Notice: Health Care Costs Going Up, NOT because of Reform!

Let's face it, health care reform won't bring prices down, but it will subsidize those costs with tax credits to Americans. Those who choose not to take the tax credit, and tea party protesters are free to do that, will pay the resulting tax they took a pass on. Sound unconstitutional? Get serious. But the news here is rising costs have nothing to do with reform, it's just the same old, same old:

(AP)-Health Insurance going up, not because of reform: Companies that offer employee health insurance expect another steep jump in medical costs next year, and more will ask workers to share a bigger chunk of the expense, according to a new PricewaterhouseCoopers report. Two years ago, only 25 percent of companies participating in the annual survey said they asked employees to pay deductibles of $400 or more. That grew to 43 percent in 2010 and is expected to pass 50 percent next year.

The health care reform law passed by Congress and then signed by President Obama in March has just started to unfold and will have little impact on costs next year, said Michael Thompson, a principal with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

"In general, it's a continuation of a fairly high rate of medical inflation," he said.

Kind of a big drop, wouldn't you say. And like the Republican/Libertarian Party, you're on your own and have yourself to blame if you get old and sick. And for those Republicans who complained employers will soon be dropping their employee coverage do to "Obama Care," they should be made aware that that trend started a few years ago.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers report also found a steep drop in the percentage of employers that subsidize retiree health coverage. It said only 22 percent of employers with more than 5,000 workers subsidized retiree coverage after age 65
this year. That's down from 37 percent in 2009.