuting 40 mi per day (over 250,000 miles accumulated) I hit black ice and broke my hip. THEN I needed that doc. (BTW, I rode the 2.5 miles back home with one leg to call and get my doc. so EMERGENCIES do happen.) All healed and back riding the first week 258 mi.

It’s been 20% since that Obamanation was passed. Based on this article, you can see they’ve made the leap to 50% now. The others will follow. The other tendency I heard is that the employers were all stopping their share as of this year too. It wasn’t just here where the bastard sold us down the road, he did the same thing with Big Pharma. Screwed a lot of people that way.

I couldn’t agree more, Universal Healthcare is the only way to go.

BTW, if you’re ever inclined to get pissed on the subject, I suggest DemocracyNow! their website has the most comprehensive information on this topic I’ve seen thus far.

It’s been 20% since that Obamanation was passed. Based on this article, you can see they’ve made the leap to 50% now. The others will follow. The other tendency I heard is that the employers were all stopping their share as of this year too. It wasn’t just here where the bastard sold us down the road, he did the same thing with Big Pharma. Screwed a lot of people that way.

I couldn’t agree more, Universal Healthcare is the only way to go.

BTW, if you’re ever inclined to get pissed on the subject, I suggest DemocracyNow! their website has the most comprehensive information on this topic I’ve seen thus far.

Great link. Thanks!

Great link. Thanks!

Great link. Thanks!

Too bad that “inflation” is not happening with salaries only the cost of consumer goods. Funny how all of these economic genuflections always affect us and benefit them.

Too bad that “inflation” is not happening with salaries only the cost of consumer goods. Funny how all of these economic genuflections always affect us and benefit them.

Too bad that “inflation” is not happening with salaries only the cost of consumer goods. Funny how all of these economic genuflections always affect us and benefit them.

Actually, they’re not even waiting till you’re in the hospital. They’re already going in with you inside.

hold on there, osito…….it’s just a discussion. you’re doing the devils work keeping all the knee jerkers in line. i’m for nationalizing some things and not others. health care being one of them. energy being the other. i’ll bet if uncle sam had to pay for all the light bills in the U.S. (and it’s territories), we’d see some form of renewable, really eco–friendly energy source, toute d’suite. i’ve often heard the phrase “anything given to you won’t be appreciated”. usually in reference to some democrat’s or republican’s welfare, scheme. yet, has anyone ever taken a GOOD, LONG look at the “bennies” that the folks on capitol hill are availing themselves too? absolutely shameful. as far as human needs go, government has never really had any say in those. what i mean is: a company is dumping harmful electrical lines over a child’s preschool/new age dance studio. a child developes a tumor in his/her brain. i think most folks would respond in the 1500-2600 feet per second range.they would have excersized their very human right to protect/ avenge their children. no matter how many laws are written, no matter how may ordinances are passed, we all, at the end of the day, live by the law of the jungle. and once all the dust settles and the healthcare solution is agreed upon, condoned by “the people” , and put onto action; if the folks who write all this crap don’t make a buck, then they’ll just take their toys and go home. a very wise man once told me that a problem has to threaten YOU or your loved ones personally, for it to be real enough to take action.

who the hell drives a stick anymore?

who the hell drives a stick anymore?

The only bill I know is the “past-over-due-one” that fits under your nose and above your chin.

The only bill I know is the “past-over-due-one” that fits under your nose and above your chin.

That’s really bleak.

That’s really bleak.

That does not compute…

People are NOT rushing to consume the `limited commodity’ of healthcare – and yet the prices keep spiraling upward exponentially to the rate of core inflation. Indeed, exactly the opposite is happening; fewer people than ever can afford the escalating co-pays and deductibles to get ever-more-expensive procedures performed – this is why even people with `health insurance’ are suffering longer from treatable conditions…until they can no longer be borne.

So spare us the simplistic explanations…this is profiteering – not `the unseen hand of the market’.

That does not compute…

People are NOT rushing to consume the `limited commodity’ of healthcare – and yet the prices keep spiraling upward exponentially to the rate of core inflation. Indeed, exactly the opposite is happening; fewer people than ever can afford the escalating co-pays and deductibles to get ever-more-expensive procedures performed – this is why even people with `health insurance’ are suffering longer from treatable conditions…until they can no longer be borne.

So spare us the simplistic explanations…this is profiteering – not `the unseen hand of the market’.

Money is created by the federal reserve, then given to goldman sachs, they
loan it to banks, then they loan it to smaller banks, then you get the
money. In the meantime the banking cartel gets to use the money while it
looses value.

Check out these movies also::
http://www.moneyasdebt.net/
< Money as debt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb1n1X0Oqdw
< Meltup
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6507136891691870450#
< Creature from Jekyl Island

“core inflation” as issued by the government is useless since it doesn’t
cover energy, food or take into account healthcare costs as a % of income
properly. If you want good stats try this website
http://www.shadowstats.com/

People will spend as much as they have to or, barring that, can to be
healthy. With an aging population and a doctor shortage, there is a nurse
shortage, health services are being tested by shortages. New
procedures/drugs can be in short supply since things like erythropoietin
can’t be made in a factory the same way a toothbrush can be. In “Monetary
inflation in france” the founder of Cornell talks about how the inflated
money flowed into many different and unexpected items, causing uneven
inflation. Like we have in America now.

