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That's only $1200-$1700 per year, depending on usage. Assuming the premiums are tax exempt, it reduces the real cost by another $300-400/yr. Nobody loves paying more, but this is still trivial, when compared to the cost that someone like WeLuvNC is looking at. And it is exactly why people, even young healthy people should not be allowed to go uninsured. It's not a "personal choice" when responsible people like myself (who has always paid for and kept insurance) are the ones that have to foot the bill when said "healthy person" defaults on their million dollar medical bill.
That's a significant credit on my taxes, and if I don't withdraw the funds (which I have never had to do), a significant amount of money sitting in a tax free earning account (hence the moniker Health Savings IRA). Not trivial to me.
But I agree with you - I have always been responsible and had health insurance. In fact, when I retired early, I was declined for individual coverage where we used to live (Arizona) by every insurance company that offered insurance in my county. Literally. We moved to NC almost entirely so that I could join Inclusive Health, the NC state run high risk pool. Guess what? BCBS of NC accepted me, albeit at a higher rate than standard, but still acceptable to me.
And that's the policy that I still have, that will be cancelled on 12/31/13. The cost of my new policy via the exchange will be $100 more per month and have an increased deductible. That's not trivial either, and smacks of unfairness. (BTW, my total medical and prescription costs have not exceeded $750 PER YEAR since 2007).
The reality of this is that the ACA isn't about providing healthcare. It's about providing health insurance. There were better ways of using tax dollars to fix our healthcare system without all of this.
Similar circumstances here. Carried a BCBS 10k deductible plan for the family, no need to carry a low deductible, and poof, vanished. My premiums go from $267/month to $869/month for a plan that is really not much better and I have no need for anyway. I will basically be paying another 7k a year for a $4500 break on a deductible. I have not decided what route to go yet, but I am not paying that.
I can tell you without ever seeing your plan that it is a very good thing that you did not have to depend on your plan for a serious illness or accident requiring extensive treatment/hospitalization. $267 a month for a family plan basically buys you a really shaky policy.
The average cost of a family plan in 2013 was over $16K according to a Kaiser study and that was the cost to the employer.
Any plan you buy today must include ambulatory patient services; emergency services; hospitalization; maternity and newborn care; mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; prescription drugs including birth control; rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management; and, pediatric services, including oral and vision care.
In addition all plans now include an end to lifetime limits, and end to arbitrary cancellations, coverage for existing conditions, coverage for preventive care like annual physicals, mammograms, and colonoscopies, and your son or daughter can stay on your plan until they are 26 years old.
I think that is because BCBS doesn't have any grandfathered plans to offer. Each year the plan was tweaked just a smidge so any chance of their plans being grandfathered went poof. Now, I could try to see if another company has grandfathered plans to offer, but BCBS wasn't going to point me to them in letter.
BCBS does have people on plans being grandfathered. It sounds like you did not meet the qualifications or it would have been one of your options. Again, as others have stated -- you cannot find a "grandfathered" plan. You can be grandfathered into your plan (if you and your plan meet certain requirements).
That's a significant credit on my taxes, and if I don't withdraw the funds (which I have never had to do), a significant amount of money sitting in a tax free earning account (hence the moniker Health Savings IRA). Not trivial to me.
But I agree with you - I have always been responsible and had health insurance. In fact, when I retired early, I was declined for individual coverage where we used to live (Arizona) by every insurance company that offered insurance in my county. Literally. We moved to NC almost entirely so that I could join Inclusive Health, the NC state run high risk pool. Guess what? BCBS of NC accepted me, albeit at a higher rate than standard, but still acceptable to me.
And that's the policy that I still have, that will be cancelled on 12/31/13. The cost of my new policy via the exchange will be $100 more per month and have an increased deductible. That's not trivial either, and smacks of unfairness. (BTW, my total medical and prescription costs have not exceeded $750 PER YEAR since 2007).
The reality of this is that the ACA isn't about providing healthcare. It's about providing health insurance. There were better ways of using tax dollars to fix our healthcare system without all of this.
Repping you for that last sentence. Curious though -- why buy through the Exchange if you're not getting a subsidy?
Curious though -- why buy through the Exchange if you're not getting a subsidy?
My understanding is that people use the Exchange to compare plans that are competing against one another to get their business.
I'm surprised to read the stories on this thread about plans costing more for less coverage. I've seen several stories like this on TV and each one gets debunked fairly quickly once people start looking more thoroughly at options.
Repping you for that last sentence. Curious though -- why buy through the Exchange if you're not getting a subsidy?
