Obamacare: California health exchange tops 1 million, big motivator in type of plan -- price

San Jose Mercury News ^ | 3/17/14 | Tracy Seipel

[ProtectOurFreedom]

With two weeks left to sign up for coverage, California's health insurance exchange announced Monday it has surged past a major milestone -- 1 million enrollments -- well ahead of its March 31 goal.

And a new report suggests what may be the biggest motivator for people when they are choosing a new health plan: cost.

Insurers like Blue Shield of California and Health Net have seen a major jump in market share, thanks to their competitively low rates, according to a report Monday from the Kaiser Family Foundation, while Anthem Blue Cross' dominance has softened.

The shifting landscape indicates the new health law is meeting one of its goals by making health care more competitive. But experts worry plans with low premiums could come with a different cost: Fewer doctors and hospitals could mean fewer choices and longer waits for care.

"The fact is, these are really, really skinny networks of doctors and hospitals that leave a lot of patients without the choices they had before,'' said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog.

Anthem Blue Cross -- 30.5 percent -- still edged out Blue Shield -- 29.2 percent -- for the largest share of the Golden State's health insurance market when the study was conducted Feb. 28.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

ObamaCare a HUGE Success

...except you can't find a doctor and your conditions aren't covered. But, hey! You're saving lots of money because of der ObamaFührer.

[cuban leaf]

What’s the deductible?

:-P

[headstamp 2]

High deductibles, small networks and high co-pays.

[SIRTRIS]

Yup, people get suckered in on price & ignore the costs!

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Sheesh, are you guys always so negative about everything? It’s a huge success, I tell you. The Murky News wouldn’t lie to us.

[cuban leaf]

It’s why I don’t even have health insurance any more. The only thing it really protects against is catastrophic events. My wife and I are both over 60. We are Christian. We take very seriously what Paul said: To live is Christ and to die is gain.

What person who doesn’t have unlimited resources and who’s children are all adults would pay $1,000 a month for a policy with $6k annual deductible? In my opinion it is poor stuardship and also shows a lack of faith.

[Portcall24]

“I’d like to buy a stuffed snake for my daughter. She’s doing burlesque down the street.”
“I have one. It’s $3.”
“$3? Down the street they’re $2.”
“Well, go down the street and buy it.”
“I would but they’re out.”
“If I was out you could have it for a $1.”

[ProtectOurFreedom]

A perfect encapsulation of Economics 101.

[drypowder]

is there an agency that can say how many Kalifornians have lost their good and affordable health insurance only to be forced in to obozocare or are now without? I would guess that number is larger than the 1 million being touted as a success for obozocare.

[Pollster1]

I wonder if those million voters will be so angry that they will vote the Dems out of power even in California . . . or will they be angry that it didn’t go far enough and demand single payer because ObamaCare doesn’t give FedGov enough power over their lives.

[Drago]

Yep, they are really gonna love the $5K deductibles on those “cheap” bronze plans.