The new premium rates that plan holders have to pay Aetna Global are not affordable to most government employees, Rep. Edwin K. Propst (Ind-Saipan) said.<\/p>\n
The government recently said it has renewed the Aetna Global agreement but will invite other proposals for 2016.<\/p>\n
Propst said with the increased payments, even the \u201clow-cost\u201d option seems too high for most.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a family, we are currently paying about $400 every pay period for the high option plan with a $1,500 deductible. Now we will be paying $821 per pay period, or $21,346 per year (26 pay periods x $821),\u201d Propst said. \u201cIf we switch to the low option plan, it will cost us $485.65 per pay period, or $12,626.90 per year (26 pay periods x $485.65).\u201d<\/p>\n
The lawmaker said it will be difficult for most to get the new packages.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow many families out there will be able to afford the high-option plan, let alone the low-option plan? I know we cannot,\u201d Propst said.<\/p>\n
The lawmaker stressed that by raising their premiums to an amount that is not affordable to most, Aetna has created what is known in the health insurance industry as a \u201cdeath spiral,\u201d a term that refers to lower risk health insurance policy holders changing their coverage or choosing to become uninsured.<\/p>\n
He warns that by Aetna doubling its premiums, \u201cmost healthy, young families are going to cancel their health coverage.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd who is most likely to stay and try to pay these insanely high premiums? Our man\u2019amko. Our retirees. Why? Because they don\u2019t have much of a choice. Our elderly retirees tend to have more health problems, thereby costing Aetna more money,\u201d Propst said.<\/p>\n
Aetna needs the younger, healthier families to help defray the high cost of health care for our elderly, he said. \u201cBut obviously, this is not going to happen, because the young and healthy members will simply cancel their coverage and risk not having any health care at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you are young and healthy, you don\u2019t think about the \u2018what ifs.\u2019 You think about the \u2018here and now.\u2019 And right here and now, Aetna\u2019s new health premiums are just not affordable,\u201d Propst said.<\/p>\n
The lawmaker said \u201cAetna is only concerned with profit, not about our well-being,\u201d and that the bottom line is, the new Aetna rates will have a devastating effect on most families.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Aetna insurance is not mandatory for government employees.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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