A reader writes:
What continues to burn me about this entire debate is that opponents of Obamacare act like insurance premiums were dirt cheap and totally stable before Democrats started mucking with the system. Long before Obama was even elected, I had begun the almost yearly ritual of filling out the same draconian health survey so my company could shop around for new insurance. Our insurer was raising the rates 25-40% over last year’s. AGAIN. Or calling to interrogate us after every follow-up doctor visit to see if there was any way they could weasel out of paying for it.
I’ve seen the quality of plans offered go steadily down, even while having to pick up a larger percent of the cost myself. And when my wife and I finally decided that the cost increases had become too punishing, and tried to find some bare-bones, individual alternative, we were turned down flat. The reason? Three months earlier, I had a cholesterol test come back high.
Maybe the exchanges will be a stabilizing force on premiums, and maybe the cost-saving measures will end up lowering health care costs in general, but at least it’s something. People need to stop talking like there was never a problem to begin with.
The Dish 