Challenge of Legislators on Atlanta Health Insurance

Cost for health care has been one of the major concerns in the state of Georgia consequently affecting Atlanta. Because of increasing health insurance rates, Atlanta health insurance has been a hot issue among legislators as it addresses number of uninsured residents and frozen reimbursements from hospitals that caused considerable losses on hospital revenues. In the year 2007, Atlanta politicians had made ways to address the issue on how to treat the number of uninsured residents as well as the issue on the lack of reimbursement in hospitals that provided services for eligible residents under Medicaid.

Employers who get Atlanta health insurance for its employees are suffering from health insurance hike in the past year. The result of Mercer survey shows that there was an increase of 10.7 percent health insurance costs from large employers. The health insurance cost for each employee run at the average of 8,653 dollars which is actually higher than employees from other state in the US. The dynamic increase in health insurance costs to employees has taken large percentage of large company's expenses against wages and materials costs. Because of this, small employers find it more favorable to dismiss health insurance benefit to its employees which results to high number of Atlanta residents that are uninsured. Otherwise, some small employers tend to shift the health insurance cost to its employees by shared premiums, full employee payment of premium or by high deductibles chargeable to employees.

To answer increase on health insurance rate in Atlanta, a bill was submitted to regulate health insurance rates among Atlanta insurance carriers. There are many criticism and comments on the bill as it will have effects on the insurance industry. If the bill will be approved, it will limit insurance companies to offer new health insurance plans until proposed health insurance rate for the new product will be approved. Moreover, health insurance companies cannot initiate increase on health insurance rate upon renewal without approval from state regulators. Legislators find this bill relevant as they want health insurance carriers to be responsible in the health insurance rate they offer to consumers. Insurance carriers criticized that the bill will temporarily lower health insurance rate while new carriers and small insurance businesses will be driven out of Atlanta health insurance industry since it's possible that they may not be able to cope up with the regulation.

Another major issue on Atlanta health insurance is the medical costs that have not yet been reimbursed under Medicaid, or government regulated health insurance program. Legislators are looking for ways to pay these costs which includes setting aside 10 dollars for every vehicle registration fee and increasing fines to drivers who "super speed' and use the fine for Medicare payments to affected hospitals.

Indeed, increasing medical costs resulted to high health insurance rate. Since the rising cost of medical care is inevitable, legislators are aiding in regulating and sustaining cost of health care in Atlanta. It is very challenging for politicians to balance health industry demand on revenues and the concern on public health welfare. It would take a lot of discussion, brainstorming, and cooperation from different sectors in Georgia State to create this balance in a legal, lawful, and feasible way.