Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Health Insurance Premiums in PA

From the inbox:

White House Report: The Burden of Health Insurance Premium Increases on Pennsylvania Families

Average Pennsylvania family premium growth is 110 percent, compared to just 50 percent wage growth

WASHINGTON – Today, speaking to a group of State Insurance Commissioners, Vice President Biden highlighted a new White House report documenting the burden of health insurance premium increases on Pennsylvania families.

Health insurance premiums for American families continue to skyrocket. In the past year, the national average annual family premium for employer-sponsored health insurance rose to $13,375 in 2009 – a shocking 5.5 percent increase during a recession when inflation actually fell by 0.7 percent.

"The status quo of rising premiums is simply unsustainable," said Vice President Biden, "for families, for businesses, for state budgets, and for our national economy."

In every state, premiums have increased far faster than wages and are consuming increased portions of family budgets. The White House's analysis found that families’ premiums in Pennsylvania went up 110 percent, outpacing wage growth of just 50 percent.

“The State Insurance Commissioners understand firsthand the health care crisis - and are fighting every day to combat it and reduce unjustified premium increases,” Vice President Biden said. “But these numbers are just one more piece of evidence that the need for nationwide reform is urgent.”

To read the full White House report, please click here.

3 comments:

Paul P. said...

The problem is that there are local monopolies in small group health insurance run by the 800 lb gorillas in the marketplace such as blue cross blue shield. In certain states, they have arrangements with local providers that make other carriers uncompetitive. Because of the lack of transparency and competition, the cost is passed on to the consumer (small businesses).

Also, the other big problem to rising health insurance premiums, aparticularly for families is that the brokers are doing nothing to control the cost of health insurance. they are provided incentives to keep the business with Blue Cross Blue Shield and companies like that by commissions and to sell a cheaper health plan would be coin out of their pocket. Also, if they move the business away from BCBS they lose commission on their whole block of business with them.

These guys are doing it right. Transparency, best interest in mind for the consumer and all in all sick of watching cost inflate while the brokers and the big guys get richer and richer.

website

Anonymous said...

Quoting and Saving on your health insurance has never been easier...EasyToInsureME

Pennsylvania Health Insurance
Connecticut Health Insurance

EasyToInsureME offers clients the easiest way to buy individual health insurance. Free services include instant online health insurance quotes, custom proposals for each client, free phone consultations, and 10-minute application by phone. Nobody does what we do for our clients!

David hogard said...

important factor in calculating your car insurance rates is the quality of your driving record. Driving safely saves lives, but it saves money too. Not only are driving convictions embarrassing and expensive, their implications are more far reaching: insurance companies will consider them carefully when deciding how cheap – or how expensive – your auto insurance rates will be.
Staying claim free is also an Important way to help maintain your cheap car insurance rates. Your No Claims Bonus is, in fact, the biggest single factor in determining your rates, so even should you become involved in an accident, try to keep your No Claims bonus safe. Drive safely at all times, and in the event of minor accidents, pay out of your own pocket if you can.


http://www.createfreeblogs.com/smashing/252683/Tips+for+Reducing+Your+car+insurance+Premium+.html