How much is YOUR Ins. going up in January?

[johde]

Right now the only winners are the insurance companies who have put some pretty pathetic offerings onto the healthcare exchange. Unfortunately, the ACA does fall short since it is full of partisan compromises.

In some cases it's the insurance companies but in other cases it's the state legislatures. I know in California, New York, and probably some others, the state decided what a platinum, gold, silver, and bronze plan would look like. So different insurance companies are only competing on price and network.

In other states, the insurance companies decided on the plans. In either case, the plans need to meet the actuarial guidelines established under the ACA. IE. Bronze plans for supposed to pay 60% of expected medical costs, silver 70%, gold 80%, and platinum 90%. There are also requirement regarding maximum out of pocket spending. For 2014, I think the maximum in network OOP is $6350.

 

[Minnesota!]

The coverage my company offers is going from $393/month for a family to $420/month. So about 6%?

Still waiting to hear what DH's company might do...his is the insurance we go with most years. I work for a big company and his is small...so I am assuming his will go up more. But even if his goes up 15% or so...will still be significantly cheaper than what my company offers..

 

[MomToOne]

My employer is keeping the cost the same for employees. I don't know if they are paying more though.

Our company did a huge overhaul to the plans offered last year, in part to prepare for the HCA. We went to mostly high-deductable plans with HSAs/HRAs, where the company funds the HSAs/HRAs each year for us with a significant portion of the annual deductible. It actually resulted in lower rates, and people feeling happier about their coverage. It did result initially in a lot of confusion as people figured out how they worked, how to get expenses submitted, etc. but in the long run, it's worked out well.

 

[firemist]

Dh HMO insurance is staying same at about $200/mon for a family. No deductible just $15/$30 copays. Dh is state law enforcement. Tiny benefit for his low pay and high risk job.

 

[RyMacJ]

This entire thread has blown my mind. I'm so sorry for everybody who is seeing increases and paying such high costs for their health insurance.

I feel very sheltered after having read this. I am 30 years old--until age 23, I was always covered under my father's health plan, and he worked for a company with a union presence, and our health care costs were next to nothing.

At age 23, I came to the company I am still working for today. Then I only needed coverage for myself, but now I have DH and two small children. For our family of 4, I pay $202 and some change per month, and have deductibles, very small ones, on few procedures, and $25 co-pays for doctor visits--$0 for dental. My cost was $184 per month before the ACA. Our company was already compliant, and we are also self-insured. I spoke with our comp and ben manager today and he told me the company did incur a tax, and that was the reason for our increase (which I am definitely not complaining about, I asked because I wanted to learn about it) but that the company is paying most of that.

I have never really realized how lucky I am...I thought this was normal, for companies to provide quality benefits/health insurance to their employees and absorb most of the cost.


Again, I am so sorry for everyone who is so negatively affected by this.

 

[aprilgail2]

.I thought this was normal, for companies to provide quality benefits/health insurance to their employees and absorb most of the cost.


Again, I am so sorry for everyone who is so negatively affected by this.

Every company I worked for provided benefits with no charge to employees- my moms agent just called last night and her insurance is going up but not any big deal- 12.00 a month. Mine is still covered 100% by my employer.

 

[LinK]

16%

 

[LJSquishy]

I'm a little worried because my husband's employer doesn't release that info until the very end of the year. It goes up every year and benefits go down, and I'm very nervous to find out how much our insurance will cost. What I hate most is not knowing with very much advance notice.

 

[wendow]

I'm a little worried because my husband's employer doesn't release that info until the very end of the year. It goes up every year and benefits go down, and I'm very nervous to find out how much our insurance will cost. What I hate most is not knowing with very much advance notice.

We are the same. We'll find out in a few weeks...actually mid-Nov, so more like a month...and we'll have all of a week to decide. They do it on purpose. They raise the rates every year anyways and they don't want us to have much time to explore other options. At least that is what my dh says. Really scared also to see how much ours goes up. Before this thread, I was thinking, "we already pay $800 a month, how much higher could it possibly get??" Now, I'm really nervous realizing it could get a lot higher

 

[bas71873]

We just got our letter from BCBS this week. I was given a few options and the one we are taking, for now, is to pay about $50 more per month to KEEP our current plan until December 1 of next year. Between now & then, we will have to choose a new plan that is compliant, but this gives us a year to see how things shake out.

