Higher Premiums and Lower Wages

PriceWaterhouseCoopers just finished a study of the Baucus bill that is making its way through the Senate, which shows that the bill will make health insurance MORE expensive than under current law. Wasn't the whole effort to overhaul our health care system (with which 80% of Americans are happy) designed to reduce or at least slow down the increase in costs?

Money Quote:

For example, the analysis shows that the cost of the average family policy is approximately $12,300 today and will rise to:

• $15,500 in 2013 under current law and to $17,200 if these provisions are implemented.
• $18,400 in 2016 under current law and to $21,300 if these provisions are implemented.
• $21,900 in 2019 under current law and to $25,900 if these provisions are implemented.

In fact, between 2010 and 2019 the cumulative increases in the cost of a typical family policy under this reform proposal will be approximately $20,700 more than it would be under the current system.