Thursday, October 6, 2016

ObamaCare’s Meltdown Has Arrived

By Andrew Ogles and Luke Hilgemann

Tennessee is ground zero for ObamaCare’s nationwide implosion. Late last month the state insurance commissioner, Julie Mix McPeak, approved premium increases of up to 62% in a bid to save the exchange set up under the Affordable Care Act. “I would characterize the exchange market in Tennessee as very near collapse,” she said.

Then last week BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee announced it would leave three of the state’s largest exchange markets—Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville. “We have experienced losses approaching $500 million over the course of three years on ACA plans,” the company said, “which is unsustainable.” As a result, more than 100,000 Tennesseans will be forced to seek out new coverage for 2017.

BlueCross is only the latest insurer to head for the exits. Community Health Alliance, the insurance co-op established under ObamaCare, is winding down due to financial failure, leaving 30,000 people without coverage. UnitedHealthcare said in April it is departing Tennessee’s exchange after significant losses. That’s another 41,000 people needing new plans.

All told, more than 60% of our state’s ObamaCare consumers will lose their coverage heading into 2017. When they go in search of a replacement plan, they will confront two unfortunate realities: a dearth of options and skyrocketing costs.

Seventy-three out of Tennessee’s 95 counties will have only one insurer on the exchange, meaning no meaningful competition whatsoever.

Read the rest here.

4 comments:

  1. I believe that the ACA was designed to collapse - a stepping stone to universal health care. From a socialist POV, the most efficient way to take this next step would be with a bill rushed through congress without debate, due to the "emergency". Ideally, the timing would have to be after a presidential-cycle election but before the new congress is seated - so right on schedule, I'd say.

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    1. Your giving the Dumbocrats far too much credit. They really did think it would work (because they have good intentions). After all, the Jonathan Grubers of the world told them it would.

      Also, the Repulsivecans would be in charge of any lame duck session of Congress and would be extremely unlikely to approve so called universal health care. And if polls are to be believed it seems the Repulsivecans will still be in charge of Congress after the she-demon gets elected President.

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    2. I believe that the democrats are very cunning, so I do give them credit. As for the republicans, they've caved so many times before that I hold no illusions that they would stop any vote from happening - especially once the election's over. McCain, McConnell, and Graham are still senators from their respective states; prime examples of liberal tolerance by republicans.

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  2. Oh the liberals are all excited up in Minnesota too. Same story as everywhere

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