Health Insurers Will Be Charged to Use New Exchanges

[enlightenment]

5. I expect that the for-profit insurance companies

will use every available loophole (and please don't tell me there aren't any) to raise their rates. They are currently using the delay between announcing the new rules and implementation of the new rules to raise their rates to create a new "floor" from which to base future increases - what on earth makes you think they'll stop looking for ways to increase their profits?

The CBO and the spokespeople assume best case scenarios, and a touching belief that these corporations have an ounce of integrity. They don't. Their only concern is their stockholders' bottom line. There is no such thing as a foolproof plan and their lawyers and accountants will have had more than three years to figure out how to game this one by the time the exchanges roll around.

If I'm wrong, I'll admit it when it becomes evident that I'm wrong - until then, I am not going to walk around with rosy colored glasses on and pretend that the insurance companies are going to suddenly discover the better angels of their natures come 2014.