Cleveland PR Newswire

Press releases from Ohio companies

Congressional Health Care Reform Proposals Will Make Health Care More Expensive, Less Robust for Ohioans

    COLUMBUS, Ohio, Nov. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Ohio Association
of Health Plans (OAHP) today warned that Ohioans could experience higher
health care premiums and less robust benefits if proposals being considered
by Congress as part of comprehensive health care reform were to become law.

    If the reforms proposed by the Senate Finance Committee were enacted,
average claims per member in Ohio would increase 60% over five years in the
individual market and 24% in the small group market, according to data from
the Kaiser Family Foundation, Oliver Wyman and America's Health Insurance
Plans.

    Premiums on the individual market in Ohio could increase 49% over ten
years and 28% over ten years in the small group market.

    The House health care reform proposal, which will be debated and voted
on before the Senate bill, would strip $170 billion from Medicare Advantage
over ten years. This would have a catastrophic effect on the nearly 500,000
Ohio seniors who rely on Medicare Advantage plans to get their health care.

    The cuts to the Medicare Advantage program are likely to mean fewer
benefits and higher out of pocket costs, while many seniors could be at
risk of losing their coverage altogether.

    "Our leaders in Congress made a promise to Ohioans that health care
reform would make care more affordable for everyone and that you could keep
your coverage if you were satisfied with it," said Kelly McGivern,
president and CEO of OAHP. "What we're seeing with the proposals which are
being debated in Washington is promises made, promises broken."

    Recent research has shown that health care in Ohio will become even
more expensive as a result of the current legislation that does not include
a workable individual mandate; would impose excise taxes that will be
passed on to premiums; and taxes high-value health plans and cost-shifts as
a result of significant cuts to Medicare Advantage.

    A recent actuarial analysis conducted by WellPoint, which has a major
presence in Ohio, estimates premium increases at 122% for individuals of
average age and heath.

    McGivern concluded, "From the beginning of the health care reform
debate, Ohio health plans have been firmly in the camp of reform. We agree
that health care costs too much, that everyone needs to get covered and
that we have to act to improve quality.

    "Unfortunately, the proposals being considered by Congress would do
nothing to make health care more affordable for working families and
individuals in Ohio - and they could strip coverage away from thousands of
seniors statewide."

    The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote on its version of
health care reform legislation this weekend or early next week. The U.S.
Senate is awaiting a fiscal estimate by the Congressional Budget Office
before unveiling its final version of health care reform legislation.