Obamacare Enrollees Are Reeling from High Deductibles

Fiscal Times ^ | November 16, 2015 | By Eric Pianin

[Brad from Tennessee]

First, the administration revealed that enrollments for Obamacare next year will barely hit 10 million, far below previous projections.

Then last week, the consulting firm of McKinsey & Company estimated that premiums for policies under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, were going up substantially in 2016. For instance, the median rate increase for the lowest priced, highly popular “Silver” plan will rise by 11 percent – compared to just a seven percent increase in 2015.

Now there are troubling reports that consumers will be facing soaring out-of-pocket costs for deductibles next year – increases that in many cases will neutralize the benefits of their health care plans or discourage some from purchasing coverage.

“That these deductibles are so high is clearly one of the reasons people aren’t buying a plan—they simply don’t see themselves getting anything for the money,” Robert Laszewski, president of Health Policy & Strategy Associates, a business and policy consultant, said in a newsletter on Monday.

An eye-opening report by The New York Times published over the weekend found that many of the newly insured are “feeling nearly as vulnerable as they were before they had coverage.”

Indeed, in many states more than half the plans being sold on Obamacare insurance exchanges have a deductible of $3,000 or more, according to a survey by the newspaper. . .

[dfwgator]

IMO deductibles should be high, the purpose of insurance is to pay for catastrophic medical bills.

[867V309]

...the purpose of insurance is to pay for catastrophic medical bills.

Ah, the good old days.

[Paul R.]

IMO deductibles should be high, the purpose of insurance is to pay for catastrophic medical bills.

Not at these premium levels... Who can afford a plan with a $3k deductible? I'd guess $7k is closer to the average that most people buy.

There's also the question of what is "catastrophic". Costs are through the roof, especially with most providers tacking on anything they can think of (whether it be from greed / gaming the system, or defensive medicine.)

[bajabaja]

Yes, but high deductibles pair with lower premiums.

That’s not the case with the ACA.

[Nervous Tick]

>> IMO deductibles should be high, the purpose of insurance is to pay for catastrophic medical bills.

I have no problem with high deductible insurance. What I have a problem with are high deductibles coupled with outrageously high premiums that increase 15% to 20% each year.

Ten years ago Mrs. Tick and I got a high deductible health plan coupled with a health savings account. It worked out well for us when the premiums were $450/month.

They’re now $1050/month. Next year $1200/month. We have had no health issues to justify that increase. Never, in ten years, have we received a dime in benefits because we never exceeded the >$5000 deductible.

We’re now looking into Christian health-cost-sharing plans that satisfy Obamacare rules but cost MUCH less — a few hundered a month. They are essentially high-deductible too. Their drawback is that they’re not health insurance, per se.

[momincombatboots]

will you and Mrs Tick.. And maybe others, share the experience of the cost share plan?

[taxcontrol]

That may be your preference but others are willing to pay more monthly to have lower deductibles. Freedom to choose either is what we had before obamacare(less).

[Soul of the South]

Three years ago my last private policy was a catastrophic policy. Two people, $5000 deductible each, included dental and a large national network. One of us had a preexisting condition (cancer). No copay after deductible met. Total premium about $650 per month.

Last two years we’ve been on bronze plans purchased directly from the provider. Cost this year is $1150 per month with $6200 deductible each. Two people. No dental. I refuse to go to the exchange, and there are no better plans on the exchange. We do not qualify for a subsidy thanks to a life of frugal living and saving for retirement. Our bronze plan has a smaller national network than our old catastrophic plan but it is still a PPO plan. Many benefits this ACA plan provides (maternity, pediatric) we do not want and cannot use due to our ages.

