Health Insurance for Expediters; What do You See?

[ATeam]

This seems to be a sea-change year in the world of health insurance as Obamacare becomes available to more and more people.

What are you seeing with your own health insurance? Will you be getting health insurance that you did not have before? Will you be giving it up? What about costs? Has your health insurance strategy changed?

 

[ATeam]

Diane and I have had a good health insurance policy from the first day we started expediting. We would not want to be out here without good coverage. By "good" I mean that we can walk into almost any medical facility anywhere in the country and be treated without payment hassles before, during or after. We have that kind of policy but it is expensive and has become more so over the years as we age. This year, we have seen the biggest spike ever, due, we think, to our increasing age, but mostly due to the impact of Obamacare.

Our strategy remains unchanged. We want good health insurance and we are resigned to paying the price.

 

[WanderngFool]

I'm hearing that health care costs are rising, but rising slower now than prior to Obamacare. My confidence level in the stats is not 100% though. The people I'm following are generally biased towards us getting real health care (finally!!!) and they might well be cherry picking their stats.

I will say this though. Insurance under Obamacare really is insurance. "Insurance" before Obamacare was them just being fair weather friends. As long as we didn't need them we all got along just fine, but if you got really sick, they'd drop you like a bad habit. That's not insurance, that's just corporate welfare.

 

[RoadTime]

I currently have a high deductible ($10k) plan that offers nothing until reached, more of a catastrophic plan. It does give some discounts on services, but everything still comes out of pocket. If the government ever gets the site working right, I will be changing to the exchange. From what I have been able to see so far, I will be able to get much better usable insurance for not a whole lot more then I pay now. Maybe less if I can get a subsidy, which it looks like I may. So that's my plan. If it pans out like they say, I will be happy and better insured.

 

[LDB]

Before Obamacare I had a good BCBS plan at a good rate. Post Obamacare it went up and went up until it was no longer reasonable at all. Obamacare might be good for some but for most it will be krap, just like it's authors and namesake.

 

[davekc]

Ours will go up in premiums about 40 percent. Most due to covering items we wouldn't even use, like mental health, pregnancy, services for children and the list goes on. We carry a high deductible but we use that in concert with a HSA plan that I have had since 04.

 

[WanderngFool]

Before Obamacare I had a good BCBS plan at a good rate. Post Obamacare it went up and went up until it was no longer reasonable at all. Obamacare might be good for some but for most it will be krap, just like it's authors and namesake.

Having "insurance" that was really just a fair weather corporate welfare scam where they could drop you anytime you became negative cash flow was better than having real insurance?

 

[davekc]

What I don't like with the new plans I seen is providing coverage for items that I would never use. Why should I pay for that? As of 2014 I will have coverage for pregnancy, mental health, drug addiction, dental, optical, for kids, and a handful of other items including womens birth control. None of which I would use.

 

[LDB]

Having "insurance" that was really just a fair weather corporate welfare scam where they could drop you anytime you became negative cash flow was better than having real insurance?

What real insurance? I had real insurance until Obamacare priced it out of reach.

 

[ATeam]

I have paid little attention to health insurance in recent years because so much about it was uncertain and clouded by the ongoing political debate. Diane and I had insurance that was working for us and that was good enough. But things seem to be changing now and I am no longer certain that good health insurance will be available to us at an affordable rate.

This excerpt from Forbes magazine was informative as I begin to learn more about our options in the new world, so to speak:

"As you know if you’ve been following this space, Obamacare’s bevy of mandates, regulations, taxes, and fees drives up the cost of the insurance plans that are offered under the law’s public exchanges. A Manhattan Institute analysisI helped conduct found that, on average, the cheapest plan offered in a given state, under Obamacare, will be 99 percent more expensive for men, and 62 percent more expensive for women, than the cheapest plan offered under the old system. And those disparities are even wider for healthy people.

"That raises an obvious question. If 50 million people are uninsured today, mainly because insurance is too expensive, why is it better to make coverage even costlier?

"The answer is that Obamacare wasn’t designed to help healthy people with average incomes get health insurance. It was designed to force those people to pay more for coverage, in order to subsidize insurance for people with incomes near the poverty line, and those with chronic or costly medical conditions."

