Company health insurance is going up 12 %

[justamouse]

This sucks in so many ways, I cannot even begin. And it's going to get worse.

 

We're going to have to have everyone pay more into it, AND go 80/20, even for emergency visits. No more dental.

 

This is how they kill you.

[MrsBear]

Have you considered going to a high-deductible plan? The premiums are usually a lot less expensive and employees can fund their HSA's for the full deductible each year before taxes (or the employer can fund it for them if the premium savings makes that possible, which in some cases it does).

[Tammyla]

That stinks!

[ThisIsTheDay]

This is how they kill you.

 

Yup. The insurance companies are dealing with the various steps of Obamacare. My two kids and I are on private insurance with a high deductible. Four years ago, our premium was $200/mo. It's risen drastically each year, and now we're paying $376 for the same coverage.

 

Because one of my kids may be facing surgery in the next 3-5 years, any attempt to change insurance companies (even with upping our deductible) costs us more per month.

 

I was quite happy with the way insurance worked before all of this forced legislation. I'd love to hear someone who's actually benefitted from the changes (from a health perspective).

[texascamps]

I'm with you. Our insurance is $700 per month. The last time we purchased it, it was $525. Our new insurance is worse, with a high deductible, high copay, higher emergency room visit and Walgreens won't take it for prescriptions. I had to call around to find a pharmacy who will take it.

 

With $4 gas on top of it, we are so financially maxed out.

 

I would also like to hear from someone who is benefitting from this.

[Mergath]

I was quite happy with the way insurance worked before all of this forced legislation. I'd love to hear someone who's actually benefitted from the changes (from a health perspective).

 

There are a heck of a lot of people out there who would have died without the reform because insurance companies didn't have to take them, or could drop their coverage the second they got sick. I'm guessing all those parents whose children didn't have to die from cancer after all have quite a different view of it.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Mergath

[ThisIsTheDay]

There are a heck of a lot of people out there who would have died without the reform because insurance companies didn't have to take them, or could drop their coverage the second they got sick. I'm getting all those parents whose children didn't have to die from cancer after all have quite a different view of it.

 

I don't believe that's true. Do you have any websites or other information to back that up?

 

"All these" children were not dying before. There were safeguards in place, through children's hospitals, through local hospitals who do a LOT of charity work, and through any number of other avenues. These were lies that were made up in order to pass one horrible, unconstitutional giant carp of legislation. It's costing everybody, but there has been no decline in the child cancer death rate (or any other death rate, for that matter).

 

That's why I said I'd like to actually hear from someone who has benefited.

[TranquilMind]

This sucks in so many ways, I cannot even begin. And it's going to get worse.

 

We're going to have to have everyone pay more into it, AND go 80/20, even for emergency visits. No more dental.

 

This is how they kill you.

Thanks, Obamacare! In preparation for all of those new regulations - NONE of which reduced health care costs, by the way - everyone we know has had huge insurance increases. Our new sucky insurance coverage started this month.

 

I had an emergency appendectomy last Thanksgiving. Total costs were near $50,000. Due to our good insurance, I paid 4,000 out of pocket. This year, given the same incident (which Thank GOD cannot happen again! :)), we would be out of pocket between 10,000 and $20,000, depending on whether all providers were in network or not.

 

Yep, $20,000 out of pocket! How is THAT doable for most families (and my spouse is pretty nicely compensated as a professional, but he says the janitor and the secretary are out of pocket the same 10-20K). How is THAT fair?

 

The whole thing is ridiculous. We now have to pay out of pocket the first $10,000 of all insurance costs. If one's family has no ongoing medical issues, that means the insurance companies now get to collect high premiums on everyone covered and NEVER PAY OUT ANYTHING on most families.

 

Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord; I shall repay. The people who dream this stuff up and force it upon others will be held accountable.

[Mergath]

I don't believe that's true. Do you have any websites or other information to back that up?

 

"All these" children were not dying before. There were safeguards in place, through children's hospitals, through local hospitals who do a LOT of charity work, and through any number of other avenues. These were lies that were made up in order to pass one horrible, unconstitutional giant carp of legislation. It's costing everybody, but there has been no decline in the child cancer death rate (or any other death rate, for that matter).