Our insurer, Assurant, announced this year it will not write health insurance policies in 2016 so we are looking for a new provider. Most bronze plans this year are HMO’s with very small in state networks. We desire a national network due occasional travel. This year there are fewer providers and fewer plans in our state so less competition. In addition, one of the major providers in our state is not writing policies in our county. It appears our only option is a bronze PPO plan with an in state network only. Cost will be $1602 per month with higher deductible. We will pay over $30,000 per year in premiums and deductibles before we receive any reimbursements. Plus we will have a copayment once we hit the deductibles. In addition, if we have a major incident when traveling, we will be receiving care from out of network providers and subject to billing by the provider for the difference between what our insurer pays, and what the out of network provider bills, once we have met the deductible.

This is unaffordable health care. My GOP Congresswoman and Senators are doing nothing to change the law, or repeal it other than issuing statements indicating they oppose it.

The healthcare system is destroyed. After the 2016 elections the Dems will be demanding single payer to fix the system. Big corporations, desiring to shed employer provided healthcare benefits, will push the GOP to support single payer socialized medicine.

[Rapscallion]

All health insurance costs money. Someone has to pay for it if not by premiums, then by deductibles. Why should others pay your medical bills? What makes you so special to deserve for others to carry you when you will not walk yourself?

[sitetest]

But my premiums are close to $20k per year.

I’d be happy with a big deductible if I had a reasonable premium. But my deductible is high and my premium is abusively high.

[A CA Guy]

But the premiums charged are way high for the $6500 deductibles they offer.

[SkyPilot]

Where my free helfcare be at?

[Big Giant Head]

My neighbor just reported in. 110% increase in premiums for a deductible they never reach.

I ran my numbers a couple years ago when someone cracked the website. My current insurance is $400-ish, and it’s not any elaborate plan. Our deductible is fairly low, and we hit it every year. Under the CACA, my premiums would exceed $1700/ month, with the deductible at $4400. I don’t think we get that high, so we would be paying $1700/month, half my income, for insurance we cannot use except for a catastrophic event. That was for the crappiest plan I could find on the list.

I would qualify for completely subsidized premium, however. Yes, Obama says YOU GUYS should pay for my health care. So as long as I continue to keep my current insurance, I’m cool. I’m not cool at all with everyone else paying for MY health insurance. I do not want to go there.

As long as the employer insurance is allowed to remain in place. After that, I don’t know. Christian catastrophic sounds like the only choice. Or find a black market doctor that only does cash.

[Tuscaloosa Goldfinch]

The plan we were offered by BCBS of Alabama had a monthly premium of $1167.00. Our deductible was either $8k or $12K - for a family of three. I think I figured that I was looking at an out of pocket cost of around $23K per year. Who can afford that? Certainly not a self employed small business owner who makes less than 100K a year. And that was the first year - I have no idea what the second year would have cost us. We went with Medicare - $500 a month with a $3K deductible.

[Gaffer]

True. Agree. But O’Care was sold to the leeches as a panacea for all - virtually no cost and everybody gets covered.

The truth is that Obama and this administration don’t even care about prices now. The higher the better, in fact. He got what he wanted - a one way ticket to single payer (government) and another entitlement that eats up that remaining third of the budget not already eaten up by Medicare, Medicaid, SSDI and SSI.

[Adder]

$12,000-$20,000/year premium, $5,000 deductible before the plan pays anything, and a $13,000 average family out of pocket is not insurance at any level.

Until we stop subsidizing medical systems by dangling free money in front of them, it will remain high. Its the same thing that happened to colleges: tuition rates through the roof because student loans pay for it all.

[Liz]

Let's stroll down memory lane

Pelosi was orgasmic at the O/Care signing. (Ut, oh. Harry's hands are not visible.)

The Obamacare atrocity was a cunning vehicle for
consolidating Dummycrat power. Dems cashed-in bigtime.

(A) Michelle's buddy---botched the billion dollar web site rollout---still doesn't work.

(B) Harry Reid's $4 billion "accidental" payment to Landrieu is a clue to how the straight party-line vote got this atrocity passed.

(C) A multi-billion dollar slush fund---the Untraceable $8 Billion ObamaCare PR Budget---truly govt fraud at its finest.

