Florida says health insurance prices will spike; feds disagree

[steve2470]

http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/31/3534931/florida-says-health-insurance.html

Florida insurance regulators unveiled for the first time Wednesday the prices proposed by private insurers for individual health plans to be sold on the state’s federally-run exchange, which is scheduled to launch Oct. 1.

But the proposed health plans and prices — and the state’s analysis that federal healthcare reform would cause premiums to rise — were hardly definitive of the actual costs that Floridians are likely to pay for health insurance next year.

That’s because the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has yet to approve the proposed health plans for Florida’s exchange, and those plans, including the prices, may change as they have in other states.

And while Florida insurance regulators said this week that the Affordable Care Act will cause the price of individual health plans sold in 2014 to rise 30 to 40 percent higher than similar plans sold today, and small group plan premiums could rise by 15 to 20 percent, they also conceded that those projections were based on a “hypothetical” health plan that does not exist anywhere in the state.

[steve2470]

1. this part really sucks about Florida, the fact that my state is not negotiating for lower rates

Unlike states such as Maryland, where insurance regulators said they negotiated lower rates for health plans offered on their state’s exchange, Florida insurance officials have been relegated to simply approving plans for compliance with federal reform law.

“We’re not approving or denying rates [for individual or small group policies],’’ McCarty said. “We’re checking them for completeness. It’s an informational filing.’’

[Jakes Progress]

2. I feel sure that they will rise, but

that has nothing to do with Obamacare. It has to do with the greed and inhumane nature of the insurance industry.

[steve2470]

3. agreed ! nt

[darkangel218]

4. My insurence BCBS went up $29/month this year.

Last edited Thu Aug 1, 2013, 02:51 AM - Edit history (1)

In FL.

[pnwmom]

7. The exchanges don't take effect till next year. And in most places

premiums have already been rising every year.

[BootinUp]

5. IF...there is a price increase like that

I think it would be safe to assume that people would be getting much better coverage. But I doubt the report based on whats happening in other states.

[steve2470]

6. bump for more comments nt

[librechik]

8. Florida has no credibility on the issue. As well as NOT IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM.

Florida lies. They should just shut up and let the feds do their jobs.