From Friends of David R. Craig:
Harford County Executive and candidate for Governor David R. Craig announced today that Marylanders can expect a dramatic increase in health care insurance premiums under Obamacare, calling it a “massive new tax.” Maryland’s least expensive Obamacare plan will be 83% higher than the lowest-cost plan sold in the state this year. The analysis comes from a Government Accountability Office report that compares rates this year to what the Maryland Insurance Administration announced they will be under the new state exchange scheduled to launch October 1.
The state’s insurance agency locked down rates with private carriers last month and the new exchange for individuals is marketed as the “Maryland Health Connection.”
“What we have here is Maryland’s health disconnection,” said Craig. “This entire contraption will fall apart unless untold thousands of healthy people inexplicably decide to go online and buy expensive insurance instead of making a car payment. Private insurance carriers are not participating and not enough healthy, working people will either, and this is not going to work.”
The Maryland Insurance Administration and the GAO analyze similar policies available to similar age groups. A young person buying exchange insurance under the so-called “bronze plan” will pay $1368 in annual premiums, according to the state agency. Yet this year, according to the federal GAO, that person pays just $744 in annual premiums, an 83% difference.
“People are struggling with the worst economic recovery in our lifetimes, have faced down record tax, fee and toll increases, and now they are forced to pay 83% higher insurance costs,” said Craig. “This is a massive health care tax politicians are attempting to brand as something else, and they are forcing people to buy it.”
The dramatic premium spike comes on the heels of the announcement that Aetna canceled plans to sell insurance on the exchange after state regulators drastically cut the rates it could charge consumers for its plans. Aetna, the nation’s third largest health care insurance company as measured in terms of membership, acquired Bethesda-based Coventry Health Care this year.
“It is deeply troubling that Maryland has yet again soured relations with major employers and job creators. Another company acquires one of Maryland’s last remaining Fortune 500 companies and takes their business elsewhere because regulators tell them what to charge. This irony is lost only on the one-party political machine in Annapolis.”
Craig said this is only the beginning of the unraveling of Obamacare.
“These are only the initial, visible cracks in the foundation of the health care law, which like other federal public policy experiments, Maryland rushes into without conducting due diligence,” said Craig. “I’m concerned about the cracks we don’t see yet.”
Silly capitalists. We have control of your unions, we have control of your teachers, we have indoctrinated your children into the glorious Communist revolution. The day is almost upon us where will will control your healthcare and our revolution will be complete. Rejoice, the people have spoken.
Socialized medicine is the first sign of Communism, as well as the beginning of horrible and ineffective healthcare! If you don’t believe me and Karl just look at communist countries like Great Britain, Canada, Norway, Australia, Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Austria, and Denmark! They all have socialized medicine and they are all under the oppression of the evil Red menace!! Fight against the Reds! Fight against better healthcare today!!
I’m no fan of Obama care, but these are un-referenced scare tactics. Where is this $744 a year insurance? I’d love to sign up for it. Mr. Craig should stick to his silly Baseball re-alignment proposal (check out the link on his campaign website).
You got it “danyboy”. Besides D.C. is not telling the entire story either. Yes, he employs the typical scare tactics, but with the potential increase in cost to the user comes additional benefits that more than outweigh the same. These include (but are not limited to): Dependent coverage up to age 26, Lower copays, Lower deductables and better overall coverage.
Think about it…..what will that “young person” (or their parents) that D.C. mentions actually SAVE because he (or she) won’t have to purchase individual insurance from the time they are 18 until they turn 26? Think people…..please, no hyperbole!
Sadly, after the past few years of lies and scare tactics, if DC introduced himself as DC, I would want to see ID. Just do not believe one word out of his mouth.
Where is the $744 insurance? That would be a question for you to ask the Government Accounting Office which is part of the Obama Administration.
The is such amazingly bogus material – not only is Mr. Craig clearly intentionally off-base (lying), but the ‘Obamacare’ numbers are out and are much much lower than anybody would have predicted. We can see them here:
http://www.mdinsurance.state.md.us/sa/docs/documents/news-center/news-releases/sampleratesbaltometro.pdf
I cannot understand why the debate cannot be philosophical rather than misleading, I thought Mr. Craig would be different. Guess I was wrong…
After all of the “misinformation” (read lies) out of Mr. Craig, if he introduced himself to me, I would ask for ID. I am sick of the citizens of Harford County paying for his ego.
Why am I not suprised that Craig would lie.
Goodness sake, did anyone see the letter about education in the Aegis today?
He is trying to save face.
Definitely someone that does NOT need to be Governor of Maryland.
The is such amazingly bogus material – not only is Mr. Craig clearly intentionally off-base (lying), but the ‘Obamacare’ numbers are out and are much much lower than anybody would have predicted. We can see them here:
http://www.mdinsurance.state.md.us/sa/docs/documents/news-center/news-releases/sampleratesbaltometro.pdf
I cannot understand why the debate cannot be philosophical rather than misleading, I thought Mr. Craig would be different. Guess I was wrong…
Those same rates quoted are artifially deflated.