This seems to be exactly what is going on now. While we are healthier than we have been in many years (gym membership, improved diet and nutrition), Diane's and my health insurance rates are skyrocketing while millions of people enroll in the new system at a much lower cost. We're OK for now, but for how long I do not know. It all depends on how this all shakes out. Many unknowns remain.

 

[davekc]

The threshold in my opinion will hit in the second year and beyond. For example, a driver in the second year that makes 50k, will pay a 1,000 dollar fine based on 2 percent. And of course it increases after that.
Additionally, many of the lower (bronze) plans carry a deductible of 12k plus. That is a potential problem for many. No services basically until that is paid for the year.
Many will be paying a premuim that is basically a tax to pay for the poor. If one wants to use their insurance, better have the deductible available.
Wonder if the fools that voted for Obama knew this was coming?

 

[wvcourier]

I will deduct untill I reach poverty level, then get subsidies ,maybe even a refund. Thats how im hoping it works out.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using EO Forums mobile app

 

[Murraycroexp]

Our BCBS plan went up $35-$40 per month each, last month.
Of course the notice was accompanied by a letter clearly attributing the premium increase to Obamacare.
Thanks POTUS!!!!

 

[pandora2112]

When we started expediting Obamacare was already in the cards and we paid cash for any medical services needed. I would like to get insurance but with the rising costs most people are seeing I'm really wondering if it'll be worth it. I have a friend who doesn't smoke, eats healthy, exercises often has no health issues but rheumatoid arthritis. When she was only 19-20 she got the current health insurance plan she has, she's kept it almost 18 years. After this year she's being priced right out of her plan! She kept this plan, which was a good plan because she had a pre existing condition...which is one of the big selling points on obamacare, no more turn downs. Yet what good is no more turning down pre existing conditions if most people are being priced right out of the good coverage they had?
With the website issues Obamacare is having, rising premiums and my general belief that our government can't run itself let alone healthcare to be honest I'm not sure what we'll do. We are in our late 30's, so really we need to be prepared for the typical issues of aging but we shall see if can afford to age!

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[BobWolf]

Here is the reason health insurance is so expensive..
The original intention for health insurance was to pay for the high ticket items. Hospital stay, surgery, major things that would have bankrupted someone twenty thirty years ago.
Over the past twenty years people have turned health insurance into a private welfare card to pay for a docks visit, medications, elective procedures, and services.

A good comparison would be using your vehicle insurance to pay for an oil changes truck washes, and fuel.

Doctors, pharmacies, and hospitals, even other trades like building Contractors and body shops are required to provide services at a reduced rate if they want to participate in the insurance programs. EVEN IF ITS LESS THAN WHAT IT COSTS TO DO BUSINESS.. This extra is unfortunately passed on to the uninsured. To make matters worse the hospitals used to be operated by a Chief Medical Physician. In other words, doctors that typically cared about people and loved the medical profession. They are now operated by a C.E.O. they only care about and love money.
The big picture is we live in an entitlement society, and those of us who believe in being productive will get stuck with the bill.

Be safe.
Bob Wolf

 

[BobWolf]

Ill also play Devils advacate for the insurance companies. If you are going to be a money pit why should they give you the same rate as someone who only visits a doc when its necessary?
I always belived that health insurance should be graded like auto and home owners insurance. If you make a claim on every little scratch and ding like doc visits and meds you pay more. If you go a few years between claims and save it for major things you total your car because you hit a deer or moose in other words, a major illness, disease, or trauma you pay less.

Bob Wolf

 

[cheri1122]

I have paid little attention to health insurance in recent years because so much about it was uncertain and clouded by the ongoing political debate. Diane and I had insurance that was working for us and that was good enough. But things seem to be changing now and I am no longer certain that good health insurance will be available to us at an affordable rate.

This excerpt from Forbes magazine was informative as I begin to learn more about our options in the new world, so to speak:

"As you know if you’ve been following this space, Obamacare’s bevy of mandates, regulations, taxes, and fees drives up the cost of the insurance plans that are offered under the law’s public exchanges. A Manhattan Institute analysisI helped conduct found that, on average, the cheapest plan offered in a given state, under Obamacare, will be 99 percent more expensive for men, and 62 percent more expensive for women, than the cheapest plan offered under the old system. And those disparities are even wider for healthy people.

