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Old 10-25-2012, 05:30 PM
 
Location: Florida/winter & Maine/Summer
1,179 posts, read 2,483,742 times
Reputation: 1170

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I received a notice in the mail the other day that my health insurance was going to go up a possible maximum of 47%. All of this increase can be attributed to the new law in Maine. I was told the increase would occur on the 1st of November. I wrote to the state protesting the ridiculous increase and received a very lengthy email.

It was strange, but while I was in Bangor today, I heard a political commercial stating the same thing had happened to someone else. They stated the new law was a boon to insurance companies, and it was thrust upon us by the Republicans.

It gives insurance companies great latitude in taking GEOGRAPHICAL location into account when adjusting rates. Remember all the noise about this law.....well come to find out, it gives people in the southern part of the state, and the rest of us pick up the slack. The law was supposed to make more companies come to Maine, but I haven't seen that yet. The worst part is there will be a massive increase in 2013, and 2014 that will be permitted by the state.

They gave me a ton of yada yada about how the rates weren't discriminatory. BALONEY....does anyone remember the map of the State of Maine showing whose rates would increase and whose would decrease. Shades of the Volvo line but its not also the insurance line. Stay below it and get sa break, go north and take one on the chin. I haven't seen companies coming in large numbers either. Personally, I think every person in Mine over 55 should drop health insurance, and just show up at the hospital door and make them treat them....guess what.....for FREE! This rate increase is nothing but cherry picking, plain and simple.

This law does exactly what people said, let us downeast and up north take one for southern Maine.
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Old 10-25-2012, 07:37 PM
 
Location: Northern Maine
10,428 posts, read 18,620,776 times
Reputation: 11562
Welcome to our world. It is intentional. They are doing what the Brookings Institution told them top do to accelerate rural cleansing. Pssst. It isn't working. We have a lot of holdouts, but the squeeze is on us. In fact, Mainers are coming home. Today's Bangor Daily News has an article encouraging young Mainers to accept a lower standard of living. It's on Page A6 above the fold. I'll be covering this and several other stories including Sandy on tomorrow's show.
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Old 10-26-2012, 07:30 AM
 
Location: Florida/winter & Maine/Summer
1,179 posts, read 2,483,742 times
Reputation: 1170
I happen to agree with you on rural cleansing of Maine. What I don't get is why people seem to be so hard on the older people up here in Maine. There are things they could do to help older Mainers, that most other states already do. For instance an additional homestead exemption for those over 65. There are a few states that exempt school taxes for those over 65 who have no children in school. I know that is a touchy subject since school taxes make up a good portion of the tax burden. I know Mainers don't want to hear how other states do things, but if these were passed, would it not equalize the tax burden? From what I gather, older Mainers pay a greater percentage of taxes than younger ones. That just seems upside down.

I wonder what Maine will do when the older generation dies off and are not there to pay taxes? Since it's mostly older people who are moving to Maine the population will largely be older people.
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Old 10-26-2012, 07:53 AM
 
Location: Maine's garden spot
3,467 posts, read 7,216,499 times
Reputation: 4018
Quote:
Originally Posted by maine4.us View Post
I happen to agree with you on rural cleansing of Maine. What I don't get is why people seem to be so hard on the older people up here in Maine. There are things they could do to help older Mainers, that most other states already do. For instance an additional homestead exemption for those over 65. There are a few states that exempt school taxes for those over 65 who have no children in school. I know that is a touchy subject since school taxes make up a good portion of the tax burden. I know Mainers don't want to hear how other states do things, but if these were passed, would it not equalize the tax burden? From what I gather, older Mainers pay a greater percentage of taxes than younger ones. That just seems upside down.

I wonder what Maine will do when the older generation dies off and are not there to pay taxes? Since it's mostly older people who are moving to Maine the population will largely be older people.


Well, where I come from, we did it this way....
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Old 10-26-2012, 08:52 AM
 
Location: NJ
23,435 posts, read 17,113,855 times
Reputation: 17461
"Well, where I come from, we did it this way...."

What's your point?
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Old 10-26-2012, 12:49 PM
 
Location: On a Slow-Sinking Granite Rock Up North
3,638 posts, read 6,151,435 times
Reputation: 2677
Quote:
Originally Posted by maine4.us View Post
I happen to agree with you on rural cleansing of Maine. What I don't get is why people seem to be so hard on the older people up here in Maine. There are things they could do to help older Mainers, that most other states already do. For instance an additional homestead exemption for those over 65. There are a few states that exempt school taxes for those over 65 who have no children in school. I know that is a touchy subject since school taxes make up a good portion of the tax burden. I know Mainers don't want to hear how other states do things, but if these were passed, would it not equalize the tax burden? From what I gather, older Mainers pay a greater percentage of taxes than younger ones. That just seems upside down.

I wonder what Maine will do when the older generation dies off and are not there to pay taxes? Since it's mostly older people who are moving to Maine the population will largely be older people.
If so many things weren't mandated by the state and federal entities (and promptly not funded in any way shape or form by them) it would make that easier for this to occur. As we all know, there is no such thing as an 'unfunded' mandate. The towns pick up the costs.

I view it as a vicious cyrcle. On the one hand, we want young people to stay and raise families in the state, but on the other hand, we allow mandates (yes, some are necessary but others are just ridiculous in many small towns) then what can we really expect?
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Old 10-26-2012, 04:42 PM
 
1,878 posts, read 2,874,649 times
Reputation: 2047
Quote:
Originally Posted by maine4.us View Post
I happen to agree with you on rural cleansing of Maine. What I don't get is why people seem to be so hard on the older people up here in Maine. There are things they could do to help older Mainers, that most other states already do. For instance an additional homestead exemption for those over 65. There are a few states that exempt school taxes for those over 65 who have no children in school. I know that is a touchy subject since school taxes make up a good portion of the tax burden. I know Mainers don't want to hear how other states do things, but if these were passed, would it not equalize the tax burden? From what I gather, older Mainers pay a greater percentage of taxes than younger ones. That just seems upside down.

