Covered California Rate Increase 12.5% for 2018 (rated, companies, requirements)

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Yes the premiums raised a bit less in some cases, but you get less as well. The out of pocket expenses for the insured went up a LOT.
The news ignores the rise in out of pocket costs like co-pays and deductibles.

You didn't even bother to look at the sources I provided.

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

You didn't even bother to look at the sources I provided.

Obviously you did not read what you posted or what I said.

Premiums are only one level of expense and that is what the articles were talking about, not the other costs.

The others include co-pays and deductibles and they went up about 300%.

Now for very healthy people no big deal, but if you have any health concerns or a major medical issue, you pay a LOT more under current policies than before the ACA.

I had to pay the $6000.00 for a medical issue my wife had before the insurance would pay 1 dime.

Before the ACA I would only have had to pay $2000.00. The difference wipes out any gain under the ACA on premiums for years, with one treatment only needed. This is not uncommon at all.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Yes the premiums raised a bit less in some cases, but you get less as well. The out of pocket expenses for the insured went up a LOT.
The news ignores the rise in out of pocket costs like co-pays and deductibles.

You clearly didn't read them, if you had you would have found that deductibles did not significantly increase, this is from one of the sources cited on my post:
"Another unexpected result was that workers' deductibles — the health bills that workers must pay before their insurance coverage kicks in — remained stable this year at $1,221. Since 2010, as companies sought to keep premiums in check, deductibles have nearly doubled. Higher deductibles can limit premium increases because costs are shifted to workers and it gives them greater incentive to cut spending."
Employer health insurance premiums show a small rise, less than the increase for Obamacare plans - LA Times

and yet another source for you:
co-pays
"Whether they face a general annual deductible or not, a large share of covered workers also pay a portion of the cost when they visit an in-network physician. For primary care, 71% of covered workers have a copayment (a fixed dollar amount) when they visit a doctor and 22% have coinsurance (a percentage of the covered amount). For specialty care, 67% face a copayment and 26% face coinsurance. The average copayments are $25 for primary care and $38 for specialty care. The average coinsurance is 19% for primary and 19% for specialty care. These amounts are similar to those in 2016."
https://www.kff.org/report-section/e...y-of-findings/

deductibles
"Among covered workers with a general annual deductible, the average deductible amount for single coverage is $1,505, similar to the average deductible last year ($1,478). Twenty-one percent of covered workers in an HDHP with a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) and 2% of covered workers in a Health Savings Account (HSA)-qualified HDHP receive an account contribution for single coverage at least equal to their deductible, while another 35% of covered workers in an HDHP with an HRA and 30% of covered workers in an HSA-qualified HDHP receive account contributions that, if applied to their deductible, would reduce their cost sharing to less than $1,000."
https://www.kff.org/report-section/e...y-of-findings/

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

You clearly didn't read them, if you had you would have found that deductibles did not significantly increase, this is from one of the sources cited on my post:
"Another unexpected result was that workers' deductibles — the health bills that workers must pay before their insurance coverage kicks in — remained stable this year at $1,221. Since 2010, as companies sought to keep premiums in check, deductibles have nearly doubled. Higher deductibles can limit premium increases because costs are shifted to workers and it gives them greater incentive to cut spending."
Employer health insurance premiums show a small rise, less than the increase for Obamacare plans - LA Times

and yet another source for you:
co-pays
"Whether they face a general annual deductible or not, a large share of covered workers also pay a portion of the cost when they visit an in-network physician. For primary care, 71% of covered workers have a copayment (a fixed dollar amount) when they visit a doctor and 22% have coinsurance (a percentage of the covered amount). For specialty care, 67% face a copayment and 26% face coinsurance. The average copayments are $25 for primary care and $38 for specialty care. The average coinsurance is 19% for primary and 19% for specialty care. These amounts are similar to those in 2016."
https://www.kff.org/report-section/e...y-of-findings/

deductibles
"Among covered workers with a general annual deductible, the average deductible amount for single coverage is $1,505, similar to the average deductible last year ($1,478). Twenty-one percent of covered workers in an HDHP with a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) and 2% of covered workers in a Health Savings Account (HSA)-qualified HDHP receive an account contribution for single coverage at least equal to their deductible, while another 35% of covered workers in an HDHP with an HRA and 30% of covered workers in an HSA-qualified HDHP receive account contributions that, if applied to their deductible, would reduce their cost sharing to less than $1,000."
https://www.kff.org/report-section/e...y-of-findings/

Sorry but my plans went from a $20.00 copay to $60.00 and deductible went from $2000.00 to $6600.00. Major company. I checked other plans for the employees, including State plans, including CA, and all were as high or worse with less actual help.

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Sorry but my plans went from a $20.00 copay to $60.00 and deductible went from $2000.00 to $6600.00. Major company. I checked other plans for the employees, including State plans, including CA, and all were as high or worse with less actual help.

I'm not saying you are lying, but I would strongly suggest that you keep checking for better rates, that is out of line with the experience of other employers

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

I'm not saying you are lying, but I would strongly suggest that you keep checking for better rates, that is out of line with the experience of other employers

I always do. It is frustrating to see the changes that did not occur before the ACA.

If you know of an Insurance company with better coverage in these areas and a good premium rate, please let me know. We pay 100% of our employees premium.

I am actually in favor with a True Universal Health plan, but it must be implemented properly and have better service at all levels than the plans in other Countries.

[CA4Now]

Axing the mandate, which requires nearly all Americans to have health insurance or pay a penalty, would likely wreak havoc on the Obamacare market.

What repealing the Obamacare individual mandate would mean - Nov. 15, 2017

Eliminating the individual mandate may shift costs off the federal government’s ledger and help Republicans claim a lower financial burden of their tax plan. But the costs generated by people who go without insurance won’t go away — they’ll be picked up by those who continue to buy coverage, through higher premiums, more limited service, and greater uncompensated care demands.
http://thehill.com/opinion/healthcar...ates-more-long

[CA4Now]

"...enrollment on the HealthCare.gov insurance marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act will nearly equal the 2017 total despite uncertainty in the markets, a shorter enrollment period and steps by the administration that appeared aimed at discouraging people from signing up."

Obamacare signs-ups surge, despite Trump's calls for repeal - LA Times

[expatCA]

Originally Posted by CA4Now

"...enrollment on the HealthCare.gov insurance marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act will nearly equal the 2017 total despite uncertainty in the markets, a shorter enrollment period and steps by the administration that appeared aimed at discouraging people from signing up."

Obamacare signs-ups surge, despite Trump's calls for repeal - LA Times

Wonder how many pay full price and how many get help from the Gov't?

[Tulemutt]

Originally Posted by expatCA

Wonder how many pay full price and how many get help from the Gov't?

Why don't you look it up?