McClatchy reports: “Insurers are raising the 2017 premiums for a popular and significant group of health plans sold through HealthCare.gov by an average of 25 percent, more than triple the increase for this year, according to new government figures.
JOHN P. GEYMAN, jgeyman[at]uw.edu, @PNHP;
Also via Mark Almberg, mark[at]pnhp.org
Geyman is author of the book The Human Face of ObamaCare: Promises vs. Reality and What Comes Next. On Friday, The Hill published his piece “Affordable Care Act: imploding and beyond repair.”
Geyman, who is professor emeritus of family medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle, said today: “Premium increases for 2017 under the Affordable Care Act are being reported in a number of states (e.g. 59 percent in Minnesota up to 119 percent in Arizona), typically associated with reduced choice of health plans as more insurers exit the market. The costs of health insurance and health care already exceed $25,000 a year for a family of four on an average employer-sponsored plan as these increases become unaffordable and unsustainable for a growing part of our population.”
Geyman’s recent piece lists a host of problems with the ACA, as well as proposals by Hillary Clinton and Republicans. He writes: “Multiple studies have demonstrated that in the U.S. we could save about $500 billion a year by enacting a nonprofit single-payer national health program that streamlines administration. Those savings would be sufficient to guarantee everyone high-quality care, with no cost sharing, on a sustainable basis. The system could also negotiate lower drug prices.
“Studies over the past two decades have shown 3 of 5 Americans supporting an improved version of Medicare for all. Support for single payer is also growing among doctors and other health care professionals. Yet the Expanded and Improved Medicare for All Act, H.R. 676 (Rep. John Conyers’ bill), with 62 co-sponsors, sits neglected in a House committee.”
Geyman’s previous books include How Obamacare is Unsustainable. He is a past president of Physicians for a National Health Program, Almberg is communications director for PNHP.