 

That's why I said I'd like to actually hear from someone who has benefited.

 

My brother-in-law's family certainly would have. My dh's niece died from cancer when she was five. This was before the reform, and dh just told me insurance covered basically nothing, because back then, they could stop covering you the second you got sick.

 

ETA: Oh, and here's a story about a study that found hospitalized children without health insurance are more likely to die.

 

http://prescriptions.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/10/30/lacking-insurance-hospitalized-children-more-likely-to-die/

 

Here's an opinion piece by a woman who says that "Obamacare" saved her life.

 

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/dec/06/opinion/la-oe-ward-in-praise-of-obamacare-20111206

 

And here's a page that says the PCIP provides coverage for 50,000 people that woudn't have it otherwise.

 

http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/02/20120223a.html

 

That was just from a couple minutes on Google- there's a lot more. I think it's safe to say that health care reform has definitely helped people.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Mergath

[ktgrok]

I'm with you. Our insurance is $700 per month. The last time we purchased it, it was $525. Our new insurance is worse, with a high deductible, high copay, higher emergency room visit and Walgreens won't take it for prescriptions. I had to call around to find a pharmacy who will take it.

 

With $4 gas on top of it, we are so financially maxed out.

 

I would also like to hear from someone who is benefitting from this.

 

Well, as someone with a family member with a preexisting condition, I'm benefiting. Before these new provisions went into place my father was in constant fear. His company has layoffs planned and if he loses his company health insurance my mother would NOT have qualified for any private insurance plans. Which means she could die. So I'm ok paying more so that everyone can get coverage, regardless of pre existing conditions.

[TranquilMind]

Well, as someone with a family member with a preexisting condition, I'm benefiting. Before these new provisions went into place my father was in constant fear. His company has layoffs planned and if he loses his company health insurance my mother would NOT have qualified for any private insurance plans. Which means she could die. So I'm ok paying more so that everyone can get coverage, regardless of pre existing conditions.

You do realize that NOTHING whatsoever has been done to contain the ridiculous health care costs, on top of everyone paying more for less.

 

This means that even if your relative is covered now, she could still sustain an incredible financial blow that would lead to bankruptcy.

 

Win for insurance companies, who posted billion dollar profits. Win for hospitals and doctors who can still charge exorbitant rates because of all the ridiculous excess padding required to get insurance companies to pay something reasonable. Big FAIL for the 99% who have to shoulder these higher costs with less coverage and exorbitant bills for themselves if the slightest thing happens. Above, I posted that I had a single surgery in adulthood - last Thanksgiving, for a blown appendix. Cost? $50,000, 45,500 for the hospital alone. We had to pay $4,000 within a few weeks, and that's with very good insurance that we no longer have.

 

That's just beyond ridiculous. Not everyone can do this, and then the bill collectors move in quickly.

 

The reform accomplished nothing, except get a few people covered, assuming that someone in their family has insurance that they can still afford. Nothing was done about the costs, the billions in profits, the excess, the greed.

[ktgrok]

I don't believe that's true. Do you have any websites or other information to back that up?

 

"All these" children were not dying before. There were safeguards in place, through children's hospitals, through local hospitals who do a LOT of charity work, and through any number of other avenues. These were lies that were made up in order to pass one horrible, unconstitutional giant carp of legislation. It's costing everybody, but there has been no decline in the child cancer death rate (or any other death rate, for that matter).

 

That's why I said I'd like to actually hear from someone who has benefited.

 

I have a friend who has tentatively been diagnosed with MS, but doesn't have health insurance. She can't afford treatment or more tests. The doctors won't set up payment plans. (the hospitals will, but not the doctors themselves). She couldn't get insurance because of the MS diagnosis. This new regulation has allowed her to shop for and get insurance.

[ktgrok]

You do realize that NOTHING whatsoever has been done to contain the ridiculous health care costs, on top of everyone paying more for less.

 

This means that even if your relative is covered now, she could still sustain an incredible financial blow that would lead to bankruptcy.

