ACA: How to get a 70% reduction in premium

[FUEGO]

Is there a data dump or xls file with all plan premiums by zip code? Find the zip with the most expensive 2nd lowest cost silver plan and that will maximize your subsidy on all other plans.

 

[MBSC]

Is there a data dump or xls file with all plan premiums by zip code?

Data for developers and researchers. Plans are priced by county.

https://www.healthcare.gov/health-and-dental-plan-datasets-for-researchers-and-issuers/

 

[Theseus]

From the 2014 data at https://data.healthcare.gov/dataset/SLCSP-County-Zip-Reference-Data/yaaf-rjhy I'm finding the Georgia counties of Baker, Calhoun, Clay, Crisp, Dougherty, Lee, Mitchell, Randolph, Schley, Sumter, Terrell, and Worth to have the highest SLCSP.

* edited that this is 2014 data

 

[Brat]

As a fan of living coastal - it sounds good to me. And it doesn't look like *that* long of a drive to go to Oregon and buy big ticket things without sales tax.

Yes, from Long Beach go over the Astoria Megler Bridge and it's a short drive to Costco. If you have PX privileges I understand they have an excellent liquor store in Astoria.

Watch your driving in Astoria. I swear that local law enforcement has their own "sales tax".

Another advantage: Pacific County doesn't have auto emissions testing.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Can't the exchanges switch it up again next year and every year? Might you be moving every twelve months for the lower premium or better coverage?

 

[Fermion]

Can't the exchanges switch it up again next year and every year? Might you be moving every twelve months for the lower premium or better coverage?

I think it might be based on where you can get access to healthcare without a drive. It is probably unlikely they will build a big medical center in the Long Beach area since the population density is really low. Thus it may be likely they always have a bigger subsidy than other places in the state.

 

[Brat]

Odds are Pacific County residents utilize Astoria health care providers. On a side note: Life Flight insurance would be a wise add-on.

 

[FUEGO]

Data for developers and researchers. Plans are priced by county.

https://www.healthcare.gov/health-and-dental-plan-datasets-for-researchers-and-issuers/

Maximum subsidy for a 60 year old couple is in Alaska. The second lowest cost silver plan is $3,054 per month, which equates to a subsidy of almost $36,000 per year for those with a very low AGI.

The smallest subsidy for a 60 y.o. couple is in Indiana in Clark and Howard counties at $800 per month ($9600/yr).

 

[MichaelB]

I have not found this^^ to be the case. When I was recently shopping for age 65 Medigap (supplemental) coverage, there were all sorts of differences depending on your home location. Some plans simply weren't offered at my 'snowbird' address. And I noticed pricing changes as I played with various zip codes.

omni

Yes, you are right, even with MediGap there are differences in premium and policy availability. I think the ACA policy issues are an order of magnitude more difficult to deal with. No matter what your age or where you live, health insurance is a neverending challenge.

 

[Diver]

Fermion, please let us know what you find out about WA, Ocean Shores, residency, etc. We are considering Ocean Shores and Anderson Island in WA as places to buy a lot to build on later. We also will own no land anywhere else. We will also be getting an ACA plan sometime next year, so I am very interested in how it works out for you and what they tell you about changing residency, etc. Thanks! I had not checked out the ACA plans for both places but will now! Thanks!

 

[Fermion]

Hi Diver,

One caution on Ocean Shores lots. Doing some further research I found out Eric Estrada was a spokesman for some big land deal there a few years back which suckered in a lot of 'investors'. Essentially things were priced up to 3 or 4 times the regular value and they had auctions at places like the Sheridan (where I normally think of timeshares and self help gurus).

The city stepped in and decided to pave all of the roads and install a sewer system, and they assessed the lots $5000 to $10,000 each for this. A lot of people who had purchased several of the overpriced lots were then facing this huge extra bill. Hundreds were just let go into tax foreclosure.

When you are looking for lots, make sure the LIDS and SIDS have been paid off before you buy, or buy cheaper knowing you have to pay these. These are the assessments that were made.

With all of that said, it does look like you can get a small quarter acre lot for $10,000 which sold for $40,000+ a few years ago. Hopefully the city doesn't decide they need new street lights or something in the future.

