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This is long winded, but it is what everyone is looking for. Facts.
As for someone who was in the health insurance industry (independant insurance agent) in Mass for the past 2 years, I will give you the view of the mess here.
First off, ObamaCare was more directed towards the rest of the country.
Mass is already a guranteed issue state. That means that if you want insurance, you apply, no matter how sick or messed up you are or what pre exixiting conditions you may have, the insurance companies have to take you, they have to pay (some do have 6 month waiting periods before they will start to cover you if have gone more than 12 months without ins coverage though). Rates are controlled by the state. Everyone pays the same, whether you are sick and dying or the most physically fit human.
The majority of the country is what is called under written. That means that if you want ins, you first have to apply, then take a physical, then depending on the outcome of that physical they will determine A) IF they will insure you and B) how much they will charge you on a person to person basis. A few states will give you what's called riders for say if you had a back problem 40 years ago, then they will ensure you for everything else, but NEVER pay for anything related to a back issue at THEIR discretion and charge you more than someone who has never had a back issue.
So the essence of Obamacare was to make the rest of the country like Mass, guaranteed issue. Ins for everyone.
Now the underlying principal and definition of "insurance" is the transfer of risk. Transfering the risk/ cost of a few over everyone.. With so many sick people and so many off the wall examanation procedures and nonsense prescriptions as stated in earlier posts due to fear of lawsuits, more people are using their ins. So prices go up, and we all pay.
Now here in Mass, the health ins snakes are the largest campaign contriubtors and special interest groups. They (, especially the big HMO's. )dump TONS of cash in to the pockets of politicians. They have an incrediable amount of pull and power, more than you can fathom. The HMO's own the hospitals, so it is their descision how much to charge for stuff from person to person, even depending on which ins company you have. Makes you go to their hospital and stay in their network. That drives up cost. The under lying purpose of HMO's is that it is the healthy people who never use their ins paying every month helping to pay for the sick people that are going to see their doctor 5 times a week. That's why even though you may never use it, you still pay.
Now, the HMO's have so much power that they have lobbied to kick all other out side competition out of the state, ie higher deduc plans, major medical plans. They NEED us to be on THEIR plans, if not, everyone that just wanted to be protected from the big, catostrohic losses and pay all the small bills out of their pockets, at a monthly premium that is a fraction of the cost of an HMO, would jump ship from the HMO's, then they'd have nothing but sick people left on the HMO that would suck them dry, and the ship would sink. Bankrupt. So they went to the state and came up with the mandatory health ins requirement. Also because so many people had grown fed up with the premium costs of ins, say F that, not be insured, get hurt or sick, go to the hospital, get treated, and walk away not paying the bill. Well, that bill didn't just go away, it had to get paid, and the hospital that is owned by the HMO eats it, so they then have to pass that bill onto all the responsible paying ins customers. rates go up to cover that.
Now take all the above issues and apply the MAss mess to the REST OF THE COUNTRY, and our rates go up. The ins companies regardless of their actuary charts and crap have no idea how much the guaranteed issue will cost them as all the sick people across the whole country now become insured and start bleeding the system dry, they have to raise rates for everyone, everywhere. Again, The healthy paying for the sick.
And all these ins companies are making OODLES of cash. The Gubberment realizes this, and want their piece of the pie. Why do you think drugs are slowly becoming more legalized. Big brother wants his cut. Welcome to the United Socialist States Of America.

What can we all do to fight this? NOTHING, bend over and take it with out screaming. No matter how much we whine and complain to our ploiticians and regardless of how much they know it is wrong, it would be political suicide for them to buck the system. As I stated earlier, the ins companies, especially HMO's and their deep coffers, run this state. They take our rate increase money and give it to the politicians to keep them happy and in office so they can continue to rape us blind with immunity.
The whole deductible BS is another whole tirade in itself for another rant.
Their is little free market left in America. At least the fast food joints still have Dollar menus for us to feast on so we are more likely to use our ins.....................