Sebelius: Double-Digit Health Insurance Rate Hikes 'Good News'

Sebelius: Double-Digit Health Insurance Rate Hikes 'Good News'

BARNICLE: The phrase let’s see what let’s see what’s coming, despite all the elements of progress that you’ve mentioned, there have been in some states, California specifically and a few other states, companies like aetna, blue cross, raising their insurance rates sometimes as high as 20%, 25%. There’s a fear out there with people with private health insurance that their rates in their states, their own private plans are going to raise. Why have the rates risen and will they rise even further?

SEBELIUS: Mike, I think what we’re seeing actually again is pretty good news. I’m a former insurance commissioner so I used to watch this day in and day out. In the ten years before obama care was signed into law, what we saw is double-digit increases year in and year out. Small employers dropping coverage. so fewer people had insurance in their workplace and costs continued to rise. We have seen far fewer double-digit increases in the last three years than in the previous decade and more insurance commissioners like in California are really reviewing those rates carefully — are rejecting the double-digit increases.

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