The Obamacare Debacle. The First Victims? Children.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

This piece of trash President and his legislation is killing the children!!!!

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http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/HealthCare/health-insurance-providers-administration/story?id=11701760

Health Insurers Eliminate Child-Only Policies, Is it a Sign of Future Cutbacks?

Elimination of Child Only Policies Unearth Old Tensions Between Health Insurers and Administration

The move by some health insurance companies to scrap child-only policies has many questioning whether providers will try to circumvent provisions of the new health care reform law in the future. Politically, it has unearthed old tensions between the Obama administration and health insurances at a time when new provisions are being rolled out.

Concerns about the new law have prompted major insurance providers such as WellPoint, Cigna, CoventryOne, and some Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies to stop offering child-only policies, as the Washington Post first reported.

Health insurers will still be prohibited from denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions, as the health care law requires, but coverage for children under 19 will now be offered in family plans instead of as a separate policy.

The move itself won't impact a large percentage of the population; a recent survey by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) found that 6 percent of individual policies are child-only plans. But what makes it significant is that it signals how insurance companies will deal with other provisions of the law in the future.

"There's a concern about how insurance companies are going to react to the wide variety of new requirements that they've got," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, an advocacy group. "They're just going to try and elude those requirements in different ways."

Insurance companies say they were forced to drop child-only plans because of higher costs and to keep themselves competitive.

"The regulations provide a very powerful incentive for parents to wait until their children get sick before buying insurance. That will drive up cost for everybody else," said AHIP spokesman Robert Zirkelbach. "So given the uncertainty that exists in the marketplace for the niche child-only products, health plans are having to make some very difficult decisions."

A Cigna spokeswoman downplayed the impact this would have, saying the company provides coverage to less than 1 percent of the individual and family market, or about 100,000 people in 10 states. Cigna is the fifth largest health insurance company, according to a 2009 Fortune Magazine survey.

"We made a decision to stop offering child-only policies to ensure that we can remain competitive in the 10 markets where we sell individual and family plans," Cigna spokeswoman Gwyn Dilday said in a statement. "We'll continue to evaluate this policy and could reconsider changing this position as market dynamics change."

Administration officials agree that child-only policies represent only a small part of the individual market. Nevertheless, they expressed outrage at the move, saying insurance companies are trying to circumvent the new law.

"I think it's very unfortunate that carriers are reverting back to their old promises after they committed they won't do that," said Steve Larson, director of oversight at the Department of Health and Human Services. "We will work with the industry to make sure we implement this law that works for everyone."

[Saddle Bronc 124]

On the nail, P&V!

[Nina~ 431]

As if insurance companies never denied insurance to children before the healthcare overhaul Why is it alright for insurance industries to ration healthcare?

[FaithfulandTrue 6]

[Danno 1,228]

As if insurance companies never denied insurance to children before the healthcare overhaul Why is it alright for insurance industries to ration healthcare?

I guess for the same reason the city "rations" trash pickup (only on mondays here)

To make it cost effective.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

As if insurance companies never denied insurance to children before the healthcare overhaul Why is it alright for insurance industries to ration healthcare?

Insurance companies don't ration health care sweetie. Insurance companies don't control health care. If you think they do, I would suggest you learn more about the industry.

[HAL 9000 96]

Think about this when you defend, vehemently, a system where an industry regulates itself. The bottom line will be that the primary goal of any industry under such a system will be to its shareholders first and foremost.

Now factor in the health regulation.

Yeah... its the system trying to fatten up. You guessed it... before it gets prevented from abusing others later on. Nice... sheesh. Anyone not rational enough to notice this probably shouldn't be making many comments to the contrary.

[Pooky 3,355]

Think about this when you defend, vehemently, a system where an industry regulates itself. The bottom line will be that the primary goal of any industry under such a system will be to its shareholders first and foremost.

Now factor in the health regulation.

Yeah... its the system trying to fatten up. You guessed it... before it gets prevented from abusing others later on. Nice... sheesh. Anyone not rational enough to notice this probably shouldn't be making many comments to the contrary.

Doesn't change the fact that with this "healthcare" reform, this administration, aided, abetted and facilitated by Congress and the Senate, sold the electorate up the river. And don't try and kid people into believing that premium controls are around the corner, because they aren't going to happen.

