Preview 2017 ACA plans now active

[Sue J]

https://www.healthcare.gov/see-plans/

You can input basic info without entering your personal info or staring an application. You can go back and change your income to see how it changes your subsidy.

I haven't gone through the process yet to see how our current plan has changed. There are new filter options (Refine Results), including HSA only, and I saw Federal Simple Choice plans. I'll have to explore that later.

Good luck!

 

[MichaelB]

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Blueskies123]

Ouch, my premium is going from $250 to $1,000 a month. A lot of people are just not going to pay this. I am not sure what is going to happen to ACA.

 

[2017ish]

Ouch, my premium is going from $250 to $1,000 a month. A lot of people are just not going to pay this. I am not sure what is going to happen to ACA.

For the same coverage/out of pocket/network? If so, sheesh.

I'm beginning to fear that the 2000 per month I have softly budgeted for healthcare from ages 57/56 through medicare may be overly optimistic.... Luckily, there are a few workarounds if the system isn't fixed.

 

[nico08]

If my income is the same for 2016 as it was for 2015 (and I think my 2016 income will actually be lower) my premium will only increase by 30 dollars a month. This is not a dramatic increase and this is why I get confused when people say the premiums of marketplace health insurance plans is skyrocketing.

 

[ivinsfan]

That would be because the majority of people are paying rack rate or list price, how is that confusing to you?

 

[user5027]

Thank you for sharing!

Confirms Aetna is out of ACA in my area, leaving BCBS.

For me:
2016: Aetna Leap Basic was $485.83/mo
2017: BCBS Cat will be $813.26/mo

Will have the wife get from HR what me joining her work plan will cost for 2017. Last year it was cheaper for me to go on the ACA with no subsidy.

Stay tuned. Hopefully she can get the rates early enough. Last year they were changing plans and HR did not share them until 12/28 !!

 

[nico08]

That would be because the majority of people are paying rack rate or list price, how is that confusing to you?

Because my rack rate has not changed much either. More importantly, I am just grateful to have affordable coverage because I am a cancer survivor. Insurers cannot charge me more or deny me coverage because of a pre-existing health condition (cancer). They cannot limit benefits for that condition either. And they can't refuse to cover treatment for my pre-existing condition.

 

[LRDave]

Sorry - probably a dumb basic strategy question covered elsewhere:


If DW and I retire at 58/59, we could live on already-taxed savings for three years until pensions kick in. The OP's link shows me a silver plan in my area at no monthly premium (because of the monthly supplement) for around $20K in income. While depleting from the taxed savings seriously, this offers tremendous savings and more importantly risk reduction in the years before Medicare.


What obvious hole in this plan am I missing? TIA....

 

[jim584672]

Sorry - probably a dumb basic strategy question covered elsewhere:


If DW and I retire at 58/59, we could live on already-taxed savings for three years until pensions kick in. The OP's link shows me a silver plan in my area at no monthly premium (because of the monthly supplement) for around $20K in income. While depleting from the taxed savings seriously, this offers tremendous savings and more importantly risk reduction in the years before Medicare.


What obvious hole in this plan am I missing? TIA....

That is a valid strategy. MAGI control is a great way to save money.

 

[ivinsfan]

The hole is at a certain income level you will be booted to Medicad with perhaps many doctor and provider restrictions. and not any choice in the matter. A better plan might be to raise your income enough to get a regular plan with smaller co-pays and more choice. They will vary be state.

 

[ivinsfan]

Because my rack rate has not changed much either. More importantly, I am just grateful to have affordable coverage because I am a cancer survivor. Insurers cannot charge me more or deny me coverage because of a pre-existing health condition (cancer). They cannot limit benefits for that condition either. And they can't refuse to cover treatment for my pre-existing condition.

Curious about your general age and location, because this is a little out of the norm, would you mind sharing the rack rate of that coverage. In my state the exchange plans have doubled in price in 2 years.

 

[LRDave]

The hole is at a certain income level you will be booted to Medicare with perhaps many doctor and provider restrictions. and not any choice in the matter. A better plan might be to raise your income enough to get a regular plan with smaller co-pays and more choice. They will vary be state.

Thanks - understood. The $20K figure was an example of "safely in the sweet spot" in my state.

 

[user5027]

What obvious hole in this plan am I missing? TIA....

See my post above.... What you see today will be gone after the calendar year is over. The plans change every year and usually NOT for the better (unless you're the insurance company).

 

[Accidental Retiree]

The hole is at a certain income level you will be booted to Medicare with perhaps many doctor and provider restrictions. and not any choice in the matter. A better plan might be to raise your income enough to get a regular plan with smaller co-pays and more choice. They will vary be state.

I think you mean Medicaid (or Medi-Cal in CA) here.

 

[nico08]

Curious about your general age and location, because this is a little out of the norm, would you mind sharing the rack rate of that coverage. In my state the exchange plans have doubled in price in 2 years.

I live in New Jersey, a state with a high cost of living. I am middle-aged, and God-willing, even though I had a serious cancer diagnosis, I will make it to a ripe old age and enjoy a lot of years of FIRE!

