Boeing: 'Obamacare' not reason for health insurance hike

[tabatha]

The Associated Press reported Monday that the Boeing Co. was asking 90,000 nonunion workers to pay more for their health insurance next year because of the new health care law passed by Democrats this year.

A Boeing spokeswoman said the company would've made the changes even if the bill signed by President Barack Obama hadn't become law.

"Yes, we are making health care changes. If you would've asked me if we would've made these changes without the enactment of the law, I would've said yes," company spokeswoman Karen Forte told seattlepi.com Monday evening.

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlepolitics/archives/225319.asp

[kenny blankenship]

1. It also isn't stopping it. So thanks for nothing.

[tabatha]

2. I don't think the full Obamacare kicks in for several years.

[kenny blankenship]

4. Are you trying to bolster its image or bury it?

[pnwmom]

7. I'm directly affected by the change. I don't see how Obamacare could

have stopped it.

Do you have Boeing non-union insurance or are you just shooting your mouth off?

[Skittles]

3. very convenient though, right before the election

[lostnfound]

5. No coincidence. Another major corporation I know of sent a similar letter

blaming the higher rates on new health care reform bill.

[pnwmom]

8. Boeing's not blaming it on the new health care. n/t

[WinkyDink]

10. They don't need to; the voters will. Clever, no?

[pnwmom]

12. If the voters do, it's because the media and Dino Rossi are lying.

"Yes, we are making health care changes. If you would've asked me if we would've made these changes without the enactment of the law, I would've said yes," company spokeswoman Karen Forte told seattlepi.com Monday evening.

"We're just out of line with market. We've been contemplating what can we do to reduce costs," Forte said. "It came down to, we've got to pass some of these costs down to our employees."

SNIP

"...Boeing announced today, that their employees will be forced to pay more to keep the health care plans they've counted on for years," Rossi said in an announcement Monday evening. "This legislation was supposed to increase access and reduce costs, but it does neither – and even the President admitted he knew costs would increase. This is not the reform Washingtonians were promised, and Senator Murray's bill has failed Boeing, its employees, and every Washington family."

Julie Edwards, spokeswoman for Sen. Patty Murray, said "the number one reason Boeing is making changes is because of runaway health care costs - costs reform will help control. Dino Rossi wants to enshrine double digit increases into law. Mr. Rossi wants to lock in a policy that puts insurance companies in charge of families' health care and put profits before patients. Now big insurers are trying to run out the clock because reform puts patients back in the drivers seat. But what insurers really want is what Mr. Rossi wants - repeal."

[lostnfound]

6. No coincidence. Another major corporation I know of sent a similar letter

blaming the higher rates on new health care reform bill.

[ejpoeta]

9. this has been going on as long as i can remember back before my oldest was born.

i saw my premiums for me and her rise every time i turned around. i know it's been happening because i have heard my family members bitching about their rates going up again or deductibles or copays going up. it has been going on. obama has tried to address it sort of i guess. but the prices have been going up irrespective of this law. they are just trying to use it as an excuse to not have it. yes, let's blackmail the public to do the insurance companies bidding.

[Scuba]

11. There is a clear effort on the part of major employers and health insurance...

...companies to further shift the health cost burden to the employees. There is also a clear and concerted effort to blame Health Care Reform for any and all cost increases, justified or not.