OMG Healthcare Premiums

[JimmiG]

No changes here. Still at $0/month.

 

[Hacp]

Because all the major provisions of obamacare went into effect as soon as the law passed amirite?

It doesn't work like that. Once the law was passed, the market reacted to the future costs. Its alot like the bond market. If the fed says interest rates will rise to 50% in 4 years, but they'll be 0% today, the market WILL increase significantly the interest rates of current bonds.

 

[mnewsham]

Some of you sure know how to sound stupid. I'm covered under a federal sponsored health plans, so not only is it not junk but I've got years of booklets showing how the up front and deductible cost have skyrocketed as soon as obamacare passed.

Then I suppose it wont be very hard for you to back up those claims, I look forward to your evidence.

 

[TwiceOver]

It kind of seems like having our healthcare insurance be a gift from our employers is the stupidest way to pay for healthcare.

It's just a horrible system overall. This year is the first year I've really used my insurance beyond the usual yearly checkup. Once my deductible had been met I had some recurring Dr. and Physical Therapy visits which now that my 80/20 kicked in became a fucking battle to get through insurance. Dr. prescribes PT. I call insurance who says they don't have any providers in my town. Complain to my HR person who calls local lady who says corporate doesn't know WTF and there is 2 providers. I go to the provider in my network. Months go by, finally start getting denial EOBs from my carrier.

 

[mugs]

Reduced costs for who?

Not for me. Higher premiums and higher out of pocket (deductibles and copays). My insurance plan is most definitely not junk, though it's heading in that direction thanks to obamacare.

Your insurance was junk before, when your insurance company could decide they've spent enough on you for one year or one lifetime. It wasn't useful when you really needed it.

And if you spent some time unemployed and uninsured and found out you have cancer? Well fuck you, you win the death lottery.

 

[Sonikku]

Bet health care costs were flat before Obamacare.

 

[SunnyD]

details needed here


You seem to be in a small percentage here.

that's not exactly normal FYI, you must have some sort of special circumstances, or you just work for a shit company who couldnt give a shit about you.

Don't worry. Those of you that ended up with "better and cheaper" health care plans will start seeing the same thing in a year or two when it catches up with you guys too.

Some of you sure know how to sound stupid. I'm covered under a federal sponsored health plans, so not only is it not junk but I've got years of booklets showing how the up front and deductible cost have skyrocketed as soon as obamacare passed.

Private company here, but pretty much the same thing. The company I work for has worked it's ass off trying to absorb as much of the costs as it can without affecting the bottom line for the employee. Part of the problem is in Alabama there's really only one insurer statewide - BCBS - so there's really not much negotiating room. When obamacare kicked in, our deductibles went up as did our premiums to offset the higher plan costs thanks to the coverage changes. I won't argue that the plans cover a bit more (preexisting conditions, etc - which is all useless to me, but whatever) which is why the costs went up. But it also meant my out of pocket expenses went up as well. Everything across the board went up last year (premium, deductible, copays, etc), and I'm expecting it to go up again this year as well.

And given I've been passively job shopping, I've had the luxury of comparing my current insurance to several other companies over the last few months. I can definitely say that my current insurance is far better than most.

 

[Scarpozzi]

Reduced costs for who?

Not for me. Higher premiums and higher out of pocket (deductibles and copays). My insurance plan is most definitely not junk, though it's heading in that direction thanks to obamacare.

Prior to Obamacare, I've seen a decrease in benefits and an increase in out of pocket costs every year since I've had insurance. I'm not saying I like the idea of Obamacare or support it. I'm just saying that there are too many middlemen in the system that are getting rich off the healthy as much as the sick.

This is why I don't think insurance should be privatized....if insurance companies were non-profits, they would likely end up putting many of the crooks out of business. There's too much money on the books that gets absorbed into corporate greed and too many people who pay for coverage that are denied... At the same time, doctors and patients waste a TON of money on needless tests and treatments. (often trying to avoid lawsuits) I say patients waste money because most of them just need an antidepressent...instead, they claim they have fibromyalgia or whatever else they saw on the TV....yeah...we all hurt all over.

 

[mnewsham]

Alabama

http://www.advisory.com/daily-briefing/resources/primers/medicaidmap


shocking, I live in a state where they DID expand medicaid. Maybe that's your problem.

 

[Mxylplyx]

Don't worry. Those of you that ended up with "better and cheaper" health care plans will start seeing the same thing in a year or two when it catches up with you guys too.



Private company here, but pretty much the same thing. The company I work for has worked it's ass off trying to absorb as much of the costs as it can without affecting the bottom line for the employee. Part of the problem is in Alabama there's really only one insurer statewide - BCBS - so there's really not much negotiating room. When obamacare kicked in, our deductibles went up as did our premiums to offset the higher plan costs thanks to the coverage changes. I won't argue that the plans cover a bit more (preexisting conditions, etc - which is all useless to me, but whatever) which is why the costs went up. But it also meant my out of pocket expenses went up as well. Everything across the board went up last year (premium, deductible, copays, etc), and I'm expecting it to go up again this year as well.

And given I've been passively job shopping, I've had the luxury of comparing my current insurance to several other companies over the last few months. I can definitely say that my current insurance is far better than most.

So you are saying that healthcare premium and deductible cost increases were flat before Obamacare, right?

 

[SunnyD]

Prior to Obamacare, I've seen a decrease in benefits and an increase in out of pocket costs every year since I've had insurance. I'm not saying I like the idea of Obamacare or support it. I'm just saying that there are too many middlemen in the system that are getting rich off the healthy as much as the sick.

This is why I don't think insurance should be privatized....if insurance companies were non-profits, they would likely end up putting many of the crooks out of business. There's too much money on the books that gets absorbed into corporate greed and too many people who pay for coverage that are denied... At the same time, doctors and patients waste a TON of money on needless tests and treatments. (often trying to avoid lawsuits) I say patients waste money because most of them just need an antidepressent...instead, they claim they have fibromyalgia or whatever else they saw on the TV....yeah...we all hurt all over.

I agree with just about everything here. Except the non-profit part - non-profits do nothing to curb waste either. I'm all for better regulation of the healthcare industry. It needs it in pretty much every phase.

 

[Homerboy]

I pay $500 per month in premiums for decent coverage (well, what constitutes "decent" by today's standards)