2016 rack rate silver plan 502.14
2017 rack rate silver plan 557.85 (same exact plan as the one from 2016)

 

[ShokWaveRider]

WOW! My Premium is Going from $340pm to $240pm.... I think DW and I maybe the exceptions here. Ages 62 and 57 resp.

 

[Texas Proud]

Not looking good....

Increase of the plan I have it over 30%.... $1269 before credits...


Not sure of what credits I will get, but I bet my out of pocket for premiums will more than double...


Not much choice.... two plans that are Medicaid providers and BCBS.... everybody else is gone...

 

[easysurfer]

For me, looks like for what I want: (1) HSA compatible and (2) 100% coverage after deductible met, the only choice I have is to stay with my BCBS plan. At an increase before credits from around $400/month to about $700/month.

 

[RockyMtn]

GF's (60 yo) insurance on ACA looks like it will be going from $298/month on BCBS to $50/month on HealthNet of Az plan (only provider on the exchange available in our county). Cost before tax credit is $1076/month. Based on income of $17k (IRA to Roth rollover is only income) she'll get a monthly credit of $1020. Looks like her Dr's, hospitals, etc are all in the network. Deductible is lower and total out of pocket is about the same. Zero coverage for out of network though! Going to have pay attention to that when they start sending her around for tests, mri's, lab work.

Kind of shocked it went down. She had an expensive BCBS Silver plan last year because it contained all of her Dr's. This HealthNet plan is the most expensive silver plan available for 2017 in Maricopa County.

Going to have her check directly with her Dr's to double check that they are all in network. I don't always trust the "provider search" that the insurance companies provide.

 

[MooreBonds]

Looks like her Dr's, hospitals, etc are all in the network. Zero coverage for out of network though! Going to have pay attention to that when they start sending her around for tests, mri's, lab work.

Yikes! That becomes exceptionally tricky for ANY medical visit. There could be various people at various levels that you could get very bad "gotchas" on. Everything from labwork done within a medical facility (during an emergency room visit, for instance), or reading an mRI/imaging, or a plethora of other possible gaps. Remember that they only have to cover things for truly 'life threatening' instances! A lot of things could not be 'life threatening', but you sure as hell don't want to wait several hours to figure out who all is in network, etc.

Cost before tax credit is $1076/month. Based on income of $17k (IRA to Roth rollover is only income) she'll get a monthly credit of $1020.

Did you try shopping around for other plans that have at least some co-insurance coverage for out-of-network? Especially since she has such a large subsidy. Might as well pay even 100-200 a month to get much more complete coverage!

 

[Another Reader]

Yikes! That becomes exceptionally tricky for ANY medical visit. There could be various people at various levels that you could get very bad "gotchas" on. Everything from labwork done within a medical facility (during an emergency room visit, for instance), or reading an mRI/imaging, or a plethora of other possible gaps. Remember that they only have to cover things for truly 'life threatening' instances! A lot of things could not be 'life threatening', but you sure as hell don't want to wait several hours to figure out who all is in network, etc.



Did you try shopping around for other plans that have at least some co-insurance coverage for out-of-network? Especially since she has such a large subsidy. Might as well pay even 100-200 a month to get much more complete coverage!

There was supposed to be ONE provider for ALL of Maricopa County. However, I thought it was an unknown company that was going to use the Cigna network. Did something change?

 

[Llep]

Ouch, my premium is going from $250 to $1,000 a month. A lot of people are just not going to pay this. I am not sure what is going to happen to ACA.

Ouch for me too! At least I will be able to console myself with "at least I'm not paying what Blueskies123 is paying!" 54 years old, income about the same, subsidy goes up $40, premium goes up about $270. Currently paying $47, same plan (after subsidy)will be $317. There are about a half dozen options for a plan equal (or less) to what I am paying now with a company I never heard of "Ambetter" and 1 with a company I have heard of "Molina" for a little more than I am paying now. Even though there was lots of talk about skyrocketing premiums, this is way more than I was expecting. 11 more years to Medicare, what a crazy system we have!

 

[RockyMtn]

Yikes! That becomes exceptionally tricky for ANY medical visit. There could be various people at various levels that you could get very bad "gotchas" on. Everything from labwork done within a medical facility (during an emergency room visit, for instance), or reading an mRI/imaging, or a plethora of other possible gaps. Remember that they only have to cover things for truly 'life threatening' instances! A lot of things could not be 'life threatening', but you sure as hell don't want to wait several hours to figure out who all is in network, etc.

That is going to be the tricky part!

Did you try shopping around for other plans that have at least some co-insurance coverage for out-of-network? Especially since she has such a large subsidy. Might as well pay even 100-200 a month to get much more complete coverage!

None of the plans offered (gold,silver or bronze) offer any type of out of network coverage! Also, HealthNet is the ONLY choice available in our county....unless she goes out and gets a j*b!

 

[RockyMtn]

There was supposed to be ONE provider for ALL of Maricopa County. However, I thought it was an unknown company that was going to use the Cigna network. Did something change?

Nothing changed. HealthNet/Ambetter is the only provider. They are supposedly using some of the Doc's on the Cigna Network but not all is my understanding.