Study says companies expect health reform to raise costs

[spidey07]

Of course it will. Everybody knew it would. You can't add all these added costs, tax and risk to insurance (pre-existing folks, adult children, no lifetime caps) and expect costs to go down. It never made any sense at all that the law would actually lower costs, all the major points of it were going to raise costs.

The end goal is clear, make private insurance unaffordable to force a single payer government healthcare system. Essentially make private insurance impossible to be profitable. It's not a conspiracy, Obama and many dems have stated that is their end goal. Business isn't stupid, they knew what this was going to bring.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hfjKRQOkavXsgErlshbkOOdVvbswD9FTTTS04

Big companies think health care reform will raise their costs, and many employees will see health benefits changes as a result, according to a new study from benefits consultant Towers Watson.

The benefits consultant surveyed 661 companies this month and found that 94 percent believe the reform law passed by Congress earlier this year will raise costs. A total of 88 percent plan to pass increases onto employees, and 74 percent anticipate reducing health benefits and programs.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Of course it will. Everybody knew it would. You can't add all these added costs and risk to insurance (pre-existing folks, adult children, no lifetime caps) and expect costs to go down. It never made any sense at all that the law would actually lower costs, all the major points of it were going to raise costs.

The end goal is clear, make private insurance unaffordable to force a single payer government healthcare system. Essentially make private insurance impossible to be profitable. It's not a conspiracy, Obama and many dems have stated that is their end goal. Business isn't stupid, they knew what this was going to bring.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hfjKRQOkavXsgErlshbkOOdVvbswD9FTTTS04

If that's the ONLY way to achieve single payer or socialized (I don't care which), then I suppose that's just the way it is. If the end result is the end of insurance (utterly) it's worth any intervening difficulties.

 

[her209]

How come they didn't ask "Did/do you expect your health care cost to increase regardless of health care reform?"

 

[Pens1566]

"We the blah blah blah ..."

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Survey says! Corporate chickenhawks are scared, but don't really have a clue how the bill will affect costs. THE HORROR! THE HORROR!

 

[palehorse]

How come they didn't ask "Did/do you expect your health care cost to increase regardless of health care reform?"

I think the point is that the "reform" will lead to a larger increase than we would have seen otherwise.

 

[spidey07]

Survey says! Corporate chickenhawks are scared, but don't really have a clue how the bill will affect costs. THE HORROR! THE HORROR!

Did you forget the study that also showed premiums will raise 1% for all group participants from the adult children provision alone? That's just a single added cost to insurance. Add in the no lifetime caps and pre-existing stuff and common sense tells you cost will go up significantly because of just those provisions.

This isn't that hard. When you mandate insurance take more risk, premiums MUST rise to cover that risk.

Does this not concern you? It means 25% plan on dropping insurance for employees and almost half are dropping it for retirees.

Nearly three quarters of the companies surveyed expect to keep providing subsidized health coverage for their active workers. But the survey also found that 43 percent of employers that offer retiree benefits plan to reduce or eliminate them.

 

[Turin39789]

What a stupid survey.

 

[spidey07]

What a stupid survey.

Will you change your mind when your insurance is more expensive and the benefits are worse? How about when your plan's premiums skyrocket as a direct result of this law (notice the study showed they're going to pass the costs onto the employee)?

 

[Turin39789]

Will you change your mind when your insurance is more expensive and the benefits are worse? How about when your plan's premiums skyrocket as a direct result of this law (notice the study showed they're going to pass the costs onto the employee)?

The survey of businesses purchasing insurance said that.

And of course they are going to pass on the costs, that is what they have always done and what they were going to do when they expected health care premiums to skyrocket before reform was passed.

 

[Train]

The end goal is clear, make private insurance unaffordable to force a single payer government healthcare system.

bingo. communism FTMFL

And happily cheered for under the "For the children!" banner.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Did you forget the study that also showed premiums will raise 1% for all group participants from the adult children provision alone? That's just a single added cost to insurance. Add in the no lifetime caps and pre-existing stuff and common sense tells you cost will go up significantly because of just those provisions.

This isn't that hard. When you mandate insurance take more risk, premiums MUST rise to cover that risk.

Does this not concern you? It means 25% plan on dropping insurance for employees and almost half are dropping it for retirees.

Nope. Best possible step in the right direction in a LONG time.

 

[PrinceofWands]

Will you change your mind when your insurance is more expensive and the benefits are worse? How about when your plan's premiums skyrocket as a direct result of this law (notice the study showed they're going to pass the costs onto the employee)?

Been happening for a decade before this law was even discussed. Only difference is that now it's happening to eventually reach a better place, where before it was just to earn fat cats a bigger percentage.

