Just got my 2017 health care premium...

Threegoofs said:

Seems like you'd be pissed at the GOP who has been completely obstructing any improvements and fixes to the ACA the last six years.

At least you have an option for insurance. Before Obama, the exchanges that you are using (presumably because they are BETTER than your previous private insurance) didn't exist.

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I don't use the exchanges and what improvement, exactly, would reduce my premiums? If such an improvement existed, wouldn't it have been written into the law from the beginning?

Fletch said:

I don't use the exchanges and what improvement, exactly, would reduce my premiums? If such an improvement existed, wouldn't it have been written into the law from the beginning?

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The only way your premiums would be reduced is if you qualify for a subsidized plan. If you don't, you are probably better off with what you have now. Yea, it's a mess.

Fletch said:

I don't use the exchanges and what improvement, exactly, would reduce my premiums? If such an improvement existed, wouldn't it have been written into the law from the beginning?

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Oh. So your complaint is that your premiums rose a lot- and conveniently blame the ACA.

Which random democrat did you blame the double digit rises in premiums before the ACA existed on?

roughdraft274 said:

A part of ObamaCare is the law that states that insurance companies can only have a certain profit margin. Meaning that a certain percentage of the money rec'd for premiums must go out in medical payments or else they have to issue refunds to the insurance holders.

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right.. which is a problem because that amount of profit is based on costs. So they have an incentive to increase costs.. increase costs.. equals more profit in a perverse way...because its a percentage above costs.

So lets say that I charge 100 for insurance and pay out 20 dollars and make 80... TOO MUCH screams the government.

So the next week I charge 500 for insurance and pay out 400 and the government says "that's great your percentage is in line".

Of course at the end of the day.. I end up with 100 in my pocket instead of 80.

And you end up with a 500 dollar premium.

that's the problem with these "costs plus" schemes. We do the same thing with defense contractors and used to do it with healthcare providers ( I remember those days. Where we padded the crap out of our costs and patients walked out of the hospital with everything they could.. because we made more money that way).

Threegoofs said:

Oh. So your complaint is that your premiums rose a lot- and conveniently blame the ACA.

Which random democrat did you blame the double digit rises in premiums before the ACA existed on?

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I didn't blame any 'random' democrat, but ACA has been around for 6 years and my rates are rising faster than ever. It was sold, by random lying democrats, as a law that would allow me to keep my plan, keep my doctor, and see $2500 per year in savings. None of those turned out to be true. But then again, truth is always the first victim of democrat policy.

Fletch said:

I didn't blame any 'random' democrat, but ACA has been around for 6 years and my rates are rising faster than ever. It was sold, by random lying democrats, as a law that would allow me to keep my plan, keep my doctor, and see $2500 per year in savings. None of those turned out to be true. But then again, truth is always the first victim of democrat policy.

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Again, which random Democrat did you blame when your rates rose at a comparable pace in the early 2000s?

I'm trying to isolate your whine, but you're now spilling over into changes in networks (also common pre-ACA), and want a decrease in your premium, even though it was not a claim of the ACA and 75% of people on exchanges DO get substantial reductions.

Fletch said:

If you are so intent on the argument that I am obligated to help my fellow citizen pay for healthcare through higher premiums, why don't you attack Calamity who gets his for free and who hasn't seen an increase, nor has his employer.

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Your premiums go to the insurance company. The subsidized insured get their subsidy from the govt., not the ins. company. Therefore, your higher premiums do NOT pay for healthcare for anyone else. To pay for the subsidy, the deficit goes up, just like the republican medicare part D program that permanently added %50 billion per year to the deficit, and growing over time, since it had no tax to pay for it and premiums only cover 13% of the cost.

So, your premium increase goes to cover: 1) no exclusion for pre-existing conditions (must insure, the way it should be), 2) non-cancel-able 3) no lifetime maximum 4) kids can be carried on parents insurance until 26 5) miscellaneous coverage improvements. Plus the skyrocketing cost of drugs and medical devices.

Threegoofs said:

Again, which random Democrat did you blame when your rates rose at a comparable pace in the early 2000s?

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I answered that already. Why don't you try reading what I write? It makes conversation so much easier.

I'm trying to isolate your whine, but you're now spilling over into changes in networks (also common pre-ACA), and want a decrease in your premium, even though it was not a claim of the ACA and 75% of people on exchanges DO get substantial reductions.

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They get subsidies. And did you forget Obamas claim that ACA would save the average family $2500 per year? Look, I get that you don't care if people get screwed by Obamacare (so long as its not you, of course) and you are probably still on mommy and daddys health plan. But some day you will have to buy your own. When you do you might understand.

finebead said:

Your premiums go to the insurance company. The subsidized insured get their subsidy from the govt., not the ins. company. Therefore, your higher premiums do NOT pay for healthcare for anyone else. To pay for the subsidy, the deficit goes up, just like the republican medicare part D program that permanently added %50 billion per year to the deficit, and growing over time, since it had no tax to pay for it and premiums only cover 13% of the cost.

