(UPDATED) Trying to stay out of the Obamacare debate...

Shawshank
Shawshank Posts: 1,018
edited December 2013 in A Moving Train
So I was casually going through the mail late this evening, and I noticed two pieces from our health insurance company, one for myself and one for my wife. I open them and it is a cancellation notice. It says something to the effect that since my current plan doesn't fall under the new healthcare guidelines, that the policy is being terminated, however they are "gracious" enough to continue my coverage until the end of the year. This is a company wide cancellation of the insurance certificate, not just for us, but for everyone on the plan. I now will be one of those that has to go to healthcare.gov in the morning to see if I can find a plan.

2 things that are extremely frightening about this...first, my wife nearly died last year because of an issue with her thyroid that ended up causing what they call a thyroid storm. If you've never experienced that, consider yourself lucky. It basically puts your heart in a cocaine like overdrive and cannot be stopped. She was cardioverted (you know...CLEAR and then shocked) 4 times...while she was conscious and without anesthetic. It was horrible. I never knew they did that to people who were alive.

Anyway, she was in the hospital for a month, and they got everything sorted out, even though it nearly destroyed her heart. Our insurance was great. I carry a high deductible, around $7,500, but it kept the monthly premiums reasonable at around $400 for both of us, and it was really only intended for emergencies. After all the madness of last year, we expected to get reamed on our premiums, but were surprised to only see them go up $25 per month.

So now with our policy being cancelled, I'm worried about what options we are going to have. I was perfectly fine with the coverage I had, and I'm still not 100% sure how it didn't meet the upcoming mandates within the new laws. I'm hoping that if nothing else we can have the same type of coverage for roughly the same cost. I just don't know if I'll be that lucky, but who knows. If I end up having to pay more for insurance now, especially with my wife's issues from last year, I'm going to be wicked pissed. :evil: :evil: :evil:
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Comments

  • gimmesometruth27
    gimmesometruth27 St. Fuckin Louis Posts: 24,050
    your current plan, high deductible plan, is illegal under obamacare.

    obamacare is doing away with high deductible plans. especially ones that are over $5000. this what it means to be "underinsured". many people do not have 5 grand sitting around and then they can't pay their medical bill. if they pay out of pocket $4995 they would nearly have met the deductible yet the insurance company would have taken your money and paid $0 out to cover you. that is no kind of coverage if you ask me.

    so what is gonna happen is your premiums may rise a bit, but you will not be burdened with such a high deductible.

    those high deductible plans were cash grabs by the insurance companies. you are paying monthly premiums, and if you do not meet your deductible, why should you pay those premiums if you get ZERO return on that investment?

    i am extremely sorry to hear about your wife. i wish her good health and i wish you both several more decades together.
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • brianlux
    brianlux Moving through All Kinds of Terrain. Posts: 43,662
    Wow- somewhat unrelated but weird timing, my wife also got a letter today saying her health care (Kaiser) was terminated. She got on the phone right away and sort of patched that up- for now at least. She has read a ton of stuff related to Obamacare and has talked to several people at Kaiser to try and find out how the changes at the beginning of the year will affect her. Kaiser, in essence, told her, "We don't know because we don't really understand the new system". A strange business, for sure.

    Just reading gimme's post as I type this and wondering is my wife's deductible will change- it's $6,000 per year and with her retina repair surgury we had to pay that out in full this year. If it isn't lowered, maybe instead of trading in my book business for feathers I need to find something more lucrative. 6K is a big hit!

    Shawshank- so sorry to hear of your wife's traumatic experience. I wish her and you the best and hope she is doing ok now. Man, that's scary stuff.

    Edit: I've just been corrected. Her deductible is 1500 with a 6,000 cap (which she exceeded).
    "It's a sad and beautiful world"
    -Roberto Benigni

  • klusterfuk
    klusterfuk Posts: 1,411
    Wow that's a heavy story. Insurance shit always scares the hell out of me.
    The future's paved with better days

    Alpine Valley Resort is etched in my brain!!!


  • quimby20
    quimby20 Posts: 823
    First off, I M so sorry to hear about your wife and the undo stress that NO family should have to deal with it,

    Not to sound shitty but didn't Obama tell us that we don't have to worry, we will be able to keep your current plan??? I guess Nancy Pelosi was correct, they needed to pass it to find out what is in it. Maybe Ted Cruz is looking a little better right now for wanting to defund this piece of shit law.

    I hope we don't read more of these stories his week. You are all in my thoughts.
  • unsung
    unsung I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487
    gimmesometruth27 wrote:
    your current plan, high deductible plan, is illegal under obamacare.

    obamacare is doing away with high deductible plans. especially ones that are over $5000. this what it means to be "underinsured". many people do not have 5 grand sitting around and then they can't pay their medical bill. if they pay out of pocket $4995 they would nearly have met the deductible yet the insurance company would have taken your money and paid $0 out to cover you. that is no kind of coverage if you ask me.


    Many people chose a high deductible because they wanted to actually *gasp* pay cash for office visits and not deal with an insurance company. Paying cash generally gets you a large discount. Many people were paying $3000 for their company plans but dropped out because they didn't use the doctor at all, and many of those kept high-deductible policies to keep the monthly payment low and for those 'just in case' scenarios.

