PDA

View Full Version : Check your mailboxes....



TXGunNut
11-06-2014, 11:19 PM
Got a kick in the gut the other day when I picked up my mail. Seems my health insurance is going up...AGAIN! This time just under 27% and it's now more than I'm paying for my house (PITI). Had some pretty heavy (for me) medical expenses last couple of years and they covered basically nothing. Guess it's time to do a little shopping.
Anybody have any tips? I'm reasonably healthy for a fat 56 year-old so don't feel the need for much insurance, come to think of it I don't really have much now and I'm not going to pay $625/mo for it.
Please don't make this thread about politics.

Garyshome
11-06-2014, 11:31 PM
Loose some weight and you will feel better!

Bad Water Bill
11-06-2014, 11:40 PM
If you think it is bad now wait till after the first of the year.

IIRC Obummer told the ins cos not to release the TRUE 2015 figures till after the election.

cbrick
11-06-2014, 11:43 PM
$625 a month? Wow, makes me grateful I stuck it out with my job to get my pension and health plan. I've been hearing about rates going up but had no idea it was that bad. No tips, just not something I've had to deal with but I guess I shouldn't b*tch about my $175 a year deductible anymore huh?

I know you said no politics but I gotta add . . . To bad your not a democrat so I could sit here and laugh my hieny off.

Rick

JonB_in_Glencoe
11-06-2014, 11:49 PM
Today, at work, they had the Company's insurance provider give a short meeting about Next years medical coverage and premiums. While I don't qualify, I sat in anyway, as I wanted to see if my company's employer health insurance was going up as many of the conservative radio talkers have been harping (because of the affordable care act). Well, I can't say why, but the premiums for full time employee's went up by $1400 per year, and that was said to be a 11% increase :shock: :shock:
If the employee chooses to insure a spouse, those premiums when up 24%.

Duckiller
11-07-2014, 12:40 AM
I am retired and my retirement fund pays health insurance for me and my wife. Kaiser insurance without the retirement fund contribution would cost us approx $2000 per month. With Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, heart attachs, and major orthopedic surgeries it probably would be worth it but I am sure glad it is part of my retirement.

starmac
11-07-2014, 12:40 AM
It is going to be very hard to keep politics out of this one, since health care now IS political.

.45Cole
11-07-2014, 01:25 AM
my new professional job they have what they call good coverage. ~130/month with a 2500 deductible.

ol skool
11-07-2014, 01:39 AM
TXGunNut (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/member.php?20061-TXGunNut):

Avoid politics? Okie dokie... do we have our head in the sand from reality then?

I'm 392 years old too (in dog years), but under the BMI fat index. My family premiums went down by $300 a month, ~25%. Yeah your read that right, because I bought into a high deductible, high co-pay insurance. That $300 per month is plowed into a Health Savings Account. If you build the HSA according to ACA law it can be applied to your retirement. IF there's anything there IF you retire. (LOL! are your an old cracker like me? Do you really expect to retire?) Had I stayed with my old insurance (last years) it would've smelled like yours, probably worse...

All I can suggest is to look at High Deductible HSA insurance. Since your big expenses are behind you for now that may make sense. My BP meds are without CoPay, so that's cool. The single only common sense in ObamaCare, preventative meds...

Otherwise bask in the satisfaction that the doughy, useless whatever in front of you in the check out line that has NEVER HAD A CALLUS in his palm is sticiking his hands in YOUR POCKET for the rib eye, cigarettes and ice cream he's buying on SNAP, oh and free medical too.

ol skool
11-07-2014, 02:30 AM
Duckiller:

Cool. Keep in mind that Kaiser looses money each and every time they provide you medical care.

Think about it for a minute. They take your money for health care from your premiums. Pure profit. If they HAVE to spend your premiums providing care then they loose money...

