My 2014 Bronze PPO plan from Covered CA will no longer be offered in 2015 through Covered CA.
Instead, if I want the same plan, I can enroll directly through the insurer, at a higher cost, approximately 20% more than my 2014 premiums.
That's just so I can keep my same doctor/medical group (though they are in negotiations with the insurer to remain on their PPO network).
So I went to the insurer's site, entered my zip code and entered my birthdate and one of the plans they offer is a "Minimum Coverage" PPO Plan which has much lower premiums, approximately $130 less than the Bronze PPO Plan for 2015.
It has a higher deductible, $6600 vs. $5000, as well as higher out of pocket max, $6600 vs. $6250.
But the first 3 office visits are "free" meaning the plan would pay for them? It also has the preventive care, which seems to be separate from the first 3 free visits (which could also be urgent care visits, not routine office visits):
https://www.healthnet.com/portal/sho...ction?id=53222
So the savings on the premiums are the primary draw for me. I also have been averaging a couple of doctor's visits per year for a long time, have no active prescriptions.
But I thought these kinds of bare bones, below Bronze-level coverage, only applied to people under 30 years of age or some other categories? Wondering whether the insurer's site is correctly presenting "legal" (compliant under the ACA) plans.
When I go to coveredca.com, they only show me strictly the metal plans.
If my needs for medical services remain consistent with recent history, 3 "free" visits (again, still not certain about this one) are in some ways better than what's offered under the Bronze plans.
The only bummer is that none of the plans offered by the insurer are HSA-eligible so I may in the end have to get a higher-premium plan just to get the HSA advantages.
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