As this article from the Seattle Times relays, Washington residents will see premiums rise around 20-22% between Oct. 1 and Jan. 1.

And that’s just the beginning.

This time, they are not blaming Obamacare.

Oh.  Really?

Well, perhaps next time when rates shoot up another 20-25% they’ll finally make the connection.

Could it be that Obamacare alone will be responsible for increases of 40-50% within a year of its passage?  Yep, entirely possible.

The solution?  Repeal Obamacare?

Maybe.  Maybe not.  I’m beginning to wonder whether that movement has any real traction.

In the meantime, high deductible health plans still  make the most sense.  In fact, they make more sense than ever.

Use this link to get quotes for high deductible plans and start saving today!

CDR

Interestingly enough, that is now Obama/Pelosi’s message: Don’t worry America, you’ll learn to like it.

What kind of fools do they take us for?

The whole arranged marriage scenario presupposes that we didn’t know what we were getting in advance. But we did. The American people are surprisingly informed about this humongous piece of historical legislation that will impact virtually everyone’s lives.

Here’s what I have been able to ascertain so far.

Poor people – love it.
Well to do folks – hate it.
Everyone else – not so sure. If they have been denied coverage in the past, they generally like it – until they see the premiums. One of these days, a subsidy will kick in – but it will not cover as much as an employer would subsidize. In general, I think this category of people never will be happy with the cost/benefit analysis. And of course, if they are “well to do” by Gov’t standards ($88k/year) they won’t get any subsidy at all – only higher taxes and higher premiums.

At this point, my recommendation to people is simple and straightforward – get a health savings account plan in place ASAP. HSA plans were saved! They are part of the bill – they will live forever. There is no question – they always will be the lowest priced option available to anyone over age 30. The only question remaining is this – why wait? Premiums will only get higher – trust me.

I invite you to use our quote engine to get quotes for high deductible plans that are compatible with HSA savings accounts. Don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions.

A recent article published by Money supports the theory we have all suspected for a long time: Hospitals keep raising their rates to compensate for the rising cost of providing mandated care for everyone who arrives via the ER (emergency room).

By law, hospitals have to treat all emergency admission regardless of insurance.

“If the underinsured can’t pay the bills, the hospital either writes it off as bad debt or shifts the cost to its charity care program,” said John Pickering, principal and consulting actuary with consulting firm Milliman Inc.

Increasingly, hospitals are shifting costs to “those who can pay,” said Wynn Bailey, partner and health care expert with consulting firm AT Kearney. “That’s the government, private insurers and the self-insured.”

Bailey said hospitals are negotiating higher treatment rates with insurance companies to offset the bad debt.

In turn, commercial insurance providers are charging higher premiums to their clients, both businesses and individuals, to cover their cost increases. As businesses struggle their employee health care costs, they are shifting a higher percentage of overall premiums to their workers, charging higher deductibles, or encouraging greater use of generic drugs.

“It’s a vicious cycle,” said Pickering.

And there you have it.

This is one of the major reasons why health insurance companies are willing to support the president’s attempt at “universal” coverage with one major caveat: Mandatory coverage for all.

Because you see, if everyone were equally responsible for their own health care expenses, you and I wouldn’t have to end up paying for everyone else’s expenses, only our own.

It still makes sense — even more so — to self-insure the small bills with a health savings account. Contact our offices for fast, easy quotes from multiple A-rated insurers for high deductible health plans.