Egged on by Pelosi, no one in Congress told Americans about Section 4002---which mandates an $8B untraceable fund to "promote" Obamacare (apparently b/c Boobamba had so little confidence in his signature legislation).

In 2010 Taxpayers are extorted $500 million, in 2011, $750 million, 2012, $1 billion, 2013, $1.25 billion, 2014, $1.5 billion and in 2015 and on, $2 billion........

more sickening financial details below

[Liz]

......more sickening financial details......

"Obamacare" is a sitting president's blunder of Ceausescu-esque proportions. In Obama's feeble mind, the ACA was not about healthcare.

Far from it.

The conniving Obama calculated the ACA to consolidate Democrat power that was supposed to install a permanent Dumbocrat majority. So much for that ding-dong idea....b/c 30 lockstepping Dumbocrats who voted for it were ousted in the 2014 Democrat Demolition Derby. Several retired knowing they could not be reelected.

====================================================

WHERE IS THE MONEY? O/care also allocated some $6 billion tax dollars----spending money for Dumbocrats ----which has yet to be traced.

The Untraceable $8 Billion ObamaCare PR Budget---truly govt fraud at its finest. Egged on by Pelosi, Democrats slavishly voted for Obamacare by an historic straignt-party line vote. But not one Democrat told Americans about Obamacare's Section 4002---which mandates an $8B untraceable fund to "promote" Obamacare (apparently b/c Boobamba had so little confidence in his signature legislation).

THE PAYOFF--WHO GETS THE MONEY? In 2010 Taxpayers are extorted $500 million, in 2011, $750 million, 2012, $1 billion, 2013, $1.25 billion, 2014, $1.5 billion, and, in 2015 and on, $2 billion

<><> Where is all that money going?

<><> Was cashing-in the incentive in getting the thing passed?

The sound of West Wing wire-transfers to states and to offshore banks is almost palpable.

===================================================

REFERENCE ACA SEC. 4002. PREVENTION AND PUBLIC HEALTH FUND.

(a) PURPOSE. It is the purpose of this section of the ACA to establish a Prevention and Public Health Fund (referred to in this section as the ‘‘Fund’’), to be administered through the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Secretary, to provide for expanded and sustained national investment in prevention and public health programs to improve health and help restrain the rate of growth in private and public sector health care costs.

(b) FUNDING.—There are hereby authorized to be appropriated, and appropriated, to the Fund, out of any monies in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated—

(1) for fiscal year 2010, $500,000,000;
(2) for fiscal year 2011, $750,000,000;
(3) for fiscal year 2012, $1,000,000,000;
(4) for fiscal year 2013, $1,250,000,000;
(5) for fiscal year 2014, $1,500,000,000; and
(6) for fiscal year 2015, and each fiscal year thereafter, $2,000,000,000.

(c) USE OF FUND.—The Secretary shall transfer amounts in the Fund to accounts within the Department of Health and Human Services to increase funding, over the fiscal year 2008 level, for programs authorized by the Public Health Service Act, for prevention, wellness, and public health activities including prevention research and health screenings, such as the Community Transformation grant program, the Education and Outreach Campaign for Preventive Benefits, and immunization programs.

(d) TRANSFER AUTHORITY.—The Committee on Appropriations of the Senate and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of may provide for the transfer of funds in the Fund to eligible activities under this section, subject to subsection (c).

[Liz]

As far back as 2008, at the presidential debate in Nashville, Democrat candidate Obama advanced his signature plan that was ultimately enacted (by an historic straight Democrat party-line vote) into the "Affordable Care Act:"

QUOTING OBAMA: No. 1, let me just repeat, if youve got a health care plan that you like, you can keep it. All Im going to do is help you to lower the premiums on it. Youll still have choice of doctor.

Repeated over and over by every loyal Democrat---- conning Americans into believing they'd be saving $2500.00 on healthcare costs.

