Washington's Health Insurance Exchange 2016 Enrollment (Olympia, Snohomish: low income, 2015, credit)

[Olympian2]

Having been motivated to participate in several threads over the last two years discussing the generally specific issues computed by the broken assed code previously encountered in https://www.wahealthplanfinder.org/ operated by Washington Health Benefit Exchange - Washington Health Benefit Exchange, I can report that I seemingly enrolled for 2016 health insurance on the exchange without a glitch today. Well, the website didn't crash, and it reports that I am enrolled.

But the primary problems with the insurance exchange in the past were with its perniciously taunting billing system. While more examples exist in my previous posts, the most memorable threat challenged to me by the exchange was cancellation of my health insurance unless I paid that bill for $0.00 which was due immediately. I would have flagged myself for "piling on" if I had posted about the incident earlier in 2015 when the Washington Health Benefit Exchange had another overbilling oops which generated "We are so sorry about this unacceptable incident." letters. The exchange "fixed" their billings bugs by simply deleting that portion of the software that the state bought from Oracle, with the insurance companies now handling the billing procedure.

Related to the insurance being exchanged but not to Larry Ellison's yachts, my insurance premium increased 13.8%, my deductible increased from $2,500 to $3,000 (20%), while my tax credits increased by 10%. And I only found three participants on the insurance exchange: Premera Blue Cross, LifeWise (a subsidiary of Premera Blue Cross), and in this corner, UnitedHealthcare.


We'll Let You Know of any further progress or problems.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

How is your premium? Did it increase or remain the same? I might have to make the leap, next year & I'm dreading it.

[Olympian2]

I posted the rate increases, but I can understand how they could have been overlooked by the poorly considered odd twist joke appended to my post - A King Crimson instrumental that I had not listened to in 15 years.

Rounding to integers, my insurance premium increased by 14% while my tax credits on my unchanged income increased by 10%, so that is just a 4% net increase in monthly premiums. But then my deductible increased by $500 or 20%, so "My healthcare costs increased by 4% plus up to $500." is the best answer to your question. (The increase in the deductible is not likely to be widely advertised.)

Besides the exchange's software seeming to actually function, what I had thought was the next most interesting finding - there being only two companies left on the exchange - is not broadly correct. I only found LifeWise/Premera and UnitedHealthcare plans offered to my geodemographic segmentation, but the matter is more complicated than my anecdotal report initially revealed.

Here we can read the Insurance Commissioner's political advertisement: 136 health plans approved with average 4.2 percent rate change. If you explore the first URL offered Individual Exchange Market: 2015 approved plans, you will find all of the new competitors on the exchange got to cherry pick counties where they choose to do business. With Moda abruptly exiting the Washington market completely on Oct. 28, there should have been 3 competitors for Olympian's private insurance on the exchange. However, careful reading of Regence BlueShield's Nov. 1, 2015 announcement suggests that they abruptly decided to focus on King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties.

I am not going to embed a YouTube video of Annette Funicello dancing with other Mouseketeers on the Mickey Mouse Club as that would compromise serious discussion on this topic.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

Well, this must be why my spouse's co- workers are paying the penalty & hoping for the best...

[pnwguy2]

Establish residency. Then apply for the Apple Plan. Does not matter what your income is, unless it is over 15K or 27K for a family. If you fall below then your health care if free, Welcome to the Socialisit communuty of Wasington. Enjoy! And be sure to thank your millionaire friends.

[pnwguy2]

I will backtrack a bit here. Washington is not socialist, but it is liberal, atleast west of the Cascade crest. Take what you will from this. But the bottom line is if you have a low income, despite your other assets, you will pay little or nothing for healthcare. I don't think this is necessarily wrong, but does bring up the question of a "means" test, which does not currently exist. Thoughts on this? If someone has a million in net worth, with little income, should they be eligible for free health care? Right now, they do. Is this the right way to go? Or do those who are well off can depend on not being bankrupt from a serious medical issue? These topics get little play these days, but are important questions.

[Seacove]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

I will backtrack a bit here. Washington is not socialist, but it is liberal, atleast west of the Cascade crest. Take what you will from this. But the bottom line is if you have a low income, despite your other assets, you will play little or nothing for healthcare. I don't think this is necessarily wrong, but does bring up the question of a "means" test, which does not currently exist. Thoughts on this? If someone has a million in net worth, with little income, should they be eligible for free health care? Right now, they do.

"

I have no problem with long term Washington residents receiving Apple Care. I just think we need to establish a lengthy residency requirement so newcomers can't move here for the coverage.

[Scotty Dosent Know]

WAhealth plan finder, what a f**king joke. My wife and I are paying $550/month for both of us with a $21,000.00 deductible and its apparently going up next year. We are both independent contractors so to avoid the situation she just got a part time job at Starbucks so we can get health insurance through them. Whats another 20hrs a week when you already work 60 right?

[Olympian2]

Originally Posted by pnwguy2

But the bottom line is if you have a low income, despite your other assets, you will pay little or nothing for healthcare. I don't think this is necessarily wrong, but does bring up the question of a "means" test, which does not currently exist.

Apple Health, which you referenced in a previous post, is a polite rephrasing of Medicaid, and along with an income limit, there is a resource limit on Apple Health. I posted some numbers and URLs during previous discussions, but I would guess that the figures have changed and the URLs seem to have gone stale. This cryptic PDF is the best income / resource that I can currently find: http://www.hca.wa.gov/medicaid/eligi...estandards.pdf . The resource limits were rather small, around 3 thousand dollars, with a percentage of the value of one - and only one - vehicle counting towards resources. (The current resource limits seem to be represented by "MN RESOURCES" in that PDF.) One number clear in that PDF is a home equity limit of $552,000, so some abuse of Apple Health could be possible.

Eligibility for insurance subsidies is based solely upon income and not resources. Again, there could be some abuse, but it would take Congressional action to change that, which isn't going to happen anytime soon.