Today's Theme is .....death?

[Yagents]

A woman dies in NV due to ACA signup issues?:
Woman dies after waiting months for operation through Nevada

Health Carriers may die also says Ezekiel:
Former O-Care adviser: Health insurers will be

 

[GreenSky]

Health Carriers may die also says Ezekiel:
Former O-Care adviser: Health insurers will be

Sadly, I think he's right. The socialist takeover will be complete in a couple of years and health insurance carriers will cease to exist.

Rick

 

[DS4]

"A key former adviser behind President Obama's healthcare law said the traditional role of health insurers would be "dead" by 2025"

I predict far before 2025

 

[AllenChicago]

Even if republicans regain control???

 

[somarco]

Even if Republicans control both houses and the Oval Office.

By 2016-2017 Blue will be the last carrier standing in most areas.

 

[kgmom219]

"By 2025, few private-sector employers will still be providing health insurance," Emanuel, who chairs the department of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania, wrote in his recent book Reinventing American Health Care."

I completely agree on this one. ACA will do to employer provided benefits what 401K's did to pension plans.

Even with the penalty. The $2K per employee fine will be always be less than the per employee premium.

We are going to be looking like Singapore. Or else Medicare for all!

Its also why I moved my business from 80/20 group/individual to 20/80.

 

[somarco]

401k's didn't do in pension plans. ERISA killed them long before 401k's rolled around.

 

[AllenChicago]

Even if Republicans control both houses and the Oval Office.

By 2016-2017 Blue will be the last carrier standing in most areas.

Why? Because the subsidy $$$ is unsustainable and Repubs are against hand-outs anyway?

 

[hamben]

Just my opinion and I'm sure most will disagree. I feel the largest handout in the history of the world is the tax favored status of employer sponsored health insurance. I know this is over simplifying but look at simple numbers.
There are about 130 million Americans covered under group insurance plans. Assume only 1/3 are individual would leave about 40 million policies covering the 130 million. Companies on average are spending 80% of the cost of the individual plans that are averaging about $5,000.

Now take the $4,000 x 40,000,000 = 160,000,000,000.. 160 billion x the average corporate tax of 40% equals about $64 billion in new revenue.

Now add the $2000 per employee tax that corporations will gladly pay. Let's use the 40 million number. It will be much larger but using the 40 million as an example would put another $80 Billion in additional tax revenue totaling $144 billion.

Now add the people making between $100,000 a year and $300,000 a year who will more than likely purchase non ACA compliant plans and pay the 2.5% tax penalty because it will be less expensive then purchasing the Compliant ACA plans.

Approximately 10 million will fall into this category so let's assume low numbers of about 30% or 3 million. Take and average income of $150,000 x 2.5% = $4500

Take the $4,500 x 3 million = 13.5 Billion

Total new tax revenue will be about $157 Billion

Now tax the average tax credit per family of $2,700 x 40 million insured's =108 Billion
I know the numbers are ruff guestimates but it shows the sustainability as companies' transition employees to individual plans.

 

[somarco]

Why? Because the subsidy $$$ is unsustainable and Repubs are against hand-outs anyway?

Yes to unsustainable, not necessarily to free cheese.

If you look at states that have community rating, GI, etc Blue is the dominant player.

Round one (2014) knocked out marginal players like World, Celtic, etc.

Round two (2015) will take out Coventry, Aetna, Cigna and a few others.

Round three (2016) will probably take out Humana. If UHC/GR show up in 2015 it will only be in a few states and they will disappear by 2016.

The Obamacare model is unsustainable on the carrier sided. The subsidies are unsustainable long term and will probably be significantly curtailed after the 2016 elections.