Preview

Care to take a stab at where premiums will be on 2015 Obamacare plans? Here is a preview of things to come.   

Two months before health insurers must submit rate proposals for 2015 to government regulators, WellPoint Inc. fired a surprising shot across their bow by predicting it may ask for “double-digit-plus” increases.

BenefitsPro

Double digit.

As in 10% and higher.

My money is on higher.

Of course this rocket surgeon has his own thoughts.

“The double-digit increase surprised me,” said Stephen Zaharuk, a New York-based analyst at Moody’s Investors Service, in a telephone interview. “If everything’s working according to plan, then the increases should be where the medical trend is, which should not be double-digit.”

Seriously?

Obviously Mr. Zaharuk has no clue how health insurance rates are determined. Maybe he should stick to predicting grocery prices.

“The rules of the road keep changing,” said Dan Mendelson, chief executive officer of Washington-based consulting firm Avalere Health. “These companies have to hedge their bets.”

Rule changes?

No kidding.

Expect DC to call for broader networks and expanded formularies, just to name a few.