Any NJ retirees on ACA out there?

[SecretlyFI]

Still w*rking currently, part time, but enough for benefits. I hopefully will be fully retired in about another year. I know ACA varies by location. I’m hoping it will be a better option than COBRA. I’m pretty confident it will be less expensive, either through the recently improved subsidies or by choosing an acceptable level of deductible/out of pocket max, etc.

But the part I’m less sure about is the quality of coverage, networks of doctors, etc. I’m hoping I am not facing situations where I’d be worried about having things covered or if we had serious medical issues and had to worry about the coverage as much as the prognosis.

So, if you have any experience with this in New Jersey, please let me know if your opinion would be:
A. It’s probably similar to your Cadillac plan at w*rk - you won’t even notice a difference
B. It’s average, but manageable
C. Keep w*rking, or don’t ever get sick

Bonus points if you can recommend a specific plan. Thanks!

 

[PaunchyPirate]

I'm not from NJ, and I don't know what content the NJ health exchange provides, but... On the federal exchange and on Pennsylvania's exchange, when I put in my zip code and other demographic information (age, income, smoking status, etc.) it tells me specifically what insurance companies and plans are available to me. On each plan there is a link for details. When you dive into the details, there is usually a plan overview which summarizes what your costs will be in and out of network (if applicable). There is also usually a link to see what physicians/hospitals are in network. You can pretty much get all the information you asked about from the website.

Go down the list of plans and compare the details.

I've always felt comfortable knowing what to expect from the information provided and there have been no surprises to me so far. I'm in my third year of ACA coverage.

Of course, the NJ site may be underwhelming compared to PA and the Federal site, so I apologize if this is true.

 

[Aerides]

It's not even by state, but by county. And it might have changes to your specific questions every year. Just like with employer plans, there is a re-up every year addressing coverage, providers, costs, etc.

In my non-NJ experience, it is not cheaper than Cobra unless subsidized, which is manageable for many retirees with no more W2 income. But Cobra is only an 18 month bridge in NJ anyway. I did Cobra for ease of adjustment. But I'm quite happy with my ACA plan both coverage, docs, and pricing....except the deductible. Then again, I went with a HD plan to continue to add to my HSA so it's not like I had no choice.