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I'm having to again initiate health insurance coverage out-of-pocket (not through an employer). Previously, as in last year, it was in the $300 range. Looking again in the past few days, the lowest I've seen is in the $600 range. That's a significant change; doubling in costs.
What's up with this? I have a theory, but would like feedback. Anyone else seeing this kind of thing?
Did you look to see if the kind of plans being offered has changed? Are you comparing the same insurance company and the same plan?
If you're buying through the healthcare.gov exchange for the ACA plans, there are HMOs and PPOs. There may also be limited insurance companies selling coverage.
The cost may jump significantly because an insurance company who sold at lower rates decided not to sell in your state in 2019.
The cost may jump because ins. cos. are not going to offer the cheaper HMOs in 2019.
The cost may jump because the deductibles or coinsurance were lowered (in other words, it's not the exact same plan you looked at last year).
So...not enough information. To compare, look at the SAME PLAN you looked at last year, by the SAME INSURANCE COMPANY, and see if the deductible, coinsurance, & other provisions detailing costs is the same. If all of that is the same, and the price went up, then there was a price increase.
(I'm not buying the ACA for next year, but I got notice in the mail from the same ins. co. I had this year that the cost for the plan is going DOWN next year. But I didn't look to see if it's the exact same plan, same deductible and other provisions.)
"Health insurance — never a standard protection in the U.S. as it is in other wealthy countries — has long divided Americans, providing generous benefits to some and slim-to-no protections to others.
But a steep run-up in deductibles, which have more than tripled in the last decade, has worsened inequality, fueling anger and resentment."
Deductibles have more than tripled over the last decade for people who get insurance through their jobs, but the promised consumer revolution never materialized. Instead, Americans have been left shopping in the dark and increasingly struggling with medical bills they can’t afford.
Our insurance costs have gone up greatly every year since the ACA was enacted. Just got the BCBS PPO 2019 plan and here are our costs for a husband and wife:
Monthly premium: $1000
Individual deductible: $6650 each
Yes, terrible. We are self employed.
About the only good news is that preventive care is still covered at 100 percent and that after we meet our huge deductibles, everything in network (and it is a good network) is covered at 100 percent. So there's that.
Ugh.
My husband works for a very large employer. That is what we have. It used to cost us about $500 per month, no deductible, $10 doctor visits, $25 specialist, $75 ER.
Now it’s $1500 per month premium, $25 doctor, $75 specialist, $250 ER plus $6k per person deductible and yearly physical/preventive care is no longer free and deductible applies in network or out.
So glad others have insurance but now I can no longer afford to use mine.
My husband works for a very large employer. That is what we have. It used to cost us about $500 per month, no deductible, $10 doctor visits, $25 specialist, $75 ER.
Now it’s $1500 per month premium, $25 doctor, $75 specialist, $250 ER plus $6k per person deductible and yearly physical/preventive care is no longer free and deductible applies in network or out.
So glad others have insurance but now I can no longer afford to use mine.
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