Health insurance premium (follow up)

Titan1
Posts
8619
Joined
2/3/2010
Location
Lehi, UT US
Sorry to beat a dead horse on this, I'm just curious what others are dealing with...but I met with my health insurance agent today and got some new info on my health insurance premiums.

1) My premiums are going from just over $800/month to just under $1100/month.

2) I make to much money for any subsidies.

3) My current plan is a $1K deductible, 80/20 coverage, I purchased on my own (not employer provided coverage)

4) My wife and I wanted to go do a high deductible plan to save money on the premiums...we have the cash for the higher deductible, and to pay doctor/hospital visits out of pocket...but want the insurance in case of something major.


Turns out, my current plan is "grandfathered" in to the program...as are my premiums (My exact plan on Obamacare would cost $2000/month). So as expensive as it is, I'm better off now than if I were to purchase this plan today. The problem is that-per the ACA-its not going to be available after next year...so I'm going to have to purchase another plan, and current market premiums.

Based on today's premium rates (on the non-grandfathered in plans), if I were to purchase a plan with a $13,300 deductible (which is the highest deductible available in my market), my premium would be $945/month.

It obviously doesn't make any sense to switch plans...but the thing that sucks is that next year, I'm going to be forced to pay more double what I pay now (almost 150% of what I paid this year) OR pay the same but have SIGNIFICANTLY less coverage.
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motogrady
Posts
3931
Joined
1/27/2008
Location
WV US
11/1/2016 4:37pm

Was told today, my $1,150 a month with Highmark, 1k deductible, which employer pays half, is going up 3%,
so they are just sitting tight with what we have.
11/1/2016 6:09pm Edited Date/Time 11/1/2016 6:48pm
My plan isn't going up. However my medication deductible is jumping from $100-400. And they just cut some nasal sprays I use. I could get them for $3 with a rx. Now I'll pay $20 for otc Flonase. Yay.

They keep cutting benefits every year....here and there. Snip snip snip.

My employer (a huge nationally ranked hospital system) provided me with more coverage when I first started in 2011. Since Obamacare it's tripled. And I get significantly LESS coverage.

$680 a year, to $2600 now. and now I have to enroll in a program to stay healthy otherwise they charge me more. If my 100% emergency gets cut I'm gonna have to stop riding dirtbikes.

Titan sucks that you gotta pay all that premium out of pocket. You're basically buying yourself catastrophe insurance.

Can't wait until the carbon footprint tax gets signed in a loaded bill from Hillary when she's president.
reded
Posts
3685
Joined
3/26/2011
Location
KS US
11/1/2016 6:54pm
You could always wait until Trump repeals Obamacare and see if the prices start to drop.
APLMAN99
Posts
10100
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Dallas, TX US
11/1/2016 8:04pm Edited Date/Time 11/1/2016 8:07pm
Just checked my renewal today.

Silver 250 Plan-Medical and Dental
Currently paying $647.76
New premium $698.51
Increase of 7.8%

Do not qualify for any subsidy.

However, there are some coverage differences this year. Slightly higher deductible, Slightly lower out of pocket maximum. Slightly higher ER copay. Slightly higher copay on non-preferred prescriptions.

Here's the actual differences:



The Shop

MR. X
Posts
6917
Joined
6/24/2010
Location
North Tonawanda, NY US
11/1/2016 9:20pm
reded wrote:
You could always wait until Trump repeals Obamacare and see if the prices start to drop.
It should ,market competition drives down prices.
11/1/2016 10:05pm
Had BCBS for over 30 years, premiums continued to skyrocket lately with my grandfathered in plan.

Finally had to give them up now, saving $600 per month by joining my wifes plan adding myself and 2 kids over what BCBS wanted now.

Had tight as can be friends who joined the O plan telling me how much they were saving and they were getting the se jnsurance as me (LOL), they're coming unglued now.
11/2/2016 5:29am
APLMAN99 wrote:
Just checked my renewal today. Silver 250 Plan-Medical and Dental Currently paying $647.76 New premium $698.51 Increase of 7.8% Do not qualify for any subsidy. However...
Just checked my renewal today.

