Labor & Employment Law

Republican Health Care Stall Means Higher Health Costs

By Mike Hall

The longer that congressional Republicans roadblock health care reform, the more it is going cost the American people–and the bigger the bite health care costs will take out of a reeling economy. 

A new poll by Buck Consultants shows that costs for all type of plans–from PPO’s to high deductible plans–will jump by 10 percent to 11 percent this year. As the health care blog, Health Populi writes:

The double-digit cost increases that Buck Consultants expect are over twice the rate of general inflation in the U.S. expected in 2010. Thus, the marketplace isn’t nearly moderating health costs on its own without the influence of health reform.

Buck Consultant’s 21st National Health Care Trend Survey was conducted  among 108 insurance organizations in the second half of 2009. Plans included Aetna, CIGNA, Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans, Kaiser Permanente, United HealthCare, and other plans. The plans surveyed represent 78.2 million covered consumers.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on February 02, 2010 (boomark / email).