So as some of you know, last year I was one of the uninsured, and this year found out just how unaffordable Obamacare is to a 35 year old white male. In various other threads I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay. Last night I received the following text from Healthcar.gov (which has become increasingly aggravating with each of the deadlines approaching and passing).

Quote:You qualify for financial help @ Healthcare.gov Most people can pay monthly premiums of $75 of less. Enroll before 1/31 final deadline.

Now, my income is well above the threshold for receiving financial help, and there is no way that "most people" pay $75 or less. A five minute google search found the following:

Quote:The average ObamaCare premium rose to $408 per month for 2016 plans, about a 9 percent increase from this time last year, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, 83 percent of ObamaCare enrollees pay far less than $408 because they get tax credits under the healthcare law. The average tax credit for 2016 is $294, meaning that the average share of the premiums that enrollees have to pay is $113. That is up $8 from the $105 people paid on average last year.

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/266...ses-to-408

Even after the subsidies, the govt is exaggerating the savings by roughly 50%

Why do they feel the need to lie to the bitter end?

More disturbing to me is the average person is receiving a 72% subsidy on their insurance! How does anybody with an ounce of brains think this is sustainable?

Just got a follow up text:

Quote:Important: Your Coverage Status. Enroll by 1/31 final deadline or face Penalty Risk of $695 or more.

They want you to believe that your monthly premiums will be $75, and have used marketing to encourage people to under estimate their income so that it will be.

This is to help bolster the enrollment numbers, which suck.

Then, come April 15th, they d*ck you by recalculating to your actual salary.

If most people pay $75 or less per month, then I now know who my $1000/month premiums are paying for. Leeches.

Just curious, as I'm a bit younger for this board it seems and I went straight from parents plan to my employers plan after college, but how expensive was health insurance on the open market for a young, male in his late 20s with a decent income (say ~50k) before the implementation of the ACA?

Is dental insurance covered or an option on the ACA as well? In all honesty, dental insurance has been the only insurance I've needed to use in the last 5 years outside of going to get a yearly physical (which reduces my monthly premiums).

(01-22-2016 10:16 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  Just curious, as I'm a bit younger for this board it seems and I went straight from parents plan to my employers plan after college, but how expensive was health insurance on the open market for a young, male in his late 20s with a decent income (say ~50k) before the implementation of the ACA?

Is dental insurance covered or an option on the ACA as well? In all honesty, dental insurance has been the only insurance I've needed to use in the last 5 years outside of going to get a yearly physical (which reduces my monthly premiums).

At 22 (2002)I bought a policy direct from BCBSNC with no copays and either a $500 or $1000 deductible for $99.92 a month. Income didn't matter back then. You paid the same price as somoene else in in your state with the same general health history since there weren't subsidies from the fed government. I remember the exact price because my college roommate and I bought policies at the same time due to the dangerous nature of work we were doing in our business. We both received "Healthy Living" discounts that brought our policies down from about $110 a month. We both thought it was funny we received the discount as there were about 7 kegs stacked up against our wall when the nurse came to do the blood tests.

Last time I had individual insurance was right before I got married in 07 or 08. My policy at the time was about $175-$200 for a a $1000 deductible with no copays.

Currently my best choice is a $468 policy with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay.

(01-22-2016 10:16 AM)All Dukes_All Day Wrote:  Just curious, as I'm a bit younger for this board it seems and I went straight from parents plan to my employers plan after college, but how expensive was health insurance on the open market for a young, male in his late 20s with a decent income (say ~50k) before the implementation of the ACA?

Is dental insurance covered or an option on the ACA as well? In all honesty, dental insurance has been the only insurance I've needed to use in the last 5 years outside of going to get a yearly physical (which reduces my monthly premiums).

You're a typical young adult. The most common medical treatment for this age group is probably the removal of wisdom teeth. (And this is usually covered under medical insurance and not dental anyway)

The insurance I had from the mid 90's til 2011 was a PPO plan. It cost me $15 for an office visit, which included anything done in the office such as xrays and blood work. Prescriptions were $15. Major medical would be $250 deductible with a 90/10 in plan, 80/20 out of plan. It would cost me $150 a month for myself, about 250 for me and my wife, and $450 for me, my wife, and two daughters. Despite all of the talk of rising healthcare prices, my plan went up some years, and down in others. Over the 15 years, the plan increased from about $400 a month for a family of four, to $450 a month for a family of 4.

in 2012 I had to get on my new employers insurance. We still pay about about the same monthly payment (a little higher ) but we have a very high deductible.

