One key finding of the Oliver Wyman study is that reforms must include a strong requirement for all individuals to purchase health insurance to ensure affordability.  The Oliver Wyman study concludes, “…failing to include an effective personal responsibility requirement could result in the failure of reform by causing premiums to skyrocket for all those who responsibly purchase coverage.” 

The Oliver Wyman study concluded that due to the weak individual mandate currently included within the health insurance legislation working its way through Congress, premiums will increase by $1,500 for individuals and $3,300 for families on average nationally.  In New Jersey, the study concluded that small employers could see premiums increase by nearly 20 percent.

William J. Marino, President & CEO of Horizon BCBSNJ discusses the new Oliver Wyman study in a new video on www.NJHealthReform.com.  Marino says in the video that recent amendments to health care reform legislation “underscores the importance of the Oliver Wyman study because it demonstrates that proposed reforms will increase health care costs, making health insurance less affordable.  This will cause people to, once again, be priced out of the market, drop coverage, and cause government deficits to grow - leaving us with failed reform and putting us right back where we started.”

To watch Bill Marino speak to the Oliver Wyman report and other health reform issues please visit:  www.NJHealthReform.com.  At the site you can also read the entire Oliver Wyman study entitled – “Insurance Reforms Must Include a Strong Individual Mandate and Other Key Provisions to Ensure Affordability.”