January 1, Insurers Hike Rates, Families Pay the Price

Wyatt’s Take

• Health insurance premiums are set to jump 12-25% next year.
• Expanding government health spending mostly fills insurance company profits.
• Hardworking Americans are left with higher costs and less care.

Families across the country are facing even bigger bills for healthcare as insurers raise rates by double digits next year. Everyday folks are squeezed harder, yet insurance companies pocket even more.

Polls show that rising insurance costs are what people worry about most in healthcare. Every part of the price — from premiums and deductibles to copays — has shot up since the government overhauled health care.

Meanwhile, new plans out of Washington mainly protect powerful insurers while making life harder for American families. A study found that the bulk of new tax-funded subsidies wind up as extra profits for giant insurance firms.

Even politicians who once criticized these companies now seem to back them. Families have seen their insurance premiums double or even triple since government policies changed, while getting stuck with fewer benefits and higher deductibles.

“Whatever happened to the LOWER healthcare prices Democrats promised 15 years ago when Obama was president?”

Folks can’t win: they pay more taxes and pay higher monthly insurance bills, but don’t get better service. Healthcare has become like college tuition — more government money just means higher costs and more profit for big business.

There are real ways to fix this mess. Families could switch to catastrophic health plans, paying out of pocket for basic needs and saving insurance for serious illness. Big insurers fight these cheaper plans to protect their profits.

If we cut out all the middlemen, the cost of care could drop fast. Big corporations now own everything from doctor practices to pharmacies and rake in massive profits, but haven’t improved anyone’s health.

We should know the price before we buy care, just like at a store. If hospitals and clinics had to show their prices, costs could drop by 30%. President Trump has pushed for more transparency, but change is slow.

Fraud and overcharging cost Americans billions each year. Those caught ripping off patients deserve tough penalties, including heavy fines or losing the right to participate in federal health programs.

Most important is taking charge of our own health. Many problems happen because of bad habits, so staying healthy means fewer trips to the doctor.

The goal should be lower costs and better health for every family. That’s the priority we need to fight for.

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Wyatt Matters

Middle America wants a health care system that puts families first, not corporate profits. Every dollar counts for working people who just need fair prices and honest care. That’s what Main Street deserves.