Thanks A Lot, Mr. President! My Health Premium Is Up 114%

forbes ^ | 9/27/2013 | George Anders

[tobyhill]

I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. My health insurer, Kaiser Permanente, has finally calculated what our family’s new health insurance rates will be under the grotesquely misnamed Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare.) The upshot: my premiums are about to rise by 114.6%. My wife’s rates? Up 109%. Our kids? Don’t ask.

Yes, it’s time to say goodbye to my current plan, with its $232-a-month premium. That plan is being discontinued, I’m told, because it “does not meet the requirements of the ACA.” It was a nice plan, with low premiums, free physical exams, a high deductible and eligibility for a Health Savings account. We got access to Kaiser’s lower in-plan rates for minor medical care, and we had the peace of mind of substantial coverage if anything catastrophic ever happened.

[Tax-chick]

Oh, dear. The author’s disappearing health insurance plan sounds a lot like ours.

[Responsibility2nd]

We are reading story after story from folks with similar complaints.

And this is just the beginning folks. In the weeks to come MILLIONS of employees will see their 2014 healthcare options (and the costs of those plans) presented.

And they too - like this author - will (bleep) their pants.

[kitkat]

I’m afraid to bring in today’s mail.

[bolobaby]

There is no evidence that anyone's healthcare premiums will go up.

[1rudeboy]

But the Kaiser mailing is not encouraging. As my new-premium letter declared in its second paragraph, in big, bold letters: “Everything is taken care of. There’s nothing you need to do.”

[snort]

[sarge83]

My brothers just got his increase yesterday 60% increase and he is as blue collar as it gets. Those pukes in DC just ripped another $400 out of his paycheck, the dirty ba$tards.

[tobyhill]

I refuse to participate. I will continue to pay my cash only doctor and if I have an emergency then I will get treatment and pay it out like a car. Hell with the “penalty”, I figure the amount saved will long take care of that.

[Grampa Dave]

"This is just the beginning folks. In the weeks to come MILLIONS of employees will see their 2014 healthcare options (and the costs of those plans) presented."

The Obamacare trainwreck is gearing up for all 57 states. Bohica America, you got what you voted for or didn't vote against and stayed home both elections.

[Arthurio]

Many business have already had their group plans drastically altered and rates hikes in anticipation of these changes.

[MeshugeMikey]

will these increases INSPIRE enough THOUGHT about supporting tramps like obama ..Pelosi etc to ensure a TURNOVER in 2014....or is it too late for that to even matter?

[Grampa Dave]

“I refuse to participate. I will continue to pay my cash only doctor and if I have an emergency then I will get treatment and pay it out like a car. Hell with the “penalty”, I figure the amount saved will long take care of that.”

You will be joined by millions. Millions will fly to other countries for elected surgery or surgery that can be held off.

[LadyBuck]

Ah, but now it’s affordable for the FSA.

Now shut up and pay more than your fair share.

[HenryArmitage]

your brother pays 1066 bucks a month in health ins? damn. I’m going to stop complaining about mine.

[Red Badger]

You won’t be allowed to do that under the ACA.............

[nesnah]

I think that equally important is how much your deductible/out-of-pocket increased as well.

[Grampa Dave]

“Many business have already had their group plans drastically altered and rates hikes in anticipation of these changes.”

And/or as I have been posting since Obozo was sworn in for his second term of raping and pillaging America, many businesses have been cutting the hours of their employees to get down to or below 30 hours per week.

[Grampa Dave]

"will these increases INSPIRE enough THOUGHT about supporting tramps like obama ..Pelosi etc to ensure a TURNOVER in 2014....or is it too late for that to even matter?" About half of America's people are free loading citizens or illegals, so their costs will be born by the rest of us.

[Pontiac]

“Everything is taken care of. There’s nothing you need to do.” [snort]

Except fill out this 232 page form that is so complicated that you need a government educated facilitator to help you fill it out so you can get a government approved plan.

[j. earl carter]

...I will continue to pay cash..in an emergency I will...pay it out like a car...

The problem here is that hospitals charge you several times as much as the negotiated price paid by insurance companies.

The first step in any rational healthcare reform proposal would be to require hospitals to charge everybody the same price.

Many doctors will give you a discount for paying cash. Hospitals don't do that.