GAO: HHS Already Rationing Enrollment in Obamacare’s Pre-Existing Condition Plan by Jongsstraw

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GAO: HHS Already Rationing Enrollment in Obamacare’s Pre-Existing Condition Plan

POSTED BY: JONGSSTRAW
UPDATED: Monday, June 3, 2013 07:56
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Monday, June 3, 2013 5:34 AM

By Michael W. Chapman

CNSNews.com

A pre-existing condition health insurance program established by Obamacare is already straining its own budget and, to control costs, the administration’s Health and Human Services Department (HHS) has stopped enrolling any new people in the program, according to an audit by the General Accountability Office (GAO).

In addition, to further control spending, HHS has directed the program to shift more of the costs onto the current enrollees, thus raising the out-of-pocket health care expenses for the people with pre-existing conditions.

“Finally, due to growing concerns about the rate of PCIP [Pre-existing Condition Insurance Program] spending, in February 2013, CCIIO [under HHS] suspended PCIP enrollment to ensure the appropriated funding would be sufficient to cover claims for current enrollees through the end of the program,” states the GAO report, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act: Enrollment and Spending in the Early Retiree Reinsurance and Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan Programs.

The rationing or denial of health care coverage in the marketplace for people with pre-existing conditions, or insurers charging higher premiums to people with pre-existing conditions were among the reasons cited by President Barack Obama and most congressional Democrats for implementing Obamacare, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

“This year, tens of thousands of uninsured Americans with preexisting conditions, the parents of children who have a preexisting condition, will finally be able to purchase the coverage they need. That happens this year,” said Obama when he signed the Affordable Care Act into law on Mar. 23, 2010.

“This year, insurance companies will no longer be able to drop people’s coverage when they get sick,” said the president.

Under Obamacare, enrollment in the PCIP started in July 2010. However, given that the program had a fixed $5 billion to operate, the costs of enrollment and how long funding would last were ongoing concerns, said the GAO.

“For example, while enrollment in the PCIP program has been lower than initially projected, per member per month claim costs have been higher than expected, leading some to question whether spending could exhaust its $5 billion appropriation as enrollment continues to grow,” reported the GAO.

Under the law, if HHS determines that spending for the PCIP is too much and it might run out of funds, it can make “adjustments as are necessary” and “stop PCIP enrollment.”

The GAO audit found that enrollment in the PCIP was substantial: Between July 2010 and the end of December 2012, enrollment had hit 103,160, which was up more than 50,000 over the 2011 enrollment of 48,862.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/gao-hhs-already-rationing-enrollment-o
bamacare-s-pre-existing-condition-plan

Oh those silly folks at the General Accountability Office! They act like life and death is all about HHS decions based on money or something. Pshaw!

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Monday, June 3, 2013 7:56 AM

GEEZER

Keep the Shiny side up

Quote:
Originally posted by Jongsstraw:
“This year, tens of thousands of uninsured Americans with preexisting conditions, the parents of children who have a preexisting condition, will finally be able to purchase the coverage they need. That happens this year,” said Obama when he signed the Affordable Care Act into law on Mar. 23, 2010.

“This year, insurance companies will no longer be able to drop people’s coverage when they get sick,” said the president.

...

Under the law, if HHS determines that spending for the PCIP is too much and it might run out of funds, it can make “adjustments as are necessary” and “stop PCIP enrollment.”

The GAO audit found that enrollment in the PCIP was substantial: Between July 2010 and the end of December 2012, enrollment had hit 103,160, which was up more than 50,000 over the 2011 enrollment of 48,862.
!

So the insurance companies can't drop your coverage if you get sick, but HHS can. I wonder what criteria they'll use to decide who get's dropped. Will they have review groups to decide who get's treatment and who doesn't? Why, that'd be like "Death Panels".

"When your heart breaks, you choose what to fill the cracks with. Love or hate. But hate won't ever heal. Only love can do that."

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