open enollment time!

[GROUCHO MARX]

My brother told me the government informed him that his social security payment would not increase due to the lack of inflation.

The amount they are sending him each month will be decreasing, due to the increased deduction they are taking as a medicare premium.

The government has an interesting way of looking at things.

 

[mechanicx]

More insurance and less cost control means higher costs and less quality service. I do believe instead of addressing the cost gougers there is an ill conceived scheme afoot to "do away with" the elderly who can't care for themselves to cut medicare and SS cost which they've payed into. Anyway, we will pay more, get less and any cost cutting will come at our expense and not from the fundamental problems.

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: brave sir robin
Originally Posted By: opus1
My premium for PPO coverage almost doubled. Deductibles/out-of-pocket costs *will* double, copays went up. I considered going to the HMO, but the costs for that went up so much that I'd only be saving $1/month, so it's not worth the restrictions.

Oh, and I work for one of those evil health insurers, BTW.....


was that for this coming year? or has it doubled over time?
What I outlined is the change from 2010 to 2011 alone.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: mechanicx
there is an ill conceived scheme afoot to "do away with" the elderly who can't care for themselves to cut medicare and SS cost which they've payed into.

I don't think the Government is smart enough to hatch such a scheme. The Government can't see beyond its nose bc it has no eyes and no nose.

 

[eljefino]

The interesting thing about competing private insurance companies is an individual assumes others on the street somehow have better coverage, and one's high bills/ deductibles/ exemptions are somehow a unique case that they themselves screwed up.

If there were a single payer or single contract (with rate codes etc) and several insurers following that contract, loopholes and gotchas would be brought to light faster and hopefully extinguished.

My doctor/hospital, IMO, has no idea how to bill insurance properly so they throw a bunch of charges and hope some will stick.

They could at a minimum force more "participating providers" and instant qualification, so you could flash your card and get a price before service, that they have to stick to or eat the screw-up. Am pretty sick of finding out I was doing something wrong about eight months later.

PS my employers and my insurance payment are 1.5% my mortgage. Yup, costs more to stay healthy than to have a roof over my head.

 

[mechanicx]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: mechanicx
there is an ill conceived scheme afoot to "do away with" the elderly who can't care for themselves to cut medicare and SS cost which they've payed into.

I don't think the Government is smart enough to hatch such a scheme. The Government can't see beyond its nose bc it has no eyes and no nose.


It's not difficult at all Medicare/Medicaid have policies and do the pay out. Hospice like a lot of industries have lobbying and an office inside the beltway. While I agree the government is not smart there are a lot of things that are done that most don't know about and so no shortage of dumb schemes being done. I don't believe that it's just the case nurses and the Hospice Drs that happen to be doing this at many hospices by their own inclinations. I would think someone a few steps higher up who controls the funding is setting policies and procedures. Of course I don't have hard proof. If you will remember some pundits made a similar accusation. I don't necessarily believe it but I think these insiders didn't just pull it out of thin air and know something. I'm being vague here but it is a hard subject to explain..do we give the person curative surgery, medicine, a health aid indefinitely or do we send them to where things are "sped" up if that makes sense. Also it's no secret that SS schemes to decrease pay out in several other ways already.

I just would not underestimate the scheming involved in healthcare, insurance, lobbying etc.

 

[Cutehumor]

my health insurance is $262/year. employee coverage only. I'm on a high deductible health plan. 4800 yearly out of pocket max. $2400 deductible. my wife has health coverage through her job.

 

[crinkles]

the only word i have for the american health and insurance system is "immoral".

 

[dwendt44]

Much of any insurance increase is because they can.
Most of the Affordable Care Act hasn't kicked in yet and won't for a couple of years.

Gouging?

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: dwendt44
Much of any insurance increase is because they can.
Most of the Affordable Care Act hasn't kicked in yet and won't for a couple of years.

Gouging?

Its not the insurance its the inherent costs by the delivery system: Extraordinary means used to save/prolong lives, Free care to those that can't pay, extrordinary built-ins to avoid litigation, expectation of non mistakes (needless tests), patient rights policies etc, etc, etc.

A Dr. visit of $179 for a simple Dr. visit is billed to my insurance. My Insurance allows $99 (which is asscpted) and I think I pay about 10. Who's fault is it?? The insurance companies who make a 3% profit???

You are assuming insurance is gouging. I feel its the system of delivery care now more than ever acerbated by Government policy.

What has the Government been able to accomplish in any area lately that isn't filled with mismanagement and corruption?

 

[pbm]

Originally Posted By: crinkles
the only word i have for the american health and insurance system is "immoral".



Right. It's ony fair that a person who eats healthy and exercises regularly should pay more so that the junk food junkie, couch potato is covered.
It's only moral.

 

[Nick R]

I get full coverage under my dad's military insurance. Because of this "obamacare" I now get it till age 26 if I wanted to.

