Our health insurance just raised the deductible by $1,000/yr

[garybeck]

just got a note in the mail, they raised the deductible by $250 per person. In our family of 4, that means we essentially had our health care costs raised by $1,000 per year.

more gold plated silverware for the health insurance company.

[leftyladyfrommo]

1. My brother has health insurance thru his work - $5,000 deductible

and he pays about $700 a month for two of them.

[Hello_Kitty]

3. $13,400 out of pocket. For a couple. Outrageous. eom

[leftyladyfrommo]

7. And I think that is his only benefit.

I don't think he gets paid for any days off or sick leave. Its a small company in Spokane.

[nightrain]

4. so, "affordable" = 700 x 12 =8400 plus 5000 = $13400! Outrageous.

[ejpoeta]

11. why do we need to fix it again!??! the only upside I can see is that maybe enough people will

be missing that great insurance they had assumed would be there to friggin do something about it.

[Uben]

12. Outrageous?

I pay over $18K/yr in premiums for a $5K deductible and 50% of the next $10K. That is $28K/yr out of pocket potentially! This policy is for me and my wife. She had cancer 7 yrs ago but has not been to a doctor in 5 yrs, yet the rates keep going up every year. I am hoping for some relief in the HCR bill, but I don't see any yet.

[Hello_Kitty]

18. I would think you guys would get some relief

Unless your income is too high to qualify for subsidies or a cap. You can calculate your premium under the different plans here: http://healthreform.kff.org/SubsidyCalculator.aspx

It's for individuals or a family of 4 but I imagine you would just calculate you and your wife at individual rates.

[nightrain]

20. that's outrageous too! of course you'd be looking for affordable

and comprehensive health care coverage.

Some nurse practitioners are very affordable.....

[garybeck]

9. yeah, it's all a scam. they make it seem like the employer is paying for it

but we all know who is footing the bill

[WinkyDink]

13. I pay over $500 for me. Husband is on Medicare (I'll be 60 this week). And I'm part of a group!

Public school retiree option through my district.

[Hello_Kitty]

2. This is happening to a lot of people, it seems.

Looks like they might be preemptively raising rates now so that when the reform is passed they've gotten people used to paying a higher amount they'll start giving "discounts" that are still higher than what you were paying in the past. Reminds me of when stores jack up the original price on an item and then put it on sale, except it's really not on sale.

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. I have my own insurance - $400 a month for just me and $1500

deductible.

I pay so much for insurance each month - all different kinds - that I can't afford to see a doctor. I just have to make it until I'm 65 one way or another. If I get sick before that I am dead.

[Hello_Kitty]

17. That is the common situation for people 50 to 64

Insurance is expensive as hell for that age group and you don't qualify for Medicare yet.

[Love Bug]

8. This is the open enrollment time of year when most people elect benefits for 2010

That doesn't mean some insurance companies aren't raising rates more than they would have to take advantage. But the timing couldn't be better because it will help drive home to many people the importance of insurance reform. Maybe if some of those who get jacked up rates will contact their congress critters, we'll get a better bill passed. Here's hopin' anyway.

[dflprincess]

5. My deductible (single coverage) is going from $500 to $1,200

with a max out of pocket of $3,700 for next year (not counting the stuff that isn't covered, like vision and dental). It's a "consumer driven" (translation = more money for the corporate officers) health plan that will still require my doctor or I get permission from some low level clerk before anything other than preventative tests get done.

I'm hoping to stay well enough I don't even have to think about using it.

[nightrain]

21. absurd! I think insurance corps have a dartboard and throw darts

at it to make up numbers/amounts to charge.

Obama, we need relief from this stupidity!

[ejpoeta]

10. and they want to mandate this shit. our insurance too has been gutted

with high deductible before they even pay a dime. for two of us it will be about $400/mo for the privilege of being sure not to even come close to the deductible. Now there is no way i am going to be able to keep going to counseling.... oh well... as long as the insurance company big wigs can sleep on expensive sheets at night.... then it's all worth it. and as long as my congress representatives can have what I am apparently not supposed to have. My sister works for the IRS... bitches about her insurance. but the government pays 75%... she pays $200 every two weeks for a family of four. We are paying that for just bob and I. and we have a crapload of deductibles and stuff.... and we won't even have it this good after the end of the year because what we have (which was the worst plan available) won't even be available along with any marginally decent plan. Thank god we had abby this year!! And thank god that our kids can get on child health plus where at least THEY are covered!! As a person struggling enough already it's enough to make you just want to give up altogether. How many more ways can they squeeze us til there is nothing left!! I mean... no pay raises.... and let's make insurance even worse. Do you know how much those immunizations cost!! With no insurance??? $35 to $55 a pop. I wonder how much of that would be covered by my insurance were it even available.

[Kansas Wyatt]

14. Well how dare you to think health insurance should pay for health care.

What is wrong with you?

Don't you know that Insurance Companies have payroll to meet, and your health care bills would get in the way of that?
This doesn't even touch the CEO bonus... You'll get another letter about that.

Jeez, who ever gave you the idea that health insurance should pay for your health care bills?

[cpompilo]

15. That is so outrageous.

I cannot afford health insurance.
My husband had to go to the er a few months ago because of a car accident. The bill from the er -
$26,000.00 How the hell are we gonna pay that? A little at a time I guess.

[inna]

16. and they want to mandate this outrage, this racket.

When are we going to join the rest of the civilized world and provide universal health care to all our citizens?

The reforms currently in Congress are not only grossly inadequate, they are actually detrimental and a step backwards.

[Horse with no Name]

19. Got to remimburse the coffers

You know they spent $1.4 million per day buying Congress. Time to put the money back in their pockets.