The new healthcare law could save you money over time
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STEVE CHIOTAKIS: A healthcare think tank — the Commonwealth Fund — has a report out today that says the new healthcare law could save people money — over time.
From Washington, here’s Marketplace’s Nancy Marshall Genzer.
NANCY MARSHALL GENZER: The Commonwealth Fund report says health insurance premiums went up an average of 41 percent over the past six years. The report says the new healthcare law could slow the growth of premiums because states can challenge rate hikes. Cathy Schoen is a co-author of the study.
CATHY SCHOEN: It really gives every insurance commissioner in every state the authority to look at and ask what are the reasons for these increases? Can they be moderated?
But states aren’t required to review premium hikes. The healthcare law does mandate health insurance exchanges, in 2014. They could lower prices because they’ll increase competition. But Harvard health economist Amitabh Chandra says any savings will be short-lived.
AMITABH CHANDRA: In the long run spending will continue to go up because insurers are forced to cover every new shiny medical technology that comes along.
Chandra says premiums won’t go down substantially until we face difficult choices. Like whether everyone is covered for everything.
In Washington, I’m Nancy Marshall Genzer for Marketplace.
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