topic Re: BCBS in Community Chat

BCBS

physicsnut — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:17:30 GMT

Just got my renewal letter from BCBS per healthcare.gov. My premium is now 300.00 a month. The new premium starting Jan 1, 2016 will be 424.44!! That is over a 40% increase!! When I had private insurance 2 years ago the premiums NEVER went up that much. So much for "affordable" healthcare and you can keep your hospital and your Dr. - I will be losing both.

Re: BCBS

sunshine45 — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:20:53 GMT

@physicsnut wrote:
Just got my renewal letter from BCBS per healthcare.gov. My premium is now 300.00 a month. The new premium starting Jan 1, 2016 will be 424.44!! That is over a 40% increase!! When I had private insurance 2 years ago the premiums NEVER went up that much. So much for "affordable" healthcare and you can keep your hospital and your Dr. - I will be losing both.

i wish MY insurance was $424 a month!!!! i pay about $1100 a month right now.....have not gotten any news yet on what 2016 holds. that $1100 a month though is about $900 less than it was before the big change happened, so overall i cannot complain that much.

Re: BCBS

deepwaterdotter — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:24:45 GMT

Are you going to purchase a non-healthcare.gov policy on the open market?

Re: BCBS

GCR18 — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:29:16 GMT

I was pleasantly surprised when I signed up for benefits this morning. Through my employer, I signed up for medical and dental for $65 a month. They announced it would be higher this year, but was $10 lower. Everyday I am thankful for my job. Having cancer this year, I had big bills that I paid nothing.

Re: BCBS

terrier3 — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:30:20 GMT

I noticed that you have to buy on the federal marketplace. That's too bad - states that set up their own exchanges have more choices and more competitive rates.

My suggestion? Just because that ONE BCBS choice is going up doesn't mean that they don't have other alternatives - both at the same metal level and at other levels too.

The BCBS I work for has three different plans within each metal level...the pricing is almost $100 different among the 3. They "steer" members to the more affordable plans within the metal level...based on the underwriters guidance. Your letter refers to the plan increase only if you stay with the same plan.

Individual insurance is similar to Medicare - every year the policies change, based on market conditions. You need to take time to assess your needs and find the plan that's best for you. When your employer provides HI, he/she does that for you. When you need individual insurance, the onus is on you to do your homework.

So don't just take that letter as the final word. Contact your provider - and other providers on the marketplace and look for your best deal that suits your needs and allows you to see the providers you prefer. Enrollment opens on Nov. 1st. You basically have 6 weeks (by Dec. 15th) to choose.

Good luck!

Re: BCBS

MyGirlsMom — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:32:52 GMT

@physicsnut wrote:
Just got my renewal letter from BCBS per healthcare.gov. My premium is now 300.00 a month. The new premium starting Jan 1, 2016 will be 424.44!! That is over a 40% increase!! When I had private insurance 2 years ago the premiums NEVER went up that much. So much for "affordable" healthcare and you can keep your hospital and your Dr. - I will be losing both.

@physicsnut

You're making out like a bandit because we pay $218.00 per WEEK for private insurance.

Re: BCBS

terrier3 — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:33:00 GMT

@deepwaterdotter wrote:
Are you going to purchase a non-healthcare.gov policy on the open market?

FYI - The only difference between the individual (direct pay) plans and the marketplace plans is that the MP offers premium subsidies and deductible and co-pay assistance, if your income for 2016 will fall within certain guidelines - less than 400% of poverty level for premium assistance and 250% for deductible and co-pay assistance..

It's NOT less expensive to buy direct from the insurer...the policies are identical.

Re: BCBS

Drythe — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 19:46:02 GMT

@physicsnut

You're not actually 'losing' them, you no longer want to pay the price for them.

There are other plans and the private market.

Re: BCBS

terrier3 — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:38:12 GMT

@Drythe wrote:

You're not actually 'losing' them, you no longer want to pay the price for them.

There is always the private market.

