Insurance companies in red states snickering all the way to the bank--and blaming Obamacare [View all]

[mnhtnbb]

Get ready to write LTTE --especially in red states--as folks in the
red states where Republican Governors/Legislatures refused to allow
Medicaid expansion or open state exchanges are now seeing people
furious over the rate increases on their insurance plans--all blamed
on Obamacare, of course.

I opened our local paper (Raleigh News&Observer) this morning to see a bunch of letters from
people complaining about their existing plans being canceled and their rates raised. So,
I fired off a LTTE:

It was disturbing to read the number of letters to the editor regarding the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) from people who have seen their insurance premiums dramatically raised by their insurance carriers (primarily BCBS). However, what is more disturbing is the lack of reporting from the News & Observer explaining why this has happened in North Carolina at the same time in many other states across the country people are overjoyed to discover that, not only can they finally find health insurance, but that it is extremely affordable. The NC Insurance Commissioner, Wayne Godwin, has been happy to explain it: thank the GOP in NC for rejecting the expansion of Medicaid, refusing to set up a state exchange to sell insurance and also passing a law which forbid the Department of Insurance from helping citizens to understand the ACA and recruit insurance carriers to a state exchange which would result in increased competition (and lower rates). I'm sure the Republicans are snickering all the way to the bank on this. Surely the irony has not escaped them: blame it on Obamacare and watch profits rise.



And how did I know what the Insurance Commissioner had said? Thanks to this interview (found on my fb news feed)

http://www.politicsnc.com/to-spite-your-face/


So, get ready to counter the complaints that you are bound to see in the red states that refused to expand Medicaid or
run a state exchange.