It turns out that, under the plan I selected, I’d have to meet a $6000 deductible before even a doctor visit was covered. (Thanks to Brendan for pointing this out.)
Then I spent a hour on the phone last night trying to find someone who could help me cancel the policy.
I finally figured out that the only plans I could afford with zero deductibles were HMO plans. But in the HMO plans, they have three-tiered service.
I’ve written about this before. Tiered service means if you want to go to a good doctor or hospital, you have to pay a lot more. So the co-pay for me to see my GI doctor at the Tier 3 hospital is… $100 instead of $30 or $50. Which is insane, because poor people on Medicaid can go to that same doctor!
By the time this CORPORATE CONSERVATIVE-DESIGNED clusterfuck gets straightened out, I’ll be on Medicare.
Single. Payer. Period.
Same here. Should I just save the $2,000/year premium to pay cash for any medical bills? Given that even if I pay the premium, I will STILL be paying up to $6,000 cash for care before I get any benefit from the policy, I believe that is the only rational decision. Then if I do have a heart attack, I can just hope nobody finds me until it is all over. DNR.
I spoke with someone today who makes about $27,000 a year, is being dropped by her current insurance pig, and has $50,000 in drug and medical expenses owing to her MS. Her annual premium would be $7.000, and that does not include any coverage for prescriptions.
Is she in Pennsylvania? She should be able to get into the HMO, and that covers prescriptions for $10.
Cheezus crackers… Did Penn not take the Medicaid expansion?
Fortunately, I have managed care with Kaiser, a non profit. It has been ACA compliant all along that I have held the policy.
They were “honest” and sent letter that spelled out my options, including the exchange.
Yes, I have looked at plans in Georgia and there are differences and few options. For co-insurance policies and co-pay policies are going to vastly different in price. The co pay policies are more expensive. But, for someone getting long in the tooth, I have had a good experience this year with my provider.
My annual physical was no charge (ACA compliant.) My complaints were addressed and all lab work, x rays and sonograms regarding my complaints were no charge. Any nurse visit or follow up with my primary was no charge.
I had some serious skin issues this year that also included biopsies and serious specialists. My out of pocket/deductible was only 200 bucks. That was less then I paid when I was insured while I had a job.
I will be able to get a subsidy and if Johnnybuck joins me as a household member the policy will only go up 100 bucks.
My advise is this, really be diligent and research the options. Look towards non profit providers if you can.
Also, do not fear electronic medical records. The specialist that was treating my skin problems reviewed my blood work that was done the day before and caught a serious issue. The blood panel was on my record and my primary hadn’t reviewed it yet. Saved me from serious complications.
Yes, single payer, but, I am just working now with the gear I have, and I am very, very lucky…
Now, if I can find a job….
Yep, just read all the bullshit and bumps in the programs being offered by ACA. Here’s the thing with the HMO these days: JOIN IT!!!!
Yes, it does require that you see a DOCTOR IN THE ‘NETWORk’, but guess what? This IS the road to single payer because every doc I have, or have EVER had, is now accepting HMO plan enrollees. The other point to make is that it is generally free, i.e. NO MONTHLY PREMIUM, NO DRUG DEDUCTBLE, NO DOTOR VISITS PAYMENT. Check it out. My wife and I have reduced our monthy payments by $200.00 each as we’ve joined this new HMO Humana plan, and we’re able to keep ALL the same docs we’ve had for years! Take a look!~
I did take a look. It requires me to pay a rather hefty co-pay to see any of my specialists at the local hospital because it’s Tier 3 and you have to pay more to use it.
A Kaiser Family Foundation exec said it well a while back: Obamacare is pretty decent catastrophic health insurance, and for people facing death due to lack of money it’s an improvement. It’s also an improvement where Medicaid has been expanded.
For everybody else, well, it pretty much looks like something that’ll take every last cent and more, but probably make it more difficult to just declare bankruptcy. Maybe that’s an improvement. I know if it was me, I wouldn’t think so.
About trying to choose an option, besides figuring out how much the doctors you want to see would cost you, check the coverage on your regular prescriptions in their formulary. That’s apparently another whole can of worms.
I think a lot of people are like me, who expected it to be like our old insurance and cover our regular medical needs. I’m a pretty well-read person, and I didn’t know that. Yes, exactly right: It’s catastrophic health insurance.