BCBS

physicsnut · ‎08-26-2013

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.

sunshine45 · ‎03-09-2010

@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.

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein

deepwaterdotter · ‎03-09-2010

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

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

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.

terrier3 · ‎03-10-2010

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!

MyGirlsMom · ‎03-09-2010

@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.

Keep Your Face To The Sunshine and You Will Not See The Shadow

terrier3 · ‎03-10-2010

@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.