HHS Says Health Insurer Charging Unreasonable Rate Increases

[Guest]

News release from the HHS.gov website. Never heard of this company, but then again I am in Georgia. I am unclear as to what the 12% increase is. Is it renewal premium going up by 12% or base rate when quoting. Them make it sound like increase at renewal. Says they didn't justify the increase correctly (used national data as opposed to state data). I don't know, it is very confusing to me. It might be me, or it might be HHS that is confusing. Either way, I have small groups that are getting 25+ rate increases, some less some more, all based on claims history and/or census changes. Thus my confusion.

Health insurer charging unreasonable rate increases

 

[somarco]

Still trying to figure out why HHS feels they have oversight and regulatory authority over health insurance premiums.

Why not auto insurance premiums as well?

And since we own GM, I think the price of Corvette's is too high. When is the government going to do something about that?

 

[CHUMPS FROM OXFORD]

They are a VERY small company. Big issue was that they should have based rates on local experience, like Geisinger, Cap BC etc...

WebNanny was not used in this post

Kevin Smith, as I mentioned a few weeks ago is a great pickup. Toby? Maybe for a week, but I assume Adrian will be back within 2 weeks. Cutler? cut him and take a flyer on Burleson.

 

[Guest]

They are a VERY small company. Big issue was that they should have based rates on local experience, like Geisinger, Cap BC etc...

Yeah I get the local experience on the rating issue, just wondering did they raise the rates exactly 12% for all their businesses? Perhaps they are speaking of an average.

Somarco: don't give the gov't any ideas on the auto thing. Although I think there is some of that already going on in California (where else huh?). I read somewhere a watchdog group is taking insurers to task for charging higher rates in low income, high crime areas. It shouldn't matter that your car is more likely to be stolen and or vandalized in that part of town. Racist insurance companies!

 

[somarco]

just wondering did they raise the rates exactly 12% for all their businesses? Perhaps they are speaking of an average.

You are trying to make sense of it.

When it comes to govt intervention it doesn't have to make sense and especially with idiots like Shebullshits running the show. She has no clue what she is doing.

 

[Guest]

You are trying to make sense of it.

My bad. Not the first time I have been accused of doing that when there is really no answer, especially when it comes to actions by the government. I should quit now and save myself some stress.

 

[somarco]

If you want to further confuse yourself, consider this.

The referenced carrier is owned by the Mennonite church.

Mennonites (and certain other religious groups) are exempt from Obamneycrap rules.

So is HHS deciding against the provisions of Obamneycrap or did HHS Shebullshits pull a Pelosi and fail to read the law?

 

[ABC]

I am in the process of taking a group from Everence.

They have specialized in religious organizations and PEO type plans.

My experience is they are not currently operating under the new health care reform laws under mandated coverages. I don't know if they are using some type of religious exemption.


Carriers are going to have to justify their rate increase.

 

[somarco]

Carriers are going to have to justify their rate increase.

If DC insists on trying to regulate an industry in areas in which they have no authority how long before the carriers either challenge them or offer hidden rate increases?

 

[arnguy]

I'm in PA and never heard of them. I did google them and as was pointed out previously by somarco they have a connection with the Mennonite Church. Probably they write most of their business in the areas of PA with a large Mennonite population----definitely not in the Phiiadelphia 5-county metro area (with the exception of northern Montgomery County, viz., Souderton).