Obamacare: ‘The Craziest Thing In The World’

Democrats’ Original Sales Pitch: ‘Lowers Costs For Every Patient, Reins In Premiums, Copays And Deductibles’

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): “This is why this legislation is important: affordability for our middle class. It lowers costs for every patient, reins in premiums, copays and deductibles, limits out-of-pocket costs, and lifts the cap on what insurance companies cover each year. (Rep. Pelosi, Press Conference, 10/29/09)

SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV): “[W]e are bringing security and stability to millions who have health insurance ... What we will do is ensure consumers have more choices and insurance companies face more competition.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S. 13891, 12/24/2009)

‘REINS IN … DEDUCTIBLES’?

‘This Is Crazy,’ ‘51 Percent Of American Workers Have A Deductible Of At Least $1,000’

“[Lezlie Walla] the 34-year-old single mother of two knew her son, Caleb, should go to the doctor. She also knew she couldn't afford it. This is crazy, she wanted to scream. She has insurance, but it comes with a $6,000 family deductible - $2,000 for each of them - that she must pay before her policy typically pays a dime. Last year, she was uninsured. This year feels exactly the same.” (“A Shift In Coverage Has Even The Insured Skipping Medical Care,” Houston Chronicle, 10/1/2016)

• “[A]t Walla's house, the medical bills pile up. She figures she owes about $1,500 so far this year since she switched to the high-deductible plan.” (“A Shift In Coverage Has Even The Insured Skipping Medical Care,” Houston Chronicle, 10/1/2016)

“This year, for the first time, a majority threshold was crossed as 51 percent of American workers have a deductible of at least $1,000. That compares with just 10 percent a decade ago, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation's 2016 annual health benefits survey released in September.” (“A Shift In Coverage Has Even The Insured Skipping Medical Care,” Houston Chronicle, 10/2/16)

• “Twenty years ago, high-deductible plans were rare. Now they have taken root, shifting more and more out-of-pocket costs onto consumers.” (“A Shift In Coverage Has Even The Insured Skipping Medical Care,” Houston Chronicle, 10/01/2016)

• “In the past five years alone, deductibles have risen 10 times faster than inflation and nearly six times faster than paychecks.” (“A Shift In Coverage Has Even The Insured Skipping Medical Care,” Houston Chronicle, 10/2/16)

• “Today, the average deductible in individual plans that have one is $1,478. In 2006, according to Kaiser, it was $584.” (“A Shift In Coverage Has Even The Insured Skipping Medical Care,” Houston Chronicle, 10/2/16)

• “[A] survey [Vitals, a New Jersey-based online consumer health care support site] commissioned in July asking 500 Texans about their health care habits [found] [n]early 1 in 3 with insurance said they had delayed or skipped a medical treatment or doctor visit in the past two years. Of those with high-deductible plans, the number neared 1 in 2.” (“A Shift In Coverage Has Even The Insured Skipping Medical Care,” Houston Chronicle, 10/01/2016)

‘ENSURE CONSUMERS HAVE MORE CHOICES’?

‘17th Plan Established Through The Affordable Care Act Nationwide To Stop Selling Coverage’

MINNESOTA: ‘Individual Market There Came To The Brink Of Collapse’

“Minnesota health insurance market in ‘emergency situation’” (“Minnesota Health Insurance Market In ‘Emergency Situation,’” The Associated Press, 9/30/2016)

“Department of Commerce Commissioner Mike Rothman said Friday that the five companies offering plans through the state's exchange or directly to consumers were prepared to leave the market for 2017. He said big rate increases were the tradeoff to convince all but one company to remain for now.” (“Minnesota Health Insurance Market In ‘Emergency Situation,’” The Associated Press, 9/30/2016)

• “The 250,000 people shopping in Minnesota's market for individual health insurance policies will find a much shorter list of options for 2017.” (“Choices Shrinking In Minnesota's Individual Health Plan Market,” Star Tribune, 10/4/16)

• “The departure of Blue Cross Blue Shield from the state’s individual market means a third of those who shop for their own insurance — 100,000 people — will need to find a new plan for next year.” (“MNsure Rate Hikes 50-67%,” Mankato Free Press, 9/30/2016)

“Minnesota will let the health insurers in its Obamacare market raise rates by at least 50 percent next year, after the individual market there came to the brink of collapse…” (“Near ‘Collapse,’ Minnesota To Raise Obamacare Rates By Half,” Bloomberg, 9/30/16)

• “The increases range from 50 percent to 67 percent ... The rate hike follows increases for this year of 14 percent to 49 percent... On average, rates in the state will rise by about 60 percent, said Shane Delaney, a spokesman for MNSure, the state’s marketplace for Obamacare plans.” (“Near ‘Collapse,’ Minnesota To Raise Obamacare Rates By Half,” Bloomberg Markets, 9/30/2016)

• “Most of the insurers in Minnesota’s individual market also plan to limit enrollment, to avoid taking on too many customers from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, which is leaving the exchanges after financial losses, the state said.” (“Near ‘Collapse,’ Minnesota to Raise Obamacare Rates by Half,” Bloomberg Markets, 9/30/2016)

TENNESSEE: ‘Seismic Changes To The State’s Insurance Options’

“BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee sent shock waves Monday across Tennessee with the company's decision to exit the Obamacare exchange in Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville, a move that highlights persistent volatility in the young health insurance marketplace.” (“BCBST's Exit From 3 Obamacare Markets Sends Shock Waves,” The Tennessean, 9/27/16)