I wonder what Maine will do when the older generation dies off and are not there to pay taxes? Since it's mostly older people who are moving to Maine the population will largely be older people.
Haven't you figured it out yet? Mainers are counting on the outah statahs that move to Maine to foot the bill. They're the ones who can afford it.

When one generation dies off, another takes their place. Otherwise, there wouldn't be anyone in Maine. How many homestead exemptions are needed? There is already a homestead exemption. We have all either been a child or had children or grandchildren. More importantly, we all benefit from an educated society. An education is a key that can unlock doors, assist in the pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness, provide a job and a paycheck. Illiteracy is costly. (Everyone who now wants to attack public schools and the students who are underachievers, please skip it.) When they grow up and get a job and buy a home, they will also pay property taxes, right? Don't want to pay property taxes to support schools? Would you suggest closing the schools?

Ssshhhhh, maine4.us--you thought it and now you've typed it. You're right--Mainers don't want to hear how other states do things. Taxes are used to pay for many services; if one tax is cut or another exemption is added, something else must take it's place....heaven forbid there would be any spending cuts....not talking about cutting back on educating children. Look at the young girl from Pakistan who was shot because she wanted an education--aspires to be a doctor. We need more children and parents who hunger that much for an education. Too many Americans take the opportunity to get an education too much for granted....just my opinion of course. Shot Pakistani girl recovering fast in UK: father | Reuters

Back to your original post, do you suppose that the cost increases have anything to do with the national health care law as parts of it take effect. Someone has to pay for all of that.

Last edited by mainegrl2011; 10-26-2012 at 05:15 PM..
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Old 10-26-2012, 07:43 PM
 
Location: Northern Maine
10,428 posts, read 18,620,776 times
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"There are things they could do to help older Mainers, that most other states already do. For instance an additional homestead exemption for those over 65."

We have such a thing. Towns assess taxes on a property. If the tax is a burden on the elderly they are allowed a partial or total rebate. However, the taxes due accumulate. When the property is eventually transferred, the town gets the back taxes due. This allows the homeowner to stay in his home as long as he can. It's in the statutes that towns can exercise this option, but they must do it fairly, not just to relatives and friends of town officials. This does not apply to woodlots or camps. It must be a primary residence.
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Old 10-27-2012, 04:33 AM
 
Location: 3.5 sq mile island ant nest next to Canada
3,036 posts, read 5,869,606 times
Reputation: 2170
Quote:
Originally Posted by maine4.us View Post
I happen to agree with you on rural cleansing of Maine. What I don't get is why people seem to be so hard on the older people up here in Maine. There are things they could do to help older Mainers, that most other states already do. For instance an additional homestead exemption for those over 65. There are a few states that exempt school taxes for those over 65 who have no children in school. I know that is a touchy subject since school taxes make up a good portion of the tax burden. I know Mainers don't want to hear how other states do things, but if these were passed, would it not equalize the tax burden? From what I gather, older Mainers pay a greater percentage of taxes than younger ones. That just seems upside down.

I wonder what Maine will do when the older generation dies off and are not there to pay taxes? Since it's mostly older people who are moving to Maine the population will largely be older people.

Taxes suck. Pure and simple. But I want those services the town and county afford through taxation. It's like payng insurance premiums. Most likely I won't need car or fire insurance. The insurance company bets I won't and I am betting that I will sooner or later (hoefully never). With taxes, I'm betting I'll need a cop and not have to wait for him to come from Danforth, or a fire department. And I want the kids in town to get a good education. If I feel they are not getting that I can go to the school board and arguee my position. Let's face it, we either pay to educate them or to house them in jail/prison. Sometimes we do both. And I want an ambulance and trained crew at teh ready. I hope and pray I don't need them but I'm willing to have them standing by just in case.

If I get an extra exemption for being old and you don't guess who is going to make up the difference in taxes? You. The town still needs the money to run on for the year. If one person gets to pay less then others are going to have to chip in a bit more. Right now the state only funds half of the homestead exemption. The towns have to pick up the other half. Guess where that money comes from? The town budget. And of that half the state will reimburse the town, they only have to pay 60%. Not that they pay back that much; it's their choice depending on how well the state did the year before.

Crap is expensive to buy now; heating fuel, electricity, sand for the roads. Taxes suck but if we had decent paying jobs (or just jobs, period) it wouldn't be so much of a burden. And a lot of other places pay a lot more fro about the same. There are no easy answers to it. Hopefully it starts getting better soon. I can't afford another 4 years like this.
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Old 10-29-2012, 06:54 AM
 
Location: Florida/winter & Maine/Summer
1,179 posts, read 2,483,742 times
Reputation: 1170
Great posts guys, but insurance has always been about spreading the cost among all people. I guess it is really a redistribution of wealth that people openly agree with. This law is nothing but a simple way to gain new votes from a younger, southern Maine population.
It's known as cherry picking. Many insurers openly practice it in auto insurance. Health insurance to me is a different item all together. When you pass a law as PL 90, you simply price a large population out of the market. That is exactly what it was designed to do, and is just now beginning to do. Only the people who don't need insurance will be able to afford it. I don't have an issue with charging older, sicker people a higher premium, but not 2 to 3 times as much. My increase can be up to 47%, that is in the insurance companies website, hidden on the last page.

I don't think either of the Presidential candidates, if elected, are going to turn the country around. It's people that are going to do that, if they ever do. The 8 years before Obama were much worse financially on me than the last 4 years. I don't want this thread to turn into a Presidential issue.
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