Arizona residents should be concerned when government officials state that the healthcare reform bill will stand alongside Medicare and Social Security, “in the annals of American history.” Both programs are going broke, Social Security paying out more than it is bringing in for the first time just this week, something that was projected not to happen until 2016.
Mentioning these two programs is understandable though, the vast majority of Americans like them and are dependent on them. It is helpful to put a positive spin on a program such as the healthcare bill for one simple fact… the bill is vulnerable to repeal. The next four years, before the major benefits kick in, will be filled with premium rate increases, health care cost increases, and a public growing more and more disturbed with the bill of goods they have been sold. Regulatory reforms in the Arizona health insurance market will increase premiums substantially for those purchasing family and individual plans. Large employers are not immune to price increases either, just ask AT&T, John Deere, Verizon, and 3500 other corporations that will increase employee premium contribution amounts, yet still cut benefits to cover their new tax liability. https://higginscompanies.com/health-insurance/maternity-planning/
The CBO estimates that family plans in the new exchange will be $12,000 a year for the cheapest option. The news gets worse. The plan selection will be very limited in the exchanges. Many families will find themselves dumped by their employers into these exchanges because it will be cheaper to pay the fine per employee than to offer health insurance.
What do you think the chances are of the government actually cutting $350-$500 BILLION dollars from the Medicare program in waste and fraud to help pay for this reform package? There has been a federal law on the books since 1993 that states that the federal government must cut $10 billion dollars per year from the program until it is solvent. Not once have they cut the $10 billion. If it was that easy to cut this much money from the Medicare system it would have been done by now. And how about the Cadillac tax imposed on the most expensive plans starting in 2018? It will never happen! The unions will never stand for it.
The health insurance industry has been smeared relentlessly the past year. This is an industry that averages 2-3% profit per year. With all the new regulations being imposed premiums can only go up. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona is a non-profit organization, (as is 60% of the Blue Cross Blue Shield organizations throughout the country,) and their rates will also increase.
I wish I could see more positive aspects in the healthcare reform bill. To go from a debt ratio of 2-3% of the GDP to 90% within a couple of years is frightening. as a nation we cannot afford this, plain and simple.
My business, my livlihood, for the past thirty years has been selling Arizona health insurance to individuals, families, and small employer groups, the very people that will be affected by this bill. They will receive the short end of the stick in my opinion.
Staying abreast of what is happening in the Arizona medical insurance market and guiding my clients through this maze will be a challenge, and one that I look forward to.
Michael Higgins
602.405.8769