Pirate's Cove

Overall, round 1.4 million Obamacare enrollees will lose their Ocare plans for 2017, as insurers bolt this idiotic Progressive plan, part of the Alinsky model to put people under control of the government. The Washington Post performs a random act of journalism

More than 250,000 people in North Carolina are losing the health plans they bought under the Affordable Care Act because two of the three insurers are dropping out — a stark example of the disruption roiling marketplaces in many parts of the country.

The defections mean that almost all of the state, from the Blue Ridge to the Outer Banks, will have just one insurer selling ACA policies when the exchanges open again for business in November. The remaining company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, agonized over whether to leave, too. Instead, it is raising its rates by nearly 25 percent.

In no other state will as many people find such limited choice. But what is happening to nearly a half-million North Carolinians epitomizes a national checkerboard of ACA haves and have-nots.

This is happening all across the country, where insurance providers are bolting the Ocare exchanges due to financial losses. Those few left are raising premiums and deductibles. If only someone had predicted that this would happen…..oh, that’s right, everyone who was against this abomination predicted this.

In its final months, the Obama administration insists the exchanges are still viable. And according to an analysis by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 60 percent of Americans in the marketplaces will be able to pick from three or more insurers for 2017, each selling multiple health plans.

The number was 85% in year 3. And, many of those areas with multiple insurers have those insurers only offering a small amount of plans, while also increasing premiums.

As of a week ago, Cunningham had not yet received the letter required of her current insurer, an Aetna subsidiary called Coventry, informing her that she needs to find different coverage. But she is like many residents in worrying how much insurance will cost in the coming year. Or whether they will be able to continue to see the same doctors. Or how their narrowing choice will affect the hopscotch they have been playing year to year in pursuit of a health plan they can afford.

Perhaps it is time to remove the word “affordable” from the legislation.

Rates will soar. Blue Cross raised 2016 premiums for its marketplace plans by one-third, on average, making its coverage in Greensboro and some other communities more expensive than its competitors’. It sought another 19 percent increase for 2017, then asked for more after Aetna’s decision.

Rates will soar because of the number of sicker and less healthy people who will be signing up now that BCBS will be the only provider, and the actual rate increase is 24%. And don’t forget that fewer medical facilities accept Ocare insurance. In some cases nationwide, insurance providers are capping the number of enrollees, limiting choice. Ocare enrollees will have fewer choices of insurance, fewer choices of medical facilities, and pay higher fees, all while the cost to the taxpayer goes up, because the higher premiums costs mean higher subsidies. Insurance that people can’t afford to use anyhow, due to higher deductibles.

This thing is working out great!

Crossed at Right Wing News.