• “…seismic changes to the state’s insurance options — UnitedHealthcare, which sold in all counties, already bowed out…” (“BCBST's Exit From 3 Obamacare Markets Sends Shock Waves,” The Tennessean, 9/27/16)

• “About 71,495 people in Nashville, 29,246 in Knoxville and 30,326 in Memphis will have to look to another insurer for coverage in 2017.” (“BCBST's Exit From 3 Obamacare Markets Sends Shock Waves,” The Tennessean, 9/27/16)

• “Before Friday, the state already had 57 counties where there was only one insurer. Now there will be 73.” (“BCBST's Exit From 3 Obamacare Markets Sends Shock Waves,” The Tennessean, 9/27/16)

WISCONSIN: ‘Arise Health Plan… The Latest Company To Abandon The Market’

“Arise Health Plan, a subsidiary of WPS Health Solutions, said Thursday that it will not sell health plans on the marketplaces set up through the Affordable Care Act next year, becoming the latest company to abandon the market. Arise and WPS Health Insurance also will sell only high-deductible health plans for individuals and their families off the marketplace, and those plans will be available only in a limited number of counties.” (“Arise To Leave ACA Marketplaces,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 9/30/16)

NEW JERSEY: ‘Health Republic Insurance Of New Jersey Will Shut Down For Next Year, Forcing 35,000 People To Find New Insurance’

“Health Republic Insurance of New Jersey will shut down for next year, forcing 35,000 people to find new insurance by Jan. 1. The shutdown leaves just two companies doing business on HealthCare.gov, the Affordable Care Act marketplace for New Jersey. And it highlights the flaws of President Obama’s signature health law, as well as the difficulties of starting a new insurance company.” (“Health Republic Insurance Of New Jersey’s Demise Exposes Flaws Of Obamacare,” The Record, 10/3/16)

• “‘The carrier has not made a net profit during any year of its operation,’ Badolato’s request of the court said. … Health Republic was started in 2013…” (“Health Republic Insurance Of New Jersey’s Demise Exposes Flaws Of Obamacare,” The Record, 10/3/16)

“It was the 17th plan established through the Affordable Care Act nationwide to stop selling coverage, adding to the mounting evidence that the vision of new non-profit insurers competing in the marketplace with long-established corporations had been doomed — either by design or congressional obstruction or both.” (“Health Republic Insurance Of New Jersey’s Demise Exposes Flaws Of Obamacare,” The Record, 10/3/16)

SOUTH DAKOTA: ‘Wellmark Blue Cross And Blue Shield Will No Longer Offer Individual’ Obamacare Plans

“KOTA Territory News has learned that Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield will no longer offer individual Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, plans in South Dakota effective January 1st. Wellmark notified insurance agents across the state on Tuesday saying the company lost $32 million in the healthcare exchange over the past two years.” (“Health Insurance Changes For South Dakota Residents,” KOTA-TV, 9/27/2016)

• “In a news release sent to KOTA News, Wellmark says that the decision affects less than 8,000 … of Wellmark's members in South Dakota.” (“Health Insurance Changes For South Dakota Residents,” KOTA-TV, 9/27/2016)

MONTANA: ‘Montana Health Insurance Company Say The Company Will Shut Down’

“Officials for a Montana health insurance company say the company will shut down next year. Ryan O’Connell of New West Health Services said Friday the company will cease operations… New West has 15,000 customers, including 14,000 with Medicare Advantage coverage.” (“Montana Insurer to Shut Down in 2017,” Flathead Beacon, 9/24/16)

IOWA: ‘The Largest Private Provider Of Health Insurance In Iowa — Announced Tuesday It Will Reduce Coverage For Some Of Its Products’

“Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield — the largest private provider of health insurance in Iowa — announced Tuesday it will reduce coverage for some of its products in the individual Affordable Care Act market in Iowa.” (“Wellmark Will Change Some Product Coverage,” The Gazette, 9/27/16)

• “In Iowa, Wellmark no longer will offer its gold-tier plans or promote individual under-65 plans that use its preferred provider organization (PPO) network in Iowa.” (“Wellmark Will Change Some Product Coverage,” The Gazette, 9/27/16)

INDIANA: ‘Indiana University Health Plans Is Pulling Out Of The Obamacare Marketplace’

“Indiana University Health Plans is pulling out of the Obamacare marketplace in Indiana, just one month after state regulators approved its proposal to raise premiums nearly 15 percent.” (“IU Health Plans Quits Obamacare Exchange, Citing 'Heightened Financial Uncertainty,'” Indianapolis Business Journal, 9/26/16)

• “IU Health Plans began offering coverage on the Obamacare exchanges in 2014 and covered about 27,000 people under the policies as of June, according to a filing with the Indiana Department of Insurance.” (“IU Health Plans Quits Obamacare Exchange, Citing 'Heightened Financial Uncertainty,'” Indianapolis Business Journal, 9/26/16)

ATLANTA & CHICAGO: ‘Experimental Health Plan Subsidiary Is Pulling Out’

“UnitedHealth Group's experimental health plan subsidiary is pulling out of the Affordable Care Act exchange markets in Chicago and Atlanta after losing nearly $70 million in the first six months of 2016. And its founding CEO, who spearheaded the plan's primary care-focused benefit design, has been replaced by a new leader.” (“UnitedHealth Subsidiary Ditches ACA Exchange After Posting Losses,” Modern Healthcare, 9/29/16)

• “Harken Health started selling individual and group plans on and off the exchange in the two markets last January. It reportedly has about 35,000 members in those markets.” (“UnitedHealth Subsidiary Ditches ACA Exchange After Posting Losses,” Modern Healthcare, 9/29/16)