If anyone was looking for a talking point on health care, here's one.
From the U.S. Census Bureau:
Real median household income remained unchanged between 2002 and 2003 at $43,318, according to a report released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
From USA Today:
$44,000 a year for health insurance?
...Insurer Cigna will raise rates for members of the group, which includes some in the Screen Actors Guild, an average of 82% in California and 65% in New Jersey next year.
Under the new rates, the most expensive plan in California will cost a family $3,685 a month, $44,220 a year. Less-expensive HMO plans will cost families $24,624. In New Jersey, an HMO will cost $10,260 a year for a single person and $30,372 for a family.
Continued below.
Cigna spokeswoman Gwyn Dilday says the insurer recently discovered it had been charging the group incorrectly for the past 10 years. She says the rate increase is needed because the group's costs are double that of similar-size groups, and Cigna has lost money on it during the past few years.
"These rates that we're offering are market competitive," Dilday says.
Health insurers are generally free to set prices as high as the market allows, although most states limit increases for policies covering small groups, those of two to 50 people. There are no limits for larger groups.