In your case,since they no longer get premiums from you --- Providing health care pure expense.

smokeywolf
11-07-2014, 03:10 AM
$625 a month? Wow, makes me grateful I stuck it out with my job to get my pension and health plan. I've been hearing about rates going up but had no idea it was that bad. No tips, just not something I've had to deal with but I guess I shouldn't b*tch about my $175 a year deductible anymore huh?

I know you said no politics but I gotta add . . . To bad your not a democrat so I could sit here and laugh my hieny off.

Rick

Currently have a pretty good company paid premiums, Blue Shield plan with about a $2,000/year deductible. Nowhere near as good as I'm used to, but will hold me over for a couple of years until my main policy kicks in again at retirement.
Will have the same coverage as Rick when I file for my pension in about 2 years. Pension checks are nothing to brag about but, they'll be covering me (at no premiums) until I draw my last breath and Mrs. smokeywolf (much younger than I) until she finishes her stay on planet earth. Same deductible as Rick and comparatively very low co-pays on prescriptions.

smokeywolf

Bad Water Bill
11-07-2014, 04:37 AM
When I took early retirement after 25 years, they promised that when I hit 65 I would get FREE health ins for the rest of my life and yes that was part of the retirement package.

6 months later "The board of directors has decided that it is time that retirees started carrying their own weight so beginning Jan 1 your premium will be ----."

Nice way to take care of folks that had spent their whole life working for the fat cats.

Edster
11-07-2014, 07:08 AM
My company passed on a 25% increase last year and we haven't heard what is going to happen this year. After you have the coronary over health insurance be sure to fasten your seat belts when the homeowners comes in. Got mine 2 weeks ago. 22% increase! Haven't ever had a claim, and I am hearing that this increase is industry wide.

762 shooter
11-07-2014, 07:28 AM
My monthly premiums are currently at $850.

I'm a small business owner so I have lots of money.:cry:

762

Lance Boyle
11-07-2014, 09:19 AM
oy, a lot of working/retired America is supposed to be getting increases. Not so much for the free riders.

I have insurance that I can "buy" when I retire with my accumulated sick time. They used to say you got free medical in retirement but it's not so. In the old days it may have worked out that way when you cashed in your sick time accruals. But what really happens is your accruals are cashed out and somewhere the money is stashed by the retirement system. You're really still getting a bill for premiums. In the old days your cash growth covered the premium. Now it doesn't come close. Our retirees are now paying the difference out of pocket and it's not a small amount. The wailing is not low either.

Hell I always said the status quo cannot last and I'll never see a SS check, it'll be insolvent before I ever get there. Seems like everything else will be too.

tomme boy
11-07-2014, 10:18 AM
My mothers insurance was up to $1200/month up until about 2 months ago. Now she 65 and on medicare. This insurance was through ALCOA as she worked there for over 35 years and was a Supervisor 15 years before retiring. Since she was managment, she had to pay for her insurance. Regular union employees were like $40/week after retirement. Management are not union so they put the screws to them. When she first retired about 6 years ago it was $300/month.

Love Life
11-07-2014, 10:49 AM
When I took early retirement after 25 years, they promised that when I hit 65 I would get FREE health ins for the rest of my life and yes that was part of the retirement package.

6 months later "The board of directors has decided that it is time that retirees started carrying their own weight so beginning Jan 1 your premium will be ----."

Nice way to take care of folks that had spent their whole life working for the fat cats.

How old are you now, Bad Water Bill? 150 years old or so? I don't think they meant to insure you for that long!! :bigsmyl2:

Alexn20
11-07-2014, 11:05 AM
Sad to say it, but the only way you can get what you are looking for is to move to another country. Its going to be a bumpy ride.

cbrick
11-07-2014, 11:22 AM
Will have the same coverage as Rick when I file for my pension in about 2 years. Pension checks are nothing to brag about but, they'll be covering me (at no premiums) until I draw my last breath and Mrs. smokeywolf (much younger than I) until she finishes her stay on planet earth. Same deductible as Rick and comparatively very low co-pays on prescriptions. smokeywolf

