White House Memo: 120 Health Insurance Plans Applied To Participate In Exchange

[DonViejo]

Source: TPM

PERRY STEIN 3:20 PM EDT, THURSDAY MAY 30, 2013

The White House has received more than 120 applications from health insurance plans looking to sell on the new federal health care exchange, according to a White House memo released Thursday.

The success of the Affordable Care Act partially hinges on competition in order to keep premiums low, and, according to the memo, "the early signs are promising and demonstrate a significant increase in competition and an array of options for consumers everywhere."

One out of four insurers that have applied to sell insurance in the marketplace is new to the individual insurance market and at least one new provider has been added in 75 percent of states with a federally run marketplace. The White House estimates that about 90 percent of target enrollees will have five or more different insurance company choices.

People can start enrolling in the exchanges on Oct. 1. The federal government will fully run the health care exchanges in 19 states and will work with 15 other states to help them run a marketplace. Seventeen states (including D.C.) have opted to run their own exchanges.

Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/white-house-memo-120-health-insurance-plans-applied

[OKNancy]

1. That's great for my family!

...in one of the "federal" states.

[AmBlue]

2. I checked the health care exchange website for my family...

...and apparently there are no plans yet registered that would work for us. I'm not sure if that's because the R idiots in our R-controlled Florida legislature are dragging the process out (they just voted down the Medicaid expansion) or what.

Does anyone know where Florida specifically is in this process or when we can expect to see companies participating?

[madrchsod]

3. well...i guess there are companies that want a piece of the action.

i bet some those 120 apps are from companies who deal with medicare. hell my drug provider is in tennessee and the medicare biller is in wisconsin. every year i can choose my drug ,and supplemental provider.

not to much longer when it`s medicare for all.

[Iwillnevergiveup]

4. Man, oh man

States better not foot drag on this...hope the White House begins some massive advertising on TV.

[greiner3]

5. Now this is funny;

Here's OH's website EXPLAINING to the masses why Kasich and co. are going with the Federal Plan;

"On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law. It includes a number of broad, sweeping changes to America’s health care system, including the creation of health benefits exchanges in which individuals and small business owners in every state can purchase qualified coverage.

Multiple studies commissioned by the Ohio Department of Insurance determined Ohio’s competitive marketplace would be negatively impacted by the ACA. The studies concluded that premiums will increase for consumers and Ohio will absorb significant costs. If Ohio selected a state-based exchange, the state would be required to get approval from the federal government on all aspects of its operation and set-up (Durn regs!). Making a decision has also been difficult (WAAAAAHHHH) as the federal government still hasn’t provided rules giving clarity and direction to states regarding issues such as benefits offered by plans sold on the exchange.

Based on the cost of a state-based exchange, lack of flexibility and the lack of guidance from the federal government, Ohio has decided to not run an exchange. Instead, it will let the federal government take on that responsibility. Ohio will, however, maintain authority over important parts of our insurance market and Medicaid systems. Ohio will continue to oversee plan management for health insurers and manage Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) eligibility for its citizens."

So much crow eating...

[cheapdate]

6. Good catch. 'Tis amsuing.

[BenzoDia]

8. Did you guys read about the multi-state plans? The tpm page has a link to the WH memo

http://www.scribd.com/doc/144725362/White-House-Health-Care-Competition-Memo-5-30-13

It's a plan that will be offered in exchanges by one issuer in all States eventually. This is exciting for many reasons.

[alp227]

9. NYT: Health Law Is Fostering Competition, U.S. Says

WASHINGTON — The new health care law is injecting more competition into health insurance markets nationwide, drawing additional insurance companies into states long dominated by a few carriers, Obama administration officials said Thursday.

Such competition offers the prospect of more choices for millions of consumers who will be shopping for insurance this fall. Companies entering the market could also put downward pressure on prices, partly offsetting factors that tend to increase premiums. The competition could pose new challenges to Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans, which dominate the individual insurance markets in many states.

The administration gave a snapshot of applications filed by insurers in 19 states where the new insurance markets, or exchanges, will be run entirely by the federal government. The data was preliminary and incomplete and could not be independently verified. It was supplemented by federal officials with information from California and several other states that have released data on applications from insurers.

These states account for 80 percent of the seven million people expected to obtain coverage next year through the government-run markets being established under President Obama’s health care law.

full http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/31/health/health-law-is-fostering-competition-administration-says.html

[area51]

10. We've actually had competition for years and it hasn't helped.

What we need at the very least is a govt. option, since our govt. has no spine to truly regulate the for-profit insurance agencies.

[Letsduthisnow]

11. I hope this link below isnt true

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-05-24/california-fudges-the-math-on-obamacare.html

This was linked when news of these exchanges started picking up

[hrmjustin]

12. Welcome to DU my friend!

[Letsduthisnow]

13. thanks! ive been reading these forums for months now and was very curious as if any has heard about

Bloombergs article. What better place than here!

[YOHABLO]

14. It always pays to read the background of the writer of these articles .... >>>

(Lanhee Chen is a Bloomberg View columnist and a research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He was the policy director of Mitt Romney’s 2012 presidential campaign.)

[secondvariety]

25. Totaly unbiased

and with no axe to grind.

Sarcasm.

[LeftishBrit]

28. Note that the author of this article is described as having been a policy director for Mitt

Romney's campaign. I wouldn't trust anything that he has to say about 'Obamacare'.

[Sunlei]

15. some states can be very confusing. here's the Gov. link where one can search their state info & get

necessary info emailed to you.

They keep updating the website- as more competition enters the insurance fields and the new health care laws roll into play-

http://www.healthcare.gov/

[Sunlei]

16. to the White House- check your state search because many states w/ age 50-65 NO insurance Offers!!