 

Win for insurance companies, who posted billion dollar profits. Win for hospitals and doctors who can still charge exorbitant rates because of all the ridiculous excess padding required to get insurance companies to pay something reasonable. Big FAIL for the 99% who have to shoulder these higher costs with less coverage and exorbitant bills for themselves if the slightest thing happens. Above, I posted that I had a single surgery in adulthood - last Thanksgiving, for a blown appendix. Cost? $50,000, 45,500 for the hospital alone. We had to pay $4,000 within a few weeks, and that's with very good insurance that we no longer have.

 

That's just beyond ridiculous. Not everyone can do this, and then the bill collectors move in quickly.

 

The reform accomplished nothing, except get a few people covered, assuming that someone in their family has insurance that they can still afford. Nothing was done about the costs, the billions in profits, the excess, the greed.

 

Not sure how you feel, but for me and my family, bankruptcy is far better than death.

[Mergath]

Win for insurance companies, who posted billion dollar profits. Win for hospitals and doctors who can still charge exorbitant rates because of all the ridiculous excess padding required to get insurance companies to pay something reasonable.

 

And which part of this, exactly, is the fault of health care reform? Seems to me the blame should go to the health care industry, not the government.

[ThisIsTheDay]

Mergath, how devastating for your husband's family. Are you saying that this child died because she did not have insurance, that hospitals turned her away, that she was denied medical care?

 

As to the links, interesting, but I don't find them credible. I can find just as many with an opposing view. If you want to get technical, there are many more people who aren't going to the doctor now because they can't afford it even though they have insurance. We don't for that reason, and we have coverage.

 

Honestly, you and I are probably at the point on this topic where we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

 

Well, as someone with a family member with a preexisting condition, I'm benefiting. Before these new provisions went into place my father was in constant fear. His company has layoffs planned and if he loses his company health insurance my mother would NOT have qualified for any private insurance plans. Which means she could die. So I'm ok paying more so that everyone can get coverage, regardless of pre existing conditions.

 

I am sorry about your mom. Have you checked into what private health insurance would cost her? It just means people are guaranteed coverage, they aren't guaranteed affordable coverage. As I said, one of my children possibly faces surgery down the road that will permanently remedy a condition. Just because of that possibility of surgery, the cost to cover him under a new plan is unaffordable for us.

 

Is it possible that your mom would qualify for Medicaid due to her condition?

[ThisIsTheDay]

And which part of this, exactly, is the fault of health care reform? Seems to me the blame should go to the health care industry, not the government.

 

There's probably a lot of blame to go around, but I'll cast my vote for lawyers. :glare:

[TranquilMind]

Not sure how you feel, but for me and my family, bankruptcy is far better than death.

You do realize that they will likely move into credit reports for all, possibly at the moment of entrance at the hospital or the doctor, to make sure people actually can pay these bills they will rack up, because the insurance isn't going to cover a lot, right? Just because you are now "covered" and you weren't covered before, won't mean a heck of a lot when costs are still uncontained and simple things cost $50,000. We are going to end up with exactly the same system we have now, only it will be restated as "coverage" under different tiers, instead of "covered" and "not covered".

 

Believe me, nothing has changed. It may look like a win for a short while, but it won't be. The whole system has to go, and the insurance companies have to be dismantled somehow. If those billions of profit that the middleman is taking could somehow be redirected into pay for services rendered, we would all be a lot better off.

[Sneezyone]

My 24yo sister was denied coverage at any cost (my grandmother had offered to pay) because of a preexisting birth defect on her arm and bi-polar disease. She was finally able to get coverage, first through the state high risk pool, and now through my mom's policy. Next year she'll finally be covered by an employer policy.

[TranquilMind]

And which part of this, exactly, is the fault of health care reform? Seems to me the blame should go to the health care industry, not the government.

The government bandage won't accomplish a thing. See here

and

 

this:

But that solution has been largely countered and negated by virtue of the fact that the health insurance industry was left in control of the system. Indeed, they have already substantially raised their rates to compensate themselves for any losses they have to endure as a result of federal regulation in the health care reform legislation. The problem was again demonstrated recently, when the Obama administration told insurance companies that they may raise premium rates for sick children.