Two years huh? Sounds like a long time doesn't it? :-|

I had every intention of sticking it out until 65 but a few months before I turned 63 I was curious how much the difference would be between 62 and 65 (66 for SS). I put on the coffee one morning and logged onto the SS web site and then the pension plan web site to see what I would have to live on right now. Reality hit me and I said self, your retired, right now today. That day I went to the pension plan office and discussed the pension and health plans as a retiree. As it turned out it was a $200 per month for the rest of my life difference in the pension between 62 and retiring at 63 so I postponed the pension for 3 months until the month after my 63 birthday. Went to the SS office figuring it would be the same and would wait 3 months but the difference in SS between starting SS now and waiting 3 months was $3.00 per month. SS started that day. :mrgreen: I guess not everything in gubment is screwed up because that was Tuesday in the SS office and I had my first SS check the very next day. :shock:

While still working and after retirement until your 65th birthday the medical plan pays all medical costs as primary insurance. At 65 the medical plan switches to secondary ins and Medicare is the primary. My medical plan pays what Medicare doesn't. The $175 yearly deductible is a Medicare deductible. Medicare isn't free as was my insurance through work, Medicare docks the SS check every month for about $175 but compared with the insurance horror stories I've been hearing I think I'll not complain. Well, not too much.

What is of concern is if down the road how much obummercare could mess with my retirement insurance or even Medicare. So far not at all but obummer isn't finished screwing Americans yet . . .

Rick

smokeywolf
11-07-2014, 11:22 AM
The insurance companies now have a captive audience and nothing is going to stop them from raising the price of admission.

smokeywolf

DougGuy
11-07-2014, 11:22 AM
Cancer put me on the disabled list, so I was one of the FEW that Obummercare actually looked out for. Obummercare covers the subsidy, and what's left for me to pay was 2/3 less than what I had been paying before. They have said that things are going to stay the same, then they said keep an eye on your mailbox, so I dunno what to expect. Trying to get all my medical stuff done before Jan 1st when my copay kicks back in again.

WallyM3
11-07-2014, 11:23 AM
Check with your Chamber of Commerce. Many offer a group policy (if you qualify).

opos
11-07-2014, 11:29 AM
I'm 77 and the wife is 67...both "reasonable health" now..she is a cancer survivor...we both have Medicare A and B and we pay for Anthem Blue Cross as our "gap insurance)...our premiums are not too bad but we have been told there will be an increase...we both have 2000 deductible..my main concern is that several doctors we see are changing much of their "attitude" toward seeing patients..for example my GP has just "slam dunked" me into the "annual wellness review" program..it's offered under Medicare and looks just fine on the surface but it's got some real traps...if you are pushed into this talk to your doctor first as you may choose to change doctors.

WILCO
11-07-2014, 11:38 AM
It is going to be very hard to keep politics out of this one, since health care now IS political.

Death Panels ARE political:

http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2013/11/04/the_obamacare_death_panels_have_arrived

Sorry TXGunNut. No way around it.

dakotashooter2
11-07-2014, 11:52 AM
Pretty much anyone with 1/2 a brain knew that Obumer's numbers wouldn't/couldn't work and could see this coming. At my age I have my aches and pains and see a doctor more than I would like but even at that I could financially handle my average yearly medical costs out of pocket if I had to and it would be far cheaper than what I am losing from my salary to pay for health insurance.

dragon813gt
11-07-2014, 11:59 AM
Just had the company meeting about health insurance yesterday. As of 12/1 the plan increase in cost is 25%. Mind you it's gone up 10% or so every year that I remember. I think the only time it went down is when we switched from Blue Cross to Aetna. And then after the initial year the rates were above the old Blue Cross ones and we had worse coverage. I pay $320 a month for family coverage so I know I'm getting off light. But the deductible is $3k a person and the copays are high.

