Thanks Obamacare for my 68% premium increase!

originally posted by: Elliot
I am sorry to hear your Obamacare Insurance problems. It is very troubling to see the amounts you are expected to pay. However, perhaps you need a system like the one in the UK.

Well, according to The Guardian he does..

Basically, it is almost impossible to see a doctor in the UK when you need one. I gave up several years ago and so did other members of my family. We have a GP system where you ring up and make and appointment and if you're lucky they'll fit you in in two weeks time IF you try again in the morning.....early enough!

That's similar to our system (in The Netherlands). And it sounds bad - but actually isn't as bad as the old system..

Before the appointment system you had to go to the doctor and sit in the (mostly very crowded) waiting room for hours in a row. If you were lucky they had some type of ticket system, but I can recall the days they did not and so fierce arguments developed between patients on "whose turn it was". And if you weren't ill already you almost certainly would be after one such session as you were propped between coughing and sneezing patients.
Often, mostly just a few minutes before your number got up, the nurse came in to inform us that the doctor had been called away unexpectedly - to help deliver a baby or something like that - and that we should try again next time.

So, the appointment system was introduced. People simply don't have the time anymore to sit in a waiting room for many hours. As a result most of the GP's in my country teamed up with some peers: one would do emergencies, the other appointments.

Yes, it is annoying to have to make an appointment using the phone and yes, in my country you also may have to try and try again to get hold of the nurse that makes the appointments. But nowadays most GP's also handle e-mail and that is much more convenient. If you need urgent treatment you should say so when making the appointment and the nurse will try to get you an earlier appointment, in most cases on the same day. Or you could request a house call, which only is granted if you can't make it to the GP.

Most GP's have an additional emergency number which you can use if you need urgent assistance. If the situation is really bad - somebody has an accident, heart attack, things like that - you don't ring your GP; you dial 112 and you will be connected to a doctor within seconds.

I actually don't mind it much: if you are a "regular" the nurse will schedule you in automatically and give notice when you are expected, and if you are mostly healthy, it's not too bad to have to retry a few times to get an appointment.

originally posted by: smithjustinb

originally posted by: StoutBroux

At this point, I don't know what any party can do to 'fix' Obamacare.

Republicans can repeal it if they win in November.

If they do that now there will be thousands with preexisting conditions, now able to get coverage and poor people that will lose it.

I don't think the republicans want to see daily news stories of people being thrown out of hospitals, losing their coverage etc.

Obamacare is dug in too deep now, they can repeal it, sure. But perhaps looking at ways to revise it and make it better would be more compassionate, and practical?

a reply to: peter_kandra
Sorry to hear that. I am kind of in the same boat here just not as bad. My insurance before all this Obamacare fiasco was $74/mo (anthem blue cross) with a $1,500 deductible. That plan was going up to $168/mo so I raised my deductible to keep the cost low. This year I am paying $119/mo with a $3,500 deductible. For 2015 they want $300/mo (bronze plan), $6,300 deductible – prescription are tiered. Basically – I am getting a crap plan for $300/mo. Really no insurance – If something major happens I will spend $10,000 a year before they pay a dime.

My parents have a friend who is 63 they are paying $615/mo, the letter they received wants them to pay $1,800/mo. That’s $21,600 in premiums alone. That’s just crazy. This is just a mass redistribution of wealth.

I wouldn’t be so mad about this if it was $300/mo and no deductible everything paid. At least I would be getting something for my $300/mo but this is just a worthless plan.

Don’t know if this will help anyone but you can file a hardship exemption if you are losing your current plan and have to go without insurance. “Line #13 - Your individual insurance plan was cancelled and you believe other Marketplace plans are unaffordable” www.healthcare.gov/fees-exemptions/hardship-exemptions

I haven’t decided what I am going to do. One thing I am looking into is temporary insurance plans. These plans do not meet the aca guidelines so without an exemption you will be responsible for the tax penalty. I can file a hardship exemption with line #13. Then I can get a temporary insurance plan to get covered for the year. They have some plans starting for $54/mo with a $1,500 deductible, $1,000 out of pocket and a max payment out of 2 million. If you are healthy and just need catastrophic insurance this maybe an option. Still looking into this – if anyone has some more information I would appreciate it.

a reply to: eelogic

Please let me know how you make out. A temporary plan for catastrophic purposes sounds like a good backup plan and something that I'll definitely look into. I could care less about coverage for me...my primary concern is for my wife and kids. As far as the tax penalty goes, they can kiss my ass. I remember paying it in advance directly to Lois Lerner. A record of it must be on her hard drive somewhere.

originally posted by: StoutBroux
One has to wonder at what point the insurance companies will begin losing money, lots of money. As employers drop insurance for employees and people drop their personal health insurance, it is bound to have an affect on the health insurance companies (not that I feel for them). But at what point financially will they raise their greedy, bloody teeth up crying foul? And what will the government do about it?

originally posted by: peter_kandra
A 59% increase. Any other industry that raised prices that much would go out of business or would have the government screaming collusion.

I just looked at my claims for the past year, which consist of normal doctor visits, and from October 2013 through this month, Humana has paid out $398.94 in total, while collecting over $6200 in premiums.

I have an answer for both of you, many forget that we now live in a fascist country, with oligopolies running it behind the scenes. Note, the USA is NOT socialist, NOT communist and not even a Republic, but instead a Reactionary, Protestant leaning, Fascist State. What that means is, the "owners of capital" will "legislate" mandatory purchases in the future, if revenue does not match their expectations or projections. If someone chooses not to buy them, they will simply pay a "penalty" at tax time. When the "owners of capital" run out of consumer good that they can force people to buy in order to go to work, like gasoline, internet connection, car insurance, bus/subway fare, cell phones, suits/uniforms, soap, deodorant, razors, etc, they will simply make it law that you have to buy them, in certain quantities before tax season. You will not be allowed to be frugal in the future because the "owners of capital" will take close to the same amount back in the form of "penalties", when you choose to "not buy" and then don't have the proper "coupon" to prove you bought these items, in the required quantities, when taxes come due.