========================================================

LOCK-STEPPING DEMOCRATS WEIGH IN
PARTY LOYALTY NOT SEEN SINCE 1930-40's ERA EUROPE.

SEN. HARRY REID (D-Nev.): “In fact, one of our core principles is that if you like the health care you have, you can keep it.” (Sen. Reid, Congressional Record, S.8642, 8/3/09)

SEN. RICHARD DURBIN: “We believe — and we stand by this — if you like your current health insurance plan, you will be able to keep it, plain and simple, straightforward.” (Sen. Durbin, Congressional Record, S.6401, 6/10/09)

SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “If you like your insurance, you keep it.” (U.S. Senate, Finance Committee, Bill Mark-Up, 9/29/09)

SEN. PATTY MURRAY (D-Wash.): “Again, if you like what you have, you will be able to keep it. Let me say this again: If you like what you have, when our legislation is passed and signed by the President, you will be able to keep it.” (Sen. Murray, Congressional Record, S.6400, 6/10/09)

SEN. MAX BAUCUS (D-Mont.): “That is why one of the central promises of health care reform has been and is: If you like what you have, you can keep it. That is critically important. If a person has a plan, and he or she likes it, he or she can keep it.” (Sen. Baucus, Congressional Record, S.7676, 9/29/10)

SEN. TOM HARKIN (D-Iowa): “One of the things we put in the health care bill when we designed it was the protection for consumers to keep the plan they have if they like it; thus, the term ‘grandfathered plans.’ If you have a plan you like — existing policies — you can keep them. … we said, if you like a plan, you get to keep it, and you can grandfather it in.” (Sen. Harkin, Congressional Record, S.7675-6, 9/29/10)

THEN-REP. TAMMY BALDWIN (D-Wis.): “Under the bill, if you like the insurance you have now, you may keep it and it will improve.” (Rep. Baldwin, Press Release, 3/18/10)

SEN. MARK BEGICH (D-Alaska): “If you got a doctor now, you got a medical professional you want, you get to keep that. If you have an insurance program or a health care policy you want of ideas, make sure you keep it. That you can keep who you want.” (Sen. Begich, Townhall Event, 7/27/09)

SEN. MICHAEL BENNET (D-Colo.): “We should begin with a basic principle: if you have coverage and you like it, you can keep it. If you have your doctor, and you like him or her, you should be able to keep them as well. We will not take that choice away from you.” (Sen. Bennet, Press Release, 6/11/09)

SEN. BARBARA BOXER (D-Calif.): “So we Democrats want people to be able to keep the health care they have. And the answer to that is choice of plans. And in the exchange, we’re going to have lots of different plans, and people will be able to keep the health care coverage they need and they want.” (Sen. Boxer, Press Release, 2/8/11)

SEN. SHERROD BROWN (D-Ohio): “Our Democrat bill says if you have health insurance and you like it, you can keep it…”(Sen. Brown, Congressional Record, S.12612, 12/7/09)

SEN. BEN CARDIN (D-Md.): “For the people of Maryland, this bill will provide a rational way in which they can maintain their existing coverage…” (Sen. Cardin, Congressional Record, S.13798, 12/23/09)

SEN. BOB CASEY (D-Pa.): “I also believe this Democrat legislation and the bill we are going to send to President Obama this fall will also have secure choices. If you like what you have, you like the plan you have, you can keep it. It is not going to change.” (Sen. Casey, Congressional Record, S.8070, 7/24/09)

SEN. KAY HAGAN (D-N.C.): ‘People who have insurance they’re happy with can keep it’ “We need to support the private insurance industry so that people who have insurance they’re happy with can keep it while also providing a backstop option for people without access to affordable coverage.” (“Republicans Vent As Other Compromise Plans Get Aired,” National Journal’s Congress Daily, 6/18/09)