To show the out of pocket difference of the two policies:

In 2004 I blew my calf muscle out, to the point it nearly disconnected. I had to have xrays, and they put me on crutches. I paid a grand total of $15 for medical care.

In 2013 my wife got a hairline fracture on her ankle. She had xrays, but required nothing else but to wear a boot. The total out of pocket expense was $850. And we were lucky. Had she required a cast, it could have been substantially more than that.

(01-22-2016 10:11 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  If most people pay $75 or less per month, then I now know who my $1000/month premiums are paying for. Leeches.

IMO, the ones that pay taxes are allowing the bloodletting....

they can't put everyone in jail.....

(01-22-2016 08:02 AM)200yrs2late Wrote:  So as some of you know, last year I was one of the uninsured, and this year found out just how unaffordable Obamacare is to a 35 year old white male. In various other threads I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay. Last night I received the following text from Healthcar.gov (which has become increasingly aggravating with each of the deadlines approaching and passing).

Quote:You qualify for financial help @ Healthcare.gov Most people can pay monthly premiums of $75 of less. Enroll before 1/31 final deadline.

Now, my income is well above the threshold for receiving financial help, and there is no way that "most people" pay $75 or less. A five minute google search found the following:

Quote:The average ObamaCare premium rose to $408 per month for 2016 plans, about a 9 percent increase from this time last year, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, 83 percent of ObamaCare enrollees pay far less than $408 because they get tax credits under the healthcare law. The average tax credit for 2016 is $294, meaning that the average share of the premiums that enrollees have to pay is $113. That is up $8 from the $105 people paid on average last year.

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/266...ses-to-408

Even after the subsidies, the govt is exaggerating the savings by roughly 50%

Why do they feel the need to lie to the bitter end?

More disturbing to me is the average person is receiving a 72% subsidy on their insurance! How does anybody with an ounce of brains think this is sustainable?

That doesn't look much different from what my district offers. Not sure what you are complaining about.

(01-22-2016 10:45 AM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 10:11 AM)shiftyeagle Wrote:  If most people pay $75 or less per month, then I now know who my $1000/month premiums are paying for. Leeches.

IMO, the ones that pay taxes are allowing the bloodletting....

they can't put everyone in jail.....

We can try.

(01-22-2016 10:48 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 08:02 AM)200yrs2late Wrote:  So as some of you know, last year I was one of the uninsured, and this year found out just how unaffordable Obamacare is to a 35 year old white male. In various other threads I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay. Last night I received the following text from Healthcar.gov (which has become increasingly aggravating with each of the deadlines approaching and passing).

Quote:You qualify for financial help @ Healthcare.gov Most people can pay monthly premiums of $75 of less. Enroll before 1/31 final deadline.

Now, my income is well above the threshold for receiving financial help, and there is no way that "most people" pay $75 or less. A five minute google search found the following:

Quote:The average ObamaCare premium rose to $408 per month for 2016 plans, about a 9 percent increase from this time last year, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, 83 percent of ObamaCare enrollees pay far less than $408 because they get tax credits under the healthcare law. The average tax credit for 2016 is $294, meaning that the average share of the premiums that enrollees have to pay is $113. That is up $8 from the $105 people paid on average last year.

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/266...ses-to-408

Even after the subsidies, the govt is exaggerating the savings by roughly 50%

Why do they feel the need to lie to the bitter end?

More disturbing to me is the average person is receiving a 72% subsidy on their insurance! How does anybody with an ounce of brains think this is sustainable?

That doesn't look much different from what my district offers. Not sure what you are complaining about.

"sustainability" was the key word fit.....it's nice to see you woke up from the siesta with all of 'your' faculties intact.....

(01-22-2016 08:02 AM)200yrs2late Wrote:  So as some of you know, last year I was one of the uninsured, and this year found out just how unaffordable Obamacare is to a 35 year old white male. In various other threads I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay. Last night I received the following text from Healthcar.gov (which has become increasingly aggravating with each of the deadlines approaching and passing).

Quote:You qualify for financial help @ Healthcare.gov Most people can pay monthly premiums of $75 of less. Enroll before 1/31 final deadline.

Now, my income is well above the threshold for receiving financial help, and there is no way that "most people" pay $75 or less. A five minute google search found the following:

Quote:The average ObamaCare premium rose to $408 per month for 2016 plans, about a 9 percent increase from this time last year, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, 83 percent of ObamaCare enrollees pay far less than $408 because they get tax credits under the healthcare law. The average tax credit for 2016 is $294, meaning that the average share of the premiums that enrollees have to pay is $113. That is up $8 from the $105 people paid on average last year.