Silver 250 Plan-Medical and Dental
Currently paying $647.76
New premium $698.51
Increase of 7.8%

Do not qualify for any subsidy.

However, there are some coverage differences this year. Slightly higher deductible, Slightly lower out of pocket maximum. Slightly higher ER copay. Slightly higher copay on non-preferred prescriptions.

Here's the actual differences:



That's exactly what happens to my plans every year. My insurance was always the same then 2014 hit and huge sweeping changes started.
APLMAN99
Posts
10100
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Dallas, TX US
11/2/2016 6:34am
APLMAN99 wrote:
Just checked my renewal today. Silver 250 Plan-Medical and Dental Currently paying $647.76 New premium $698.51 Increase of 7.8% Do not qualify for any subsidy. However...
Just checked my renewal today.

Silver 250 Plan-Medical and Dental
Currently paying $647.76
New premium $698.51
Increase of 7.8%

Do not qualify for any subsidy.

However, there are some coverage differences this year. Slightly higher deductible, Slightly lower out of pocket maximum. Slightly higher ER copay. Slightly higher copay on non-preferred prescriptions.

Here's the actual differences:



That's exactly what happens to my plans every year. My insurance was always the same then 2014 hit and huge sweeping changes started.
Mine hasn't stayed exactly the same year over year for as long as I can remember. Since selling my business in 2006 I've been on employer subsidized group plans that changed each year, as well as my portion of the premium. I believe it was the year before last that my portion of the premium went up barely 1%, but I'm not entirely sure what the actual total premium change was. Even then the coverage/deductible/pharmacy coverages didn't stay exactly the same, but were close enough at the time. Now that I've changed careers, I'm compensated very well, but purchase my own insurance. It's been about 10 years since I've had to look at, and deal with, the full premium.

I posted my renewal info to show real numbers, because it's a long way off from the 35-50% that I see people claiming. I have a feeling that there's a fair amount of rounding up of new premiums or down of existing premiums in order to make a situation sound even worse than it is. I don't doubt that there are several folks who will pay 40% more, but I'm skeptical that it's for similar coverage.

The average premium for a Silver plan on exchanges will go up 22% this year, but that's skewed because it doesn't weight by population. The states with the highest increases were among the lowest cost states in 2016, and have a lower number of people purchasing on the exchange, meaning that the highest increases will affect a relatively small number of people.

One guy I know told me that his insurance went up 50% last year. That sounded suspicious. In looking at it, he was actually paying 50% more out of his paycheck, but he didn't factor in his employer contribution. Basically his insurance cost $600 a month in 2015. His employer paid a flat amount of $500 per month for each employee, so the guy had $100 a month to contribute to his policy. In 2016, the total premium increased to $650, but the employer contribution remained the same so the employee portion went up to $150. To him, that meant that insurance premiums rose 50% that year, even though the actual increase was just over 8%.
twnorton
Posts
260
Joined
11/25/2014
Location
New Castle, PA US
11/2/2016 9:02am
my wife pays $936 a year for our health insurance. She is a county employee, I am very lucky.
11/2/2016 10:42am
your insurance is more / year than i make / year how on earth can you afford something like that, 22,000 is crazy
11/2/2016 10:44am
Titan did you get a discount if you decided to pay an full year upfront?
APLMAN99
Posts
10100
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Dallas, TX US
11/2/2016 9:37pm
Good insurance for me and my wife is $22,000 a year. I'm not lying.
Not sure where you live or what exchange you are buying from, but that's more than the entire annual premium plus maximum out of pocket for my wife and I.

We're 51 and 46, perhaps you are older?
newmann
Posts
24444
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
US
11/3/2016 7:05am
Here you go Aplman. Welcome to Texas BCBS Bronze crap.

Titan1
Posts
8619
Joined
2/3/2010
Location
Lehi, UT US
11/3/2016 11:11am
Here is my current bill:



I don't have the letter telling me what my premium will be at my office...I'll try and remember to grab a picture of it tonight when I home an upload it...but the premium is going to $1000-1100/month. What is that? A 30% increase?