 

Of course, making the purchase of health insurance mandatory will increase the number of insured Americans. But at what cost to them? We should now ask ourselves whether or not this long-awaited legislation will in fact make health care more affordable for most Americans, or if the rise in premium rates will largely cancel out the government subsidies to the point where it is actually less affordable for many or most Americans

[Sneezyone]

You do realize that they will likely move into credit reports for all, possibly at the moment of entrance at the hospital or the doctor, to make sure people actually can pay these bills they will rack up, because the insurance isn't going to cover a lot, right? Just because you are now "covered" and you weren't covered before, won't mean a heck of a lot when costs are still uncontained and simple things cost $50,000. We are going to end up with exactly the same system we have now, only it will be restated as "coverage" under different tiers, instead of "covered" and "not covered".

 

Believe me, nothing has changed. It may look like a win for a short while, but it won't be. The whole system has to go, and the insurance companies have to be dismantled somehow. If those billions of profit that the middleman is taking could somehow be redirected into pay for services rendered, we would all be a lot better off.

 

:iagree: If there's anything positive to come out of this latest Supreme Court debacle it will be the idea that healthcare cannot continue to exist and will never be provided effectively when delivered through a private insurance market.

[justamouse]

You do realize that they will likely move into credit reports for all, possibly at the moment of entrance at the hospital or the doctor, to make sure people actually can pay these bills they will rack up, because the insurance isn't going to cover a lot, right? Just because you are now "covered" and you weren't covered before, won't mean a heck of a lot when costs are still uncontained and simple things cost $50,000. We are going to end up with exactly the same system we have now, only it will be restated as "coverage" under different tiers, instead of "covered" and "not covered".

 

Believe me, nothing has changed. It may look like a win for a short while, but it won't be. The whole system has to go, and the insurance companies have to be dismantled somehow. If those billions of profit that the middleman is taking could somehow be redirected into pay for services rendered, we would all be a lot better off.

 

So true. Yes, some people got covered who weren't, but businesses got sold down the river in this deal. Everyone I talk to is thinking about paying the fine because the cost of insurance is just too high and it's not stopping. The fines are cheaper.

 

We were told there would be transparency and there was none. There were back room deals. Single payer option was what really was needed.

Edited April 16, 2012 by justamouse

[Mergath]

Mergath, how devastating for your husband's family. Are you saying that this child died because she did not have insurance, that hospitals turned her away, that she was denied medical care?

 

As to the links, interesting, but I don't find them credible. I can find just as many with an opposing view. If you want to get technical, there are many more people who aren't going to the doctor now because they can't afford it even though they have insurance. We don't for that reason, and we have coverage.

 

Honestly, you and I are probably at the point on this topic where we'll have to agree to disagree.

 

No, she died because she had leukemia. Eight days after her diagnosis. Would she have gotten better care with insurance that didn't drop her? They never had time to find out. They did, however, have a mountain of bills to deal with thanks to the way that insurance companies used to be able to just decide not to pay whenever they felt like it.

 

Yes, we probably will have to agree to disagree.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Mergath

[Mommyof4ks]

There are a heck of a lot of people out there who would have died without the reform because insurance companies didn't have to take them, or could drop their coverage the second they got sick. I'm guessing all those parents whose children didn't have to die from cancer after all have quite a different view of it.

 

I am so sorry for their loss, and things were obviously different so many years ago.

 

Contrary to popular belief nowadays children with cancer will not go without care because they cannot afford it. My 6 year old son is a cancer survivor (diagnosed with leukemia at 19 months), and most of his friends from clinic did not have insurance, but they got the same care he did. He was treated at a local hospital too, not St. Jude.

 

Anyway, yes our premiums have gone up and coverage has gone down thanks to the new laws. My son will now never be turned down for insurance, but that does little good if we cannot afford it. For now that is not an issue, because our premiums are still low with our high ded. plan, but if dh changes jobs or we have to go private, then we are up a creek.

