Is insurance going to cost more?

[cubeless]

Thank you all for your answers. It appears that my rates are going up, just not as much as I feared. Oddly enough, my current carrier told me they were looking for a reason to cancel my coverage, but they haven't increased my rates. This is on a very reasonably priced policy.
The medical issue, if anyone is interested, is malignant melanoma. So far it's only been one small spot that's been removed, and nothing else has been found, but the insurance company appears to view me as a time bomb.

obviously you missed the biggest point of all this froth: no answer yet...

we'll see... i would love to be wrong about this!!! sadly, i've been dealing with insurers and in business for 25 years and all of my experience says that it is going to be a real neat trick to make this cheaper...

and, being a sunburn baby myself, i wish you good luck...

 

[Fern]

I can't seem to answer that question. Good or bad, we have reformed health care. I keep seeing cost estimates in the 15k to 20k per year range, that's about 4.5 times what it costs me now. I don't believe those numbers, but if they are correct, I won't be able to afford coverage and will have to pay the fine every year, and hope the cancer doesn't return.
Are there any real estimates of yearly insurance costs available?

Yes, Wellpoint had it's actuaries calculate premium rates under the Senate bill (IIRC).

But you must look at each state. Remember that not only will those with pre-existing condition have their coverage subsidized by others, but there will be new standards about minimum coverage. I.e., those with cheap/crappy policies may see a marked increase as they are forced to buy better/more expensive coverage. Different states have different rules on quality of HI coverage, thus the big difference between states.

Here's the link to the Wellpoint estimates, state-by-state for those in which they operate:

http://www.wellpoint.com/newsroom/stats_facts.asp

Fern

 

[soccerballtux]

John Deere, Caterpiller, Inc both have had to revise what they expect to spend next year.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Businesses in the US should not make money off the blood of its own people. If you can't see why the government should stop it, I can't help you.

Well, this isn't lost. What appears lost on you is that slavery went out of fashion long ago. You don't even know what profit means, but that's not surprising.

It's the money which is left over to pay for new equipment, upkeep, all the things which make providing anything possible.

In your silliness, you neglected that part.

I'll tell you what. Why don't we have compulsory service beginning with you?

It would all be done at no profit, and you can do all the construction and maintenance for free. We can't have you profiting off of American blood after all.

 

[shadow9d9]

um, in his op? he has coverage. he has cancer. he wonders if his premium will skyrocket with the new changes. he's not asking about changing coverage or anything, he's merely questioning whether the affordability of his existing coverage will change.

and the 'you lie' line is already trademarked... i'm giving my opinion based on the facts in the op... you need to spend some time in carmen's posting charm school...

His service WILL change. They will no longer be able to cancel his coverage, impose lifetime limits, and more.

 

[shadow9d9]

Nothing, he likes pretending that no insurance ever covered preexisting conditions, even though I've gone through three in the last few years and they all have, and pretending it's relevant to any conversation having to do with health care.

And to the OP, yes, prices are going to go up, there's no way to cover everyone in the country and have them go down. Well, if you fall into the entitlement/welfare crowd they will be free, or cheap, but yes, someone is going to pay.

Weird, I guess your anecdote trumps reality... the entire state of florida doesn't have individual health insurance that will cover pre-existing conditions. How is that for an anecdote?

 

[werepossum]

Thank you all for your answers. It appears that my rates are going up, just not as much as I feared. Oddly enough, my current carrier told me they were looking for a reason to cancel my coverage, but they haven't increased my rates. This is on a very reasonably priced policy.
The medical issue, if anyone is interested, is malignant melanoma. So far it's only been one small spot that's been removed, and nothing else has been found, but the insurance company appears to view me as a time bomb.

Good luck with that, I'm a cancer survivor myself.

 

[cubeless]

Weird, I guess your anecdote trumps reality... the entire state of florida doesn't have individual health insurance that will cover pre-existing conditions. How is that for an anecdote?

you are telling me that, if you take a ob with the state of florida, and have a preexisting condition, you cannot be insured under the state plans??? i can't believe that, but i can't disprove it at this minute, either...

 

[Argo]

For health insurance? 0. Pay the employees, limit the executive pay to 250k, and keep it non profit. American companies should not make profit off american blood.

Wow. Just fucking wow. How about you come over and mow my lawn for free. And also clean my house. For free.

 

[Greenman]

obviously you missed the biggest point of all this froth: no answer yet...

we'll see... i would love to be wrong about this!!! sadly, i've been dealing with insurers and in business for 25 years and all of my experience says that it is going to be a real neat trick to make this cheaper...

and, being a sunburn baby myself, i wish you good luck...

Actually, GuitarDaddy had a pretty concise answer on page one.

 

[joeboggs]

Are there any real estimates of yearly insurance costs available?

No. Once/If the health care provisions go into effect health insurance will cease to exist.

Insurance implies a sharing of risk. Under the newly enacted bill those with preexisting conditions will be guaranteed coverage. In such a system their risk is 100%- since the condition exists already the chance of that person having the condition is 100%. At that point the risk of the participant with with the preexisting condition is not transferred amongst the group, only costs are. With no transfer of risk, the concept of insurance does not apply. You are left with what can be considered a tax or subsidy and not insurance.

 

[shira]

It has to. There is no way that premiums can't rise significantly when you add in the pre-existing (ie, much more costly, take more care then premiums every provided).

We're already paying for those people, except perhaps for some of their ROUTINE care, which they forego because it's not a necessity, but which they'll get once they're insured.

So, no, premiums don't "have to" go up faster than they otherwise would.

Note that last, bolded phrase: Premiums are going up rapidly NOW. The "kill the bill" idiots delude themselves into thinking that the status quo is wonderful. It's not.

When the various cost-control features of the new law (conveniently ignored by the radical right) are factored in, my guess is that even with no additional changes to the law, premium increases will slow down relative to the status quo.