If you are following along with the What to Do About My Horrible Insurance Premium Hike...

[Ginevra]

And if you are in a similar boat, I just thought I would tell you what our current solution is. Sadly, this option will not be feasible for everyone. We are able to be on a group plan (not individual), because we do have two FT employees and are a “real†company; i.e., federal tax id no., Articles of Incorporation, regular payroll structure, etc. (So a free-lance photographer, say, or a home-based cake baker or something might not be able to go this route.) We got a quote including several different choices of plans, several of which are HSAs. With the group insurance, the premiums are much more affordable (not to say cheap), especially those dastardly plans with sky-high deductibles.

 

So, just to give some people a general idea, if this is a route for you:

 

A plan with a deductible of $6k indiv./$12k family carries a premium of $755/month.

A plan with a deductible of $2Kind./$4K family carries a premium of $950/month.

 

Obviously, these are not inexpensive, but they are a whole heck of a lot better than +$2200/month and still a $3k deductible. Also, there are other labyrinthine details about co-pays and total OOP costs and percentages for specialists and prescription drug coverage, which should all be considered based on one’s own normal health circumstances. But I just wanted to mention this since I know several people besides myself were in a bad situation with high premiums.

[mom2scouts]

:svengo:

[OrganicJen]

I'm actually just considering moving to Canada at this point. I say it only half jokingly. My profession is on the list that can give me quicker citizenship and I've been online looking at jobs and homes and such. I could be in a much better financial situation there even when I account for taxes etc, by losing the enormous health insurance bill each month. I used to joke about it but with the amount our insurance has gone up and the little it covers I really am considering the move now. I could retire sooner and have more fun with all that money I would save.

[Element]

Is that for the whole family? That's about what ours would be through dh's work if we had all 4 of us on his plan. It's a sad state of affairs when I see your options and think, "Hey, that's not bad." Those Marketplace plans are crazy expensive. 

[Arctic Bunny]

I'm actually just considering moving to Canada at this point. I say it only half jokingly. My profession is on the list that can give me quicker citizenship and I've been online looking at jobs and homes and such. I could be in a much better financial situation there even when I account for taxes etc, by losing the enormous health insurance bill each month. I used to joke about it but with the amount our insurance has gone up and the little it covers I really am considering the move now. I could retire sooner and have more fun with all that money I would save.

Yes, my DH used to say that even with a lower salary and health insurance, we’d come out ahead in the US because of our taxes. I haven’t heard him spouting that lately....

[OrganicJen]

Yes, my DH used to say that even with a lower salary and health insurance, we’d come out ahead in the US because of our taxes. I haven’t heard him spouting that lately....

Yep I did all the math and we come out way, way ahead in Canada.

[Guest]

Is that for the whole family? That's about what ours would be through dh's work if we had all 4 of us on his plan. It's a sad state of affairs when I see your options and think, "Hey, that's not bad." Those Marketplace plans are crazy expensive.

Yes, for dh, myself and our three kids.

 

And i know what you mean. When did this become something I would consider a viable choice?

[Guest]

I'm actually just considering moving to Canada at this point. I say it only half jokingly. My profession is on the list that can give me quicker citizenship and I've been online looking at jobs and homes and such. I could be in a much better financial situation there even when I account for taxes etc, by losing the enormous health insurance bill each month. I used to joke about it but with the amount our insurance has gone up and the little it covers I really am considering the move now. I could retire sooner and have more fun with all that money I would save.

Well, I can’t say I think it’s a bad idea...

[freesia]

3 of my kids are Canadian. We just might end up back there at some point. . .

 

Right now the church he works at pays our insurance so we are in a good place, but it sure makes us stay even when somewhere else might be better in a lot of ways.

 

I'm glad you found something *affordable*. 

[OrganicJen]

Well, I can’t say I think it’s a bad idea...

Honestly with the math and taking into account salary there, living costs, taxes etc...we would have around 20k extra per year by moving. It's really tempting.

[OrganicJen]

3 of my kids are Canadian. We just might end up back there at some point. . .

