My health insurance rates are going up 13.5%

[MichaelB]

Any person who is living in an underwritten state that currently is healthy would be making a mistake in my opinion for not confirming that their policy will be in effect through next year. If it isn't, it is worth the time to save the money for another year, and join a plan that will.

+1, if the price is substantially below the expected price for an exchange policy and the coverage is adequate.

 

[MooreBonds]

Any person who is living in an underwritten state that currently is healthy would be making a mistake in my opinion for not confirming that their policy will be in effect through next year. If it isn't, it is worth the time to save the money for another year, and join a plan that will.

...making "a mistake" if they don't have a masochistic streak in futility exercises.

I've thought about calling Anthem and trying to get some direction, but figured I'd be just as successful in you were. Since my policy runs till December 28, I'll wait until December 1 and start seeing what things look like at that time.

I believe my current Anthem Lumenos HSA policy is grandfathered, but will see what the official answer is (if there is one) come December. Might end up doing what you did by going with a policy from another carrier that I know is 'guaranteed' to run until December 2014, then deal with the rate hikes in the individual market next year.

 

[Mulligan]

...making "a mistake" if they don't have a masochistic streak in futility exercises.

I've thought about calling Anthem and trying to get some direction, but figured I'd be just as successful in you were. Since my policy runs till December 28, I'll wait until December 1 and start seeing what things look like at that time.

I believe my current Anthem Lumenos HSA policy is grandfathered, but will see what the official answer is (if there is one) come December. Might end up doing what you did by going with a policy from another carrier that I know is 'guaranteed' to run until December 2014, then deal with the rate hikes in the individual market next year.

Just make sure you do not wait too long. I do not know what dates insurance companies are using as cut-offs to allow this one year loop hole. Keep in mind even if your plan is grandfathered doesn't mean Anthem will keep it going. Their silence on everything here in MO is deafening. They have been up front in other states about their plans. Whenever they decide their plans are to "going all in" (that is the quote) on the exchanges. It makes a person suspicious that also means getting everyone including their own enrolled into the exchanges. If they were going to allow plans to continue one would think they would have announced that. Of course I can be wrong, but I would rather pay $5 more now than $300 or whatever it is all next year. Oh and spare yourself the aggravation of calling them unless you have an in with the suits. The receptionists kept referring to their stupid website that has absolutely nothing about it. On another positive note, their HSA provider has way better rates than mine. It get about .7% interest and they pay 2.25 % on amounts over $10,000. I will make a couple hundred more a year in interest through them than my current one.

 

[pb4uski]

This thread is interesting. In my case my HDHI premiums for 2012, 2013 and 2014 were/will be $556, $629 and ~$750 for the two of us (before any subsidies) and they are all less than my 2012 COBRA of ~$900 which is what I used as a budget for retirement.

While I concede these premiums are ridiculous, they are nonetheless less that what I expected and after subsidies I expect my net HDHI cost in 2014 to be less than half my 2012 COBRA, so I'm relatively pleased.

 

[Mulligan]

This thread is interesting. In my case my HDHI premiums for 2012, 2013 and 2014 were/will be $556, $629 and ~$750 for the two of us (before any subsidies) and they are all less than my 2012 COBRA of ~$900 which is what I used as a budget for retirement.

While I concede these premiums are ridiculous, they are nonetheless less that what I expected and after subsidies I expect my net HDHI cost in 2014 to be less than half my 2012 COBRA, so I'm relatively pleased.

I guess it all comes down to relativism, PB. If you are used to getting beat over the head with a club 10 times, 11 isn't that much different. But if you are used to being clubbed 2 times and now your facing 8 whacks that sounds painful. I feel like the chicken in the cage and farmer with the hatchet has decided I am dinner. I ducked and made him miss but I know come dinner time I will still be the main course.

 

[urn2bfree]

As some one else pointed out, but it is worth repeating REMEMBER rates have been rising every year long before Obamacare-- no doubt the new rules have confused things for now, but the increases might or might not have happened as bad or worse without it. We will never know and speculating on who or what is to blame is not just folly, it violates the rules of this forum.
As a fellow Show Me state resident, I share Mulligan's frustration with how little they are showing us right now. Still, when I retire on December 1, I hope to be able to find cheaper health care than I am saddled with right now at work. $1800 a month! And I pay whether I take it or not. So of course I take it along with my generous paycheck. The paychexk will disappear but Health Insurance at half that would be less than I have budgeted. I am hoping for a third of that as I have no problem with the idea of a High Deductible plan with out of pocket costs dependent on use and not this monthly rape I pay now just to make it seem that incidents of care cost me less. While I realize everything could change on Oct 1, the cost of policies on ehealthinsurance.com look to be in the $500-$600 a month range for us, if online shopping means anything.

