Consumer and business groups gathered outside the corporate
offices of Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield to highlight a troubling example of
the high cost of health care. Today, Regence's
whopping 26% rate hike on individual health plans takes effect, and a hefty
rate hike of 16.5% also takes effect for small business health plans.
These rate hikes are just an example of a troubling trend. LifeWise
has proposed a small business rate hike of 26% and an individual rate hike of
28%. Health Net has proposed an
individual plan increase of 13.5%. United Healthcare has proposed rate increases
of between 14% and 24.5% for small business plans.
Health care costs are rising, and we're all paying the
price. The cost of hospital stays, diagnostic tests, prescription drugs, and
insurance itself are rising faster than inflation. It's putting the squeeze on
consumers and businesses, and pricing many people out of access to health care
all together.
It doesn't have to be this way. Oregon has an opportunity to
put common sense solutions in place. Responding to the healthcare crisis,
Oregon's elected leaders established the Oregon Health Fund Board to develop a
comprehensive health reform plan to cut costs, improve quality and expand
access to care. The plan will be announced this fall, with public hearings to
take place this September.
Make no mistake, reforming health care a big challenge. But
with rate hikes like these, it's more important than ever to succeed. Today,
we're calling on Oregon's leaders to redouble their efforts to make quality
health care affordable for all Oregonians.