"That raises an obvious question. If 50 million people are uninsured today, mainly because insurance is too expensive, why is it better to make coverage even costlier?

"The answer is that Obamacare wasn’t designed to help healthy people with average incomes get health insurance. It was designed to force those people to pay more for coverage, in order to subsidize insurance for people with incomes near the poverty line, and those with chronic or costly medical conditions."

This seems to be exactly what is going on now. While we are healthier than we have been in many years (gym membership, improved diet and nutrition), Diane's and my health insurance rates are skyrocketing while millions of people enroll in the new system at a much lower cost. We're OK for now, but for how long I do not know. It all depends on how this all shakes out. Many unknowns remain.

I'm not defending Obamacare, [I plan to continue paying cash as I go for medical expenses, as the fine is and will be for years, less expensive than the plans I've seen] but I understood the premise to be that enrolling younger and healthier people would drive costs down. If it does, that wouldn't be clear for awhile yet.
Also: did the analysis include the subsidies offered for consumers?
I fail to see how health insurance lowers the costs for anyone, unless they have chronic or major medical bills. Having neither, I opt to pay the fine instead. If enough people do that, the message will be clear: health insurance is not affordable, unless you make a lot of money.

PS Health insurance isn't always what it's cracked up to be: my first pregnancy, the insurance paid exactly what the doctor charged, leaving the hospital and all other bills to be paid out of pocket. And the premiums I'd paid in amounted to 5 times what they paid on my behalf. Some deal, eh? I think insurance benefits the insurance companies, and the health care providers, but the patients: not so much.

 

[zorry]

I worked Union during the birth of my two children.
The first one I paid $2 per day for the TV rental.
The other I don't remember. It must have been minimal.

THAT was great insurance !

 

[Deville]

Here is the reason health insurance is so expensive..
The original intention for health insurance was to pay for the high ticket items. Hospital stay, surgery, major things that would have bankrupted someone twenty thirty years ago.
Over the past twenty years people have turned health insurance into a private welfare card to pay for a docks visit, medications, elective procedures, and services.

A good comparison would be using your vehicle insurance to pay for an oil changes truck washes, and fuel.

Doctors, pharmacies, and hospitals, even other trades like building Contractors and body shops are required to provide services at a reduced rate if they want to participate in the insurance programs. EVEN IF ITS LESS THAN WHAT IT COSTS TO DO BUSINESS.. This extra is unfortunately passed on to the uninsured. To make matters worse the hospitals used to be operated by a Chief Medical Physician. In other words, doctors that typically cared about people and loved the medical profession. They are now operated by a C.E.O. they only care about and love money.
The big picture is we live in an entitlement society, and those of us who believe in being productive will get stuck with the bill.

Be safe.
Bob Wolf

I agree with this. Living in NYS buying 3rd party insurance was almost next to impossible. I finally found a company out of Pittsburgh that would write a policy for me that had had both emergency medical & office visits, Specialtly procedures & dental. The major medical & dental was what I really wanted. The ofice visit & scrips weren't very good. It would only cover about 20%. But the rates were excellent for me.

While I had the policy when I did go to the Dr. I would still self pay out of pocket up to $100 & any scrips I needed I would self pay as well. I did this because I was so worried about being droped if I used it for somthing that was minor. Insurance company's have long memories & short leashes

Once Obama started pushing the afforable care act my insurance company stopped offering coverage in NY state & I was droped.

Looking at exchange. The coverage is MEH at best, higher monthly cost, deductibles that are insanely high & I get no subsity. So bascially i am ****ed.

My chick who has had female issues in the past & has had several cancer scares has seen her employer over the past 2 discontinue paying 100% of her insurance. She is now paying 60% of her yealry premium, which comes out to just under $800 a month for her & our son. During those 2 years she has seen her premium go up about $200 a month. Which is why she is now paying 60% of her premium. Her boss didn't absorb the increases.

Between her medical precedures while she was pregneant & the actual birth of our Son it cost us almost $15000 out of pocket.

Universal healthcare is a great idea. But the way it's set up now wasn't very well thought out.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

they may not be able to discriminate because of pre existing conditions....but they sure do with age discrimination....the older ya are the higher the rate...