 

[Deltona_Dave]

I feel fortunate that my employer pays my health insurance. I may not get as much salary as working in private sector, but this and a few other bennies make up for it.

Dave

 

[kb01]

Our rates were bumped up close to 20% for the renewal. We'll be paying in the ballpark of ~$1,000/month to maintain coverage. Right now, we're in the process of taking out a second mortgage to help offset the new premium and to pay for medical care in the new year.

There's nothing quite like having pre-existing conditions (wife is pregnant), expensive insurance w/a high deductile, and a hospital that will immediately send you to collections if you can't get your debt paid off in 18 months.

To all those who are happy with their insurance... Remember, it can all fall apart very quickly. If you get cancer or sick enough that you can't work enough hours to maintain full time status, odds are you will lose your insurance. If you have an individual policy and get sick, pray to God that it can be resolved before renewal time or your insurer will drop you.

 

[Pop_Rivit]

This is an area where people are just as guilty of driving up health care costs with their irresponsible behavior.

Obesity rates continue to climb along with all of the associated health care risks and costs. Look at the food and cooking forum here and you'll see accolades for Wal-Mart pizza, Doritos, soda pop (Sierra Mist), and something called a "Whataburger". Is there any wonder obesity and diabetes are skyrocketing?

Smoking is another high cost health care choice. With all of the proof that smoking wreaks havoc with health and drives up health care costs, people continue to smoke.

As people demand better health care they collectively do everything in their power to make themselves as unhealthy as possible, then complain when the costs of health care rise. If you really want to drop the cost of health care you can start by taking control of your own health.

 

[kb01]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit

As people demand better health care they collectively do everything in their power to make themselves as unhealthy as possible, then complain when the costs of health care rise. If you really want to drop the cost of health care you can start by taking control of your own health.



My wife and I, as well as our child are all very healthy and I pray that our soon-to-be-born baby is too. Unfortunately, our rates are high because I have a coworker with breast cancer. This is what our broker told us but he used the term "large claims". At this time, we can't get a non-group plan because pregnancy is a pre-existing condition.

How do you suggest we take control of our own health to reduce our costs? As it is, we pay way more into the system than we take out.

Our entire medical system is almost exclusively built upon employer-sponsored group plans. It means fat people and smokers don't pay more but it also means those with cancer or who are pregnant can get treatment. It's a broken system but there are individual policies that base premiums on individual risk but that system is even more broken and have almost none of the consumer protections of a group plan.

 

[stockrex]

The big health insurance firms CAN do whatever they want, cuz they have no competition, and healthcare is a commodity that one cannot do without.

77.9% of people filing for bankruptcy have health insurance and are of middle class incomes
18.6% bankruptcies were filed due to medical bills

words like Cartel, Oligopoly comes to my mind.

kb01, you are correct about employers paying for it, but try getting health insurance by yourself on the open market,
I buy basic health for family of 4 for $1248 a month in premium. My cleaning lady is unable to find affordable health insurance, she cleans bars in the morning and houses during the day.

Tell me, what should my cleaning lady do for health insurance?

 

[stockrex]

KB01 "pre-existing conditions (wife is pregnant).."

Gotta luv pregnancy as a pre-existing condition.

 

[JustinH]

Here in NY there are plenty of options for income based insurance. If you make less than 40k, you can buy basic health insurance for like $200 per month.

Its not the best insurance, but neither is the kind that I get from my fortune 500 company. Its not that its not available, in many cases people just choose not to pay for it.

My HMO payroll deduction is around $90 for the month including dental. This is basically 90/10 insurance with a $500 annual deductible. Which means that healthy people are paying pretty much the full shot for all services.

 

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
This is an area where people are just as guilty of driving up health care costs with their irresponsible behavior.

Obesity rates continue to climb along with all of the associated health care risks and costs. Look at the food and cooking forum here and you'll see accolades for Wal-Mart pizza, Doritos, soda pop (Sierra Mist), and something called a "Whataburger". Is there any wonder obesity and diabetes are skyrocketing?

Smoking is another high cost health care choice. With all of the proof that smoking wreaks havoc with health and drives up health care costs, people continue to smoke.

As people demand better health care they collectively do everything in their power to make themselves as unhealthy as possible, then complain when the costs of health care rise. If you really want to drop the cost of health care you can start by taking control of your own health.




Not entirely true. My employer adds a "smoker surcharge" to premiums for smokers, and I'm waiting for them to add a "fattie" charge as well.

At which point, I'll test their resolve to look out for my health by asking that they cut back on my workload so I can take the time to go workout....

Anyway, back OT, couple of other things that I didn't list are changing due to "reform". My disability coverage is going down by 10% for both short and long term, but the premium is NOT going down. And I'm losing PTO.

Seeing as how I'm still making 15% less than I was 7 years ago, I can't afford much more "change" for my benefit.....