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Omaha Steve

(99,501 posts)
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 04:45 PM Dec 2012

Surprise: New insurance fee in health overhaul law

Source: AP-Excite

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20121210/DA333OJ80.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - Your medical plan is facing an unexpected expense, so you probably are, too. It's a new, $63-per-head fee to cushion the cost of covering people with pre-existing conditions under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

The charge, buried in a recent regulation, works out to tens of millions of dollars for the largest companies, employers say. Most of that is likely to be passed on to workers.

Employee benefits lawyer Chantel Sheaks calls it a "sleeper issue" with significant financial consequences, particularly for large employers.

"Especially at a time when we are facing economic uncertainty, (companies will) be hit with a multi-million dollar assessment without getting anything back for it," said Sheaks, a principal at Buck Consultants, a Xerox subsidiary.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20121210/DA333OJ80.html





This March 23, 2010 file photo shows Ttwenty two pens next to President Barack Obama as he signs the health care reform bill in the East Room of the White House in Washington. Your medical plan is facing an unexpected expense, so you probably are, too. It's a new, $63-per-head fee to cushion the cost of covering people with pre-existing conditions under President Barack Obama’s health overhaul. The charge, buried in a recent regulation, works out to tens of millions of dollars for the largest company health plans, and much of that is likely to be passed on to employees. Multiple pens are used to sign legislation, and then distributed to supporters of the legislation. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)

26 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Surprise: New insurance fee in health overhaul law (Original Post) Omaha Steve Dec 2012 OP
"unexpected"? lumberjack_jeff Dec 2012 #1
The fee was set forth in regulation, rather than in the law Yo_Mama Dec 2012 #22
Great, another excuse for companies to whine and outsource jobs. Flatulo Dec 2012 #2
Not getting anything back? Sedona Dec 2012 #3
Sooner or later, everyone everyone everyone will have a "pre-existing condition." WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #4
You are so right. Those who think they'll never have a preexisting condition are deluding themselves pnwmom Dec 2012 #6
This WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #11
That's a great piece. Thank you. pnwmom Dec 2012 #14
sometimes people who make ACA out to be the enemy of single payer forget how desperate some are CreekDog Dec 2012 #24
Big deal....... Sandy one Dec 2012 #26
And the 85/15 80/20 medical loss ratio is still in effect LiberalFighter Dec 2012 #5
$63 per minute? per day? per week? per paycheck? per month? per year? per lifetime? tarheelsunc Dec 2012 #7
Per year. It goes down every year for the 3 years it is in place, then it expires. cbayer Dec 2012 #10
$63 per year is a small price to pay to ensure everyone has access to health coverage. tarheelsunc Dec 2012 #16
Agree. They can afford it. cbayer Dec 2012 #17
$63 dollars per???? Thank you for answering exactly my question. SoapBox Dec 2012 #19
It's not being discovered just now. cbayer Dec 2012 #20
Right. Companies can afford it, and so can many individuals, elleng Dec 2012 #21
the welfare for insurance companies act will have many such outcomes nt msongs Dec 2012 #8
Did you think this through by any chance? RegieRocker Dec 2012 #9
The Savage Arithmetic of the Pre-Existing Condition WilliamPitt Dec 2012 #12
so that's why our premium went up 24% for 2013? maxsolomon Dec 2012 #13
How many billions do the health insurance companies take in that goes for overhead, profits, etc., RC Dec 2012 #15
What about the Credit we should get back lobodons Dec 2012 #18
$63, LOL Skittles Dec 2012 #23
$63/year? Seriously? high density Dec 2012 #25
 

lumberjack_jeff

(33,224 posts)
1. "unexpected"?
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 04:49 PM
Dec 2012

HCR includes a provision preventing insurance companies from refusing those with preexisting conditions??? Who knew!

Yo_Mama

(8,303 posts)
22. The fee was set forth in regulation, rather than in the law
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 11:20 PM
Dec 2012

That's why it was unexpected. The companies did not expect it because this particular cost was just created.

The regs are still being written for ObamaCare.

Sedona

(3,769 posts)
3. Not getting anything back?
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 04:49 PM
Dec 2012

"Especially at a time when we are facing economic uncertainty, (companies will) be hit with a multi-million dollar assessment without getting anything back for it," said Sheaks, a principal at Buck Consultants, a Xerox subsidiary.

They are getting their employees with pre existing conditions insured at a lower over all rate.

I'll take the $63 hit if it saves me hundreds, perhaps thousnads per year on my pre existing condition premiums.