 

Right now the church he works at pays our insurance so we are in a good place, but it sure makes us stay even when somewhere else might be better in a lot of ways.

 

I'm glad you found something *affordable*.

Where do they live in Canada? I'm looking in Calgary or even a small mountain town like Golden.

[displace]

I'm actually just considering moving to Canada at this point. I say it only half jokingly. My profession is on the list that can give me quicker citizenship and I've been online looking at jobs and homes and such. I could be in a much better financial situation there even when I account for taxes etc, by losing the enormous health insurance bill each month. I used to joke about it but with the amount our insurance has gone up and the little it covers I really am considering the move now. I could retire sooner and have more fun with all that money I would save.

Plus, Canada!

 

We’ve considered international relocation as well, very tricky due to our professions (only a few countries will accept our degrees). And family is reason number 2, but also financially tricky.

[Happy2BaMom]

I've got a teen and a near-teen and I'm adamant with them that they develop job skills (and at least one other language) that are desirable in several countries. I don't see the health care affordability crisis in this country ending anytime soon, and we're too divided to actually fix anything. 

[Upward Journey]

Yep I did all the math and we come out way, way ahead in Canada.

 

Even with the current exchange rate? It's really bad right now. Not as bad as it was a year ago, but still bad.

[AmandaVT]

And if you are in a similar boat, I just thought I would tell you what our current solution is. Sadly, this option will not be feasible for everyone. We are able to be on a group plan (not individual), because we do have two FT employees and are a “real†company; i.e., federal tax id no., Articles of Incorporation, regular payroll structure, etc. (So a free-lance photographer, say, or a home-based cake baker or something might not be able to go this route.) We got a quote including several different choices of plans, several of which are HSAs. With the group insurance, the premiums are much more affordable (not to say cheap), especially those dastardly plans with sky-high deductibles.

 

So, just to give some people a general idea, if this is a route for you:

 

A plan with a deductible of $6k indiv./$12k family carries a premium of $755/month.

A plan with a deductible of $2Kind./$4K family carries a premium of $950/month.

 

Obviously, these are not inexpensive, but they are a whole heck of a lot better than +$2200/month and still a $3k deductible. Also, there are other labyrinthine details about co-pays and total OOP costs and percentages for specialists and prescription drug coverage, which should all be considered based on one’s own normal health circumstances. But I just wanted to mention this since I know several people besides myself were in a bad situation with high premiums.

 

We tried to do this too. I'm glad it's working for you. In VT, businesses are directed to the "business exchange" which has the exact same plans and pricing as individual. And if we offer a company plan, any employee that qualifies for the advance tax credits lose their eligibility for them and would have to pay full price, which is nuts. We were all set to do it until I learned that bit because we have a couple of employees who do get the tax credits and the last thing we want to do is mess that up for them.

[OrganicJen]

Even with the current exchange rate? It's really bad right now. Not as bad as it was a year ago, but still bad.

Yep...with everything accounted for we get about 20k usd more a year than here.

[Guest]

We tried to do this too. I'm glad it's working for you. In VT, businesses are directed to the "business exchange" which has the exact same plans and pricing as individual. And if we offer a company plan, any employee that qualifies for the advance tax credits lose their eligibility for them and would have to pay full price, which is nuts. We were all set to do it until I learned that bit because we have a couple of employees who do get the tax credits and the last thing we want to do is mess that up for them.

That stinks extremely badly!

[Guest]

I've got a teen and a near-teen and I'm adamant with them that they develop job skills (and at least one other language) that are desirable in several countries. I don't see the health care affordability crisis in this country ending anytime soon, and we're too divided to actually fix anything.

Yes on that last point especially, which is another thing that doesn’t look like it’s improving.

[freesia]

Where do they live in Canada? I'm looking in Calgary or even a small mountain town like Golden.

 

The don't live in Canada now. They were born there and lived there until 2,4 and 7.  But they have Citizenship.  And who knows where they will end up.  We are Americans but the older 2 have a strong connection/identity as being Canadian.  I wouldn't be surprised if my dd14 ended up there.