The money supply was expanded 10% a year for 2 years. That WILL cause
inflation

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304506904575180331528424238.html
http://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data

“core inflation” as issued by the government is useless since it doesn’t cover energy, food or take into account healthcare costs as a % of income properly. If you want good stats try this website http://www.shadowstats.com/

Healthcare is a limited commodity. People will spend as much as they have to or, barring that, can to be healthy. With an aging population, a doctor shortage, and a nurse shortage, health services are being tested by shortages. New procedures/drugs can be in short supply since things like erythropoietin can’t be made in a factory the same way a toothbrush can be.

In “Monetary inflation in france” the founder of Cornell talks about how the inflated money flowed into many different and unexpected items, causing uneven inflation. Like we have in America now. In fact in his book, he said the French said things like ”
So spare us the simplistic explanations…this is profiteering – not `the unseen hand of the market’. ” and they introduced price controls enforced by death sentances, which drove businesses out of business or into the black market.

In America 2007-2009 the money supply was expanded 10% a year for 2 years. That WILL cause inflation

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304506904575180331528424238.html
http://www.shadowstats.com/alternate_data

When the soviet union paid for all the farming equipment and assigned everyone farms, then took all their work product, production dropped. No one works for free.
When the soviet introduced small private plots, production jumped, but only on those plots.

If it didn’t work in soviet russia why would nationalizing work here?

When the soviet union paid for all the farming equipment and assigned everyone farms, then took all their work product, production dropped. No one works for free.
When the soviet introduced small private plots, production jumped, but only on those plots.

If it didn’t work in soviet russia why would nationalizing work here?

I’m not a fan of the Soviet Union and I would really not want to put myself in a position of defending their form of government/economy.

Instead, let’s look at some of the many examples of nationalization that work very well. The oil industries in many countries are nationalized and those profits provide huge benefits for their populations. In our own country, health care for the elderly is largely nationalized through Medicare (some people complain that it isn’t enough, and I agree, but none of them are dropping it).

Large segments of our construction/energy industry have long been nationalized or partially nationalized (hint: it wasn’t private business that built all of our huge dams). And these have been run more fairly than the private sector would – remember Enron?

I think the key thing all those examples have in common is that they involve
highly resource and research intensive projects. Sometimes these boundaries
can change.

for example, NASA was needed to get to space, now we have Virgin Galactic.
Also, in America private oil firms work fine and national firms aren’t
needed, whereas in underdeveloped countries, only the government could pull
off creating an oil industry from scratch.

Road construction is a purely government function, but the US government
contracts out to private companies to get the work done. So even though
road construction is paid for by taxes, the industries involved aren’t
really nationalized. Similarly, medicare provides payments for people who
have paid into that insurance their whole lives, and the payments go,
frequently, to private hospitals. I don’t really think the hospitals have
been ‘nationalized’ just becasue they receive government mandated insurance
payments.

My understanding of nationalize is that the central government makes
decisions about who will run the company as opposed to owners or
shareholders.

This is only the beginning. It gets worse.

oh, it wouldn’t. and that’s what sucks. we, as a nation could never pull together enough to have a collective farm. it’s just too big a group. racism, religion, wealth, upbringing, national heritage….these are just a few things that spring to mind that would keep a nationalized resource from being a viable option. i would just like to see it. it’s just that, the only way it would work would be to separate all the little fiefdoms (race religion, etc). NOT GONNA HAPPEN.
and looking at it like you described it, says that the SOVIET UNION wasn’t soviet people, just some faceless machine that herded and forced folks into a slaughter chute. i’ll admit that communism doesn’t work. having said that, NOTHING works. when you add the human element to government (and there’s no possible way to avoid it. google tatoos being illegal in Oklahoma) you get an ass soup that is totally unpalatable to some people. Americans by nature have a sense of entitlement so large, that no system will work for them. our national motto should be “fuck you , i won’t do what you tell me”. take a look at the cost of the combat in iraq and afghanistan………..now tell me that money couldnt be used elsewhere. i’d be happy to see it blown on space exploration, mud wrestling, tittie bars, anything, but filling young men and women with lead and steel! before you call me a smelly hippy, let me just say that i have a manchu dragon tattoed on my chest above my heart. i’m no pussy, and i NEVER turn the other cheek. i just don’t want our country to end up like Rome. we need to work on our own macaroni necklace before we tell the other special kids that theirs’ sucks.

[...] CA Blue Shield 60% Rate Increase WAU_map('c5b4j714yftp', 420, 210, 'neosat', 'star-blue') [...]

“Separating all the fiefdoms” requires “some faceless machine that herded and forced folks”

Considering the history of the world is the history of Kings and despots lording it over the subservient masses of peasant slaves, I think “”fuck you , i won’t do what you tell me”. ” is a fine motto.

[...] cost of health insurance is also skyrocketing.  For example, according to the Los Angeles Times, Blue Shield of California plans to raise rates an average of 30% to 35%, and some individual [...]

This is not true!! BS has raised my rates in Oct. Dec. Jan and last week I got a letter stating they will raise my rate March1st. The reason THEY SAY in the letter: The Affordable Health Care Act!

Who is BS trying to fool?

[...] [iii] http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/01/blue-shield-california-plans-huge-rate-increases/ [...]

Doctors and pharma Co. are the problem. The AMA strictly controls the number of medical school entrants each year, why is this? The few Doctors that get though either want to inject Botox or sell you herbalife to make more money. They need to remove the greed factor from the equation.