$26,000 / Year /Family

Without a source for the OP its difficult to evaluate the claim.......

I think the OP confused the source. I believe it was the insurance companies, and not the CBO.
And I will concede that I do think insurance companies might lie to us, but I have a question for you:
Ya think the government might lie to us?

What makes it especially frustrating is that there really is an actuarial reality to be dealt with here. It's hard to think about that when we can't trust the analyses.

Insurance companies, as I understand the theory, is supposed to collect enough money through premiums and the investment of same to be able to pay their obligations. Denials of coverage stem from trying to keep their obligations as low as possible while collecting as much in premiums as possible.

What's really gonna happen when their obligations have to cover more high-morbidity, therefore high cost conditions?

Right now, it seems that any excess income over payments goes to overhead (those kick-ass executive salaries and perks, as well as the lower paid worker-bees.) and to paying out profits to shareholders (in the case of for-profit corps). Don't know what the non-profits do with their profits after payouts and overhead.

I really worry that, without a vigorous public option, we'll see insurance companies hiking rates frantically before any bill goes into effect that requires that they cover pre-existing conditions ... just like the credit card companies are doing now. Do we really think member-owned cooperatives will be competition enough to keep prices affordable?

Where's the balancing point?

Actually, I like Jolie's idea of catastrophic coverage, only ... at least past a certain income level (that's a whole other thread, I think).

And, in all this noise and fury over insurance, what's happening to other parts of the industry? Pharmaceuticals, for instance? Biomedical manufacturers and vendors? The middle-men like those outfits that supply respiratory or diabetic care supplies directly to consumers using insurance - usually medicare or medicaid - as payment? Do blood sugar testing sticks really have to cost $1-plus apiece?

In any case, it's gonna get really interesting from here on out ... everything up to now has been just warm-up for the main event.

Olympia Snowe will vote for the finance committee bill to move out of committee.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2...ll.php?ref=fpa

I could vote for a Republican who says things like:


Read more at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/1..._n_318745.html

Accounting Firm Admits Cost Savings Left Out Of Report Prepared For AHIP Report

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2...hip-report.php

That's because, in the article I provided the only time the CBO was mentioned is here:

Speaking of Mitch McConnell, I find this extremely sobering:

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/us...osition=recent

We need to get good policy passed,,,The free market has failed....

Interesting and important question. Insurance companies do not pay claims solely thru premiums. That would be far too risky. Imagine a sudden unexpected rise in claims. That could bankrupt an insurer even before they had the chance to raise premiums. Insurance companies have significant investments (as required by law) from which they derive income earmarked for payment of claims. Part of the reason insurance companies are struggling is that the value and income derived from their investments has tanked, leaving them with fewer liquid funds.

So ... of those insurance companies that are for-profit ... how many are still paying dividends? What's happening to their stock prices?

What's happening to their overhead ... specifically payroll, bennies, administrative costs in general.

Just curious ...