After speaking with a rep at BCBS about my current plan (the premier plan) vs. the top of the line "gold" plan they are offering, which of course, costs more for less; and then speaking with a friend who is an insurance agent, they both agreed that it's best to take this offer and give ourselves time to think, shop around and see what happens. The BCBS rep said there are additional plans pending approval so plans will change, rates with change.

So for the next 13 months will pay $50 more and go from there.....


ETA: We are self employed and don't come close to qualifying for anything offered under Obamacare.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

After reading through most of this thread my heart really goes out to everybody struggling under this new plan.

I am one of the lucky ones who found a great job that covers 100% of employee health ins. (Including spouse and family plans). We are currently in open enrollment and our coverage actually got better. I'm not sure what will happen come next year but the reprieve for the year is a loaf off.

I hope things work itself out because it really seems like this new system is going to cause a new struggle for a lot of people.

 

[jodifla]

Our family rates are going up $200 a month and our deductible is doubling to $3,000. We look at it as about a $3,500 pay cut.

Our company blamed "Obamacare." HOWEVER, when you do a little digging, you find out that actually they just shifted our unit to the insurance that the larger company has had in many other cities for years. It's massively cheaper for the company, and now they have their excuse.

On the other hand, the union members in our local company just got a brand new health plan that's cheaper that what we were paying last year, and with good coverage. That was the power of the union -- and in previous years, our local unit had enough autonomy that they often added the union coverage choice to management packages.

No one should underestimate the fact that companies have been dying to get out of the health insurance business for years.

 

[stinkpickle]

Our premiums went up almost 20%...deductibles and out-of-pocket max bumped up a little bit, too.

 

[CounselorX]

Employee + Spouse...

My premium went from $200 per month to $170 per month but my deductible went from $500 to $1,000 per year. So, kind of good and bad for me. This is with United Healthcare. At least everything considered preventive is still free and regular doctors visits are $25 copay.

 

[sherreis]

Several weeks ago, we were told that our premiums would be going up and the informaton will be available on October 7 for early November enrollment. No info yet! This is new coverage for me cause my company was sold last fall and we fell under the big company's plan as of April with a $3000 deductible and almost $11,000 out of pocket. I keep checking every day for what the new stuff is going to be. Nothing like taking a huge paycut for the same job. Don't know what I am going to do in January when I start having to pay full price for DHs meds again.

 

[MonsterWDWmom]

Got a letter from my insurance company (anthem) and because of Obamacare they are no longer offering my plan. I can have it till next October but after that I will need to find new coverage. What stinks is that all the coverage out there is way worse than what I have! What I have now is perfect $1500 deductible $40 co pay and $230 a month, however this is going to go way up next year when I switch to a higher deductible and higher monthly payment and not as good pf coverage for doctors. Lucky me.... I really wish this health care bill did not pass because it is hurting people like me who have coverage that they can now afford but next year will not be able to.

 

[KalamityJane]

Got a letter from my insurance company (anthem) and because of Obamacare they are no longer offering my plan. I can have it till next October but after that I will need to find new coverage. What stinks is that all the coverage out there is way worse than what I have! What I have now is perfect $1500 deductible $40 co pay and $230 a month, however this is going to go way up next year when I switch to a higher deductible and higher monthly payment and not as good pf coverage for doctors. Lucky me.... I really wish this health care bill did not pass because it is hurting people like me who have coverage that they can now afford but next year will not be able to.

That's awesome, we have a 6000 ded and pay 700/mo...

 

[MonsterWDWmom]

That's awesome, we have a 6000 ded and pay 700/mo...

I know I love my insurance now and I am dreading next Oct when I have to get a new policy thankfully my kids and husband have their own coverage so it is just me we have to pay for.

 

[rszdtrvl]

Going up $4/month for our family of 3.

Not as bad as anticipated - this won't even mess with the budget at all.



(DH is employed by the state.)

 

[wdwmom0f3]

Another friend was hit hard. Her ins went from $185. to $633. Unreal.