Change! Because hope is kind of quaint…
The second-largest health insurance company in South Carolina is pulling out of the state at the end of the year because of the Affordable
Care Act. Medical Mutual of Ohio is the parent company of the Carolina Care plan, which insures about 28,000 people in South Carolina.
The company is also pulling out of Georgia and Indiana. Medical Mutual spokesman Ed Byers says, “Under new regulations, which are vast and quite complex, it is in our best interest to focus on our core market of Ohio where we are headquartered and have been doing business
He says the 28,000 people who are members of the Carolina Care plan will be transitioned to United Healthcare
South Carolina Insurance Director Ray Farmer says the loss of the state’s second-largest health insurer could raise rates for everyone. “If you have less competition, not only in insurance but in any marketplace, it could result in higher rates. I don’t think there’s going to be a big groundswell of other companies leaving the marketplace, though,” he says.
Well, wait and see. We’re nowhere near the end of this, we’re not even at the end of the beginning. Unless it’s repealed.
Real health care reform could have done a few basic things and brought premiums down: allow competition across state lines, reform medical-related tort law to curb frivolous lawsuits, and provide incentives for Americans to save for their own health care are just three. ObamaCare didn’t touch any of those, and is driving costs up while reducing access and raising unemployment.
The message remains the same today as it has been since 2010: ObamaCare delenda est.
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