 

[Deeko]

How about when your plan's premiums skyrocket as a direct result of this law

Did you forget the study that also showed premiums will raise 1% for all group participants from the adult children provision alone?

lol

and before you whine, yea...

That's just a single added cost to insurance. Add in the no lifetime caps and pre-existing stuff and common sense tells you cost will go up significantly because of just those provisions.

...but if the first thing was a measly 1%, what makes you think the others will cause a "skyrocket?"

For the record, I'm not even a supporter of the health care bill, I just find your absurd doom-and-gloom outrage to be laughable. No offense.

 

[spidey07]

The survey of businesses purchasing insurance said that.

And of course they are going to pass on the costs, that is what they have always done and what they were going to do when they expected health care premiums to skyrocket before reform was passed.

This was a survey of employer provided benefits. So if you have insurance benefit through your employer, the study is talking about your employer.

The study showed overwhelmingly that employers expect their costs to rise, specifically of this bill, and nothing else. It's what all sane people have been saying all along. There is no way this law DIDN'T directly and significantly raise insurance costs, that's impossible.

 

[her209]

I think the point is that the "reform" will lead to a larger increase than we would have seen otherwise.

The article doesn't make that differentiation. Didn't find anything either in my quick look through of the original report.
http://www.towerswatson.com/assets/pdf/1935/Post-HCR_Flash_survey_bulletin_5_25_10(1).pdf

 

[spidey07]

The article doesn't make that differentiation. Didn't find anything either in my quick look through of the original report.
http://www.towerswatson.com/assets/pdf/1935/Post-HCR_Flash_survey_bulletin_5_25_10(1).pdf

Are you kidding? The study was specifically about the added costs of the reform. Stop trying to divert and distract. The hard facts are even in your link.

Indeed, the overwhelming majority (90%) of employers
believe health care reform will increase their organization’s
health care benefi t costs.

 

[Turin39789]

This was a survey of employer provided benefits. So if you have insurance benefit through your employer, the study is talking about your employer.

The study showed overwhelmingly that employers expect their costs to rise, specifically of this bill, and nothing else. It's what all sane people have been saying all along. There is no way this law DIDN'T directly and significantly raise insurance costs, that's impossible.

They called up a bunch of HR geniuses and asked a stupid question.

Costs have been rising for decades. As a result benefits have been decreasing. The legistlation added more benefits(pre-existing conditions, lifetime max,etc) which will add in more costs. But it also increased the pool of insured to help defray(but not completely elimanate) costs. We got more benefits, got more people insured(both people who couldn't buy/afford insurance and those who elected not to(stupid kids who believe they can't get into accidents) and there will probably be some financial impact.


Just because Gilda the HR rep who handles the benefits at your company thinks it is going to cost more, doesn't make it a bad idea.

 

[EagleKeeper]

I thought the Health Care Reform was sold to the American public as a way to lower the overall cost of health care.



If the cost to consumers is being increased by an amount (say $1T); then they should be able to show that the costs of providing Health Care to the consumers has dropped move than the increase ($1T).

Where is that happening?

 

[cubby1223]

Survey says! Corporate chickenhawks are scared, but don't really have a clue how the bill will affect costs. THE HORROR! THE HORROR!

That's the whole damn point, genius. Companies are very unsure what their future will be, which causes them to lay off more employees, or not hiring new employees, or not expanding business, not knowing what they may or may not be able to afford in the coming years.

 

[umbrella39]

We the people and the rat in my back pocket and the sock on my other hand are taking back this country. /tb

 

[her209]

They called up a bunch of HR geniuses and asked a stupid question.

No they didn't.

About the Survey
This study captures the opinions of leading employers
on key elements of the PPACA and their expected
impact on organizations. The survey was conducted
online between May 3 and May 10, and drew responses
from 661 HR and business professionals working in
midsize to large companies based in the United States
across a broad cross section of industries.

 

[nick1985]

We the people and the rat in my back pocket and the sock on my other hand are taking back this country. /tb

2/3 of the nation want to repeal this bill. I think its a bit more than a rat and a sock.

Less than 1/3 of the nation opposses repeal. You are a very small minority ont his issue.

 

[GuitarDaddy]

2/3 of the nation want to repeal this bill. I think its a bit more than a rat and a sock.

Less than 1/3 of the nation opposses repeal. You are a very small minority ont his issue.

There you go speaking for 200mil people again based on what? Some rassmussen pole with a sample size of a few hundred of Rush Limburgers friends and family

I bet you where equally as sure your so called majority would defeat the communist Obama in November 2008, how did that work for ya?

 

[her209]

2/3 of the nation want to repeal this bill. I think its a bit more than a rat and a sock.

Less than 1/3 of the nation opposses repeal. You are a very small minority ont his issue.

If Congress can muster up the 2/3 majority to repeal it, then go for it.