 

[Diver]

Thank you, Fermion! That is very helpful info for us. I will be careful as we keep looking. I did see that some lots mentioned that either/or LIDS or SIDS were paid or unpaid, and some mentioned nothing. I did not even know what it was (!), but knew it was something to check out before we got too serious. Thanks for filling us in! Really appreciate it. It's a small world sometimes, isn't it? Gotta love this forum...

 

[Brat]

Keep in mind the fact that Long Beach (WA), Ocean Shores and Salashan are sand spits subject to the vagaries of the sea. Properties on the eastern shore of their bays high enough to see the ocean waves may be better long term homesites.

My husband won a design competition for a place at the end of the Salishan spit. What won the day was that it was 3 separate buildings connected by wind screens - flood insurance is a per-building policy at the time.

 

[wmc1000]

Indiana healthcare costs

Which county in Indiana ? Healthcare in that state seems way more expensive vs other areas of the USA. Guess more Medicaid enrolled or just fewer service providers.

The counties surrounding Indianapolis are relatively cheap than other counties in Indiana - i.e., if you go up to the northeast corner of Indiana the cost runs $200+ more per month.

 

[NW-Bound]

...My wife just asked a good question. If you do not have a home without wheels, are you not really just considered homeless? The homeless are allowed to have insurance, vote, etc. How do they do it?

Many full-time RV'ers register their vehicles and themselves in South Dakota. To do that, all you have to show is that you have been in the state for 24 hours. A motel receipt or even an RV campground receipt will do to get you a SD driver license and registration for your vehicles. For an address, people rent a mail box service, which also does mail forwarding for you. So, you have an address and are not homeless. I don't know what they do for health insurance coverage.

Happy voting in SD state election.

 

[REWahoo]

+1

South Dakota and Texas are the two most popular "official state of residence" options for those who RV full time. Here is a Texas based RV organization that provides all you need to know to become a TX resident - even voting information.

https://www.escapees.com/knowledge/domicile/texas-domiclie-information

 

[meierlde]

Keep in mind the fact that Long Beach (WA), Ocean Shores and Salashan are sand spits subject to the vagaries of the sea. Properties on the eastern shore of their bays high enough to see the ocean waves may be better long term homesites.

My husband won a design competition for a place at the end of the Salishan spit. What won the day was that it was 3 separate buildings connected by wind screens - flood insurance is a per-building policy at the time.

Just to point out in addition Long Beach Wa and environs are also subject to Tsunami risk if the big Cascadia quake hits. To avoid this you probably want to be at least 70 feet above sea level. (figuring in the land drop that will happen due to the earthquake before the waves arrive). Also consider that if below that elevation you may have 15 mins to make it up the hill.

 

[Diver]

Thank you, Brat and Meierlde! Very good info to consider. DH taped a science show this weekend that we watched about the risk of the Cascadia quake that is predicted soon, along with predictions of areas that would be affected by a resultant tsunami (which would definitely include Ocean Shores). Looks like Anderson Island might be a safer place based on that risk. It may be a remote possibility, but gotta consider it in the big picture!

 

[Fermion]

Just to point out in addition Long Beach Wa and environs are also subject to Tsunami risk if the big Cascadia quake hits. To avoid this you probably want to be at least 70 feet above sea level. (figuring in the land drop that will happen due to the earthquake before the waves arrive). Also consider that if below that elevation you may have 15 mins to make it up the hill.

Yes, but Mount Rainier is due for a blow off sometime soon on the long timescale so you are not safe in and around Seattle either.

70 foot wall of water or 70 foot wall of mud and ash. Decisions decisions.

 

[Diver]

Fermion,
Ha Ha. You are right! What a decision...
There would probably be more advanced warning for Ranier, but the area would still be devastated in the end.

I am certainly learning alot about checking out ACA options and PPO networks for travel that are currently available (or not), along with my initial look at taxes and other location data. Alot to balance, and it looks the the ACA stuff will likely change year by year.

Let us know what you decide. I would be really tempted by Ocean Shores if I had an RV and would use a lot for 90 days/year! Since we don't have an RV, we are just looking at places near the water to build later. Thanks again for all of the really helpful info in this thread.

 

[karen1972]

Just be sure to read all the fine print. 90% of the plans on NC exchange require you to be in network and only cover out of network in case of emergency. That includes drug refills, etc. so if that's not where your going to live, it could be more hassle than it is worth and of course our state allows for balance billing so out of network can be extremely costly even when "covered".