VERY GOOD POINT!

Your provider decided not to work with BCBS anymore. He/she is an independent businessperson and can choose what plans to be associated with.

BTW - 96% of all MDs in the USA are part of the BCBS provider network.

It's unfortunate that your provider would quit.

Re: BCBS

deeva — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:46:17 GMT

I have private insurance and pay $700 a month. That includes yearly physicals and mammograms covered 100%. So I don't think $400 is a bad deal.

Re: BCBS

tansy — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:50:20 GMT

@deeva wrote:
I have private insurance and pay $700 a month. That includes yearly physicals and mammograms covered 100%. So I don't think $400 is a bad deal.

****

I pay just a little more than you and would be very happy to pay $400.

Re: BCBS

straykatz — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:55:42 GMT

I think everyone has their own idea of what is affordable when it comes to health insurance.

Re: BCBS

ChynnaBlue — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 18:55:52 GMT

@physicsnut wrote:
Just got my renewal letter from BCBS per healthcare.gov. My premium is now 300.00 a month. The new premium starting Jan 1, 2016 will be 424.44!! That is over a 40% increase!! When I had private insurance 2 years ago the premiums NEVER went up that much. So much for "affordable" healthcare and you can keep your hospital and your Dr. - I will be losing both.

Sounds like you should shop for a new plan instead of renewing.

Re: BCBS

physicsnut — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 19:02:03 GMT

@terrier3 wrote:
I noticed that you have to buy on the federal marketplace. That's too bad - states that set up their own exchanges have more choices and more competitive rates.
My suggestion? Just because that ONE BCBS choice is going up doesn't mean that they don't have other alternatives - both at the same metal level and at other levels too.
The BCBS I work for has three different plans within each metal level...the pricing is almost $100 different among the 3. They "steer" members to the more affordable plans within the metal level...based on the underwriters guidance. Your letter refers to the plan increase only if you stay with the same plan.
Individual insurance is similar to Medicare - every year the policies change, based on market conditions. You need to take time to assess your needs and find the plan that's best for you. When your employer provides HI, he/she does that for you. When you need individual insurance, the onus is on you to do your homework.
So don't just take that letter as the final word. Contact your provider - and other providers on the marketplace and look for your best deal that suits your needs and allows you to see the providers you prefer. Enrollment opens on Nov. 1st. You basically have 6 weeks (by Dec. 15th) to choose.
Good luck!

I HAD health insurance thru my employer until the unaffordable act was passed. My employer then decided not to offer health insurance. I know all about the alternatives - I have done my research. I chose this policy due to the location of MY choice Dr. and hospital- which anyone would do. Yes, other and probably cheaper option exist - about 75 miles away - which one should not have to "settle for".

Re: BCBS

terrier3 — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 19:04:39 GMT

@physicsnut wrote:
@terrier3 wrote:
I noticed that you have to buy on the federal marketplace. That's too bad - states that set up their own exchanges have more choices and more competitive rates.
My suggestion? Just because that ONE BCBS choice is going up doesn't mean that they don't have other alternatives - both at the same metal level and at other levels too.
The BCBS I work for has three different plans within each metal level...the pricing is almost $100 different among the 3. They "steer" members to the more affordable plans within the metal level...based on the underwriters guidance. Your letter refers to the plan increase only if you stay with the same plan.
Individual insurance is similar to Medicare - every year the policies change, based on market conditions. You need to take time to assess your needs and find the plan that's best for you. When your employer provides HI, he/she does that for you. When you need individual insurance, the onus is on you to do your homework.
So don't just take that letter as the final word. Contact your provider - and other providers on the marketplace and look for your best deal that suits your needs and allows you to see the providers you prefer. Enrollment opens on Nov. 1st. You basically have 6 weeks (by Dec. 15th) to choose.
Good luck!

