Health insurance premiums are rising across the country. The biggest insurance hikes might be in the Big Apple.
Crystal Run Health Insurance Company will increase its health insurance premiums offered on the state’s exchange by a staggering 81 percent, according to the New York Daily News. In total, premiums for 17 individual New York plans will increase an average of 16.6% in 2017. Approximately 350,000 patients will be affected by the price increases.
Patients with individual plans aren’t alone. Rates for small group plans will also increase 8.3% — affecting more than a million patients.
These rate hikes are unacceptable. Patients are struggling as it is, and can’t be expected to make the impossible choice between housing and health care.
What are the differences between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton on health care?
AJMC’s Mary Caffrey identifies five big differences between the Republican and Democratic candidates on health care.
Count us among the voters already sick of the nasty headlines and absurd controversies this election. But, as Caffrey points out, both Trump and Clinton have serious health care policy ideas that should be getting more attention.
Check out the entire piece for the differences between the candidates on Medicaid and the future of the Affordable Care Act.
Colorado could become the first state in the country to adopt a single payer health care system.
KDVR’s Joe St. George reports on the upcoming state ballot measure that would establish Colorado Care, a single-payer government-run health insurer. Under Colorado’s Amendment 69, “a 21-member elected board would administer the coverage on behalf of the government.” There’d be no copays and no deductibles.
“We are going to lead the country to universal health care,” TR Reid, a supporter of Amendment 69, told KDVR. “We should have done this decades ago.”
Of coruse, someone has to pay the estimated $30 billion price tag for Colorado’s single payer system. Amendment 69 will be funded by a 6.6 percent increase in employers’ payroll taxes and a 3.3 percent increase in employees’ payroll taxes.
As with all issues, our biggest questions with Amendment 69 are:
Rather than return to our ideological corners, let’s encourage a conversation about these patient-focused topics.