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Archive for November 9th, 2009

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan’s Medigap Rate Increase Faces Roadblock from Administrative Law Judge

Posted in Medicare Supplement, Medigap Rate Changes/Introductions, Michigan, News on November 9, 2009 | 1 Comment »

Here is the story from the Detroit News.  BCBS of Michigan was looking for a 31% increase ($33/month).  The administrative law judge ruled for a 3.8% increase ($4/month).  BCBS of Michigan has 210,000 Medigap members on this plan.  The difference $29/month times 12 months times 210,000 policyholders means an annual difference of $73 million.

BCBS of Michigan can appeal the ruling.  The Michigan Insurance Commissioner, Ken Ross, will make the final determination in early December.

I also found this story here.  These numbers make a little more sense in calculating the $85 million in savings that the Michigan attorney general references. . .

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Current Health Care Bill is Like “Loading More People on the Titanic”?

Posted in News on November 9, 2009 | 2 Comments »

Here is another article on why having a very weak mandate for Health Insurance while at the same time making Health Insurance “Guaranteed Issue” with no pre-existing conditions could result in a Train Wreck for the current system.  People can “sleep well at night” while being uninsured with the knowledge that the insurance is a few clicks away if they get sick.  In the meantime, they could buy a cheap accident or specified disease policy to cover them if they can’t get insured instantly.

This article from Kaiser Health News calls it, “Loading More People on the Titanic”, in hopes that the system will sink faster.  I suppose the hope here is that the inevitiable consequences of the current bill would result in a more compelling case for “single payor”?  That’s my theory, at least.

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The Three Legged Stool of Health Care

Posted in News on November 9, 2009 | Leave a Comment »

Thanks to Sandra for the article.  Here is a link to the article.  Talks about the 3 legs of the health care “stool”:  Access, Goods and Cost.  Access would involve the number of people in the system.  Goods would be the quality of health care services which the system can deliver.  Cost is pretty obvious and moves higher with increased Access and Quality of goods.

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