health insurance premiums on the rise

According to an article from my hometown paper (since I own a home in Indianapolis, I suppose I must consider it my hometown!), the price of health insurance is on the rise.

Summer and early fall are the times of year when employers negotiate next year's premiums with health insurers.

Indiana may be harder hit than many other parts of the nation.

Nationally, PricewaterhouseCoopers is expecting medical costs for PPOs and HMOs each to rise about 9.9 percent in 2008, still well above the rate of inflation but lower than the 2007 increase of 11.9 percent for PPOs and 11.8 percent for HMOs.

Local insurance brokers say they are expecting rates to increase anywhere from 10 percent to 15 percent for PPOs and HMOs, the two most popular types of plans.

"It's a pretty consistent message that your costs are going up, and it's a double-digit increase," said Steve Gregory, director of business development for DeTrude and Co., an Indianapolis insurance broker.

For the record, the hospital that employs me is very concerned about my, shall we say, lifestyle choices. I don't have to pay as much for insurance since I don't smoke and my cholesterol levels are good. However, I would have even less to pay if I dropped a few more pounds. Many companies, and not just hospitals, are taking this approach.

As a side note: No, I haven't had the chance to see Sicko yet. I know that it can be found in some places on the Internet, but who has time to watch it when you've got a daughter who wants to visit the Webkinz site? Besides, I'm torn about seeing it, since it's made by the same man who has made ridiculous statements like these here and who has used this woman as a pawn.

Ah, Doug - I see you've linked to it, too.