Health Insurance Premium Incease

[gayl]

I had a minor panic Friday when I logged into my bank and the pension check went up. By a lot ---- the amount of my health insurance. Thought I had lost it somehow. Turns out my medigap health insurance dropped to $0.01 from A LOT more and my dental insurance dropped to $4.04 from almost twice that. No idea why .... all other plans went up 3-5%

 

[scrabbler1]

After several years of large premium increases, in the range of 9%-17% (pre-ACA-subsidy), for 2021 it is rising only 1.7%. Furthermore, after getting back on the subsidy train in 2020 after going over a widening cliff the last few years, the subsidy will rise by slightly more than the premium will rise, so net of subsidy my premium will actually drop about 1%! woo hoo!

 

[Markola]

Up 15% from last year to $1,228/month. We are using COBRA in MN for 18 months total, which includes medical, dental and vision.

 

[gayl]

I had a minor panic Friday when I logged into my bank and the pension check went up. By a lot ---- the amount of my health insurance. Thought I had lost it somehow. Turns out my medigap health insurance dropped to $0.01 from A LOT more and my dental insurance dropped to $4.04 from almost twice that. No idea why .... all other plans went up 3-5%

Found out my version of medigap insurance had a few added co-pays: hospital admissions $250, ER $50, some in person medical appointments $20, zoom appointments NC. Still keeping this version (part of pension package)

 

[MRG]

Mine is approximately the same. I have a different income than last year(250%fpl). Even so its much cheaper than what I was able to buy in 2019, my rate dropped ~50% last year so I'm pretty happy. This will be my last full year on ACA.

 

[Freedom56]

Our plans went up 17% to $1304.75/mo (no subsidies - Bronze PPO). I tried to find other plans but they did not cover the provider network that we have been using for the past 22 years. As a consolation, we read that some people people in Los Angeles pay $5000 per month per person (UCLA Concierge Medicine) for access to the same doctors and facilities.

 

[Sojourner]

My monthly ACA premium went up 9% so my monthly payment is now $980. High deductible too, so I won't ever use the actual plan.

Yep, that's what really burns me about these plans. I'll be paying $6,800 this year in premiums (no ACA subsidy), yet the only value I actually get for this is in-network, negotiated pricing for my (very) occasional, routine doctor's office visits. I get zero value from it for prescriptions, since GoodRx pricing is invariably cheaper.

 

[Sojourner]

Our plans went up 17% to $1304.75/mo (no subsidies - Bronze PPO). I tried to find other plans but they did not cover the provider network that we have been using for the past 22 years. As a consolation, we read that some people people in Los Angeles pay $5000 per month per person (UCLA Concierge Medicine) for access to the same doctors and facilities.

I would guess that those people paying $5,000/month for concierge medicine at UCLA are getting a bit more VIP-style service than someone like yourself on an ACA plan. For example, I suspect they can get an appointment to see a doctor of their choice on very short notice, while you might have to wait several weeks. Personally, I doubt I would pay that much even if I could easily afford it, unless I had a chronic medical condition.

 

[Freedom56]

I would guess that those people paying $5,000/month for concierge medicine at UCLA are getting a bit more VIP-style service than someone like yourself on an ACA plan. For example, I suspect they can get an appointment to see a doctor of their choice on very short notice, while you might have to wait several weeks. Personally, I doubt I would pay that much even if I could easily afford it, unless I had a chronic medical condition.

We purchase our insurance off-exchange so it's not an ACA plan but like all health insurance plans they have some coverage requirements at no cost such as preventive screening. The ACA version offered on the exchange does not cover UCLA or Cedars Sinai health networks. Since we don't qualify for subsidies there is no point in buying through an exchange.

I'm sure the people who pay $5000 per month can jump the line when it comes to vaccines. However we can see any doctor in the UCLA network on short notice and communicated with them 24/7 (if they are not on vacation) either via mobile app or by PC over the web using Zoom. With the pandemic, there isn't even any wait time to see a doctor when you have an appointment. We try our best to stay healthy so we only have to see our doctors for annual physicals.

 

[Mo Money]

Mine went down about 5%, to ~$670/mo for gold EPO coverage with $7000 OOP max. and $1000 individual deductible. (Western PA)

 

[samm]

My retiree medical premiums, in corporate plan & risk pool, increased 7% to $662 for high deductible plan.

Never used insurance last year, never saw MD.

My retiree healthcare costs have at least doubled thanks to OBAMAcare.

 

[gayl]

My retiree medical premiums, in corporate plan & risk pool, ..... My retiree healthcare costs have at least doubled thanks to OBAMAcare.

This is so odd because that's exactly the same reason (called Covered California here) that I was given for my Medigap premium going to a penny!!! Maybe you guys should get Covered California too .... where there's a tax penalty for NOT getting coverage!! Unfortunately my share of any admission went up to $250 out of pocket

 

[ER Eddie]

Mine went up from $282/mo. to $343/mo., which is a $60/mo. or $720/yr. increase (or 21%).

 

[gayl]

This is so odd because that's exactly the same reason (called Covered California here) that I was given for my Medigap premium going to a penny!!! Maybe you guys should get Covered California too .... where there's a tax penalty for NOT getting coverage!! Unfortunately my share of any admission went up to $250 out of pocket

Turns out Covered California had nothing to do with my premium going to 1c.

 

[momoftwo]

No increase in 2 years for retiree under 65 coverage for both DH and myself.
The premium has apparently been the same for many years, its a real gift.

I'll be joining DH on medicare this fall. Same retiree plan will then be our secondary.