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/266...ses-to-408

Even after the subsidies, the govt is exaggerating the savings by roughly 50%

Why do they feel the need to lie to the bitter end?

More disturbing to me is the average person is receiving a 72% subsidy on their insurance! How does anybody with an ounce of brains think this is sustainable?

It looks to me like you have plans available to you as 35 year old in Eastern North Carolina significantly better than you present here. If you are going to be critical of the presentation by Healthcare.gov, you should make sure your presentation is accurate as well.

"I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay."

I checked BCBS rates and plans in Pitt, Bertie, Brunswick and Carteret Counties. There is a Blue Advantage Silver 2500 plan available. It has a broad network, $30 copay, prescriptions at 10/25/50/70 with a prescription deductible of $200. The medical deductible (as the plan name implies) is $2,500. The cost for a 35 year old ranges from $448.93 to $472.32.

The only $6,850 deductible I saw from BCBS was a Bronze plan with a premium well under $400. The others were $5,000, $3,500, $2,500, $1,000, and $500.

The $6,850 you mention is the maximum out of pocket you will pay in network for any one year, excluding premiums and co-pay. The bronze plan with the $6,850 deductible doesn't pay anything until you pay that amount. Then it pays at 100%. But again you presented that $6,850 as being typical, "most of them......$6,800 deductible" when it is anything but typical. It is one plan and in fact the cheapest premium plan available. It is an outlier.

Those plans are awful. AWFUL. Wow.

The costs are amazing.

(01-22-2016 11:00 AM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 10:48 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 08:02 AM)200yrs2late Wrote:  So as some of you know, last year I was one of the uninsured, and this year found out just how unaffordable Obamacare is to a 35 year old white male. In various other threads I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay. Last night I received the following text from Healthcar.gov (which has become increasingly aggravating with each of the deadlines approaching and passing).

Quote:You qualify for financial help @ Healthcare.gov Most people can pay monthly premiums of $75 of less. Enroll before 1/31 final deadline.

Now, my income is well above the threshold for receiving financial help, and there is no way that "most people" pay $75 or less. A five minute google search found the following:

Quote:The average ObamaCare premium rose to $408 per month for 2016 plans, about a 9 percent increase from this time last year, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, 83 percent of ObamaCare enrollees pay far less than $408 because they get tax credits under the healthcare law. The average tax credit for 2016 is $294, meaning that the average share of the premiums that enrollees have to pay is $113. That is up $8 from the $105 people paid on average last year.

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/266...ses-to-408

Even after the subsidies, the govt is exaggerating the savings by roughly 50%

Why do they feel the need to lie to the bitter end?

More disturbing to me is the average person is receiving a 72% subsidy on their insurance! How does anybody with an ounce of brains think this is sustainable?

That doesn't look much different from what my district offers. Not sure what you are complaining about.

"sustainability" was the key word fit.....it's nice to see you woke up from the siesta with all of 'your' faculties intact.....

Sustainability is a fair question. Forgive me however if I question the motives of someone who is more concerned with the sustainability of Obamacare over the affordability of insurance for their family.

(01-22-2016 11:33 AM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 08:02 AM)200yrs2late Wrote:  So as some of you know, last year I was one of the uninsured, and this year found out just how unaffordable Obamacare is to a 35 year old white male. In various other threads I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay. Last night I received the following text from Healthcare.gov (which has become increasingly aggravating with each of the deadlines approaching and passing).

Quote:You qualify for financial help @ Healthcare.gov Most people can pay monthly premiums of $75 of less. Enroll before 1/31 final deadline.

Now, my income is well above the threshold for receiving financial help, and there is no way that "most people" pay $75 or less. A five minute google search found the following:

Quote:The average ObamaCare premium rose to $408 per month for 2016 plans, about a 9 percent increase from this time last year, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, 83 percent of ObamaCare enrollees pay far less than $408 because they get tax credits under the healthcare law. The average tax credit for 2016 is $294, meaning that the average share of the premiums that enrollees have to pay is $113. That is up $8 from the $105 people paid on average last year.

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/266...ses-to-408

Even after the subsidies, the govt is exaggerating the savings by roughly 50%

Why do they feel the need to lie to the bitter end?

More disturbing to me is the average person is receiving a 72% subsidy on their insurance! How does anybody with an ounce of brains think this is sustainable?