    Here is another example of government thinking they know what is best for the individual.
  • ajedigecko
    ajedigecko \m/deplorable af \m/ Posts: 2,431
    Everyone should own a home.

    Everyone should have health insurance.

    We saw the outcome, of the home ownership idea.
    live and let live...unless it violates the pearligious doctrine.
  • Jason P
    Jason P Posts: 19,295
    F5
    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • Jason P
    Jason P Posts: 19,295
    It's amazing how long this plan has been out there and not even the insurance companies are sure how it's going to work.
    Be Excellent To Each Other
    Party On, Dudes!
  • callen
    callen Posts: 6,388
    Insurance companies interest to cancel and fight what will hurt them. They are to blame not Health care reform. If it was due to deductables offer to modify.

    Very sorry you caught in middle Shawshank and wish the best for you and your wife.
    10-18-2000 Houston, 04-06-2003 Houston, 6-25-2003 Toronto, 10-8-2004 Kissimmee, 9-4-2005 Calgary, 12-3-05 Sao Paulo, 7-2-2006 Denver, 7-22-06 Gorge, 7-23-2006 Gorge, 9-13-2006 Bern, 6-22-2008 DC, 6-24-2008 MSG, 6-25-2008 MSG
  • callen
    callen Posts: 6,388
    Jason P wrote:
    It's amazing how long this plan has been out there and not even the insurance companies are sure how it's going to work.
    Or is it the $7hr employee that answered the phone. It's not in ins interest to make this work. Millions will now have access to healthcare!!!! How can this basic need be ignored and they will actually now contribute.
    10-18-2000 Houston, 04-06-2003 Houston, 6-25-2003 Toronto, 10-8-2004 Kissimmee, 9-4-2005 Calgary, 12-3-05 Sao Paulo, 7-2-2006 Denver, 7-22-06 Gorge, 7-23-2006 Gorge, 9-13-2006 Bern, 6-22-2008 DC, 6-24-2008 MSG, 6-25-2008 MSG
  • quimby20
    quimby20 Posts: 823
    callen wrote:
    Jason P wrote:
    It's amazing how long this plan has been out there and not even the insurance companies are sure how it's going to work.
    Or is it the $7hr employee that answered the phone. It's not in ins interest to make this work. Millions will now have access to healthcare!!!! How can this basic need be ignored and they will actually now contribute.
    Always blame big bad business. You have no idea what is in the bill. And I am sure you haven't read it. Companies are cutting employees down to under 32 hours so not to pay. Stop reading liberal rags and educate yourself
  • Shawshank
    Shawshank Posts: 1,018
    Thanks for all the kind words, they are much appreciated. Yes, it was an extremely scary time. When my wife woke in the middle of the night she thought her heart was going to explode. We lived out in the country, and there was no way I could wait for those bumpkins to get out there to us, so I threw her in the car and hauled major ass to the hospital. We got there, and it was slam packed but they took her back immediately. Hooked her up to a heart monitor and her pulse was dancing between 190 and 200. I think once she saw what it was it scared her even more, because she does Zumba and even in the middle of that she could barely get her pulse above 150, so it was nuts for sure.

    Gimme I hear what you're saying about how these plans are cash grabs, but I don't necessarily agree with it. Ok, let me rephrase that, ALL insurance plans suck, but I don't think a high deductible plan like ours sucks as much as it sounds like it does.

    When I was shopping insurance, I could have bought plans that had $500 to $3,000 deductibles, but the premiums were anywhere from $700 to $1,100 per month for both of us. Now, we are both relatively healthy and hardly ever go to the Dr. We wanted something that was more for like, holy crap I have cancer, or I had a heart attack, or my wife had this weird Thyroid storm. She racked up a $125,000 hospital bill in the first 3 weeks alone. So it was always considered emergency coverage, not..."oh I have a cold, thank God I have insurance so my Dr can tell me to get some rest and take TheraFlu."

    So let's just say I went middle of the road and had a $2,000 deductible plan. I would have been spending close to $900 per month. Almost $6,000 more per year than I do with my current plan. That would be $6,000 more per year whether I used it or not. So what would you say makes more sense? Pay $7,500 IF something happens, or $6,000 regardless of whether you use it or not? Talk about a cash grab. That doesn't make any financial sense at all. To me, insurance is about peace-of-mind. If something catastrophic happens I like the idea of knowing we are covered. In most cases, even if you can't pay all of your deductible at once, I don't think there's a hospital out there that won't let you make small payments on it. I know people that are paying a $5,000 bill at $100 per month. A small price to pay when their original visit was like my wife's at nearly 100 grand.

