HEALTHCARE COSTS RISE

     Health insurance premiums continue to rise annually, and now the insurance companies say the increases may occur more frequently with higher deductibles and fewer covered services. Many people have deductibles of $500 to $5,000, which must be paid annually before insurance pays anything. Anthem Blue Cross announced, starting March 1st, they will increase monthly premiums by 39 percent. This increase is thought to affect approximately 800,000 customers – although the company refuses to state the number of customers to be affected. President Obama has asked the company to justify this increase in this time of great economic hardship. Is the increase just to maintain the huge bonuses for executives? Asking a family of four to increase the monthly insurance bill from $900 to $1,200 is a deal breaker for some families. Many healthy families will risk going without health insurance, avoid preventive medical care and procrastinate on medical visits when a family member is ill. Children will be sicker longer. The risk of disease spread will increase throughout the community and emergency room use will increase. Businesses, already struggling financially, will have a harder time providing health benefits for employees. Businesses will seek to hire younger healthy single people in an effort to keep health care costs down. Naturally, when the insurance rates increase, pharmaceutical costs will soon rise also.



What is the up side? Many valley residents use Anthem Blue Cross. But, at least, the company is based in the United States. So, if the money is going abroad, some of it will stay in the U.S. to help American workers and the economy.