 

[pb4uski]

I guess it all comes down to relativism, PB. If you are used to getting beat over the head with a club 10 times, 11 isn't that much different. But if you are used to being clubbed 2 times and now your facing 8 whacks that sounds painful. I feel like the chicken in the cage and farmer with the hatchet has decided I am dinner. I ducked and made him miss but I know come dinner time I will still be the main course.

Understood, but you know you have had a too good to be true deal for a long time and there would ultimately be some day of reckoning.

 

[wmc1000]

urn2bfree - from experience with family members who used ehealthinsurance.com when they were in between group coverage the online rates are only valid if you have no prior health issues and are not on any meds. Otherwise the rates get uprated from the listed amounts. Of course starting Jan.1 that all changes.

 

[urn2bfree]

urn2bfree - from experience with family members who used ehealthinsurance.com when they were in between group coverage the online rates are only valid if you have no prior health issues and are not on any meds. Otherwise the rates get uprated from the listed amounts. Of course starting Jan.1 that all changes.

Thanks, I have heard that. We are pretty healthy. Nothing chronic or major. I do fill a prescription for finasteride but for hair preservation, not BPH. This is a perfect example of the insanity of pracription med costs. The dose for BPH is 5 mg. The dose for hairless is 1mg. The 5 mg BPH size is generically available t about $3.35 a month compared to the pill one fifth the size at a cost of about $60 a month. So I get the cheap bigger size, dissolve in alcohol (it won't dissolve in water) and take 1/5th a day.

 

[MooreBonds]

So I get the cheap bigger size, dissolve in alcohol (it won't dissolve in water) and take 1/5th a day.

Uh, I hope you mean 1/5 of a pill, and not a 1/5 (of a gallon) of liquor!

 

[Mulligan]

Thanks, I have heard that. We are pretty healthy. Nothing chronic or major. I do fill a prescription for finasteride but for hair preservation, not BPH. This is a perfect example of the insanity of pracription med costs. The dose for BPH is 5 mg. The dose for hairless is 1mg. The 5 mg BPH size is generically available t about $3.35 a month compared to the pill one fifth the size at a cost of about $60 a month. So I get the cheap bigger size, dissolve in alcohol (it won't dissolve in water) and take 1/5th a day.

I did my application yesterday for another underwritten plan on the phone yesterday. I could have read War and Peace cover to cover while listening to all the illnesses, diseases, and other maladies that I had to say I didn't have during the application process. 50% of them I didn't even know what they were talking about.

 

[urn2bfree]

Uh, I hope you mean 1/5 of a pill, and not a 1/5 (of a gallon) of liquor!

That certainly would not be saving me much money!

 

[Mulligan]

urn2bfree - from experience with family members who used ehealthinsurance.com when they were in between group coverage the online rates are only valid if you have no prior health issues and are not on any meds. Otherwise the rates get uprated from the listed amounts. Of course starting Jan.1 that all changes.

That is certainly true but an oddity happened to me today. I just received full approval through new insurance carrier today. This will guarantee me to escape the clutches of the new healthcare act till October of next year and guarantee another year of being able to have an HSA. The original quote for the $5k deductible was $93 and change, but they just sent me notification of $88, which is locked in for 12 months. I will call them again in December and see if they will roll me over into a new policy to get me through Dec. 2014

 

[wmc1000]

That sounds like a good deal! I have about $12K saved up in my HSA which I plan to keep funding until I ER and then see if a HDHP is still available in a couple of years.

 

[sheehs1]

Mulligan.
I might try the same thing in December.

 

[Mulligan]

Mulligan.
I might try the same thing in December.

Hey the worst they can say is no, so put a reminder on your calendar. Or you can switch carriers in December and go for another year with them if they will do it, and the price is right for you. And Sheeshs, I still never got a letter like you did from Anthem. Since my new carrier is only 50 cents higher and I am already approved, they can pound sand. Stalling out like this is ridiculous, and I am done with them even if they finally decide to extend the policy out.