It's hard not to be political because the government has screwed this all up. It's only going to get worse for the foreseeable future. And health care costs you more money for things besides health care. Your car insurance premiums are higher than need be because of medical costs. This is a bad situation and I'm not sure it can be fixed.

Forgetful
11-07-2014, 12:29 PM
Considering that any accident or problem that finds you in the hospital will cost you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars... A couple hundred bucks a month doesn't seem so bad, does it?

IMO it's all messed up. As if a single hospitalization should ever pay for a doctors entire education!

BrassMagnet
11-07-2014, 01:41 PM
Considering that any accident or problem that finds you in the hospital will cost you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars... A couple hundred bucks a month doesn't seem so bad, does it?

IMO it's all messed up. As if a single hospitalization should ever pay for a doctors entire education!


Does it really pay for the Doctor's entire education or does it really pay for the malpractice insurance so a "Slip & Fall" lawyer doesn't pay for his entire education and retirement and house with one court case?

Forgetful
11-07-2014, 01:47 PM
Does it really pay for the Doctor's entire education or does it really pay for the malpractice insurance so a "Slip & Fall" lawyer doesn't pay for his entire education and retirement and house with one court case?

Don't get me started on lawyers! In a divorce, the lawyers get everything.

cbrick
11-07-2014, 01:53 PM
Don't get me started on lawyers! In a divorce, the lawyers get everything.

This thread is about health insurance not parasites even though the parasites are a large part of the cost of medical care. :shock:

Rick

BrassMagnet
11-07-2014, 02:06 PM
This thread is about health insurance not parasites even though the parasites are a large part of the cost of medical care. :shock:

Rick

Some parasites can't be cured with modern antibiotics or pesticides.

MtGun44
11-07-2014, 02:19 PM
My insurance costs are fortunately not going up too much, about 20%, mostly because I was informed
enough to start my private insurance in Nov. 2012, even though I didn't retire until Feb. 2103. So I paid a
good chunk of money for four months to get "useless" double coverage. Why would I do that?

I almost got caught, but fortunately, I spent a bunch of time on line and on the phone to insurance
companies - BEFORE Obamacare kicked in.

I discovered than if I waited until Jan 2013, I would have to get an Obamacare compliant plan, which would
cost $20,000 per year for myself and my wife. By starting early and "wasting" 4 months of payments,
I got us covered for around one third of that cost - AND they are permitting me to "keep my plan"
after someone (I was warned about getting political. . . .) in government said I could, but it was
a lie - BUT that same lying SOB has graciously permitted pre-existing plans to be renewed for just a
little bit longer - until the election has passed. How nice of him.
So, for one more year, I get to keep a non-Obamacare compliant plan - for 1/3 the cost of a compliant
plan. I do lose out on pediatric dental coverage (no kids) and maternity and birth coverage (wife is
63) and a few other CRITICAL goodies that I MUST buy in the Obamacare plans.

The saddest reaility is the poor folks that believed that they were getting an insurance policy when
they signed up for the lower end of Obamacare plans through the web site. They pay a portion,
you and I (aren't we wonderful folks!) pay the majority and they THINK that they have a health
insurance plan. Unfortunately, the "affordable" ones have a $5,000 or $6,000 deductible and a
very limited number of docs. So, if they actually try to USE their "health insurance", they have
to pay the first $5,000 or $6,000 and the plan pays NOTHING until they do. Many of these folks
are living hand-to-mouth and it is absolutely impossible for them to come up with the deductible
amount, so --- THEIR PLAN WILL NEVER PAY THEM A PENNY. But you and I pay a bunch a month
and so does the poor sucker that thought they had an Obamacare "health insurance plan".

Lots of folks who aren't making a lot of money are getting really screwed on this, and the rest
of us are paying for it AND also getting screwed because the requirements to be a "compliant
plan" force us to buy a bunch of stuff we may not need or want, tough - no choice. Most previously
uninsured or "underinsured" folks would have been a whole lot better off with a simpler, more
limited plan that would actually pay something for their health care needs. Plus a number of
companies have dropped their basic health care plans (read as "affordable for hourly workers"),
because they are no longer complaint with the Obamacare requirements, in
favor of the Obamacare plans.