Edited April 16, 2012 by dwkilburn1

[QueenCat]

Single payer option was what really was needed.

 

True....

 

There are a heck of a lot of people out there who would have died without the reform because insurance companies didn't have to take them, or could drop their coverage the second they got sick. I'm guessing all those parents whose children didn't have to die from cancer after all have quite a different view of it.

 

:iagree:100%

 

 

Well, as someone with a family member with a preexisting condition, I'm benefiting. Before these new provisions went into place my father was in constant fear. His company has layoffs planned and if he loses his company health insurance my mother would NOT have qualified for any private insurance plans. Which means she could die. So I'm ok paying more so that everyone can get coverage, regardless of pre existing conditions.

 

We're seeing similar benefits among our friends, and within our family, both immediate and extended. Our insurance premiums and out of pocket expenses have not gone up at all over the past three years. And we have excellent coverage. We are relieved to not have to worry about the pre-existing conditions issues. I would be willing to pay more than we do for what we have.

[QueenCat]

Anyway, yes our premiums have gone up and coverage has gone down thanks to the new laws. My son will now never be turned down for insurance, but that does little good if we cannot afford it. For now that is not an issue, because our premiums are still low with our high ded. plan, but if dh changes jobs or we have to go private, then we are up a creek.

 

The only people I know who have had huge increases to premiums and less coverage seem to be on these boards. Just not seeing it irl. Our premiums have not gone up in the past few years. And our coverage is just as good, if not better. I see similar experiences, good coverage, premiums stable, with others I know irl (and no, they don't all work for the same company as dh).

Edited April 16, 2012 by CathieC

[Jen500]

The only people I know who have had huge increases to premiums and less coverage seem to be on these boards. Just not seeing it irl. Our premiums have not gone up in the past few years. And our coverage is just as good, if not better. I see similar experiences with others I know irl (and no, they don't all work for the same company as dh).

 

Same here...but I'm sorry to hear that Justamouse!

All of our bills have been increasing for years--medical, water, electric, gas, food etc.

[DaisyMay]

My husband is self employed, so our insurance is all out of pocket. This year it went up 20%. We now pay 1,000 a month for a family of 5 and have a $10,000 deductible. It's gotten to the point that my husband wants me to get a job just for benefits.

 

My insurance now covers an annual physical, but I'd much rather have the lower premium and lower deductible ($5,000 last year). Obamacare has done nothing but cost money.

[QueenCat]

Same here...but I'm sorry to hear that Justamouse!

All of our bills have been increasing for years--medical, water, electric, gas, food etc.

 

I meant that the coverage and premiums have been stable for those I know irl.... not that they've matched those here. I just edited to hopefully clarify. I've only seen gas & food go up in the categories you mention above. Electricity has gone down about 15% in the past 18 months (I track the spending), and we really haven't been super conservative or changed it in a major way.

[Jen500]

I meant that the coverage and premiums have been stable for those I know irl.... not that they've matched those here. I just edited to hopefully clarify. I've only seen gas & food go up in the categories you mention above. Electricity has gone down about 15% in the past 18 months (I track the spending), and we really haven't been super conservative or changed it in a major way.

 

Oh, no, I meant that we've had some increase in insurance, but not huge. But that all of our bills have had increases...I think it just makes it more clear that everyone's situation is different. :001_smile: Some people are probably better off health-wise and financially, and some not.

[kalanamak]

The only people I know who have had huge increases to premiums and less coverage seem to be on these boards. Just not seeing it irl. Our premiums have not gone up in the past few years. And our coverage is just as good, if not better. I see similar experiences, good coverage, premiums stable, with others I know irl (and no, they don't all work for the same company as dh).

 

My premiums went up this year about 35%. I know I had it pretty good, but now only so-so. I switched to an HSA and am doing overtime to jam it with as much money as is allowable until I get a cushion in the account. I'm white knuckling at bit this first year. By the end of two years, I should have my OOP next egg.

[QueenCat]

I think it just makes it more clear that everyone's situation is different. :001_smile: Some people are probably better off health-wise and financially, and some not.

