Why Are Health Insurance Premiums Still Increasing After The PPACA?

And then their was this quote from Barack Obama: “It’s estimated that your employer’s premiums will fall by as much as 3,000% which means they could give you a raise.”

These premium increases are due in large part to the fact that multiple new “Preventative Care” mandates were imposed upon all “non-grandfathered” health insurance plans as of 9/23/2010 under the PPACA (Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act). A “Non-grandfathered” health insurance plan is a plan that was purchased after the PPACA (a.k.a “Obamacare”) was signed in to law on March 23, 2010. Keep in mind, these were ALL mandated to be covered no later than 1/1/2011 WITHOUT a co pay or a DEDUCTIBLE (a.k.a. “free”). The entire list is as follows:

• 15 Covered Preventive Services for Adults:
1. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm one-time screening for men of specified ages who have ever smoked
2. Alcohol Misuse screening and counseling
3. Aspirin use for men and women of certain ages
4. Blood Pressure screening for all adults
5. Cholesterol screening for adults of certain ages or at higher risk
6. Colorectal Cancer screening for adults over 50
7. Depression screening for adults
8. Type 2 Diabetes screening for adults with high blood pressure
9. Diet counseling for adults at higher risk for chronic disease
10. HIV screening for all adults at higher risk
11. Immunization vaccines for adults–doses, recommended ages, and recommended populations vary:
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Herpes Zoster
• Human Papillomavirus
• Influenza (Flu Shot)
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella
• Meningococcal
• Pneumococcal
• Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis
• Varicella
  Learn more about immunizations and see the latest vaccine schedules.
12. Obesity screening and counseling for all adults
13. Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention counseling for adults at higher risk
14. Tobacco Use screening for all adults and cessation interventions for tobacco users
15. Syphilis screening for all adults at higher risk
• 22 Covered Preventive Services for Women, Including Pregnant Women
1. Anemia screening on a routine basis for pregnant women
2. Bacteriuria urinary tract or other infection screening for pregnant women
3. BRCA counseling about genetic testing for women at higher risk
4. Breast Cancer Mammography screenings every 1 to 2 years for women over 40
5. Breast Cancer Chemoprevention counseling for women at higher risk
6. Breastfeeding comprehensive support and counseling from trained providers, as well as access to breastfeeding supplies, for pregnant and nursing women*
7. Cervical Cancer screening for sexually active women
8. Chlamydia Infection screening for younger women and other women at higher risk
9. Contraception: Food and Drug Administration-approved contraceptive methods, sterilization procedures, and patient education and counseling, including abortifacient drugs – some religious organizations are now exempt from this mandate
10. Domestic and interpersonal violence screening and counseling for all women*
11. Folic Acid supplements for women who may become pregnant
12. Gestational diabetes screening for women 24 to 28 weeks pregnant and those at high risk of developing gestational diabetes
13. Gonorrhea screening for all women at higher risk
14. Hepatitis B screening for pregnant women at their first prenatal visit
15. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) screening and counseling for sexually active women*
16. Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA Test: high risk HPV DNA testing every three years for women with normal cytology results who are 30 or older
17. Osteoporosis screening for women over age 60 depending on risk factors
18. Rh Incompatibility screening for all pregnant women and follow-up testing for women at higher risk
19. Tobacco Use screening and interventions for all women, and expanded counseling for pregnant tobacco users
20. Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) counseling for sexually active women
21. Syphilis screening for all pregnant women or other women at increased risk
22. Well-woman visits to obtain recommended preventive services
• 26 Covered Preventive Services for Children
1. Alcohol and Drug Use assessments for adolescents
2. Autism screening for children at 18 and 24 months
3. Behavioral assessments for children of all ages
   Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
4. Blood Pressure screening for children
   Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
5. Cervical Dysplasia screening for sexually active females
6. Congenital Hypothyroidism screening for newborns
7. Depression screening for adolescents
8. Developmental screening for children under age 3, and surveillance throughout childhood
9. Dyslipidemia screening for children at higher risk of lipid disorders
   Ages: 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
10. Fluoride Chemoprevention supplements for children without fluoride in their water source
11. Gonorrhea preventive medication for the eyes of all newborns
12. Hearing screening for all newborns
13. Height, Weight and Body Mass Index measurements for children
    Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
14. Hematocrit or Hemoglobin screening for children
15. Hemoglobinopathies or sickle cell screening for newborns
16. HIV screening for adolescents at higher risk
17. Immunization vaccines for children from birth to age 18 —doses, recommended ages, and recommended populations vary:
• Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis
• Haemophilus influenzae type b
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Human Papillomavirus
• Inactivated Poliovirus
• Influenza (Flu Shot)
• Measles, Mumps, Rubella
• Meningococcal
• Pneumococcal
• Rotavirus
• Varicella
  Learn more about immunizations and see the latest vaccine schedules.
18. Iron supplements for children ages 6 to 12 months at risk for anemia
19. Lead screening for children at risk of exposure
20. Medical History for all children throughout development
    Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
21. Obesity screening and counseling
22. Oral Health risk assessment for young children
    Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years.
23. Phenylketonuria (PKU) screening for this genetic disorder in newborns
24. Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) prevention counseling and screening for adolescents at higher risk
25. Tuberculin testing for children at higher risk of tuberculosis
    Ages: 0 to 11 months, 1 to 4 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 14 years, 15 to 17 years.
26. Vision screening for all children
    Source: http://www.healthcare.gov/law/about/provisions/services/lists.html

