Garden State Breaking: Another one bites the dust

Oops:

"The [New Jersey] state Department of Banking and Insurance moved Monday to take over Health Republic — known as a consumer-operated and –oriented, or COOP, plan — because of its “hazardous financial condition.”

As with Ohio's own InHealth, and most of the other Co-Ops, the numbers just didn't add up. and the carrier has been forced to fold.

Just in time for Open Enrollment v4.0.

And the timing couldn't be better (for certain values of "better"): when this happens, policyholders are generally eligible for a Special Open Enrollment. Which means they'll be looking for new plans over the coming weeks, and then new new ones a few weeks later. Oh, and looking at three - yes three - deductibles to be met in a year's time.

Yippee!

If You Like Your Plan: Part #4,287

One of the most pernicious claims made by President Obama (and his surrogates) has been the promise that "if you like your current insurance, you can keep it." No rational person ever actually bought that, but it made a great sound-bite (or 3,000). As we all know, with each passing year we're been offered fewer and fewer choices, and very few people have been able to actually keep their plans.

Folks in the Tar Heel State have even fewer choices coming up in November:

"Most in N.C. will have one Obamacare option in 2017"

And to no one's real surprise, that carrier is ... Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Yes, that Blue Cross:

"The N.C. Department of Insurance announced Monday it will broaden its investigation into Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, citing “disagreements” with the insurer."

Looks like that particular endeavor is about to hit the trash bin of history.

[Hat Tip: FoIB Jeff M]

Off Topic: Gamer edition

FoIB (and gaming entrepreneur) Fat Dragon Games has just fired up their latest KickStarter, and it's a doozy:

"The DRAGONLOCK™ terrain system for 3D printers allows you to create modular interlocking buildings of your own design."

Pairing the incredible opportunities of newly-affordable 3d printers (I've been assured that really good ones can be had for less than $400) with over 20 years of terrain design experience means tremendous value, and some really good fun.

Click here to get in on the ground floor.

We DESERVE Free Healthcare

I suppose it is a function of age, but I tire of the people that whine about how they DESERVE this or DESERVE that. They utter the word with such passion that the casual listener may actually believe these people have worked hard or contributed something of value, therefore they are ENTITLED to something in exchange.

Unfortunately, many of those who say they DESERVE "free" healthcare, or are ENTITLED to "free" healthcare have done nothing to EARN "free" healthcare.

And so it goes with the residents of Great Britain who have been told for years they are ENTITLED to free and unfettered access to health care.

Now, just like the venerable London Bridge, the National Health Service is falling down, falling down, falling down.

Years of underfunding have left the service facing such “impossible” demands that without urgent extra investment in November’s autumn statement it will have to cut staff, bring in charges or introduce “draconian rationing” of treatment - The Guardian

But what about the promise of free health care?

Sorry Virginia, there is no Santa Claus.

“The government must be honest with the public about what the NHS can deliver with the funding it has been given. It is simply not realistic to expect hard-pressed staff to deliver new commitments like seven-day services while also meeting waiting-time targets and reducing financial deficits.”

Honesty in government. What a novel idea.

If only we had that here in the states there might not be so many people that wanted a health care system like everyone else.

You Can't Do That

When I was a kid and someone told me I couldn't do this or that, I was more determined than ever to prove them wrong.

Apparently some Democrats never learned that lesson.

Except for those living under a rock, everyone should know that Obamacare is collapsing and carriers are dropping out of the market on a weekly basis. Unlike the federal government (that has no idea what a balance sheet is), private industry continues to operate until they can no longer stand to lose money.

Health insurance carriers have been taking it in the shorts since Obamacare became law and lately most of them have had enough and are leaving the market in droves.

Enter the extreme left wing of the Democrat party, wagging their fingers, and saying "You can't do that".

Senators Sanders, Warren, Markey, Brown and Nelson are demanding an explanation for Aetna's planned withdrawal from several Obamacare markets.

“We are particularly troubled that Aetna’s decision to leave the ACA exchanges appears to have been motivated by the Justice Department’s decision to challenge Aetna’s proposed $37 billion merger with Humana — a deal that the Justice Department and many experts predicted would harm competition in the health insurance market and negatively impact the cost and quality of health care. Aetna could not have been surprised at the concerns raised by regulators about this merger.” - Benefits Pro

For those who need a translation ..........

Aetna was willing to play in the Obamacare pool earlier in the year when they thought they would broaden their base and have access to Humana policyholders. In May of this year Aetna (and other carriers) were still assessing the cost of Obamacare and thought the markets would be robust with other carriers sharing the weight of Obamacare losses.

Since then, the red ink has grown more red and some carriers have said enough is enough and are going home.

But idiots in DC that have never had a job in the real world and have no idea how commerce and risk management really work are demanding Aetna to justify a perfectly logical business decision.

Somewhere a village is missing their idiot.

You can find them in DC.

Read all about it at this week's Health Wonk Review

This week's Health Wonk Review is hosted by David Williams at Health Business Blog.  

Do check it out, no library card required!!  You'll be glad you did.   

Don't Bogart That Vape My Friend

If smoking could ever be considered sexy, no one did it better than Bogey. The white dinner jacket. Punctuating his lines in Casablanca with a drag on his cigarette.

The movie just would not have been the same with an e-cig in his hand.

E-cigarettes appeared on the market a few years ago as a "safe" alternative to regular cigarettes. The pitch was, you are just inhaling and exhaling water vapor, not smoke. The smoke was what damaged your lungs.

Some of us are old enough to remember commercials on TV where doctors in white coats extolled the virtue of menthol cigarettes that are good for your lungs.

Are e-cigs and water pipes a safe alternative for those who want to inhale?

The FDA doesn't think so.

What does the FDA deeming rule cover?

So glad you asked. In addition to tobacco, products derived from tobacco, and devices used with tobacco the FDA now has dominion over the following.

• E-liquids
• A glass or plastic vial container of e-liquid
• Cartridges
• Atomizers
• Certain batteries
• Cartomizers and clearomizers
• Digital display or lights to adjust settings
• Tank systems
• Drip tips
• Flavorings for ENDS
• Programmable software

Programmable software?

What are ENDS?

The government must use acronyms. It's in their DNA.

ENDS are Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems.

Aren't you glad you asked? 

And the FDA has given themselves permission to oversee all phases of production and distribution.

If you make, modify, mix, manufacture, fabricate, assemble, process, label, repack, relabel, or import ENDS, you must comply with these requirements for manufacturers.

And small businesses catch a break.

They still have to comply with all this bullshit, but they can take a little longer to implement.

If you really want to get into the weeds on this, take a look at the 150+ page report on Deeming Rules.

Two years ago it was only 84 pages.

All of this makes me want to have a drink. Better do it soon before that is outlawed as well.

Where would the Grateful Dead be today with lyrics that say "Don't Bogart that vape, my friend. Pass it over to me"?