 

So very true. We have to all (not you personally) be careful to assume something is bad for all, or good for all. I know many who have benefited from the Affordable Health Care Act's provisions that deal with preexisting conditions and covering children to age 26. Here, on the boards, there are apparently some who have suffered from it... so it helps some and not others...

[NicksMama-Zack's Mama Too]

My best friend is a small-business owner. Her insurance premiums have increased 30% over the last two years. She pays $1600/month for her family of six. Her employees premiums (thus the portion she pays) have increased as well.

 

She has one employee whose health insurance premiums increased 30% in one year due to his age (he turned 55).

 

Federal government and local government employees I know have seen far less increases.

 

IMHO, I believe as more and more baby boomers sign up for medicare, you will see more hospitals and doctors looking to shift costs to the privately insured.

 

Google "Cost-Shifting in Health Care" for some interesting reading...

[Halcyon]

My husband is self employed, so our insurance is all out of pocket. This year it went up 20%. We now pay 1,000 a month for a family of 5 and have a $10,000 deductible. It's gotten to the point that my husband wants me to get a job just for benefits.

 

My insurance now covers an annual physical, but I'd much rather have the lower premium and lower deductible ($5,000 last year). Obamacare has done nothing but cost money.

 

We are self employed too and pay 900 out of pocket each month. I had some surgery last month and because of our high deductible, we had to pay for it all. Our copays have gone up as well, sometimes to as much as $50! It is nuts. I am looking into Samaritan Ministries but DH isnt interested.

 

Nonetheless, i think Obama's health care plan is neccesary. Too many people were going without neccesary medical care.

[whitestavern]

I won't get into any political discussions regarding this, but that does suck justamouse. Every year we pay more and more and we hardly use it.

 

I agree. We pay $600 a month and all out of pockets til we hit $10,000. Mostly we don't use it, because of the expense, which is kind of scary in itself. Example: I'm supposed to have a colonoscopy every 3 years due to family history. I had one three years ago that I'm still paying on (we pay small amounts monthly; it was almost $7000 for the procedure) I really can't afford to get another in the near future. And my dh makes a pretty decent salary. I can't imagine how people with lower incomes do it.

[zimom]

I guess I will duck as I post.

We are a family that has benefitted through "Obamacare", and trust me, we have never come out on the good side of anything.

 

My daughter is basically uninsurable. With her medical history, combined with the aging demographics of my husband's small employer, along with a few with cancer, their premiums were astronomical with poor coverage, especially as it pertained to my daughter. We are a family that would have been looking at bankruptcy if it were not for medical professionals that work with us very generously.

 

Insurance companies can no longer deny coverage, or charge more, for a child with pre-existing conditions. Therefore we were able to purchase a decent, affordable independent family policy. Although they look at my husbands and my claims, so we are very careful about our own health, they have yet to raise our rates any more then what we consider normal, and our daughter continues to have her medical needs met.

[Amy in NH]

Anyway, yes our premiums have gone up and coverage has gone down thanks to the new laws.

 

Our premiums have been going up with coverage going down steadily since I can remember - at least 20 years.

[TranquilMind]

The only people I know who have had huge increases to premiums and less coverage seem to be on these boards. Just not seeing it irl. Our premiums have not gone up in the past few years. And our coverage is just as good, if not better. I see similar experiences, good coverage, premiums stable, with others I know irl (and no, they don't all work for the same company as dh).

That's amazing. We need to move where you are.

 

Every person we know has had large increases yearly.

[QueenCat]

That's amazing. We need to move where you are.

 

Every person we know has had large increases yearly.

 

I'll ignore the sarcasm. It is likely to do with several very large employers, who can absorb increasing costs more easily. Are there those around here with increases? That is likely, but not everyone talks about their finances as freely as here, especially if they are hurting.

[QueenCat]

I guess I will duck as I post.

We are a family that has benefitted through "Obamacare", and trust me, we have never come out on the good side of anything.