2.) Now for the policy “design” Mandates. Blue Cross outlines those here:
http://www.resourcebrokerage.com/BCBSupdates22510B/PPACAILInsuredNotification.pdf


3.) The recent inclusion of PPACA mandated “Essential Health Benefits”. Among these are the following:
• Ambulatory patient services
• Emergency services
• Hospitalization
• Maternity and newborn care
• Mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment
• Prescription drugs
• Rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices
• Laboratory services
• Preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management
• Pediatric services, including oral and vision care
  Source:http://www.uhc.com/united_for_reform_resource_center/health_reform_provisions/essential_health_benefits.htm

4.) Now we come to reason number four. The rapid implementation of the PPACA mandated Medical Loss Ratios – which were implemented on 9/23/2010 - have resulted in more than 13 health insurance carriers closing their doors or refusing to sell health insurance again.

This has left thousands of American’s either uninsured or without the plan they had prior to the passage of the PPACA.Here’s sample letter that many of my clients received when Guarantee Trust Life insurance company ceased providing health insurance to my clients around the country.

his is exactly the opposite of what President Obama promised when he said in his speech to the AMA on June 15, 2009 “If you like your health care plan, you will be able to keep your health care plan. Period. No one will take it away. No matter what.” Watch him make this promise below:



Find out the names of the carriers that have left the industry since the passage of the PPACA as well as all the other damage done to the health insurance industry since the passage of the PPACA by reading the new study completed by the Galen Institute on December 1, 2011 entitled “A Radical Restructuring of Health Insurance.”
World Insurance company in Omaha, Nebraska and it’s subsidiary American Republic insurance company is the latest carrier to succumb to the PPACA’s onerous Medical Loss Ratio requirement. Read the story here. Both companies will be purchased by Celtic Insurance company of Chicago Illinois. This the THIRTEENTH company to pull out of Iowa’s health insurance business since June 2010. This again, is all due to the onerous MLR’s (Medical Loss Ratios)implemented on 9/23/2010 under Obamacare.
Other companies that have either closed their doors entirely or stopped selling health insurance since Obamacare was signed into law are as follows:
1.) American National
2.) American Republic
3.) American Medical Security
4.) American Community Mutual
5.) Standard Life & Accident
6.) Principle Financial
7.) nHealth
8.) World Insurance
9.) Unicare
10.) Guarantee Trust Life
11.) Coventry
Other carriers are slowly withdrawing State by State. Page 7 of this white paper dated September 6, 2011 from the North Carolina Department of Insurance details exactly why the majority of all health insurance carriers that offered health insurance in their State have already exited and why even more are considering doing so shortly.
Millions more Americans will lose their Employer Sponsored health insurance come 2014. This is due to the fact that the ‘fine’ (Roberts Tax) on employers – with 50 more more full time employees – who do not offer HHS approved health insurance to their employees is only $2,000 annually. This is far less than the cost to provide health insurance. So, many employers will simply choose to pay the ‘fine’ and push their employees onto the ‘health insurance exchanges’. For the full impact of the PPACA “Roberts Tax” on Individuals, Taxpayers & Employers visit this link.
Historical precedent proves that forcing mandate after mandate and new regulation after regulation on to the health insurance industry does nothing but increase costs. In 1979 there were 252 mandates forced upon the health insurance industry, by 2007 there were nearly 1900. With the implementation of the PPACA  we have tipped the scales at nearly 2,262 mandates. Keep piling them on and costs will continue to rise.
5.) Premiums will continue to increase when the following additional PPACA imposed requirements begin on January 1, 2014
A.) The “minimum actuarial value” requirement that forces insurers to provide more financially generous coverage with fewer co-pays and deductibles.
B.) The “community rating” provision that forces young Americans to pay far more for health insurance in order to subsidize older Americans. This was included in the PPACA even though historical data points to the catastrophic failure of ‘community rating’.
C.) The “guaranteed issue” provision that forces insurers to take all comers, even if they are already sick.
D.) The “essential health benefits” mandate that forces insurers to cover health-care services that many customers wouldn’t otherwise want to pay for.
The sad truth is, even though the President promised ‘affordable health insurance for all Americans‘, many Americans will not receive health insurance at all. In fact, according to the Congressional Budget Office’s latest assessment, 30 million Americans will remain uninsured even after full implementation of the PPACA. Worse yet, 17 million more will simply be enrolled in a Government Welfare program called Medicaid. Many who do receive health insurance will receive a very large tax payer funded subsidy, which will continue to detach the consumer with the true cost of health insurance. To find out what health insurance will cost you in the PPACA ‘Health Insurance Exchanges’ click here.

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    Blog Source Credited: C Steven Tucker SmallBusinessInsuranceServices.com