Most damning numbers resulting from Obamacare…. 30,000 full time jobs created in 6 months.
Change you can believe in.
@Grand Pooobaaah
Well if the Republicans lie to the masses they’ll have to work harder to catch up to the Democrats.
Republicans will need the next president to top Clinton’s oral successes in the Oval Office, get Marco Rubio to top Carlos Danger (aka Weiner Sexter Texter), and get a mayor to Filner-Up his staff better than the San Diego’s Mayor Filner.
What about the former governor of SC? What is he doing now?
More Republican lies to the masses, what else have we come to expect?!? The Republican tactic is fear of change, fear of equality and fear of everything they can think of. What they really fear is the truth and the consequences of the truth being heard. Appreciate the change, there is nothing stopping it now…..
“A young person buying exchange insurance under the so-called “bronze plan” will pay $1368 in annual premiums, according to the state agency. ”
Were do I sign up? I’m paying over 6k a year…. those poor young people.
Anyone have a number on what the average young person pays in auto insurance?
Bill, you should really shop around. I just did a quick quote for a 25 year old similar to the state bronze plan’s basis. Kaiser Permanente has a top of the line $25 copay no-deductible plan for $289/mo. That would save you over $2500 per year.
The least expensive HSA plan is $107/mo with a $30 co-pay. The the least expensive high deductible plan is $68/mo. All these prices came from Kaiser Permanente for 2013.
Both Republicans and Democrats accuse the other of lies when talking about the Affordable Care Act. Truth is, none of us really know what the ramifications of this law will be until it is actually implemented, and that will not be by 2014 as originally thought. There have been delays and exceptions granted so that the actual full implementation date is somewhere in the unknown future. To think that the uncertainty of this laws impact is not a problem for our business community is truly being naive. It is the “unknown” that is causing the problem. When we know for sure the impact, then business will adjust to best accommodate their ability to survive as a business. Whether that is beneficial to the employee or the consumer is unknown at this time.
In the end there is no free lunch. Someone is having to pay the bill.
Thank you Mike Welsh for a well thought out comment. Nothing I’m saying will take away anything about the gravity of your statement. All I would do amend the statement “this law will be until it is actually implemented” to reflect those portions of the law that have been implemented yearly since 2010.
Otherwise, bravo!
I agree Keith. There are some good parts of this law and some really bad parts. One thing we can be assured of is that companies that are impacted will do everything they can do to lessen any negative impact to their operations and profitability. When that happens then workers will not receive what the proponents of this law said that workers would receive. We are seeing that already in companies hiring more part-time and also switching full time to part time. I believe the stats that say of all of the new jobs created in 2013 77% were part time. We are also seeing it in companies requesting and receiving waivers. And I suppose that is something that bothers me quite a bit. Why should Nancy Pelosi, and other high profile supporters of this legislation, be requesting and receiving waivers for a large number of companies in their legislative district? Why are large unions, including but in no way limited to the union that represents IRS workers, working hard to stay away from Obamacare? Why does Congress want no parts of it? Congress has passed a law that over 70% of the people polled were opposed to. Congress wants no part of it. Unions want no part of it. Many companies want waivers from it. And this is a good law? I will oppose this law and support any and all who work for its repeal or defunding.
More news on this front: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/08/05/198577/some-states-misreporting-health.html#.UgD-vJJwr4s
Hypocrisy at its finest. Someone who has made a nice living thanks to taxpayers and government largesse now complaining about taxes and government largesse. Why shouldn’t non-insured people get the same great deal on insurance (low cost, great coverage, and tax-free premium subsidies from the government) that Mr. Craig has had for most of his life?
I wouldn’t consider the “Bronze Level” insurance as great coverage, as it will still stick the purchaser with 40% of medical bills. It is insurance against catastrophic events, and not much more.
MITM, you are so right and now he wants to take it even further?? I am so sick of the lies and tactics by all parties. Will someone, anyone ever put the people of our County, State or Country first??
Tired Duchess,
“Will someone, anyone ever put the people of our County, State or Country first??”
Yes, but they rarely get elected. And if elected, are so in the minority that getting anything done is fruitless.
Obama is a hypocrite and Obamacare is a sham. President
Obama is certainly not the first president to lie to the people for shameless political gain but he is the first black president to do so. And I was naive enough to hope that our first black president would be a great president and not just another lying and scheming political hack. Shame on me for my stupidity.
I forgive you.
Now go out and convince others.
Sorry, J, but convincing others doesn’t work. If you are critical of him or his policies you are racist if you aren’t black and an Oreo if you are black. He gets a pass on everything.
Keesha, by your comments, you appear to be the racist (I’m just sayin!).
Get your head out, Justin. Unless you are kidding. I guess I might be called an Oreo cookie because in my book he doesn’t skate because of his skin color. Nor dies Holder.
