Insurance premiums may increase to $221 from $107 for the average 25 year-old healthy male and to $763 from $536 for the average working family of four according to some published reports.

One reason people will pay more is because of the kinds of side deals that were cut to win votes in Congress.

For example, there is a special “carve-out” that exempts some of the largest insurers (such as the Blue Cross/Blue Shield “not-for-profit” companies) from paying their share of the cost of the reform – even though these are some of the most profitable insurance companies, they operate the same way as the other insurance companies and they pay millions to their top executives. Senator Carl Levin of Michigan proposed this special exemption that benefits his home state Michigan Blue Cross/Blue Shield. His top campaign contributor over the past five years is Michigan Blue Cross/Blue Shield, according to Opensecrets.org.

By exempting Michigan Blue Cross/Blue Shield and other “non-profits” from paying the health care tax, consumers in other states who are insured by “for-profit companies” will pay even higher insurance costs, especially in states like Ohio, Virginia, Missouri, New York, Connecticut and Nevada, among many others where most insurers are for-profits.

We should all be sure to tell Congress that we want health care reform that’s done right. Do away with special deals like the Levin Carve-Out that raise costs on working families.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!