If people would just accept this FACT en-mass, we could then move forward to change it. We can't currently because some people keep on insisting that we live in "the Greatest Nation on Earth" and that it is somehow a functioning democracy. Nothing will change for the better until these people start realizing the truth or are forcefully condemned to fall with the fascists they have blindly supported.

a reply to: peter_kandra

I'm not saying the premium increase isn't ridiculous (because it is, unlike the usual 20% annual increases), but have you compared what the premium increase would have been without the ~30% family deductible reduction? Maybe they've figured that in 90% of families of the deductible is $10k, they'll never have to pay a dime, but at $7500 they'll end up having to pay out a fraction of what they took in.

Remember, in the health insurance world, payouts are considered "icky", and to be avoided at ALL costs.

Evenin' folks,

When will people learn?
Obamacare isn't about healthcare at all and never was.
It's about health insurance.
It's about rich fat cats and Obama cronies lining their pockets.
Sorry to hear about your struggle OP but the time to have done something about it has long passed.
You just should have paid the fine and opted out.
You have my deepest sympathies on this but unfortunately, those won't cover your increased premiums either.

-Peace-

originally posted by: ausername

originally posted by: smithjustinb

originally posted by: StoutBroux

At this point, I don't know what any party can do to 'fix' Obamacare.

Republicans can repeal it if they win in November.

If they do that now there will be thousands with preexisting conditions, now able to get coverage and poor people that will lose it.

I don't think the republicans want to see daily news stories of people being thrown out of hospitals, losing their coverage etc.

Obamacare is dug in too deep now, they can repeal it, sure. But perhaps looking at ways to revise it and make it better would be more compassionate, and practical?

As long as there is no mandate, idc how the law is written.

a reply to: peter_kandra

All politics aside...something is off and you need to call and or research.

ACA requires insurance companies to get approval from the government to increase rates and they are restricted by law from jacking it up aggregriously.

The average rate increase in Georgia is 3% for 2015...with increases for Georgia ranging from -7% to 18%.

If you got hit for a 68% increase for an identical plan, something is screwy.

Georgia has a "Rate Review Program"...where insurance companies are restricted in how much they can jack up rates.
www.ncsl.org...

Georgia’s Insurance Department has expressed its intent to operate a rate review program to scrutinize proposed insurance premium rate increases of ten percent or more to comply with the law.
healthyfuturega.org...

In order for any Georgia insurer to increase rates beyond 10% they must seek approval from this Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner...and that office is obligated to explain if/why they approved the increase.
www.gainsurance.org...

Your being forced to the marketplace like the everyone else. I would venture to bet that your rates will be lower than before, but your old plan is history unless you want to pay more for what's most likely less coverage.

Health care in the USA sucks nuts! I have seen three family members straight killed in the ICU! The latest just a couple months ago. If you ever get chemo and have complications and you have underlying issues like diabetes or a prior cancer history then its a death sentence.

An uncle and my cousins dad both died of sepsis in the ICU. They both went in without an infection. My uncle was sitting up talking to everyone one day, on respirator the next and dead in less than a week. Maybe I am tripping but it seems that daily dialysis and constant morphine means death every time at least in my experience!

I have no proof, but a strong suspicion that they kill with morphine everyday in the ICU! No telling how many thousands yearly!

I can only imagine the day when we have to start taking out loans to pay for insurance. And that day is coming pretty soon.

a reply to: Trueman

Oh stfu with your religious dogma

a reply to: peter_kandra

Right there with ya. My premiums doubled, deductibles skyrocketed as did it of pocket, pharmacy is hardly covered any more. Just ridiculous. All this after a fat tax increase the year before to pay for it.

originally posted by: Eryiedes
Obamacare isn't about healthcare at all and never was.
It's about health insurance.

Well said.

originally posted by: Tatanka
Ours went from $448.00 to $928.00 a month. We received a letter stating that it will go up again to $1,014.00 a month. We will be going without insurance, because at this point, my husband is already working two jobs, and I'm working part time and taking care of our baby and I cannot go to full time right now due to her needs. So my husband and I will have to go without. There are only so many hours in a day, and only so many jobs a person can work at once.

Wow, sorry to hear that, that is one hell of an increase

The nurse at my husband's doctor's office said she dropped her insurance and pays the 'fine' since it's a lot cheaper
Not to mention the deductible is so high it's a joke
But now, she has no insurance for the first time

For someone that work's in the medical field, this lady was pissed big time about what Obamacare has done to screw up their health ins. as well as others

All Obamacare has done is hurt the ones that already had insurance
The ones that never had insurance will stay that way
Except now there will be even more without insurance now thanks to ACA

a reply to: badgerprints

Then avert your eyes lol

a reply to: Xavier85

1st amendment broseph, so you stfu.

originally posted by: scghst1
I can only imagine the day when we have to start taking out loans to pay for insurance. And that day is coming pretty soon.

It can be like the grocery store in my town. Right in the corner of the store as you walk in is a "Money Services" counter, what they do there is offer payday and title loans so that people can afford to buy food.

Could someone explain the Obamacare system to me?

I can't understand why it is so expensive and the increase of the prmeium is so high.

I'm from Canada and we are taxed to death to fund our system that was always touted as in an Ideal of what could be...guess you are to now.