At a closed White House meeting in April, President Obama told corporate insurance bosses “we’re all in this together” on implementing his signature health-care law. But some insurance companies seem to be more in than others.
At least five Blue Cross and Blue Shield executives sat at the table of about a dozen chief executives with the president, according to people knowledgeable about the session, which was first reported by the New York Times. Just as significant is who wasn’t there: chiefs of the country’s biggest and third-biggest health insurers, UnitedHealth Group and Aetna.Those two and most other non-Blue insurers “seem to be proceeding cautiously” in the online marketplaces expected to cover to millions, said David Windley, who follows the industry for the investment firm Jefferies & Co. “They are evaluating markets state by state, and in some cases region by region within the state, to assess the viability of all the different pieces.”Not the Blues. They’re expected to offer health-exchange plans nearly everywhere, ensuring at least a minimum choice for individuals seeking subsidized coverage when the marketplaces open Oct. 1. It also makes them an undeclared Obama ally in implementing the health-care law.
did anyone hear about this in April or did i miss it? anyway this can be seen as a blow to the right wing effort to repeal, after all their intent was to keep the status quo for insurance to continue picking our pockets.
now they are seeing the potential and realizing more people more money even with lower prices they still make out like a bandit.
The exchanges are online marketplaces that will operate in all 50 states, offering insurance plans for individuals and small businesses. The individual market has long been a high-risk, unstable business that some insurers never sought. The health-care law — with its subsidies and its mandate that could bring younger, healthier people into the pool – seeks to stabilize the individual market.
i never understood their resistance 30 million more customers even at 2.00 premiuns still adds another 60 million to the pot, i still don't see how bilking us as usual brigs in more than 30 million more, they always have bee bad at math.
