American Elephants

The legal challenge to ObamaCare has been filed.  A half-dozen insurance companies have filed a lawsuit against the state of Massachusetts, seeking to reverse the decision by the insurance commissioner to block double-digit rises in premiums.

Massachusetts residents already pay the highest premiums in the country for their health care.  Insurers wanted to raise base rates an average of 8 to 32 percent, and added to that are additional costs calculated according to factors such as the size and age of the workforce.

Governor Patrick insists that all is well, but he invoked his emergency powers to turn down the rate increases.  According to the Wall Street Journal Massachusetts insurers “pay $1.12 in benefits for every $1 in premiums.  Surely even the most committed anti-corporate liberal can understand that firms cannot survive while losing 12 cents on every dollar.

The reason for the rise in base rates is not that ‘fat cat’ insurance executives aren’t getting rich fast enough, but simply that reality is pointing out the fact that liberals’ bright ideas are driving costs through the roof.

Keep an eye on Massachusetts, for it is a barometer signaling a warning. Pay attention to the UK.  They tell us to pay no attention to the “scare stories,” but the so-called scare stories expose how the system fails the most vulnerable.  Healthy people usually like “free” health care — it’s how the frail and unhealthy are treated that matters.