Those surpluses would buy a lot of catfood

Good thing health-care reform preserved the ability of so-called non-profit insurance groups not to have competition in the form of a public option:

The report released Thursday by Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, found that seven of 10 Blue Cross Blue Shield affiliates examined had amassed surpluses more than three times the level regulators deemed necessary for them to remain solvent.

For instance at the close of 2009, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona had a surplus of $717 billion million, more than seven times the regulatory minimum. The same year the company raised premiums for its individual market customers between 8.8 percent and 18.4 percent.

Oh, what to do...say, bring back the public option?

What, save money and help tens of millions of Americans?

Nah, rich people gotta be richer, the rest of us have to work until we die...in debt for our medical expenses though, so that will show 'em.

Hey, this plan worked for the Romanovs, sort of.

(h/t AmericaBlog)

(pic via Abu.Hummus at Flickr)

[cross-posted at Firedoglake]

*note error in original WaPo article corrected thanks to commenter Showman at FDL