New health insurance hoop to jump through - Page 2

sparklestar · ‎03-09-2010

It's only going to get worse if it gets in the wrong hands.

Gram W · ‎01-22-2013

I am retired and on Medicare. I am now checking to see if I want to change my Advantage program. In the past it has gone up less than $10 per year. This year will be more. I am waiting for my literature to arrive any day. I have been in the donut hole since August so the cost of my many meds is horrible. My doctors have been great and trying to get samples for me but sales reps don't leave many samples any more. My regulars cost for 1 pill is normally $45 per month ( I take 5 on that level.) and in the donut is $440 per month. I am a widow on a small income that allows no extras. I consider myself lucky because at least I have insurance that my doctors and hospitals accept. This year the govt took more for my medical than my Advantage each month. I wonder how much SS will take from us this year. It just great when you get an increase in your SS but after their deductions you are lucky if you don't get less in your check. It's almost like my job. We had an older employee who wanted to give back his raise because it put him above his SS limit and he lost alot from that check. They would not take back his raise. My father once told me not to be fooled being retired is not all it is cooked up to be. He was frugil as a ll his life, invested well and started early so all was planned well. He was talking about all the ins and outs of the system and the way the govt treated seniors. He spent lots of time helping others in his FL retirement community understand and get what they deserved. He was President of their association until he was diagnosed with the on set of Alzheimer's. I miss him dearly.

3suwm5 · ‎06-15-2016

This is a spiderweb, in which everyone will be get caught in, never to escape. Last quote I had, woman in her early 60s --$750/m for premium and $3,000 deductible. Prescriptions do not count toward deductible.

Wonder where this is going?? It's like skiing down an ungroomed mountain, hoping there will be no avalanche.

Two words --- good luck!!!

hckynut · ‎03-10-2010

@Abrowneyegirl wrote:
I work for a large worldwide company and I was reading through our paperwork getting ready for open enrollment.
So in addition to $650 additional annual premium cost if you use tobacco products, there is now a annual wellness visit with your PCP that is required.
If you do not get an annual wellness physical by year end the employee is charged an additional $30 per pay on top of the insurance cost.
Not getting a physical and tobacco use is getting VERY expensive.
What next?

"What next"? Look north and you will see the answer if???

hckynut(john)

ID2 · ‎06-25-2012

@Abrowneyegirl wrote:
I work for a large worldwide company and I was reading through our paperwork getting ready for open enrollment.
So in addition to $650 additional annual premium cost if you use tobacco products, there is now a annual wellness visit with your PCP that is required.
If you do not get an annual wellness physical by year end the employee is charged an additional $30 per pay on top of the insurance cost.
Not getting a physical and tobacco use is getting VERY expensive.
What next?

Seriously? We've had to get annual physicals for the past 5 years. We're graded and only receive a reduced insurance cost if we come within their guidelines.

"Pure Michigan"

Abrowneyegirl · ‎03-15-2010

@butterfly123 wrote:
The corporation my husband worked for required physicals for the employee and spouse.
If your spouse had insurance benefits available through their job and wanted to be on this corporations insurance instead, they had to pay extra to do so.
Employee and spouse also had to meet 3 additional requirements. Examples, twice yearly dental visits, specific classes, flu shots etc.
My suggestion for insurance companies is to have a policy for adults without children. Instead of single or family policies. Just my 2 cents!

I can say every comapny I ever worked for or with offer individual, spouse/partner, family, or individual with dependents.

HOWEVER you could not add a spouse if they have insurance available to them elsewhere. No more picking and chosing. So I can not be on my husbands plan or him on mine.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@Gram W I have been on a United Healthcare advantage program for 6 years now. The co pays are very reasonable and my premium is $0 - just the $104 they take from my SS each month. If they give us a COLA raise this year they will most likely raise the amount they deduct from SS for medicare - but they have never raised that premium a large enough amount that it is anything to whine about since I've been on SS.I started out 6 years ago at $96 and over the 6 years it has only gone up to $104. And every one of those raises was accompanied by a COLA raise in SS as that is how the law is written. So we are coasting along just fine. We have better insurance than we had when we were working, with low co pays that we can easily handle. I am perfectly content with how my SS and medicare have been working out. Perhaps people who are struggling to pay for their supplement or advantage plans should look for ones that are more affordable during open enrollment.Of course we would love to have a plan F and all the benefits that go with that but it isn't in our budget so we buy the best coverage we can afford.

PINKdogWOOD · ‎05-13-2010

I just received my 2017 ins costs Saturday. They dropped DH as he's getting ready to sign up for Med A&B very soon. However mine via st of OH (I'm a retiree from the state) is still offering him the same vision & dental we chose some yrs ago. Not a bad deal. Of course through the years, changes have come about. Mine has increased from last yr's $23/mth to $96, vision & dental actually both decreased by a couple of bucks. All totalled per month my deduction from fixed monthly is $169.00 - a dramatic drop now that DH is no longer covered. And sice he hasn't signed up for A&B yet not at all sure what his premiums will be yet.

software · ‎06-08-2016

I work for a huge, worldwide company also & every year it's a different hoop to jump through to get the discounted premium. Most employees are specialized & make huge salaries, but not me. They don't care what they pay, I do.

This past year we had to meet certain metrics related to BP, cholesterol, etc. but no physical, the company nurse took your blood & sent it to the clinic. I made it for 2016 but I can't imagine what 2017 will bring, I should know in the next couple of weeks or so.

I know why the smokers are a target but the company is always preaching 25 or less for a BMI, those of us who are a bit above, may become the next target.

@Abrowneyegirl wrote:
I work for a large worldwide company and I was reading through our paperwork getting ready for open enrollment.
So in addition to $650 additional annual premium cost if you use tobacco products, there is now a annual wellness visit with your PCP that is required.
If you do not get an annual wellness physical by year end the employee is charged an additional $30 per pay on top of the insurance cost.
Not getting a physical and tobacco use is getting VERY expensive.
What next?

Stray · ‎04-20-2013

As much as people may not like it, tobacco use, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity are risk factors, ones that can be controlled in some cases. There are also increased claims/costs associated with enrollees with certain risk factors shared by all members which ultimately lead to an increase in premiums for everyone. So, to give incentives to reduce your risk factors, is the current and logical trend. Preventive services like a physical assist with that effort. I was obese at one time and joined weight watchers, my company paid back money used for meetings and my premium was reduced. I am much better off. The insurers, yes, want to pay out less but by attempting to ncourage healthy lifestyles....there really isn't anything wrong with that...we all win. Doesn't the government intervene with our health choices? In NYC, they do?

I have been retired since 2013 and am happy with Medicare and my employer plan. I was paying a very large amount to cover my husband and myself for a high deductible plan when I was working. My premium is 10x lower and my husband was seriously ill in the spring...he had emergency care, inpatient care, rehab and home care and we basically paid the deductibles and not much more, maybe about $2,500. My deductible while working was much higher.