Give the Poor Insurance Companies a Break
In another example of this administration doing whatever ever they want with the Affordable Care Act it was found recently that “health insurers that sell plans on the federal HealthCare.gov marketplace may not face ‘enforcement remedies’ in 2017 if they fail to follow all of the rules around consumer complaints”. It goes on to say that several large insurers have exited ACA marketplaces, and the remaining companies “likely will absorb the members who will lose their coverage.” CMS explained this “scenario ‘may present temporary operational challenges’ that prevent exchange plans from meeting all federal standards, specifically those related to ‘consumer casework.’” In other words, not only will the price tag hurt you but your complaints mean nothing if the plan sucks. Let me get this straight? The administration can pick apart this LAW anyway they want so that it works to their (and the insurer’s) benefit? Why is there no repercussions for these actions?
The larger, much scarier conclusion is what we’ve seen play out since ’09: this administration does whatever it wants, using the law when convenient, ignoring or even proudly flouting it otherwise. They have been given cover by a friendly media, and permission by a needy, moron public. The administration’s supporters do not care whether the law is followed, as long as they win, and the feckless would-be opponents in Congress self-neutered years ago for fear of being called racists. This is Rome 2.0 and Big Insurance is just getting it while it’s good, laughing in the stands while the lions are picking shredded physician out of their fangs.
This is certainly not a new thing, with good precedent dating back many decades. All of this is a continuation of the prior administration’s friendly attitude toward big insurance, and their overall health plan: Don’t get sick or die quickly.
Yeah but docs will damn well get penalized. Funny, we take the smallest piece of the reimbursement pie, but we get creamed the most.