I HAD health insurance thru my employer until the unaffordable act was passed. My employer then decided not to offer health insurance. I know all about the alternatives - I have done my research. I chose this policy due to the location of MY choice Dr. and hospital- which anyone would do. Yes, other and probably cheaper option exist - about 75 miles away - which one should not have to "settle for".

So why blame a program that helps you get affordable insurance?

Sounds more like your employer and your MD let you down...ACA was just there to subsidize your insurance policy.

As I suggested before...there are usually several options under each metal level offered by EACH insurer...just check the other BCBS options.

Re: BCBS

MyGirlsMom — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 19:05:25 GMT

@physicsnut

You DO have options.

If you want someone to blame, blame your employer.

Re: BCBS

physicsnut — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 19:05:28 GMT

@MyGirlsMom wrote:
@physicsnut wrote:
Just got my renewal letter from BCBS per healthcare.gov. My premium is now 300.00 a month. The new premium starting Jan 1, 2016 will be 424.44!! That is over a 40% increase!! When I had private insurance 2 years ago the premiums NEVER went up that much. So much for "affordable" healthcare and you can keep your hospital and your Dr. - I will be losing both.
@physicsnut

You're making out like a bandit because we pay $218.00 per WEEK for private insurance.

My policy is just for me - a single policy - not family and yes, 424.00 IS ridiculous- especially for someone like me, who is in excellent health and takes no meds. I noticed you said "we". I had private pay insurance the year after my employer dropped health insurance for us and private pay didn't even go up that much, but now most private pay companies are in align with the unafforadable marketplace plans.

Re: BCBS

tiny 2 — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 19:06:55 GMT

Consider yourself lucky. I pay 1900.00 a month. I have RA and the yearly increase letter is in the $300-$400 a month. The IV medication that my insursance pays in full runs about $12,000 for a 250cc bag of IV fluid and 4 vials of medication mixed in so it is still a bargain.

Re: BCBS

physicsnut — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 19:07:02 GMT

@ChynnaBlue wrote:
@physicsnut wrote:
Just got my renewal letter from BCBS per healthcare.gov. My premium is now 300.00 a month. The new premium starting Jan 1, 2016 will be 424.44!! That is over a 40% increase!! When I had private insurance 2 years ago the premiums NEVER went up that much. So much for "affordable" healthcare and you can keep your hospital and your Dr. - I will be losing both.

Sounds like you should shop for a new plan instead of renewing.

Exactly - probably with a 10,000 deductible to boot!

Re: BCBS

terrier3 — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 22:18:48 GMT

@physicsnut wrote:

@MyGirlsMom wrote:
@physicsnut wrote:
Just got my renewal letter from BCBS per healthcare.gov. My premium is now 300.00 a month. The new premium starting Jan 1, 2016 will be 424.44!! That is over a 40% increase!! When I had private insurance 2 years ago the premiums NEVER went up that much. So much for "affordable" healthcare and you can keep your hospital and your Dr. - I will be losing both.
@physicsnut

You're making out like a bandit because we pay $218.00 per WEEK for private insurance.

My policy is just for me - a single policy - not family and yes, 424.00 IS ridiculous- especially for someone like me, who is in excellent health and takes no meds. I noticed you said "we". I had private pay insurance the year after my employer dropped health insurance for us and private pay didn't even go up that much, but now most private pay companies are in align with the unafforadable marketplace plans.

$424 is actually a VERY GOOD rate for an individual policy. Most unsubsidized single plans run $700 and up per month.

Again - direct pay private plans are IDENTICAL in cost to MP plans - the difference is that MP plans offer premium and other assistance to low income individuals.

If you are in excellent health, why not try a bronze (catastrophic type) plan? That has the lowest monthly premiums. Well visits and screening are at no extra charge and some even have low priced PC visits and generic drugs too.

I was just in a car accident and was transported to an ER in an ambulance. The ambulance bill alone was $2500 (paid by auto insurance). I am waiting to see the ER bill - with the Xrays and CAT scan!!!

HI in the USA isn't a right - it's still a privledge. I personally prefer single payer for all.