The only people I've talked to that have seen premium increases less than that, have had a change in their coverage (less coverage)...anyone who has kept their coverage the same has seen premium increases in the 30% + range.

Next year, my premium will likely double...because the "grandfather in" aspect of my plan goes away and I have to get a new plan...my same plan, this year, is almost $2K/month...it will probably be more next year. So this year, I'm feeling pretty good about that $1100 premium...as crappy as it is.

Titan1
Posts
8619
Joined
2/3/2010
Location
Lehi, UT US
11/3/2016 11:12am
Moens_Andy wrote:
Titan did you get a discount if you decided to pay an full year upfront?
I asked and was told that isn't an option.
11/3/2016 1:34pm
Titan1 wrote:
I asked and was told that isn't an option.
That's a bummer it would have been an easy way to save some money
motogrady
Posts
3931
Joined
1/27/2008
Location
WV US
11/3/2016 2:31pm
Moens_Andy wrote:
Titan did you get a discount if you decided to pay an full year upfront?
Titan1 wrote:
I asked and was told that isn't an option.

I'm surprised they didn't offer you a .0012 % discount, and expect you to gush over it.
500guy
Posts
12478
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
AZ US
11/3/2016 2:42pm
Titan1 wrote:
Sorry to beat a dead horse on this, I'm just curious what others are dealing with...but I met with my health insurance agent today and got...
Sorry to beat a dead horse on this, I'm just curious what others are dealing with...but I met with my health insurance agent today and got some new info on my health insurance premiums.

1) My premiums are going from just over $800/month to just under $1100/month.

2) I make to much money for any subsidies.

3) My current plan is a $1K deductible, 80/20 coverage, I purchased on my own (not employer provided coverage)

4) My wife and I wanted to go do a high deductible plan to save money on the premiums...we have the cash for the higher deductible, and to pay doctor/hospital visits out of pocket...but want the insurance in case of something major.


Turns out, my current plan is "grandfathered" in to the program...as are my premiums (My exact plan on Obamacare would cost $2000/month). So as expensive as it is, I'm better off now than if I were to purchase this plan today. The problem is that-per the ACA-its not going to be available after next year...so I'm going to have to purchase another plan, and current market premiums.

Based on today's premium rates (on the non-grandfathered in plans), if I were to purchase a plan with a $13,300 deductible (which is the highest deductible available in my market), my premium would be $945/month.

It obviously doesn't make any sense to switch plans...but the thing that sucks is that next year, I'm going to be forced to pay more double what I pay now (almost 150% of what I paid this year) OR pay the same but have SIGNIFICANTLY less coverage.
My HSA plan is grandfathered in as well, $1365 a quarter first $5,000 out of pocket

I asked about adding my wife, that is $1790 a quarter and $7,000 out of pocket.

My agent tells me that it's a good plan and not let it lapse.

before Obummer care I paid $695 a quarter and $3500 out of pocket
500guy
Posts
12478
Joined
8/15/2006
Location
AZ US
11/3/2016 2:44pm
Moens_Andy wrote:
Titan did you get a discount if you decided to pay an full year upfront?
Titan1 wrote:
I asked and was told that isn't an option.
motogrady wrote:

I'm surprised they didn't offer you a .0012 % discount, and expect you to gush over it.
I asked and was told the same plus I have to pay a billing fee $3.50 and a $10 fee to belong to some group that nobody can or will explain.
They said you just have to pay it.
newmann
Posts
24444
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
US
11/3/2016 5:06pm
Titan1 wrote:
I asked and was told that isn't an option.
motogrady wrote:

I'm surprised they didn't offer you a .0012 % discount, and expect you to gush over it.
500guy wrote:
I asked and was told the same plus I have to pay a billing fee $3.50 and a $10 fee to belong to some group that...
I asked and was told the same plus I have to pay a billing fee $3.50 and a $10 fee to belong to some group that nobody can or will explain.
They said you just have to pay it.
You have to pay the bill to find out what's in the bill...~Nancy P.

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