NEJM, online first, 21 July, 2010
Authors: Ann Mills, Carolyn L. Engelhard, Patricia M. Tereskerz
“Over the past decade, the largest health insurance companies have seen a disproportionate increase in profits of 250%, or 10 times the rate of inflation. During the past year alone, there has been a double-digit increase in health insurance premiums. In response to such increases, the new health care reform law, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (”Affordable Care Act,” or ACA), requires the secretary of health and human services, along with individual states, to establish a process for the annual review of unreasonable increases in health insurance premiums. As a result of the new statutory language, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and all relevant states will now review proposed premium increases, and health insurers will be required to justify any increases that these authorities consider unreasonable.”
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NEJM, online first, 21 July 2010
Authors: Christopher C. Jennings, and Katherine J. Hayes
“Both political parties wax poetic about the need for popular insurance reforms, but legislating what is necessary and implementing it properly has always been the trick. …Philosophically, the political extremes could not differ more in their views of the correct approach. Americans on the far left believe in aggressive regulation of private insurance to guarantee access and limit profit. In their view, if regulation drove insurers with high profits or skimpy benefits out of the marketplace, consumers would be better served — even if it meant fewer plan choices and some disruption early in the process. Those on the far right believe that regulation of private insurance should be limited and consumers should face financial incentives and penalties to encourage healthy lifestyle choices and cost-effective health care decisions. In their view, if less regulation promotes innovation and choice at the cost of some discrimination, so be it.”
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