Americans 50++ is the age where there needs to be medicare for all. Even if citizens payin a premium on a bell curve.

[dembotoz]

23. so they can not descriminate except for when they descriminate????

here comes the new boss
same as the old boss???

[Sunlei]

24. what? also sent an email on that website. lets see if the search updates by the deadline.

many states drag their feet to the last second or doing nothing for their state citizens.

[bread_and_roses]

17. Wow! I can't wait to compare the fine print on 120 plans!

What fun! Or even five plans, all with different "options" that I will have to weigh - some cover this, some cover that .... hmmmnnnnn - guess I'll have to shine up my crystal ball to figure out which I'll need - or maybe a dart board - more fun!

[BenzoDia]

18. The point of the exchanges is that insurance companies have to offer the same packages of benefits.

So you can compare between them easily.

[bread_and_roses]

19. I worked in human services when seniors and disabled had to pick Medicare packages

- it was a nightmare. I'll believe the "same packages" when I see it - does "same package" for instance, mean exactly the same coverage for exactly the same drugs? (there's a name for the Vampire Insurance Co's lists - formulary? - it was years ago now that I did that work, and can't remember.)

In any event, even if EXACTLY the same it won't matter - "Bronze" will still be inadequate and for most ordinary worker bees the coverage will be unaffordable. (what the hell sort of civilized society classifies people by precious metals? And it IS classifying people - by CLASS - utterly unconscionable in any circumstances, and quite deadly when it comes to healthcare).

[BenzoDia]

20. Good question. My understanding is that the same essential health benefits must be covered

within a tier with the same amount of cost sharing. Also, there is federal aid for deductibles and out-of-pocket help.

There's also a list of free preventative services that are covered as well. While not as comprehensive as it should be, it should go a long way in helping people stay healthy.

[LiberalFighter]

21. You won't have 120 plans to check out.

It will be based on your age and area. There are 120 plans for 50 different states.

[adric mutelovic]

22. Good times are coming

I myself and considered too "rich" for Medicaid. This new health care exchange will allow me to qualify for sure. Kudos.

[EverNewEcoN]

26. Monopoly, Gatekeeping, Risk Filtering And Pay To Play - R - Us

They can't lose, as the bronze, silver, gold and platinum tiers
represent statutuory profit boxes ranging from 60% MLR
(medical loss ratio) to 15%.

Their statutory profit box is fixed.

http://pages.citebite.com/i1y4m1t7o7pxu

In other words,
Market Controlled Insecticide
Related Fructose Foundational
GMO's Have An Implicit
Monopolistic Value Chain Box,
The Health Cartel A Stipulated
One, And The TBTF Banks An
Infinite One.

None of this
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-013-2460-y/fulltext.html

or this

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2013/05/coming-corporate-control-of-medicine-certain-to-make-socialized-medicine-look-even-better.html
(except I advocate patient-doctor centric, patient care/bed to lab-lab to bed exalted,
"MARKET-PROGRESSIVE," rationally informed with epidemiology and clinical reality,
not union/state/hospital alone, doctor alone, state, cartel, whatever other
than patient-doctor, etc. centric.)

http://pages.citebite.com/f9g6i1b7rfvh

http://pages.citebite.com/d9u6v1v6jspj

pdf:
http://www.americanprogress.org/wp-content/uploads/issues/2009/06/pdf/health_competitiveness.pdf


http://www.nomiprins.com/thoughts/2012/11/10/real-danger-of-obamacare-insurance-company-takeover-of-healt.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/business/despite-new-health-law-some-see-sharp-rise-in-premiums.html?ref=business&_r=2&

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2009/10/14/793112/-Schumer-Leahy-Take-on-Insurance-Antitrust-Exemption-Video-Added

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/dec/05/obamacare-fowler-lobbyist-industry1?INTCMP=SRCH

http://pages.citebite.com/p8i5t8h6mphi

http://news.yahoo.com/insurers-nervous-over-prospect-romney-victory-115914066--finance.html



http://stockcharts.com/freecharts/candleglance.html?aet%2Cci%2Cunh%2Cwlp
on day of my commenting, 6/2/2013, recent history stretchy very bubbly highs.

I've nothing against business success. I am against undue market control.

The advancing inability to afford health care, partly owing to the
monopolistic architecture itself, advances customers toward subsidy
eligibility. Thus, "affordable care" starts looking more like
"what are you good for care."

Modified adjusted gross income figured on present earnings,
with app's required by April 15, is obviously aimed at avoiding
entitlement status, with cost shifting captured monopolistically
but leaving many underinsured or uninsured, and with
the medical collections business obviously in tact.

ObamaCare would be the health care delivery program that
the Simpson-Bowles Commission would have gladly called
its own.

However, it WILL extend coverage, and it WILL eliminate
exclusions. It WILL enable moving to Vegas for job/r.e.
op's w/o losing coverage. It does eliminate for many their
inevitable choice of "go naked" or "premium death spiral."

But, it's blanket-applied monopolistic architecture, that promises
much clinical rationalization, and likely will deliver some as the
government assists a cartel in playing its monopolistic
profit box-affixed captive Siamese twin patient audience
for what they're worth, but which, nonetheless, will do so in a cartel
centric, not patient-doctor centric fashion, lavishly supporting
thousands of gatekeeper new-hires, the cost of which, along
with the cost of monopolistic privilege of which, could better
be applied to reverse engineering from the economic efficiency
represented by patient and physician satisfaction.

[hrmjustin]

27. Welcome to DU my friend!