 

My daughter is basically uninsurable. With her medical history, combined with the aging demographics of my husband's small employer, along with a few with cancer, their premiums were astronomical with poor coverage, especially as it pertained to my daughter. We are a family that would have been looking at bankruptcy if it were not for medical professionals that work with us very generously.

 

Insurance companies can no longer deny coverage, or charge more, for a child with pre-existing conditions. Therefore we were able to purchase a decent, affordable independent family policy. Although they look at my husbands and my claims, so we are very careful about our own health, they have yet to raise our rates any more then what we consider normal, and our daughter continues to have her medical needs met.

 

Although we have good insurance, we were in the same boat with our ds. If they didn't have to cover preexisting, we'd be in trouble again. It was a huge relief to have the preexisting and young adults (to 26) requirements come in to law. We are very worried about a repeal, and him no longer being able to get insurance when he is on his own.

[Halcyon]

I agree. We pay $600 a month and all out of pockets til we hit $10,000. Mostly we don't use it, because of the expense, which is kind of scary in itself. Example: I'm supposed to have a colonoscopy every 3 years due to family history. I had one three years ago that I'm still paying on (we pay small amounts monthly; it was almost $7000 for the procedure) I really can't afford to get another in the near future. And my dh makes a pretty decent salary. I can't imagine how people with lower incomes do it.

 

Thats a crazy price! Dh's colonoscopy was 500 plus 350 for anesthesia and i thought that was bad! Sorry ou have to deal with that.

[scrappyhappymama]

My husband works in the healthcare industry. For the last two years, premiums increased significantly on his employer health insurance. Then he lost his job and although he did eventually find a new one, he is now considered an independent contractor of the hospital, so we are stuck paying for our own insurance. Even though he does the exact same type of work he did before, hospitals and physician groups now have a bigger incentive to hire folks as contractors to avoid the increasing benefits costs.

 

Since we pay for insurance ourselves, the only potentially reasonable plan is a high deductible plan. Even so, our monthly premium is equivalent to a mortgage payment on a modest house. And since it is high deductible, we end up paying for the majority of our health care costs ourselves, on top of the premiums. For example, we are paying completely out of pocket for the birth of our new child this year, because although insurance companies can't deny you coverage overall for pre-existing conditions, they don't have to cover those specific conditions. FWIW, I was not pregnant until two months after our coverage began, but they don't pay for births for the first year. They also don't cover any major dental for the first year, so although I have a broken tooth, I have four more months before they will cover any portion of the root canal and crown I need.

 

Compared to the 80/20 coverage we used to have, this doesn't feel like progress at all. And since my husband is in the industry, he says there is a lot of talk about this, and the consensus is that the other shoe has not even begun to drop, with regard to the long term effects on the health care industry.

 

To be fair, I am sympathetic to the needs of the uninsured and under-insured. I'm just not sure that the solution was shuttling more of us into the under-insured category. :glare:

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Yup. The insurance companies are dealing with the various steps of Obamacare. My two kids and I are on private insurance with a high deductible. Four years ago, our premium was $200/mo. It's risen drastically each year, and now we're paying $376 for the same coverage.

 

Because one of my kids may be facing surgery in the next 3-5 years, any attempt to change insurance companies (even with upping our deductible) costs us more per month.

 

I was quite happy with the way insurance worked before all of this forced legislation. I'd love to hear someone who's actually benefitted from the changes (from a health perspective).

 

Actually dramatic annual increases in the cost of health insurance premiums have been going on for decades:(

 

I know this because in my nursing career, we heard from the hospital CEO every year how the premiums for employee health insurance were going up on average by 20 to 50% every year and this was back in the early 1990s.

 

As for someone who has benefited, both my son and I benefit from Affordable Health Care Act. Because of pre-existing conditions, we have been turned down for health insurance on the individual market prior to health care reform. Now, with health care reform, they cannot turn down my son. High risk pools are available to me and soon no insurance can turn me down. They also cannot rescind our insurance as has been done prior to health care reform.

Edited April 17, 2012 by priscilla
Clarify

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Our premiums have been going up with coverage going down steadily since I can remember - at least 20 years.

 

:iagree: My experience exactly.

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

I don't believe that's true. Do you have any websites or other information to back that up?

