Our health care prems up 30% how bout yours?

[ziggy29]

Just saw our share of the Megacorp health insurance is going up only 4.9% for 2010. This is a self-insured HDHP/HSA plan administered by Aetna. The PPO option appears to going up by closer to 20%.

[REWahoo]

My individual BC/BS $5,000 deductible HSA policy is going up 14.8% next month. The increase announcement included this bit of "good" news:

Quote:

Additionally, we have made changes in the way we rate to minimize financial impact to you. Rates will be converted into a single year age band format - a separate rate for everyone from age 0 to 65+.

No explanation as to how this might actually "minimize financial impact"...

[M Paquette]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo No explanation as to how this might actually "minimize financial impact"...

The single year rate bands are wonderful news for you. As long as you can avoid getting older, your rates won't be affected...

[sirion]

One of the main messages of the "This American Life" program is that it is really hard for healthcare consumers to know the cost of the medications they are taking. The healthcare industry all has a part in masking this price to both doctors and consumers. How can we make smart spending decisions if we don't know the cost of things? It's just one of the many problems facing the healthcare situation.

[Martha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirion One of the main messages of the "This American Life" program is that it is really hard for healthcare consumers to know the cost of the medications they are taking. The healthcare industry all has a part in masking this price to both doctors and consumers. How can we make smart spending decisions if we don't know the cost of things? It's just one of the many problems facing the healthcare situation.

You can't know the "true cost" of medications because there isn't one. The cost differs depending who you are and who is paying.

[bright eyed]

Our stellar finance/hr staff found reasonable solutions, switched plans around (not big changes) just higher co-pays which we can all live with...!

[DblDoc]

I haven't seen this years enrollment package yet but rumor has it we have a 6% on average increase in Health plans for 2010. We are supposed to be "pleased" because the industry average is around 6%.

DD

[Moemg]

My BCBS federal health plan really took a jump this year . I've had the BCBS standard the last few years but the BCBS basic seems to offer the same benefits as long as you use preferred providers which my physicians are . I was also surprised to see that GEHA had lowered their cost while BCBS went way up . I'm going to send for the booklets and compare the plans line by line .

[Dawg52]

My BCBS plan will go up $4/mo first of the year. I'm pissed. A pleasant surprise. Last year up 14%.

[megacorp-firee]

unicare just sent me a 22.5% increase letter, follow up with a 'we are discontinuing insurance in Illinois' letter. BCBS is going to take over their policies, but can raise the rates. So I have to wait until Dec. to see what the real damages will be.
I am pissed.

[aaronc879]

We hade our quarterly meeting today which included annual enrollment. They told us our health insurance is going up 9.25%. Our deductable is going up 20%. Both seem quite high to me but i've heard worse from other places. The company still pays 80% of the premium so it could be worse.

[megacorp-firee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by megacorp-firee unicare just sent me a 22.5% increase letter, follow up with a 'we are discontinuing insurance in Illinois' letter. BCBS is going to take over their policies, but can raise the rates. So I have to wait until Dec. to see what the real damages will be. I am pissed.

There is something to setting your expectations low. I got the letter from BCBS and they are offering us a policy that is slightly worse, a higher deductible and a bit better, preventative yearly checkups paid for with a small co-pay. The price is the same as the Unicare increase price.

So I guess I'm less pissed now. It doesn't hurt anymore when they stop beating you

[teejayevans]

For HSA plan at my megacorp, cost remains the same for a single person: $0.
TJ

[smileydog]

I got my increase letter this week. My retiree insurance jumped 2k per year for DW & myself (my part) although they are offering some other lower cost options - with higher deductables and other limitations. The new plan is a type of PPO. I guess I will be switching to the cheaper plan... Will save me about 1200 a year.

[bamsphd]

We have a cafeteria plan at work, but they dropped the BCBS option this year, leaving only their self-insured offerings. Their self-insured options are unfortunately exempt from my state's regulations which made BCBS more attractive for some, such as the ability to keep children in the plan beyond college, and guaranteed continuation coverage beyond COBRA for a price.

On the bright side, while my plan's COBRA rates went up
2009: $760.42/month for a couple
2010: $864.52/month for a couple
they left my cost while still employed unchanged at $500/month with only minor co-pay increases.

[saluki9]

My wife and I are expecting our first child in January.

I pay 100% of my BCBS premium at work. Just found out that due to me going to a "family" plan when our daughter is born, my annual premium will go from $11,800 to just over $19,800.

When people say kids are expensive, they weren't kidding.

[Martha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saluki9 My wife and I are expecting our first child in January. I pay 100% of my BCBS premium at work. Just found out that due to me going to a "family" plan when our daughter is born, my annual premium will go from $11,800 to just over $19,800. When people say kids are expensive, they weren't kidding.

Bummer on the insurance but many congratulations on the baby!

[Bikerdude]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saluki9 My wife and I are expecting our first child in January. I pay 100% of my BCBS premium at work. Just found out that due to me going to a "family" plan when our daughter is born, my annual premium will go from $11,800 to just over $19,800. When people say kids are expensive, they weren't kidding.

No HSA option?

[Notmuchlonger]

I hope to keep this thread alive. For when the health care reform passes. Will be an interesting read. Hopefully I see a bunch of " hey stayed even this year!" That is assuming Ill be alive 3 or 4 years from now from when it will start working.

[saluki9]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bikerdude No HSA option?

Nope, that's all I've got