The Bill was a sham and the insurance companies are laughing like hyenas.

[Heracles 417]

Insurance companies don't ration health care sweetie. Insurance companies don't control health care. If you think they do, I would suggest you learn more about the industry.

Strange because my personal experience suggests otherwise. I have over six incidents of them directly dictating what I can or cannot do versus none over an entire lifetime using NHS. With the latter system being government owned and operated might I add.

Edited September 23, 2010 by Heracles

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Strange because my personal experience suggests otherwise. I have over six incidents of them directly dictating what I can or cannot do versus none over an entire lifetime using NHS. With the latter system being government owned and operated might I add.

Your mistake there again is thinking Insurance is the problem. The government in the NHS is a middleman just like the insurance company is here if you choose to carry it. Not to mention Medicare and Medicare deny far many more claims than any insurance company.

[HAL 9000 96]

Doesn't change the fact that with this "healthcare" reform, this administration, aided, abetted and facilitated by Congress and the Senate, sold the electorate up the river. And don't try and kid people into believing that premium controls are around the corner, because they aren't going to happen.

The Bill was a sham and the insurance companies are laughing like hyenas.

When the exit polls indicate your supposition is the case, I guess we'll see. As for what can and will happen legislatively, is yet to be seen.

Furthermore, if the bill was a sham to benefit big business, then there goes the ridiculous Obamahatesbusiness lunacy the GOP is spewing.

[Nina~ 431]

Insurance companies don't ration health care sweetie. Insurance companies don't control health care. If you think they do, I would suggest you learn more about the industry.

Yes they do! I remember purchasing health insurance when I was in college and it stipulated that I can not get more than 6 x-rays per calender year. If that is not rationing, what is it?

And it is against the TOS to call me (or anyone) sweetie.

[Pooky 3,355]

When the exit polls indicate your supposition is the case, I guess we'll see. As for what can and will happen legislatively, is yet to be seen.

Furthermore, if the bill was a sham to benefit big business, then there goes the ridiculous Obamahatesbusiness lunacy the GOP is spewing.

The exit polls have nothing to do with it. Neither this administration nor the GOP have any intention of reigning in the insurance companies at this point. The GOP I can understand. But this administration had the opportunity to incorporate said controls in the Bill, but withdrew them. Why?

I said at the time, and I'm even more certain now, that this Bill was a "legacy" item, something to say "Look, we passed Healthcare Reform!" despite the content falling woefully short of what this country needs and deserves from its elected representatives. It is a sham, a sell-out, a sop to vested interests, weighed down with opt-outs, buy-offs and sweetheart deals made to buy enough votes to pass the Bill.

And if you think that this administration being in bed with the insurance companies makes a lie of the GOP's opinion that Obama hates business, you need to take off those rose-tinted spectacles. Just make sure your insurance covers them.

[evli1966 88]

Yes they do! I remember purchasing health insurance when I was in college and it stipulated that I can not get more than 6 x-rays per calender year. If that is not rationing, what is it?

And it is against the TOS to call me (or anyone) sweetie.

Ok your not so Sweet.

The exit polls have nothing to do with it. Neither this administration nor the GOP have any intention of reigning in the insurance companies at this point. The GOP I can understand. But this administration had the opportunity to incorporate said controls in the Bill, but withdrew them. Why?

I said at the time, and I'm even more certain now, that this Bill was a "legacy" item, something to say "Look, we passed Healthcare Reform!" despite the content falling woefully short of what this country needs and deserves from its elected representatives. It is a sham, a sell-out, a sop to vested interests, weighed down with opt-outs, buy-offs and sweetheart deals made to buy enough votes to pass the Bill.

And if you think that this administration being in bed with the insurance companies makes a lie of the GOP's opinion that Obama hates business, you need to take off those rose-tinted spectacles. Just make sure your insurance covers them.

I agree that it is possible that he is in bed with the ins industry but I truly think it was his own blind frustration to pass a subpar health reform bill that will ultimately cost future tax payers several percenatage points in taxes.

Edited September 24, 2010 by evli1966

[Ban Hammer 12,845]

And it is against the TOS to call me (or anyone) sweetie.