    I guess the biggest thing with me is, we were in a place where we had insurance and that company knew my wife's situation. So we had coverage, and it was a plan I was extremely happy with because they covered EVERYTHING. Yes, I realize she cannot be turned away now under these new laws, however I do not believe there are any provisions for how much they can charge. Now I may be worried about all of this for nothing, but I couldn't sleep last night thinking about this. I'll find out this morning what our future holds.
  • callen
    callen Posts: 6,388
    quimby20 wrote:
    callen wrote:
    Jason P wrote:
    It's amazing how long this plan has been out there and not even the insurance companies are sure how it's going to work.
    Or is it the $7hr employee that answered the phone. It's not in ins interest to make this work. Millions will now have access to healthcare!!!! How can this basic need be ignored and they will actually now contribute.
    Always blame big bad business. You have no idea what is in the bill. And I am sure you haven't read it. Companies are cutting employees down to under 32 hours so not to pay. Stop reading liberal rags and educate yourself
    Yes business is in it to make $$$. And yes they may have to pay more and you made my point. Fk the workers and their needs for medical care to prove a point.
    10-18-2000 Houston, 04-06-2003 Houston, 6-25-2003 Toronto, 10-8-2004 Kissimmee, 9-4-2005 Calgary, 12-3-05 Sao Paulo, 7-2-2006 Denver, 7-22-06 Gorge, 7-23-2006 Gorge, 9-13-2006 Bern, 6-22-2008 DC, 6-24-2008 MSG, 6-25-2008 MSG
  • quimby20
    quimby20 Posts: 823
    I agree with you on the workers being screwed. But this bill is garbage
  • dignin
    dignin Posts: 9,478
    Glad your Wife is alright. But if she would have gotten sick where I come from (Canada), it wouldn't have cost either of you a dime.

    I agree, Obamacare is fucked. It didn't go far enough, should be a single payer system.

    Greed does not belong in a healthcare system. We shake our heads up here, trying to understand what is going on down there.
  • Shawshank
    Shawshank Posts: 1,018
    dignin wrote:
    Glad your Wife is alright. But if she would have gotten sick where I come from (Canada), it wouldn't have cost either of you a dime.

    I agree, Obamacare is fucked. It didn't go far enough, should be a single payer system.

    Greed does not belong in a healthcare system. We shake our heads up here, trying to understand what is going on down there.

    Yes, I agree with you. We were all doomed when they didn't make it single payer. I wasn't necessarily for it, but I knew we were major screwed if they didn't go all the way. It was (and is) and major windfall for the insurance companies, make no mistake about that. :evil:
  • dignin
    dignin Posts: 9,478
    Shawshank wrote:
    dignin wrote:
    Glad your Wife is alright. But if she would have gotten sick where I come from (Canada), it wouldn't have cost either of you a dime.

    I agree, Obamacare is fucked. It didn't go far enough, should be a single payer system.

    Greed does not belong in a healthcare system. We shake our heads up here, trying to understand what is going on down there.

    Yes, I agree with you. We were all doomed when they didn't make it single payer. I wasn't necessarily for it, but I knew we were major screwed if they didn't go all the way. It was (and is) and major windfall for the insurance companies, make no mistake about that. :evil:

    I could only imagine the frustration. Good luck to you and everyone else caught in the middle of this mess.
  • Go Beavers
    Go Beavers Posts: 9,546
    Breathe a sigh of relief and good riddance to your crappy $7500 deductible. The premiums in Texas are coming in lower than average compared to other states. Depending on where you live, you might pay somewhere in the upper $200's for a mid level plan, which is probably better than what you had. I imagine a catastrophic plan is a little lower than that. And, if you and your wife make less than $62,000, you'll get tax credits.

    I'm not sure why people have already deemed the ACA a failure. It's not a single payer system, but it's a step in that direction.
  • MotoDC
    MotoDC Posts: 947
    Go Beavers wrote:
    Breathe a sigh of relief and good riddance to your crappy $7500 deductible. The premiums in Texas are coming in lower than average compared to other states. Depending on where you live, you might pay somewhere in the upper $200's for a mid level plan, which is probably better than what you had. I imagine a catastrophic plan is a little lower than that. And, if you and your wife make less than $62,000, you'll get tax credits.

    I'm not sure why people have already deemed the ACA a failure. It's not a single payer system, but it's a step in that direction.
    Why is a $7500 deductible necessarily crappy? It kept his premium low and allowed his healthcare plan to function precisely as he and his wife desired and designed -- an emergency backstop for major, unpredictable medical expenses.
  • Go Beavers
    Go Beavers Posts: 9,546
    MotoDC wrote:
    Go Beavers wrote:
    Breathe a sigh of relief and good riddance to your crappy $7500 deductible. The premiums in Texas are coming in lower than average compared to other states. Depending on where you live, you might pay somewhere in the upper $200's for a mid level plan, which is probably better than what you had. I imagine a catastrophic plan is a little lower than that. And, if you and your wife make less than $62,000, you'll get tax credits.

    I'm not sure why people have already deemed the ACA a failure. It's not a single payer system, but it's a step in that direction.
    Why is a $7500 deductible necessarily crappy? It kept his premium low and allowed his healthcare plan to function precisely as he and his wife desired and designed -- an emergency backstop for major, unpredictable medical expenses.

    I guess if he's okay with it, then fine. To me, that kind of coverage is crappy. I don't want to see people be anxious when they are getting something better, though.

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