It is a shame that the Democrats want to get everyone on the Government teat. In theory, it is a brilliant strategy. Take more for working people and call them rich, give their tax dollars to the poor (who there are many more of) and say it comes from the Government “Obama”. When people balk, call them racist. When people want to cut entitlements, call them racists or blame the evil Republicans and claim “they” hate the poor and the minorities and want to take your “freebies”.
I say let obamacare go on and stop trying to block it. When the costs for medical insurance go up 80% tell the people, you wanted it now you got it. Give NO exemptions for unions, senate members, irs agents………… no one. If it good enough for regular people, it is good for everyone as well.
When it blows up in their faces…………. repeal it and vote his ass, along with all the other demtards out of office.
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Blah blah blah blah.
Let’s here a solution instead of just talking points about how awful it is.
What about enforcing State Sovereignty and overriding Federal Law on the State level?
*hear
Before the grammar gestapo jumps on it.
Supremacy Clause
Plenty of other solutions. You just don’t want to hear them. The first and easiest was to add competition by allowing out of state purchases. The same added competition that was recently credited in the Baltimore Sun for the majority to the “savings” Obamacare is supposed to provide.
Why is The Dagger posting a news release from a gubernatorial campaign in its entirety as if it were a news story? Does this mean The Dagger is an arm of that campaign? Will The Dagger begin posting nes releases of other gubernatorial candidates without comment? I am aware of no legitimate news organization that would do something like this.
Mercury –
This is a blog.
It’s not a news organization.
You could start a blog this afternoon if you wanted to.
And news organizations like newspapers make endorsements of candidates.
However I don’t think the Dagger is in the bag for Craig and it wouldn’t make one iota of difference if they were.
I take some offense to this statement.
The Dagger is a registered, tax-paying Limited Liability Corporation founded and run by award-winning journalists with a few decades of combined reporting, writing, and editing experience.
We’ve also been around for a half-dozen years now, have been quoted in a Washington Post editorial, featured by The Baltimore Sun, appeared on most of the regional radio stations, are recognized nationally as a model for independent online local news sites, and provide news to tens of thousands of unique readers each month. It’d be a bit tough to pull all that off in an afternoon.
The only distinction between The Dagger and your “legitimate” news organizations is that we’re not controlled by a deep-pocketed out-of-state interest that DOES make endorsements and DOES push coverage issues/angles.
To be fair you have a blog.
Anyone can start a blog.
Oh and even I get quoted in the Wall Street Journal.
And your Alexa Traffic Rank shows you have no where near 10K unique and individual readers a month.
If you want to post your detailed Google Analytics be my guest?
We don’t allow Alexa or Quantcast to index our site. Nice effort though.
Using the most recent month of Google Analytics, from July 7 to Aug 7, we had 123,294 unique visitors to the site.
I’d happy to send you the analytics pdf breakdown.
Just provide a working email address and a link to your quote in WSJ.
Brian –
If you were successfully blocking your Alexa Ranking you wouldn’t show up on Alexa with a rank.
And you should post your Google Analytics as a regular monthly PDF so all your advertisers and readers can see them especially if they are as good as you say they are. But you won’t!
Not sure why you’re weirdly fighting me on this, but it’s intriguing.
We don’t allow Alexa or Quantcast. That’s the way it is.
I’ve told you I’d be glad to email you our analytics page – free of charge!
Our advertisers are very happy and recognize they are getting a wonderful deal for the price and exposure, especially compared to other local media.
I’m unaware of other media posting their full analytics and site stats for all to see, but we, as you’ve noted, are not like other news organizations. Give me a chance to talk with our website guy about how/where to post it and soon you – and the rest of the world – will get a chance to check it out.
@Brian –
Great to hear that you’ll post a PDF of your Google Analytics – Pageviews, Unique Pageviews and Avg. & Time on Page.
I will be the first to congratulate you once you do.
You should also reconcile your Advertise page that says “30,000 unique visitors per month” with your “123,294 unique visitors to the site” statement.
You’ll need to work a bit harder to have Alexa stop ranking The Dagger site since your stated overall rank is 247,186 and US rank is 53,907 (for those unfamiliar with Alexa [dot] com a lower score is better & anyone can download the Alexa Toolbar for free).
In fact, your Alexa score is not bad.
It’s no Huffington Post with an Alexa Rank of 101 and Amazon with a 6 and NBC with 222, but better than most blogs.
Thanks for listening
We accept and publish letters and releases from all elected officials and filed candidates for office in order to provide comprehensive information and choices to the reader.
If one candidate appears more frequently than others, that is simply a factor of his or her having a more active (at least via online media) campaign.
You can find plenty of other releases, letters, and news from plenty of other candidates here:
http://www.daggerpress.com/category/the-dirt/
Craig’s problem: as with Romney, strong opposition to expansion of health insurance coverage is absolutely necessary to get the GOP nomination, but an impediment to actually being elected.
Craig’s problem: people will look at what he has done and not what he says he will do.
Screw equality, in this instance!
Why should I continue to work my ass off to fund those degenerates around the state who live off of my tax dollars?
Screw equality of pay, screw equality of benefits…that is what hard work and higher education good for if we just give the shit away?????