It looks to me like you have plans available to you as 35 year old in Eastern North Carolina significantly better than you present here. If you are going to be critical of the presentation by Healthcare.gov, you should make sure your presentation is accurate as well.

"I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay."

I checked BCBS rates and plans in Pitt, Bertie, Brunswick and Carteret Counties. There is a Blue Advantage Silver 2500 plan available. It has a broad network, $30 copay, prescriptions at 10/25/50/70 with a prescription deductible of $200. The medical deductible (as the plan name implies) is $2,500. The cost for a 35 year old ranges from $448.93 to $472.32.

The only $6,850 deductible I saw from BCBS was a Bronze plan with a premium well under $400. The others were $5,000, $3,500, $2,500, $1,000, and $500.

The $6,850 you mention is the maximum out of pocket you will pay in network for any one year, excluding premiums and co-pay. The bronze plan with the $6,850 deductible doesn't pay anything until you pay that amount. Then it pays at 100%. But again you presented that $6,850 as being typical, "most of them......$6,800 deductible" when it is anything but typical. It is one plan and in fact the cheapest premium plan available. It is an outlier.

I hadn't been to the site in a few months. Most of the plans have a $5000 deductible and 20 or 30% copays, and you are correct it is a $6850 maximum out of pocket - excluding premiums of course. It's still a ridiculous amount for a plan that costs +$450 per month. By the way I don't live in any of the counties you listed and there is only one or two plans with a premium under $450.

I do not qualify for financial assistance (nor should I at my income level) yet I am still receiving texts saying that I do. It's deceitful.

(01-22-2016 11:38 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 11:00 AM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 10:48 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 08:02 AM)200yrs2late Wrote:  So as some of you know, last year I was one of the uninsured, and this year found out just how unaffordable Obamacare is to a 35 year old white male. In various other threads I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay. Last night I received the following text from Healthcar.gov (which has become increasingly aggravating with each of the deadlines approaching and passing).

Quote:You qualify for financial help @ Healthcare.gov Most people can pay monthly premiums of $75 of less. Enroll before 1/31 final deadline.

Now, my income is well above the threshold for receiving financial help, and there is no way that "most people" pay $75 or less. A five minute google search found the following:

Quote:The average ObamaCare premium rose to $408 per month for 2016 plans, about a 9 percent increase from this time last year, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, 83 percent of ObamaCare enrollees pay far less than $408 because they get tax credits under the healthcare law. The average tax credit for 2016 is $294, meaning that the average share of the premiums that enrollees have to pay is $113. That is up $8 from the $105 people paid on average last year.

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/266...ses-to-408

Even after the subsidies, the govt is exaggerating the savings by roughly 50%

Why do they feel the need to lie to the bitter end?

More disturbing to me is the average person is receiving a 72% subsidy on their insurance! How does anybody with an ounce of brains think this is sustainable?

That doesn't look much different from what my district offers. Not sure what you are complaining about.

"sustainability" was the key word fit.....it's nice to see you woke up from the siesta with all of 'your' faculties intact.....

Sustainability is a fair question. Forgive me however if I question the motives of someone who is more concerned with the sustainability of Obamacare over the affordability of insurance for their family.

It is neither affordable nor sustainable.

(01-22-2016 02:57 PM)200yrs2late Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 11:38 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 11:00 AM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 10:48 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 08:02 AM)200yrs2late Wrote:  So as some of you know, last year I was one of the uninsured, and this year found out just how unaffordable Obamacare is to a 35 year old white male. In various other threads I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay. Last night I received the following text from Healthcar.gov (which has become increasingly aggravating with each of the deadlines approaching and passing).


Now, my income is well above the threshold for receiving financial help, and there is no way that "most people" pay $75 or less. A five minute google search found the following:

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/266...ses-to-408

Even after the subsidies, the govt is exaggerating the savings by roughly 50%

Why do they feel the need to lie to the bitter end?

More disturbing to me is the average person is receiving a 72% subsidy on their insurance! How does anybody with an ounce of brains think this is sustainable?

That doesn't look much different from what my district offers. Not sure what you are complaining about.

"sustainability" was the key word fit.....it's nice to see you woke up from the siesta with all of 'your' faculties intact.....

Sustainability is a fair question. Forgive me however if I question the motives of someone who is more concerned with the sustainability of Obamacare over the affordability of insurance for their family.

It is neither affordable nor sustainable.

It might not be affordable for you but for many others it is. Once more people are insured, medical expenses will go down across the board and with time, insurance premiums will stabilize.

