ACA Federal Marketplace updates

[Mulligan]

Have been reading about this the last couple of weeks. Yes we might need another thread because there is also this that just came out last night. A push to allow people to keep their old plans. A lot of challenges still.

Lawmakers push to keep Obama's health care pledge

I wonder if the push is really a way to help people like me who are getting raked under the coals with rate shock, or just an opportunistic way to destroy Obamacare. If all the people like me were able to stay on their inexpensive plans, what incentive would there be to participate in the ACA? Seems like it would make the system become a glorified national high risk pool plan, and the market would resemble current day New York's individual market where practically nobody participated in.

 

[sheehs1]

I wonder if the push is really a way to help people like me who are getting raked under the coals with rate shock, or just an opportunistic way to destroy Obamacare. If all the people like me were able to stay on their inexpensive plans, what incentive would there be to participate in the ACA? Seems like it would make the system become a glorified national high risk pool plan, and the market would resemble current day New York's individual market where practically nobody participated in.

Don't know except there seems to be sufficient outrage about the cancellations and 100% increases. I think it has as much to do with "the promises" as anything else (not trying to get political, just stating a "fact").

I agree with you that it might not bode well for "the risk" level left in the pool.

 

[audreyh1]

Have been reading about this the last couple of weeks. Yes we might need another thread because there is also this that just came out last night. A push to allow people to keep their old plans. A lot of challenges still.

Lawmakers push to keep Obama's health care pledge

Interesting.

At this point I'm waiting until Nov 15 to complete enrollment directly with the selected insurance company. Just watching for how things might shake down first.

I have no choice but to sign up, as my risk pool disbands at the end of this year. But I will be able to stay with the same network and my monthly premiums drop considerably unsubsidized. And I can qualify for an HSA by switching to bronze and have even more to set aside to cover costs instead of paying for the more expensive silver premiums. So I am very happy with my options so far.

My husband can stay on his old plan, but I'm not sure what my the benefit would be. Maybe the lower co-pays, but the premiums would be much higher and his current plan is not HSA eligible. I think his current deductible is higher than if he switched to the ACA bronze plan. He would save a lot in premiums and be HSA eligible if he switched. So we are inclined to switch him as well.

We will each sign up for individual plans. That way if one of us wants to change plans in the future, it won't affect the other. This also gets around the murkiness about individual versus family deductibles and max OOP.

 

[travelover]

I wonder if the push is really a way to help people like me who are getting raked under the coals with rate shock, or just an opportunistic way to destroy Obamacare. ......

I don't wonder.

 

[MichaelB]

I wonder if the push is really a way to help people like me who are getting raked under the coals with rate shock

I thought you were able to sign a new underwritten policy with very low rates.

 

[homestead]

I thought you were able to sign a new underwritten policy with very low rates.

I checked into it and not possible in my state Oregon.

 

[audreyh1]

I thought you were able to sign a new underwritten policy with very low rates.

No more underwritten policies as far as I know. No new ones with coverage starting Jan 1, 2014, that is.

 

[Mulligan]

I thought you were able to sign a new underwritten policy with very low rates.

Yes, I was able to get an extension until Dec. 2014. I didn't express it correctly at all, but what I was referring to was the inevitable increase of over 3X what I am paying now when it expires next year. It appears to me that anyone in my state of MO prior to at least Dec. 1 can get signed up for a one year underwritten policy.

 

[M Paquette]

Have been reading about this the last couple of weeks. Yes we might need another thread because there is also this that just came out last night. A push to allow people to keep their old plans. A lot of challenges still. Lawmakers push to keep Obama's health care pledge

Oh yeah. Mandating that insurers reinstate, continue and renew policies which they have already cancelled. I can already hear the screams of the lobbyists beginning...

I wonder if they'll mandate that last years rates also be charged? Heh, heh...

 

[MichaelB]

Insurers can write new underwritten policies until the end of the year, which is Mulligan’s case, and current underwritten policies can be renewed.

Yes, I was able to get an extension until Dec. 2014. I didn't express it correctly at all, but what I was referring to was the inevitable increase of over 3X what I am paying now when it expires next year. It appears to me that anyone in my state of MO prior to at least Dec. 1 can get signed up for a one year underwritten policy.

You definitely have a good deal and were lucky to get it extended for another year. After that you’ll be joining the rest of us. It'll be painful for sure.

 

[Mulligan]

Oh yeah. Mandating that insurers reinstate, continue and renew policies which they have already cancelled. I can already hear the screams of the lobbyists beginning...

I wonder if they'll mandate that last years rates also be charged? Heh, heh...

M, you definitely brought up a whole other problem to that legislation. Playing my role as an unintelligent back row heckler in the peanut gallery, here is my worthless prediction...This legislation is going to eventually go nowhere. Mr. Obama is way too intelligent to sign this as it could very well mortally wound his signature program; especially if the version of keeping it longer than a year plays out. It might play out that they let the some of his parties legislatures vote to approve it to keep it from being used against them in an election, but the President would not sign it. Then come override time, there would be enough people's arms twisted to avoid an override. I would be knocked over with a feather if this bill became a law, but I admit I know nothing so my opinion doesn't really matter.

 

[Birdie Num Nums]

Helps but my situation is pretty complicated. As a member of a federally recognized Indian tribe I've read that we'll have income low enough that I should qualify for any Exchange plan (even a Bronze one) with *no* cost sharing (copays or deductible) on me. That should make it even more attractive to go that route but I don't want to assume that and be wrong before I can *confirm* it through the Exchange itself.

Group Health Cooperative in Washington state apparently offers a Core Bronze AIAN Plan for American Indians/Alaskan Natives, but good luck trying to find out from their customer service or via the state exchange site what the monthly premiums are. (GHC telephone customer service never heard of it and couldn't find it on their computer!) Otherwise, the benefits are great!

What if I apply for GHC's 'regular' Core Bronze Plan, estimating my annual income as $18K, which makes the estimate premium zero due to the federal subsidy, but ultimately I make only $10K. Do I have to repay the subsidy (which I doubt) or what? What is the financial consequence of over-estimating 2014 income and getting a subsidy in the meantime?