re: #152 Killgore Trout

The thought had crossed my mind that the recent hike in my insurance is because the insurance companies are milking the remaining days of free reign.

Not so much, but close. They’re doing the same thing the credit card companies are doing in anticipation of the looming change in rules - they’re establishing precedent, so when the new rules kick in they’ll have established a higher baseline from which to charge, negotiate or whatever avenue they may take. Every plan currently under consideration retains private insurance, at least in theory; they aren’t going to go away, and the premiums they charge are going to remain much the same. Regulation may seek to freeze them, but actually cutting rates would be political suicide. By raising rates now, they’re ensuring that any future locks or restraints on increases will at least retain the rates already in existence.