 

WilliamPitt

(58,179 posts)
4. Sooner or later, everyone everyone everyone will have a "pre-existing condition."
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 04:52 PM
Dec 2012

In the meantime, thank you, America, for making sure my wife with MS will never go without coverage.

Yes, in fact, we are all in this together.

pnwmom

(108,955 posts)
6. You are so right. Those who think they'll never have a preexisting condition are deluding themselves
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 05:09 PM
Dec 2012

It's a matter of time, luck, and genes, little of which one can control.

pnwmom

(108,955 posts)
14. That's a great piece. Thank you.
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 06:09 PM
Dec 2012

I remember when a well-meaning nurse friend told me I shouldn't follow up on my son's asthma symptoms, because if he had that word on his record he'd have a preexisting condition.

So, asthma -- that's another one.

I couldn't imagine failing to get care for my wheezing son NOW because it might make him uninsurable in the future, but that's what the nurse would have done, if it were her kid.

Thank goodness for Obamacare. There's a floor under us now. Yeah, it would be nicer if there were a whole house called Medicare on top of it, but at least it's a floor. Better than the abyss we'd been staring into.

CreekDog

(46,192 posts)
24. sometimes people who make ACA out to be the enemy of single payer forget how desperate some are
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 11:36 PM
Dec 2012

how desperate some with disabilities and major chronic conditions are in need of some reform, any reform.

there are some that want the whole health care system to fall apart and feel that only then will it be reconstructed into a single payer system.

that's insane. there are so many people, seemingly helpless in the face of the health care system who would benefit and desperately need even the chance to get insurance.

Sandy one

(24 posts)
26. Big deal.......
Tue Dec 11, 2012, 01:43 PM
Dec 2012

$63...what is the big deal?It costs $12-$15 to go see a lousy movie in 3D. It costs $25 to get just a passable meal for 4 in any fast food joint. Let's put something in perspective. It costs hundred of dollars to take a family to a ball game.Millions of seats are filled every season. Or better yet let all those people with pre-existing conditions die and everyone go out to dinner, a movie and a game!

SoapBox

(18,791 posts)
19. $63 dollars per???? Thank you for answering exactly my question.
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 09:20 PM
Dec 2012

$63 per year?

That's a whopping $5.25 per month (or $2.62 per pay check for me...we get paid twice per month) and for only 3 years?

Bring it! I'm MORE than happy to help out at this time (I have insurance via my employer...we have a couple of hundred THOUSAND employees, so they're not going to be able to pull to much bullshit)...and 3 years? Who cares!

But I'm curious, why is this just being discovered now? Didn't all of those thousands of lawyers for Health and Pharma, look at this bill earlier?

Sound like so much bull.

elleng

(130,740 posts)
21. Right. Companies can afford it, and so can many individuals,
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 09:37 PM
Dec 2012

MUCH more easily than NOT having insurance coverage for such conditions.

 

RegieRocker

(4,226 posts)
9. Did you think this through by any chance?
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 05:30 PM
Dec 2012

First: There is a cap on the profits they can make. Second: Doesn't medical services to those that don't have it cost you more in taxes? This will be a wash and a good thing. Getting the taxes down by reducing pork crap and military spending should be your concern. Not this. Only way taxes will go down is if spending and the deficit goes down. Oh and if there is NO CARBON TAX! Not for citizens maybe for corporations. Tax breaks for citizens!

 

RC

(25,592 posts)
15. How many billions do the health insurance companies take in that goes for overhead, profits, etc.,
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 06:22 PM
Dec 2012

that drive up the cost of health care, over and above that which it would be if we had Single Payer, Universal Health Care in this country?

Don't give me that 85% has to go for health care. There's still that 15% that is in the billions. And how much of the 85% can be skimmed off for purposes other than someone's health care? Health Care in this country is a racket. Al Capone would be proud, with all the death for money the health insurance companies engage in.

 

lobodons

(1,290 posts)
18. What about the Credit we should get back
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 07:21 PM
Dec 2012

What about the credit we should get back from the insurance companies now that we don't have to subsidize the emergency room visits made by those without insurance? Surely that savings is more than $63/ year.

high density

(13,397 posts)
25. $63/year? Seriously?
Mon Dec 10, 2012, 11:45 PM
Dec 2012

What a joke to be whining about that.

If employers want to get something "back" for their money in regards to healthcare, they should've been putting their millions into pumping up single payer healthcare a few years ago instead of letting Sarah Palin yack about death panels and socialism. All of this shit would be a moot point.

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