My friend Nick got a little surprise in his mailbox today from Blue Cross Blue Shield. A 29% increase in his health insurance rates.
Just received my " shakedown package " in the mail today from the crooks at Blue Shield of California.Yeah, I chuckle when I read Blue Cross complaining about the high cost of expensive new drugs. My coverage under Blue Cross has always provided only $1500 a year in prescription drug benefits, that's it, for 12 years now - no increase in coverage, always $1500 (even though my rates have nearly tripled). It doesn't matter if the drug is $50 a bottle or $50 million a pill. All Blue Cross is going to pay is $1500 a year and then they cut me off. So explain to me how the expensive price of new drugs is "forcing" them to increase the price of their plans when, actually, the money they spend on my prescriptions is going down each year in real dollars (and I have the best self-employed plan Blue Cross offers)?
Effective 7-1-09 (2 months before my birthday)
A 29% increase from my current rate!
No claims in 7 years - no chronic conditions - healthy!
A 29% yearly increase during the worst economy in 70 years?!
Their" reasons ":Why is my rate changing?Their option for only a 6% increase is to move to a plan (' Vital Shield Plus 2900 ') with LESS COVERAGE ALMOST ACROSS THE BOARD, a $400 higher yearly deductible, and a $3 million lifetime cap. The deductible is now $2900 in the new plan (which I'll have to go to in order to afford having ongoing coverage).
Rates are changing due to rising costs across the healthcare industry. Major drivers include hospital upgrades, new technologies, and expensive new drugs. Other factors include an aging population and higher costs for inpatient and out patient care. To learn more....blah, blah, blah
Until we get Single Payer we are truly and totally fucked!
These people are liars and thieves out to make a fast buck off of our misery. The federal government should be regulating companies like Blue Cross in the same way they're now overseeing GM and Wall Street. Once Blue Cross has to submit its books to the feds and to Congress, then maybe we'd see a little more corporate responsibility from one of the worst insurance companies in the business.
