One step at a time: We may not have universal health coverage yet, but we're working on it. South Dakota Governor M. Michael Rounds put out a press release this morning announcing an expansion of the South Dakota Risk Pool to cover children whom the private for-profit insurance market won't cover. The risk pool will be open to South Dakota children who've been without coverage for six months or more, have been turned down by private insurers or offered coverage with riders or amendments, and can't get other coverage.
"Every child in South Dakota should have health insurance, and now every child can," says the governor, evidently recognizing the perversity of denying children health insurance because of a pre-existing condition. Now if we could just get him to apply that logic to pregnant women and everyone else whom private insurers prefer not to serve.
Just received my premium change notice from BCBS. Up 30%. The increases are unsustainable and we'll have more uninsured.
ReplyDelete30%?!? That's insane! What did you do, take up smoking, rodeo, and skydiving?
ReplyDeleteNone of the above.
ReplyDelete"Your premium is based on the age of the oldest person covered under your policy. Your new premium may reflect a change if this person entered a new age category during the last year. This age increase is in addition to the overall premium rate increase."
This was preceded by a letter from the broker suggesting I call and consider other options.
In my opinion, at a minimum, we should not allow for-profit health insurance companies. I saw it first hand: decreased benefits, micro-managed care, fewer exceptions, and an overall change from providing coverage to making profits. In their defense providers of care need a check and balance.