So, your premium increase goes to cover: 1) no exclusion for pre-existing conditions (must insure, the way it should be), 2) non-cancel-able 3) no lifetime maximum 4) kids can be carried on parents insurance until 26 5) miscellaneous coverage improvements. Plus the skyrocketing cost of drugs and medical devices.

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Sorry I had you confused with the poster who was lecturing me earlier about how moral it was that Obamacare was spreading the wealth and I should just shut up and pay what I am told to pay.

Fletch said:

Anthem Blue Cross Bronze plan with a $6500 deductible for one adult and two kids:

2016 premium: $807.37

2017 premium: $1004.90


Thanks Obama.

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Anthem isn't the cheapest insurer in Lake County. So clearly there must be some reason you're willing to stick with them through the premium increase. Whatever it is, that's what you're paying for.

Greenbeard said:

Anthem isn't the cheapest insurer in Lake County. So clearly there must be some reason you're willing to stick with them through the premium increase. Whatever it is, that's what you're paying for.

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I didn't say I was sticking with them. But whos the cheapest insurer in Lake County?

It doesn't matter. If Trump wins, he'll repeal Obamacare and replace it with.......................... "Something terrific!"

Fletch said:

I didn't say I was sticking with them. But whos the cheapest insurer in Lake County?

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Molina. Ambetter, CareSource, and MedMutual also offer cheaper options. There may be others who exclusively offer off-exchange plans who are also cheaper, but it's harder to track down that info (one of the reasons exchanges were created in the first place).

Fletch said:

Anthem Blue Cross Bronze plan with a $6500 deductible for one adult and two kids:

2016 premium: $807.37

2017 premium: $1004.90

Thanks Obama.

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The bronze plan for a single 50-year old costs more than that entire premium in my state. A thirty year old with two children would cost $1,284 per month for the bronze plan.

https://www.premera.com/documents/027605_2017.pdf

Neomalthusian said:

The bronze plan for a single 50-year old costs more than that entire premium in my state. A thirty year old with two children would cost $1,284 per month for the bronze plan.

https://www.premera.com/documents/027605_2017.pdf

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Not sure how people can afford that. For me the premium is tough but manageable. The problem comes when someone actually has to go to the doctor. Paying the premium AND the out of pocket deductible is what kills me.

Fletch said:

Not sure how people can afford that. For me the premium is tough but manageable. The problem comes when someone actually has to go to the doctor. Paying the premium AND the out of pocket deductible is what kills me.

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Your deductible is only half of what you're guaranteed to shell out next year. So it's kind of odd to say the premiums are manageable but the deductible isn't.

What are the odds you're going to need tens of thousands of dollars in health care next year?

Fletch said:

Not sure how people can afford that. For me the premium is tough but manageable. The problem comes when someone actually has to go to the doctor. Paying the premium AND the out of pocket deductible is what kills me.

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My father's in a not entirely dissimilar boat from you. He's in a retiree (group, not individual) plan in Lake County, one that covers two pre-Medicare 60-somethings and an under-26er. And the premiums are high, over $1,000/month. The cost-sharing isn't as harsh as a bronze plan, but the premiums are high enough that he, a retiree, is working part-time in part to pay for them.

No one is claiming that paying for health care or insurance isn't a hardship for lots of people. It is. I'm among the biggest ACA proponents you'll run across and I'll tell that you that it is. Health care (and thus ultimately health insurance premiums) in this country is very expensive. There isn't a magic bullet for this and Obama deserves the licks he gets for implying there is. What he did was lay down the foundation for doing something about it, while expanding coverage--which is a distinct but not unrelated problem.

Contrary to a number of narratives, not everything is magically fixed, nor is everything falling apart. On net, the health care system is in a much better position than it was 5 years ago. The important thing is where it goes from here.

Fletch said:

I answered that already. Why don't you try reading what I write? It makes conversation so much easier.

They get subsidies. And did you forget Obamas claim that ACA would save the average family $2500 per year? Look, I get that you don't care if people get screwed by Obamacare (so long as its not you, of course) and you are probably still on mommy and daddys health plan. But some day you will have to buy your own. When you do you might understand.

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You didn't answer it.

Obamas claimed his plan during his campaign would save that money. The ACA isn't that plan.

And the families that get tax credits probably do save a substantial amount anyway.

I'm a healthcare professional myself with a fairly deep understanding of how reimbursement and insurance works in the sector, but thanks for your concern.