Wendell Potter: The Behind-the-Scenes Battle That Could Subvert Obamacare (IMPORTANT!!)

[antigop]

http://wendellpotter.com/2012/12/the-behind-the-scenes-battle-that-could-subvert-obamacare/

And now, insurers have turned once again to the Chamber, this time to wage a behind-the-scenes campaign aimed at state insurance commissioners. If they succeed, insurers will be able to sell a highly profitable insurance product to a highly targeted group of small employers—those with mostly young and healthy workers. By buying this product—stop-loss insurance—those small employers would be able to avoid using the planned state insurance exchanges to obtain coverage for their workers.

Here’s why that’s important. Because of the way the Affordable Care Act is written, by avoiding the exchanges those small businesses would be exempt from having to comply with many of the most important consumer protections in the health law.

It’s complicated—so complicated that unless you are a reader of obscure insurance industry newsletters, you’ve probably never heard about this, even though it has the potential to cause the collapse of the exchanges and completely circumvent to intent of Congress. The intent of Congress was to make coverage more affordable and available to all of us, not just the young and healthy.

The key to this fight are those state insurance commissioners. Their organization, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, just wrapped up its fall meeting in Washington, where consumer advocates were pitted against lobbyists for big insurers and their old friend, the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber has taken the lead in pressuring the NAIC to make it easy for insurers to sell stop-loss coverage to small businesses wanting to avoid many of the ACA’s consumer protections. Those protections aren’t a small matter; they would, among other things, prohibit insurers from charging people higher premiums because of their gender, age and health status. Buying stop-loss coverage would also allow employers to largely side-step any regulation at the state level.

[MrSlayer]

1. We should have just gone with Medicare for all.

None of this crazy arcane bullshit. None of these ridiculous loopholes. And no blowjob for the for profit insurance companies.

Almost everyone likes Medicare and it's very easily explained. All this nonsense could have been avoided if we had elected officials that actually gave a shit about the people instead of the overlords.

There's a lot of good stuff in Obamacare but there's alot of dumb, unnecessary and bad shit too.

[antigop]

2. I agree...Medicare for All is the right solution.

I'm afraid all of the good stuff --- like consumer protections -- will be totally watered down at the state level by the time the exchanges are up and running.

[yurbud]

14. Obama just MENTIONING Medicare for all would make the insurance companies piss themselves and maybe

rein in their greed.

He could say every year premiums go up faster than inflation and the percentage skimmed off for profits and exec salaries and other overhead doesn't go down, he will lower the Medicare eligibility age one year.

[1ProudAtheist]

3. A Good Number Of States

are opting out of creating stae level exchanges and allowing the federal government to institute tha
em. This would protect all of the citizens of those states from the types of shenanigans that were mentioned.

[antigop]

11. very good point. n/t

[Iwillnevergiveup]

4. Bravo for Wendell Potter

When you go to the link, you can subscribe to his newsletter. And I believe that site is where the rubber meets the road.

[AllyCat]

5. My god how I hate these anti-American bastards.

[Cha]

6. Thanks antigop!

[antigop]

10. You are welcome. Wendell is always a good read. n/t

[ReRe]

7. Private Ins. in this country are cut-throat vulture capitalists....

....always scheming. Shell gamers. Crooks. Liars, thieves and cheats. Effing death panels!

Yes, we need universal health care. And it IS going to happen. I BELIEVE!

[jtuck004]

8. That is just a little part of the beginning. The insurance companies are undergoing

mergers and acquisitions as we speak, seeking to become even more multi-national. It's great for for tax avoidance and preventing your accounting from being too transparent.

You know, in case some group of fools think they can tell you how much you are going to make. ('Cause you can't regulate in another country too easily, eh?). Also lets them offshore tasks where they are able.

They make profit for a living, and will be working on avoiding this stuff 24x7 well into the future.

[SunSeeker]

9. It is really good to have Wendell Potter's expertise on our side!

I'm so glad he left the dark side.

[AmBlue]

12. So how are we suppose to fight this loophole? eom

[antigop]

13. couple of things...

1) write your state insurance commissioner -- tell the commissioner 'NO' to this sh*t

2) become the media -- try to get the word out to as many people as possible.