Health Insurers Stop Selling Child-Only Policies Before Laws Change.

 

Illustrating the continued mess our health care system is in, insurance companies continue the game of chess with the government. This time, we (the pawns) are getting knocked around.

Excerpts italicized:

Major insurance companies are dropping child-only policies just days before the new law requires them to cover sick children, enraging health care advocates who accuse the insurers of abandoning society's most vulnerable.

But the insurers say the new requirement would lead to unexpected and massive costs because parents can wait to buy coverage until their children are sick -- the mandate requiring all Americans to carry insurance doesn't kick in until 2014.

Among the new provisions of the new law that goes into effect Thursday is one that prevents insurers from excluding children under 19 with pre-existing conditions.

But Wellpoint, Cigna, Coventry, Aetna, Humana, United Health and BlueCross BlueShield announced they would no longer offer child-only policies. The move does not affect existing child-only plans, family policies or insurance offered to children through their parents'.

Health insurers said their decision was based on uncertain market conditions

CoventryOne said its decision was driven by "some uncertainties that pose unique challenges that could impact our ability to offer value and meet our continued obligations to existing policyholders," spokesman Matt Eyles said.

But health care advocates are crying foul.

"We're just days away from a new era when insurance companies must stop denying coverage to kids just because they are sick, and now some of the biggest changed their minds and decided to refuse to sell child-only coverage," said Ethan Rome, executive director of the organization.

"The latest announcement by the insurance companies that they won't cover kids is immoral, and to blame their appalling behavior on the new law is patently dishonest .”.

"If the insurance companies can casually turn their backs on sick children now, who will they abandon next?" Rome said. "This offensive behavior by the insurance companies is yet another reminder of why the new law is so important and why the Republicans' call for repeal is so misguided."

Whether it is the government or insurance companies, all I see is people trying to screw over other people. And, of course, it is all in the name of helping people.

(ORIGINAL LINK) FOXNews.com - Do Kids Count? Insurers Stop Selling Child-Only Policies Ahead of ObamaCare Provisions