SEN. MARY LANDRIEU (D-La.): “If you like the insurance that you have, you’ll be able to keep it.” (MSNBC’s Hardball, 12/16/09)

SEN. PAT LEAHY (D-Vt.): “[I]f you like the insurance you now have, keep the insurance you have.” (CNN’s “Newsroom,” 10/22/09)

SEN. BOB MENENDEZ (D-N.J.): “If you like what you have, you get to keep it” “Menendez is a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which is expected to release a bill later this week. He stressed that consumers who are satisfied with their plans won’t have to change. ‘If you like what you have, you get to keep it,’ he said.” (“Health Care Plan Would Help N.J., Menendez Says,” The Record, 6/19/09)

SEN. JEFF MERKLEY (D-Oreg.): “[E]nsuring that those who like their insurance get to keep it” “The HELP Committee bill sets forward a historic Democrat plan that will, for the first time in American history, give every American access to affordable health coverage, reduce costs, and increase choice, while ensuring that those who like their insurance get to keep it.” (Sen. Merkley, Press Release, 7/15/09)

SEN. BARBARA MIKULSKI (D-Md.): “It means that if you like the insurance you have now, you can keep it.” (Sen. Mikulski, Press Release, 12/24/09)

SEN. JAY ROCKEFELLER (D-W.Va.): “I want people to know, the President’s promise that if you like the coverage you have today you can keep it is a pledge we intend to keep.” (U.S. Senate, Finance Committee, Hearing, 9/23/09)

SEN. JACK REED (D-R.I.): “If you like the insurance you have, you can choose to keep it.” (Sen. Reed, Town Hall Event, 6/25/09)

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS (I-Vt.): “‘If you have coverage you like, you can keep it,’ says Sen. Sanders.” (“Sick And Wrong,” Rolling Stone, 4/5/10)

SEN. JEANNE SHAHEEN (D-N.H.): ‘if you have health coverage that you like, you get to keep it’ “My understanding … is that … if you have health coverage that you like you can keep it. As I said, you may have missed my remarks at the beginning of the call, but one of the things I that I said as a requirement that I have for supporting a Democrat bill is that if you have health coverage that you like you should be able to keep that. …under every scenario that I’ve seen, if you have health coverage that you like, you get to keep it.” (Sen. Shaheen, “Health Care Questions From Across New Hampshire,” Accessed 11/13/13)

SEN. DEBBIE STABENOW (D-Mich.): “As someone who has a large number of large employers in my state, one of the things I appreciate about the Democrat chairman’s remark is — is the grandfathering provisions, the fact that the people in my state, 60 percent of whom have insurance, are going to be able to keep it. And Mr. Chairman, I appreciate that. That’s a strong commitment. It’s clear in the bill … I appreciate the strong commitment on your part and the president to make sure that if you have your insurance you can keep it. That’s the bottom line for me.” (U.S. Senate, Finance Committee, Bill Mark-Up, 9/24/09)

SEN. JON TESTER (D-Mont.): “‘If you like your coverage, you’ll be able to keep it,’ Tester said, adding that if Medicare changes, it will only become stronger”. (“Tester In Baker To Discuss Health Care,” The Fallon County Times, 11/20/09)

SEN. TOM UDALL (D-N.Mex.): “Some worried reform would alter their current coverage. It won’t. If you like your current plan, you can keep it.” (“What I Learned: About Health Care Reform This Summer, By Your Lawmakers In Congress,” Albuquerque Journal, 9/8/09)

SEN. SHELDON WHITEHOUSE (D-R.I.): “..it honors President Obama’s programs and the promise of all of the Presidential candidates that if you like the plan you have, you get to keep it. You are not forced out of anything.” (Sen. Whitehouse, Congressional Record, S.8668, 8/3/09)

Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) the 60th vote on Obamacare: "people who are happy with their current plan, wouldn't need to change it."
FRANKEN YOUTUBE SOUND BITE http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCZmAYYNz8Ihttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCZmAYYNz8I