Texans recently received refunds from the insurance company's over charged premiums

[DhhD]

which should be linked to the saving of the ACA and it should be noted that Senators Cornyn and Cruz are against the patient protections given by Obamacare/ACA.

http://www.johncornyn.com/fighting-obamacare/

The ACA will be fully implemented on Jan.1, 2014. The Democrats fight to stop corruption and misuse of health insurance only for outrageous profit, should be a campaign issue. The State government refuses to set up a Medicaid Exchange and has already said it will refuse to do its part to promote and set up the rest of the ACA.

The implementation of the ACA will be a tell-all if Democrats take advantage of the opportunity. Hope to see Ads during the local TV news and phone call banks this Fall, winter and Spring. I believe that Democrats that cannot afford financial assistance would be willing to make phone calls. There are several different languages spoken in the populous.

[alc]

1. there are 2 sides to the MLR

They are playing nice this year and last. They didn't spend 80% on medical care so refund money.

But MLR also means the ONLY way to increase profit is to increase cost of medical care (aside from minor increases in administrative efficiency). Reducing medical costs used to be a way for insurers to increase profit. But now that's turned around.

That means they can approve all procedures, recommend non-generic drugs, stop negotiating with doctors & hospitals and do whatever else they can to spend MORE on health care. Then when next year's premium rates come up for discussion they'll say "we need to jack up premiums". They "did the right thing" and returned money when costs were down so regulators should "do the right thing" and give them the 20%-over-costs profit the ACA allows.

There are a few things that may save us from this
* CEOs decide not to be concerned with profit
* Regulators have the balls to call them on it
* The IPAB stops them from ever spending more than "necessary"

In the 2nd case you can be sure the insurers will let us know loud and often that ACA is what's causing them to stop covering certain procedures and mandate generic drugs and limiting your hospital/doctor options (all the good things from the previous year). Think about the financial and BP regulators before you put too much hope in this option.

In the last case be prepared to hear constant news about "death panels" (aka the IPAB) and what insurers "want to cover" that the ACA/IPAB stops them from covering. Medical providers will side with the insurers since it means more money in their pocket too.

[DhhD]

3. What agency(s) are the, "Regulators" from? And can you help us with the meaning of MLR?

Can people report year to year changes (maybe now 2010 to 2014 changes) to Regulators?

Thanks.

[white cloud]

2. Texan should get around 65 Million+ in Refund

From 2012 refunds

http://yourhealthsecurity.org/health-insurance-refund-list-2011#texas

Texas
Individual Market
•Aetna Life Ins Co: $9,940,034
•American Republic Ins Co: $425,718
•Golden Rule Ins Co: $9,317,167
•Connecticut Gen Life Ins Co: $5,293,245
•John Alden Life Ins Co: $1,653,815
•Mid West Natl Life Ins Co Of TN: $998,507
•Time Ins Co: $5,536,259
•Humana Ins Co: $9,591,167
•Standard Life and Casualty Insurance Company: $995,468
•The Mega Life & Hlth Ins Co: $2,346,153
•Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas: $89,881,761
•Total: $134,482,051

Large Employer Market
•American Specialty Health Insurance Company: $26,483
•Humana Ins Co: $2,015,201
•UnitedHealthcare Ins Co: $12,705,397
•Valley Baptist Ins Co: $2,527,917
•Guardian Life Insurance Company of America: $911,104
•Total: $18,186,102

Small Employer Market
•Trustmark Life Ins Co: $997,656
•UnitedHealthcare Ins Co: $2,163,431
•Humana Hlth Plan of TX Inc: $11,146,600
•Total: $14,307,687