EXCELLENT question! I will be looking at what off-exchange products are available. However, I haven't done enough research or due diligence to comment on them.
BCBS of NC is not selling any individual products that are not in the exchange or grandfathered policies. So I'll be contacting other companies next week.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GotHereQuickAsICould
My understanding is that people use the Exchange to compare plans that are competing against one another to get their business.
I'm surprised to read the stories on this thread about plans costing more for less coverage. I've seen several stories like this on TV and each one gets debunked fairly quickly once people start looking more thoroughly at options.
Nothing to debunk on my situation. $100 more per month, $500 additional deductible, no subsidy. But, goody, I get maternity care, birth control and pediatric vision and oral services. Since I am 57 years old and childless, I'm not gaining anything. Just losing $1200 per year in premiums. The plan I had already covered mammos, annual physical and routine colonospcopy, btw.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WorkingMomof2
BCBS does have people on plans being grandfathered. It sounds like you did not meet the qualifications or it would have been one of your options. Again, as others have stated -- you cannot find a "grandfathered" plan. You can be grandfathered into your plan (if you and your plan meet certain requirements).
Correct. The main requirement for grandfathering was that your current plan was in force prior to March 23, 2010.
I can tell you without ever seeing your plan that it is a very good thing that you did not have to depend on your plan for a serious illness or accident requiring extensive treatment/hospitalization. $267 a month for a family plan basically buys you a really shaky policy.
The average cost of a family plan in 2013 was over $16K according to a Kaiser study and that was the cost to the employer.
Any plan you buy today must include ambulatory patient services; emergency services; hospitalization; maternity and newborn care; mental health and substance use disorder services, including behavioral health treatment; prescription drugs including birth control; rehabilitative and habilitative services and devices; laboratory services; preventive and wellness services and chronic disease management; and, pediatric services, including oral and vision care.
In addition all plans now include an end to lifetime limits, and end to arbitrary cancellations, coverage for existing conditions, coverage for preventive care like annual physicals, mammograms, and colonoscopies, and your son or daughter can stay on your plan until they are 26 years old.
I believe he stated his policy was BC/BS. I and most others wouldn't consider that "shaky." It would appear he had the coverage that he was comfortable with-catastrophic and is now being forced into much more expensive plan. I too have a similar situation. I can take some risk and I don't need to make an insurance claim for every little thing (like many people do). A 20k deductible would be fine as far as I'm concerned! Myself or my 60 year old girlfriend have NO need for maternity coverage!
EXCELLENT question! I will be looking at what off-exchange products are available. However, I haven't done enough research or due diligence to comment on them.
BCBS of NC is not selling any individual products that are not in the exchange or grandfathered policies. So I'll be contacting other companies next week.
Nothing to debunk on my situation. $100 more per month, $500 additional deductible, no subsidy. But, goody, I get maternity care, birth control and pediatric vision and oral services. Since I am 57 years old and childless, I'm not gaining anything. Just losing $1200 per year in premiums. The plan I had already covered mammos, annual physical and routine colonospcopy, btw.
Correct. The main requirement for grandfathering was that your current plan was in force prior to March 23, 2010.
With no changes since that time! Unfortunately as long as I can remember, any policy I had almost always made changes on an annual basis.
My understanding is that people use the Exchange to compare plans that are competing against one another to get their business.
I'm surprised to read the stories on this thread about plans costing more for less coverage. I've seen several stories like this on TV and each one gets debunked fairly quickly once people start looking more thoroughly at options.
Yes, you can use the Exchange to see competing plans side by side (like going to Orbitz or Travelocity), but not all insurers are selling on the Exchange, so you're not getting the full picture. IMO, the only reason to buy through the Exchange is if you qualify for a subsidy. Otherwise, why deal with the hassle?
And yes, I've read those same stories. Unfortunately, I haven't seen any in NC yet. I realize that everyone thinks that BCBSNC has a "monopoly" on the Exchange and that's what's driving prices up. But think about it this way... Most other insurers didn't want to participate on the NC exchange, and chose not to. If BCBSNC hadn't stepped up to offer coverage to the unknown risk pool, there would be no coverage available for subsidy-eligible folks (except for the few counties where Coventry is available). And there are laws in place that dictate the percentage of premium dollars dedicated to medical expenses. In BCBSNC's case, I believe 3% of every premium dollar goes to cover something other than medical expenses (i.e., overhead).
Again - as JKGourmet stated earlier -- ACA didn't fix healthcare costs. It just made health insurance accessible (if you get a subsidy or can afford it without one).
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