Much better under the ACA
Mine changed much for the better. Signed up on the Washington State Health Benefits website (which is excellent, and fairly simple to navigate). I am 61 years old, single, no dependents, self employed in the GNSS Industry for last 8 years. Was paying premiums of $1220/month. It was killing me and was 52% of my yearly outflow. I have had two hip replacement surgeries in the last two years, for which I was out-of-pocket for total of $16K, due to high deductible and other factors.
My new plan after registering with WA State Health Benefits, has a monthly premium of $800, with exactly the same coverages and lower deductible (but still qualifying for a Health Savings Account), and get this: it is with the exact same Health Insurance company I previously had (Lifewise/Premera). Essentially I got better coverage, lower deductible and almost $500 savings per month under the ACA. In answer to the inevitable question: NO I did not qualify for subsidy or any tax credit. It's all me. I am taking nothing whatsoever from anybody else's pocket. Only change is that I pay my much lower monthly premiums to WA Health, rather than directly to Lifewise/Premera.
I think this might be the way it was supposed to work, and somehow I was lucky to fit into that niche, so I have no complaints whatsoever. It is confusing and complex law (mainly on the insistence of the health insurance providers and Big Pharma) so your mileage may differ, but I'm very happy with it.
Big E, with all of the skills and knowledge that you often profess to, it's hard for me to imagine how you could be unemployed in any, all, or at least one of your chosen fields. A person with your talents should have no trouble making a living in this world. What is keeping you from it? I think it is unwise not to have some form of insurance to cover your ass in this day and age. Personal pride not withstanding, there must be some way to do it. We all make our own way in this world. Good Luck to you, brother.
There is no change in our health insurance premium except that we were able to get better coverage at the same price. We use Commonwealth Choice, a result of RomneyCare in MA.
MA was pretty well in line with the new Fed requirements.
"you have to write a check for $35 when you leave the office"
Quite interesting - if you have insurance, all the providers here will not let you pay anything at all at the time of visit. They tell me it is a violation of Federal law to do so, and that the bill MUST be submitted to the insurance company first. Then anywhere from 4-10 weeks later they send me a bill for what the insurance company did not pay...
If you don't have insurance you pay about 70% of what the insurance rate is.
You do understand that it is now illegal not to have health insurance? And that the IRS will be making the penalty collection? If you don't file a return you may be okay for a while...
it was a new thing 3-4 years ago. I haven't gone to a doctor since then, not sure if you still do it, but I had a flurry of doctor visits and each time got out the checkbook and wrote the check, hope I didn't commit a federal offence;-)
It may have changed now
thank you:good:
I have difficulty believing it is truly more expensive.
Name anything other than ex-wives that is more expensive when buying in bulk.
My experience has been [sarcasm]wonderful[/sarcasm]. First, They raised the rates for employees which resulted in me discontinuing our employer plan. I was paying half of everyones expenses, but I can no longer do that. Then I signed up for new insurance (back in october) and was denied coverage because I made a small mistake on the application. Then in late october, I signed up for a shiny new insurance through BC/BS. The cost was about 30% increase and did not start till Jan 1. I have yet to receive my new Cards. No subsidy here.
Much better under the ACA
your plan is being subsidized by the increases in others insurance and the people who are healthy being forced into higher cost plans. A healthy person your age may have been paying 450 and now has to pay the 800 too...everything is relative, people with pre-existing conditions will definitely benefit here.
Much better under the ACA
The "subsidy" is nothing more than a tax credit, that's scaled based on how much you make. I don't feel the least bit bad about lowering my taxes, while getting cheaper health insurance. Seems like a win-win to me.
Some doctors refuse to fill out the form and send it into the proper agency that will get them on the list of preferred doctors to visit and get coverage while others just do not want to join the system and allow their patients to get coverage under their care.
They should list an 800 number to their BOR for such refusals.
0.02
> Big E, with all of the skills and knowledge that you often profess to, it's hard for me to imagine how you could be unemployed in any, all, or at least one of your chosen fields. A person with your talents should have no trouble making a living in this world. What is keeping you from it? I think it is unwise not to have some form of insurance to cover your ass in this day and age. Personal pride not withstanding, there must be some way to do it. We all make our own way in this world. Good Luck to you, brother.
A lot of people can't figure me out. Hell I can't figure me out neither. I'm 53 going on 54 and still don't know what I want to do in life or when I grow up. Money no longer motivates me. Nothing really does for that matter. Lots of things have happened over the last couple of decades and have beaten me down to where I am at this point. To meet me in person you would never know. I do have a job - sort of. I don't get paid in the conventional sense but things get covered on my behalf and thus I am never behind on anything or owe no debt to anyone. A psychiatrist would probably have a "hay day" with me. Just keep the cardiologist and undertaker away - at least for now.
In the mean time I'll still pay as I go. And if I should "go" just have someone take care of my cat Moose. He's a good boy but makes a ton of racket.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 😀
Actually, it's all real. I don't make nothing up.
E. I understand how you feel about that, and for years I was of the same mindset, "pay as you go". Then I was offered insurance with a co-pay from my employer, and I took it. As it is now, I pay about $500/mo., employer pays the same, for a total of about $1,000/mo. (it's high, but all I could get with pre-exiting conditions) I have a $3,500 deductible. In the process of using the insurance to check on several health issues I was having, it turned out I have type II diabetes and a liver issue (and I thought soaking the liver in Jack Daniels would help!!) As it is, my meds for the high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes runs at about $3,500/mo, with the insurance paying close to 80%, I am more than happy to pay the premiums, as the cost "out of pocket" would bankrupt me in no time.
-JD-
> Name anything other than ex-wives that is more expensive when buying in bulk.
Never buy your ex-wives in bulk. I can't figure out how some people have more than one divorce. I don't think I would ever go through it a second time.....not to mention people who have had more than three or four spouses...aren't you broke after the first?
yup you're broke, but life is easier that way. 🙂 (Personal knowledge)
No,no,no! You don't buy them, you borrow them. Never ever buy one outright. Heck, the one's that are still married are more likely to keep their mouths shut about the whole deal so no need to go hunting for ex-wives.
Many years ago I figured out that pregnant gals were a worthy goal. First, you don't have to worry about getting them pregnant. Second, you already know they are agreeable to the idea. And, third, they normally have a reason to keep their mouth shut about what is going on with you.
Much better under the ACA
> The "subsidy" is nothing more than a tax credit, that's scaled based on how much you make. I don't feel the least bit bad about lowering my taxes, while getting cheaper health insurance. Seems like a win-win to me.
agree. The people who had no health insurance would end up at the hospital anyway after they got real sick. This ends up costing the rest of us more in the long run.
Insured through my wife (public school teacher). She is half time so they only pay half. So the rate is over $1000 per month total. The rates haven't really gone up but the coverage has gone down. The deductible keeps getting larger, now $5000 per year. So $17000 per year paid in before any benefits.
Wife is going to give it up after this school year so in August we won't have insurance. I'm three years out from medicare and she is 5 years out. I don't know whether to buy in or not. Might just take my chances and pay the fines. You can always die.
Much better under the ACA
You are not considering the fact that the rate you get is subsidized by those forced into the system. Many people had catastrophic insurance and paid for most of their care themselves. Still others rarely get sick and have no need for healthcare. My higher rates subsidize the lower rates for those with serious pre-existing conditions. Works out great for those folks. The fact that I am forced to buy something amounts to theft. I am not even talking about the subsidy for lower income people.