Comments on: McCrory fudges the numbers http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2008/10/31/mccrory-fudges-the-numbers/ Affecting NC public policy through informed, energetic and progressive conversations. Sat, 11 Feb 2012 01:49:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Adam Searing http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2008/10/31/mccrory-fudges-the-numbers/#comment-28166 Adam Searing Mon, 03 Nov 2008 15:16:30 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=1872#comment-28166 I just checked out New Jersey Blue Cross. They don't rate down by age or gender on the website but you can get an HMO plan for an average quote of about $500/mo - and I'm sure someone who is 22 and in good health it would be much less. https://www.horizon-bcbsnj.com/ Those pesky facts....they do tend to get in the way of a good story. I just checked out New Jersey Blue Cross. They don’t rate down by age or gender on the website but you can get an HMO plan for an average quote of about $500/mo – and I’m sure someone who is 22 and in good health it would be much less.

https://www.horizon-bcbsnj.com/

Those pesky facts….they do tend to get in the way of a good story.

]]> By: AdamL http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2008/10/31/mccrory-fudges-the-numbers/#comment-28105 AdamL Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:46:04 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=1872#comment-28105 Actually, "various reports" show that mandates do not increase the average price of health plans very much -- anecdotes aside. To claim that mandates add thousands of dollars to the price of a plan is just silly. Actually, “various reports” show that mandates do not increase the average price of health plans very much — anecdotes aside. To claim that mandates add thousands of dollars to the price of a plan is just silly.

]]> By: JP Wieske http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2008/10/31/mccrory-fudges-the-numbers/#comment-28104 JP Wieske Sun, 02 Nov 2008 19:45:35 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=1872#comment-28104 In fact, the point above is exactly right. On some plans, mandated benefits can and do lead to very significant rate increases, on others maybe not so much. And equally important is which mandates, and how the mandates were implemented. The federal Women's Cancer Rights Act mandated coverage for breast reconstruction surgery for mastectomies. The cost of the mandate itself was neglibile, but each insurer had to pay in the range $1 million a year to pay for annual notices no one ever reads (printing, stuffing envelopes, plus mail costs) I was once asked which mandate or mandates we'd eliminate first. In fact, we are agnostic. The price controls New Jersey implemented in the 1990's are worse than any mandated benefit. In fact, the point above is exactly right. On some plans, mandated benefits can and do lead to very significant rate increases, on others maybe not so much. And equally important is which mandates, and how the mandates were implemented. The federal Women’s Cancer Rights Act mandated coverage for breast reconstruction surgery for mastectomies. The cost of the mandate itself was neglibile, but each insurer had to pay in the range $1 million a year to pay for annual notices no one ever reads (printing, stuffing envelopes, plus mail costs)

I was once asked which mandate or mandates we’d eliminate first. In fact, we are agnostic. The price controls New Jersey implemented in the 1990′s are worse than any mandated benefit.

]]> By: Libertarian Girl http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/2008/10/31/mccrory-fudges-the-numbers/#comment-27976 Libertarian Girl Sat, 01 Nov 2008 02:59:16 +0000 http://pulse.ncpolicywatch.org/?p=1872#comment-27976 Just because one of the study's authors says the numbers can vary doesn't mean the whole thing is bogus. My relatives in New Jersey used to have very affordable health plans before NJ passed a raft of mandates-- hair transplants, etc.--- in the mid-'90s. Now, a healthy 22-year-old with no medical problems can't get a monthly policy for less than $1,500 a month. This is from a time when a very decent family policy could be had for a few hundred dollars a month before the mandates started. It's definitely true in New Jersey and has been well-covered in various reports, and it's probably true in North Carolina but maybe hasn't been covered as much. If it's true, it needs to be fixed: an insurance company couldn't sell an affordable policy if they wanted to. It would be illegal because it wouldn't have all these mandates. Just because one of the study’s authors says the numbers can vary doesn’t mean the whole thing is bogus. My relatives in New Jersey used to have very affordable health plans before NJ passed a raft of mandates– hair transplants, etc.— in the mid-’90s. Now, a healthy 22-year-old with no medical problems can’t get a monthly policy for less than $1,500 a month. This is from a time when a very decent family policy could be had for a few hundred dollars a month before the mandates started.

It’s definitely true in New Jersey and has been well-covered in various reports, and it’s probably true in North Carolina but maybe hasn’t been covered as much. If it’s true, it needs to be fixed: an insurance company couldn’t sell an affordable policy if they wanted to. It would be illegal because it wouldn’t have all these mandates.

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