Colorado Health Insurance Insider, tells us that Negotiating Premiums Doesn't Lower the Cost of Healthcare ………….How would it help to have health insurance exchange boards negotiating with health insurance carriers to try to lower premiums – without addressing the root problem, which is the ever-increasing cost of healthcare? If the carriers were to agree to lower premiums, they would have to cut back on how much they spend in claims, since that’s where most of the premium dollars go (you can only trim admin costs so much). That would mean either cutting back on benefits or paying providers less money for the work they do. Neither of those options are just between the carriers and the exchange board. Cutting back on benefits directly impacts the insureds, and cutting back on reimbursements directly impacts providers. Either way, it’s not something that can be realistically “negotiated” between health insurance carriers and health insurance exchange boards. The other major players in the healthcare industry (Pharma, hospitals, doctors, device makers, etc.) have to get involved too. ……….