(01-22-2016 02:56 PM)200yrs2late Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 11:33 AM)dawgitall Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 08:02 AM)200yrs2late Wrote:  So as some of you know, last year I was one of the uninsured, and this year found out just how unaffordable Obamacare is to a 35 year old white male. In various other threads I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay. Last night I received the following text from Healthcare.gov (which has become increasingly aggravating with each of the deadlines approaching and passing).

Quote:You qualify for financial help @ Healthcare.gov Most people can pay monthly premiums of $75 of less. Enroll before 1/31 final deadline.

Now, my income is well above the threshold for receiving financial help, and there is no way that "most people" pay $75 or less. A five minute google search found the following:

Quote:The average ObamaCare premium rose to $408 per month for 2016 plans, about a 9 percent increase from this time last year, according to a new report from the Department of Health and Human Services.

However, 83 percent of ObamaCare enrollees pay far less than $408 because they get tax credits under the healthcare law. The average tax credit for 2016 is $294, meaning that the average share of the premiums that enrollees have to pay is $113. That is up $8 from the $105 people paid on average last year.

http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/266...ses-to-408

Even after the subsidies, the govt is exaggerating the savings by roughly 50%

Why do they feel the need to lie to the bitter end?

More disturbing to me is the average person is receiving a 72% subsidy on their insurance! How does anybody with an ounce of brains think this is sustainable?

It looks to me like you have plans available to you as 35 year old in Eastern North Carolina significantly better than you present here. If you are going to be critical of the presentation by Healthcare.gov, you should make sure your presentation is accurate as well.

"I have posted the available plans, premiums and detuctibles, with most of them being between $400 and $475 with a $6800 deductible and 20% copay."

I checked BCBS rates and plans in Pitt, Bertie, Brunswick and Carteret Counties. There is a Blue Advantage Silver 2500 plan available. It has a broad network, $30 copay, prescriptions at 10/25/50/70 with a prescription deductible of $200. The medical deductible (as the plan name implies) is $2,500. The cost for a 35 year old ranges from $448.93 to $472.32.

The only $6,850 deductible I saw from BCBS was a Bronze plan with a premium well under $400. The others were $5,000, $3,500, $2,500, $1,000, and $500.

The $6,850 you mention is the maximum out of pocket you will pay in network for any one year, excluding premiums and co-pay. The bronze plan with the $6,850 deductible doesn't pay anything until you pay that amount. Then it pays at 100%. But again you presented that $6,850 as being typical, "most of them......$6,800 deductible" when it is anything but typical. It is one plan and in fact the cheapest premium plan available. It is an outlier.

I hadn't been to the site in a few months. Most of the plans have a $5000 deductible and 20 or 30% copays, and you are correct it is a $6850 maximum out of pocket - excluding premiums of course. It's still a ridiculous amount for a plan that costs +$450 per month. By the way I don't live in any of the counties you listed and there is only one or two plans with a premium under $450.

I do not qualify for financial assistance (nor should I at my income level) yet I am still receiving texts saying that I do. It's deceitful.

If you go to the BCBS NC website you can put in your zip code and they will show you the rates. I think the plans are uniform throughout the state but the premium rates vary from location to location. Of the 9 plans offered one is the $6,850 deductible plan, three have a $5,000 deductible, one has a $3,500, one a $2,500, two have $1,000, and one has a $500 deductible. So it is incorrect to say most are $6,800 as you first said or $5,000 as you said the second time. Copays are mostly 20-30% as you noted. That is pretty standard.

I'm not arguing that it isn't expensive. I just think it is important that just as you don't like the idea that the government might be misrepresenting or exaggerating the facts you shouldn't misrepresent or exaggerate what is offered to you either.

(01-22-2016 04:44 PM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 02:57 PM)200yrs2late Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 11:38 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 11:00 AM)stinkfist Wrote:  

(01-22-2016 10:48 AM)Fitbud Wrote:  That doesn't look much different from what my district offers. Not sure what you are complaining about.

"sustainability" was the key word fit.....it's nice to see you woke up from the siesta with all of 'your' faculties intact.....

Sustainability is a fair question. Forgive me however if I question the motives of someone who is more concerned with the sustainability of Obamacare over the affordability of insurance for their family.

It is neither affordable nor sustainable.

It might not be affordable for you but for many others it is. Once more people are insured, medical expenses will go down across the board and with time, insurance premiums will stabilize.

I'm a broke 20 year old and owe the insurance company $300 for a sprained ankle after paying a $150 deductible, explain how ACA has helped me?