 

We were just weeks from qualifying for citizenship, but moving back was the right thing at the time. 

[StephanieZ]

That's pretty much what we've done for our family as well -- a small business group plan. 

 

We went with a nice PPO option 750 deductible . . . Family of 3 -- $1800/mo. Each college kid is another 400/mo or so. So would be about 2700/mo for family of 5. (18+ seems to ramp up premiums quite a bit.) 

 

I'm expecting to pay about 35-40k in health care premiums/deductibles/copays in 2018.

 

Canada or New Zealand would be great . . . but my kids aren't on board . . . yet . . .

[freesia]

Oh, and we lived in Vancouver and then just south of Vancouver.  Calgary has too much snow/cold for me.

[OrganicJen]

Oh, and we lived in Vancouver and then just south of Vancouver. Calgary has too much snow/cold for me.

I love snow and cold lol :) Calagary is top of my list so far.

[freesia]

I love snow and cold lol :) Calagary is top of my list so far.

 

Ok, then Calgary's the place for you. :) 

[OrganicJen]

Ok, then Calgary's the place for you. :)

Lol...honestly any time I've lived in a cold snowy type place I've loved it. Snow shoeing and cross country skiing would be great for us. I feel like in the cold I can bundle up and be warm but in hot places even if I'm naked it's still hot.

[OrganicJen]

That's pretty much what we've done for our family as well -- a small business group plan.

 

We went with a nice PPO option 750 deductible . . . Family of 3 -- $1800/mo. Each college kid is another 400/mo or so. So would be about 2700/mo for family of 5. (18+ seems to ramp up premiums quite a bit.)

 

I'm expecting to pay about 35-40k in health care premiums/deductibles/copays in 2018.

 

Canada or New Zealand would be great . . . but my kids aren't on board . . . yet . . .

You can start a unit study on Canada or New Zealand :)

[Crimson Wife]

I can’t even apply to grad school in Canada because they deny visas to parents of disabled children regardless of their financial resources. There was a case of a multimillionaire rejected because he had a disabled child, even though the guy could easily afford to pay for private healthcare.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[OrganicJen]

I can’t even apply to grad school in Canada because they deny visas to parents of disabled children regardless of their financial resources. There was a case of a multimillionaire rejected because he had a disabled child, even though the guy could easily afford to pay for private healthcare.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Interesting, I'll have to look into that, thanks!!

[OrganicJen]

I can’t even apply to grad school in Canada because they deny visas to parents of disabled children regardless of their financial resources. There was a case of a multimillionaire rejected because he had a disabled child, even though the guy could easily afford to pay for private healthcare.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So it looks like it's fine for us because of my particular degrees that put me in the express entry list and the health condition exceptions don't apply to that. There are different routes and the one I can use is the fastest with least issues thankfully.

[Scarlett]

Right now I am feeling very fortunate that dh's job just gave him employee status which comes with medical/ dental.. Dh and I will pay $236 per month for the two of us.....3k deductible. Our kids are insured by their other parent.

[milovany]

Hey Quill, can you go ahead and hire a bunch of us as employees so we can be on your plan, too?  :D

 

After I posted the other day, the form was redone and the first estimate was double what it was supposed to be.  THAT'S good, but since I needed everything to reduce by a sixth, it was still too much.  We have a couple of options before us (again, this is just for me) -- either a regular insurance policy with a high deductible or a medical sharing plan that doesn't cover preventative.  Don't love either option.  I am able to get dental and vision through dh's work (separate from health insurance), so we'll do at least that for now. 

[StephanieZ]

You can start a unit study on Canada or New Zealand :)

 

If my kids were young enough to do that, I would, lol. I have two college kids and one 15 year old . . . So, they're old enough to have their own careers and adult lives . . . We're still leaving the options on the table . . . and the next 2-3 years will be the critical decision time. . .  I hope the USA returns to some sense of decency where my kids will want to build their futures . . . Time will tell . . . That's all I can say w/o turning political.