 

"All these" children were not dying before. There were safeguards in place, through children's hospitals, through local hospitals who do a LOT of charity work, and through any number of other avenues. These were lies that were made up in order to pass one horrible, unconstitutional giant carp of legislation. It's costing everybody, but there has been no decline in the child cancer death rate (or any other death rate, for that matter).

 

That's why I said I'd like to actually hear from someone who has benefited.

 

Actually, my mom was told if she could not pay for chemo and radiation that she could not have her treatments for cancer:001_huh:

 

Chemo and radiation are not considered emergency care and hence no on is required to provide them as an act of charity.

 

 

Also, medications for chronic conditions can cost hundreds and thousands of dollars a month which are also not considered emergency care. I have a family member whose meds cost $500/month. Many meds are not available as generic and often many people do not respond to generics:(

[CLBMom]

I was paying $700 a month for our family through my employer. That was 80/20. Then I got injured AT WORK and even though I get Workmans Comp for that injury we all lost coverage because I have been out of work so long I'm no longer employed. My dh gets insurance with his employer for $150 a month. The family plan cost $1600 a month!! So the kids are on FAMIS, the first government help we have ever taken and I'm uninsured. I have 3 other serious conditions other then my injury that are no longer getting treated because it's either insurance or a roof over our heads :(

[bettyandbob]

I was quite happy with the way insurance worked before all of this forced legislation. I'd love to hear someone who's actually benefitted from the changes (from a health perspective).

 

My neighbor's dd is 20. She dropped out of college before finishing a semester. It's clear she has mental health problems. She over 18 and not a full time student. The new requirements means she has health care coverage ( until age 26) and has begun getting mental health services while she and her parents try to figure out the next step in her life toward getting her independent.

 

Being able to be carried on a parent's insurance plan means an adult child can get treatment they really need for any illness.

[ThisIsTheDay]

I guess I will duck as I post.

We are a family that has benefitted through "Obamacare", and trust me, we have never come out on the good side of anything.

 

...

 

Insurance companies can no longer deny coverage, or charge more, for a child with pre-existing conditions.

 

No need to duck! I am honestly glad that you, and a few other posters, are benefiting. I don't know anyone who is IRL, and I'm glad to see that it's making a difference for some people.

 

I am interested in your comment about not charging more for a child with a pre-existing. We just looked at other insurance, and the reason for the higher cost was specifically stated to be the possible surgery my child could have. It may very well be the semantics of "pre-existing condition," and mine might not technically fall into that box.

 

Someone had mentioned that no one they knew IRL was dealing with extreme increases in premiums. I don't talk about it much with my friends. I don't usually share that kind of information (but hey, I'll share it online!!).

[housedress]

I live in NY and for our family, we pay about $1,000 per month with a deductible of $11,900. We are self-employed, so no dental either, or vision. It is killing us. Of course we fund our HSA with pre-tax money, but the limit on that is $6k and change for a family.

In NY, all ins. companies that sell here have for a long time had to take people with pre-existing conditions as long as they had continuous coverage.

I have to admit I do resent the price increase for covering people's grown children, but of course I am in favor of making sure everyone can get coverage for all of their conditions.

[Mama Geek]

We do not carry insurance, dh is a contractor. We are not about to pay $12000 a year in premiums and then have to cover $10000 for the deductible. We would rather pay out of pocket. We are willing to take the risk involved with not being covered. Once they try to force everyone to have insurance I am not really sure yet how that will affect us.

 

I would bet in less than 5 years businesses and insurance companies will no longer be doing healthcare and it will be provided entirely by the government.

[Word Nerd]

The only people I know who have had huge increases to premiums and less coverage seem to be on these boards. Just not seeing it irl. Our premiums have not gone up in the past few years. And our coverage is just as good, if not better. I see similar experiences, good coverage, premiums stable, with others I know irl (and no, they don't all work for the same company as dh).

 

This is just the opposite of my experience and that of others I know. You are a fortunate exception if your premiums have not gone up at all in the past few years.

Edited April 17, 2012 by WordGirl