Everybody gets screwed, different amounts and ways for different situations, but we all are screwed.

Bill

dtknowles
11-07-2014, 02:51 PM
When I took early retirement after 25 years, they promised that when I hit 65 I would get FREE health ins for the rest of my life and yes that was part of the retirement package.

6 months later "The board of directors has decided that it is time that retirees started carrying their own weight so beginning Jan 1 your premium will be ----."

Nice way to take care of folks that had spent their whole life working for the fat cats.

Yes, my retiree medical is not guaranteed, the benefits statement says that they reserve the right to cancel provision of retiree medical insurance at any time. I have not started collecting my benefits yet but currently they still provide coverage for retirees.

Tim

Bad Water Bill
11-07-2014, 03:00 PM
Does it really pay for the Doctor's entire education or does it really pay for the malpractice insurance so a "Slip & Fall" lawyer doesn't pay for his entire education and retirement and house with one court case?

When that plane crashed in the ???? swamps an ambulance chasing scumbag signed up almost 100 of the families.

IIRC each family collected 1.5 mil.

His take was 1/3 from EACH family.

Time for some tort reform.

Will that ever happen?

Not as long as our congress is made up of bottom suckers that believe you have to sign a contract BEFORE you can read it to see what you will be earning or paying next year.

Pinsnscrews
11-07-2014, 04:07 PM
Medical insurance is outrageous because medical billing practices are obscene. Anyone who thinks differently, is fooling themselves. The situation is so out of hand that even the Government is unable to come up with a Plan of Action that is going to successfully work. Until Medical Billing practices are under control, none of this discussion matters because rates will continue to rise, insurance companies will continue to have to pay for outrageous charges and you will have to compensate for obscene premiums.

GL49
11-07-2014, 06:34 PM
"Good news, everyone, our medical insurance plan costs will not be higher this year". That was the headline in the company newsletter.
(Continue on to read the fine print).

"However, your portion of the premium is going up 5%, we've raised the deductible, and we now no longer cover as much as we did last year. We also have chosen to discontinue medical insurance for retirees."
This is a year after they chose to "freeze" the retirement plan, what you have accrued is what you'll get. But wait!!! "We've chosen to make a contribution equivalent to 4% of your wages to your 401K to replace the frozen retirement plan, and discontinue the company match of 6% that we had in place on your 401K.
My math says I lost big time on that one too.
Somewhere, somehow, this is gonna cost me more money.
I just turned 65, I guess I'll work a few more years and save the Social Security System a little money and help fund the government with my taxes.
All in all, things could be a whole lot worse, but it feels good to complain a bit.

shooter93
11-07-2014, 07:57 PM
While I'm sure the Healthcare law will effect costs the costs of healthcare have been rising exponentially for decades. I bought my first health insurance policy at age 19 and have pretty much carried my own since then and when I married I added her. years ago it went up 3years in a row....15%....then 17% more and then 33% more. For the last number of years it was just shy of 24,000 bucks a year for two people who never filed a claim until recently. It is/was....I was one of the first to be notified I couldn't have that policy anymore.....but it was no where as good as public employee insurances. No eye or dental and higher co-pays and deductible. Healthcare costs were becoming astronomical before the Healthcare act and of course nothing in the bill helped alleviate costs. Your only way out is a very high deductible policy and watch for how that works. Got caught once when the claim was late in the year so I paid then deductible and in a few months later it was the next years deductible. When to see the costs of a lot of medical care or surgeries I bet there are a huge number of people who could never save enough for a health savings plan to help them out much.

smokeywolf
11-07-2014, 08:36 PM
Considering that any accident or problem that finds you in the hospital will cost you tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars... A couple hundred bucks a month doesn't seem so bad, does it?

