You Call this Health Insurance?

Yes, you know you're in an ecomomic "recovery" when they kick you when you're just getting up again.

Take Anthem/Wellpoint's plans to "up yours" on their premiums for hard-working self-employed Californians by up to 39% effective March 1st. (LA Times story here.)

UPDATE (5/4/10): Looks like Anthem is completely pulling the plug on the rate increases (at least as announced: I would still expect one in the future, though "smaller"). See below from: http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-04-30/bay-area/20876824_1_rate-hikes-rate-application-medical-inflation-trends. Of course getting LOTS of heat does tend to make a company think twice about what they were "doing". Now I'm not a big fan of extensive government involvement in what is essentially a private insurance arrangement. However, the relative monopolopy and impunity of coverage here sometimes only responds to a big stick; and also the pending national healthcare changes (for good or ill) at least kept one increase from my hard-working friend's doorstep (for now: he says he's always waiting for the other shoe to drop, and I can't blame him for his cynicism.). So, the beat goes on.

This was not unnoticed by the Secretary of the Dept of Health and Human Services,and she put out a very strong letter to Anthem on Monday, which you can read if you want:  http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/02/20100208c.html.

She does indicate that the State of CA is "investigating this matter" (see LA Times story link above for more on this), and while I don't know what authority the State has, it's at least heartening that someone with clout (her and the State) aren't taking this lying down. But it's probably at best just delaying the inevitable.

Want a real life "affected" story? Take my friend Mark and his family. They are self-employed contributors to the greater good of humanity (and a little bit for themselves) and they of course have to privately contract for their healthcare. No clout, and yes your health history counts (against you). Did this affect them? Yep. They now get to pay $310 more then they already did (making it nearly $1200 a month for this healthy family of four). Wow. He says the money's just not there, so they'll have to try other options: but more than likely, he'll just have to switch to a higher-deductible plan and basically have "insurance that doesn't feel like insurance" (remember when "I'm insured" meant that you could expect to owe little or nothing on your care?).

And how about me and my house? Oh yes, I work for a large multi-national firm. We have clout. But we want "cheaper is better" (for the investors). So, I get to pay $90 more a month this year for worse coverage than I had last year (e.g. per person deductible is $1500 and family deductible is $4500). And when I did my taxes, I spent (after my premiums) $2500 on my medical care last year (not enough to qualify as a deduction, but it hurt...and they want to raise the minimum percentage even more I'm told).  And I can't keep my family doctor, because my only "choice" of health plans isn't one his practice can stomach. So, let see: more cost, can't keep my doctor.  Do ya think we need health insurance reform? Do you think it's likely to come from current legislation? (That's not for me to answer.)

Gayly Described

In an excellent article, "Gay Rights: Don't Ask, Don't Think", Frank Turek really gets to the issue of "what you are" (a person) vs. "what you do" (behavior). And how we keep enshrining behaviors as if they were innate and inalienble "rights of being".

Read the article and let me know what you think.