The Anthem business model is not sustainable from the point of view of its policyholders. Higher premiums, deductibles and co-pays continue to price many Maine small businesses and individuals out of insurance.

I realize that the growth of my wages cannot keep pace with the rapidly increasing cost of insurance, and I know my case is not extraordinary. People across Maine are outraged, facing life without insurance because they can’t afford the exploding premiums.

Anthem’s excuses for double-digit rate hikes are diverse, but Anthem is a wildly profitable corporation with no intentions of stabilizing the cost of its products. Last year, the state insurance commissioner denied Anthem’s application for an 18 percent rate hike, and after suing the state for a guaranteed profit margin, it applied again in 2010 for rate increases of up to 23 percent.

During a recession that has hit Maine residents and businesses really hard, Anthem feels entitled to a guaranteed profit on every policy it offers? What other business can expect this?

Anthem has pitted the insurance commissioner (the regulator responsible for attempting to control the unreasonable increases in premiums) against the Maine judicial system in its pursuit of profits.

Of course, the bill is ultimately passed on to ordinary Mainers. As Anthem prices its ratepayers out of policies, the individuals remaining are required to pay higher premiums to compensate for the smaller pool. What will our system of coverage look like in 10 years, considering this current trajectory of consistently rising insurance costs?

John Parsons, Durham