IMO it's all messed up. As if a single hospitalization should ever pay for a doctors entire education!

Always a BIG BIG mistake to come up with something worse to make something that's bad look not quite so bad.

smokeywolf

fatelk
11-07-2014, 10:05 PM
In the last two years our health care costs (factoring increased premiums and decreased coverage) have about doubled. On top of that we just got our property tax bill for our house. They jacked it up by $800. It stinks to go backwards every year.

TXGunNut
11-08-2014, 01:38 AM
I know it's hard to keep politics out of this but election day is behind us and we did the best we could. I don't think anyone knows what will happen when our newly minted lawmakers take over in January so I can't take that into account. That's why I don't want politics in this thread, it simply won't do any good to speculate, pontificate and ruminate about the political aspects of healthcare.
I honestly don't know what to do. I've heard about the concierge programs and will do a fair bit of online research on alternate BCBS plans this weekend. I'm just one of millions of boomers caught up in the middle of this.
I heard a doc ingterviewed earlier today, he said medical expenses were high because someone else was paying the bills and consumers didn't care about the true costs of healthcare. I'm calling BS on that one but there's a sliver of truth in there somewhere. Plenty of blame to go around; I'm just trying to be a responsible healthcare consumer.

smokeywolf
11-08-2014, 02:08 AM
Whatever is available now is what you are stuck with. You're not likely to see any improvements to that until well after the new senators take office. If obamycare proves profitable for the insurance and medical industry, those industries will never allow politicians to make any meaningful changes that favor the consumer.

I would add more but it crosses into the political.

smokeywolf

TXGunNut
11-08-2014, 12:35 PM
Whatever is available now is what you are stuck with. You're not likely to see any improvements to that until well after the new senators take office. If obamycare proves profitable for the insurance and medical industry, those industries will never allow politicians to make any meaningful changes that favor the consumer.


smokeywolf


I suspect you're right but I feel like I need to at least do a little shopping. As a hedge I've invested heavily in a healthcare mutual fund that has some pretty awesome performance numbers and a bright forecast. From what I can see ACA has been very good for the healthcare industry but the companies in this fund will do well in almost any circumstances.

GabbyM
11-08-2014, 01:12 PM
I had health insurance all my life until the Affordable Health Care Act came into play. Now I have none at age 59. I could be on Illinois expanded Medicaid but just refuse to play there games. Millions of stubborn people like me are one of many reasons insurance price is going up and will soon explode.

buckwheatpaul
11-08-2014, 04:24 PM
I feel your pain......I have $6,000.00/year worth of premiums plus the first $3000.00 is on me.....I hate it....but I havent been able to do any better......

MaryB
11-08-2014, 10:52 PM
If I did not have medicare those premiums would kill me. $9k a year is 2/3 of my yearly income on SSDI... even before my shoulders and back gave out that would have been 1/3 of my yearly income. I would have taken my chances with zero insurance at those rates.

enfieldphile
11-08-2014, 11:11 PM
But, but..barry said, "The average American family will pay $2,500.00 less per year with my plan then they paid the previous year."

Quick! Somecall barry! barry has a pen & a phone. He will order those nasty insurance companies to fix this accidential oversight. :bigsmyl2:

WallyM3
11-08-2014, 11:15 PM
Uh...somebody needs to call the MSM.

I forgot...nobody home at that number.

smokeywolf
11-08-2014, 11:37 PM
Yeah, the creep also claims to be eligible and qualified to be POTUS. I have doubts that he's ever made a truthful statement; this particularly applies to his oath of office.

Sorry! No politics. I forgot.

MtGun44
11-09-2014, 04:50 PM
$9000 per year would be a savings to me - for the wife and I, we were quoted $20,000 per year
with a $2500 deductible, in Obamacare. Fortunately, public pressure has pushed our
Prez to permit me to keep my older policy for about $10,000 per year and $2500 deductible.

Bill