Ot. Cheapest obamacare insurance

[scaredyclassic]

Why is there no supercheap policy, say, $200 a year with a ten million dollar deductible, just to have essentially no insurance but not be penalized? People could switch if they needed actual med. Care.

Is there a rule about how bad ins. Can be?

[spdrun]

Yes, it has to fit into one of five categories which define % of payment for services and copay. Catastrophic, bronze, silver, gold, platinum. The catastrophic is only available to people in their 20s(?).

It basically got rid of “streetsurance” policies that didn’t actually cover anything.

[joec]

Having those policies would be the same as not having insurance at all.

Like if someone sold a home policy and covered nothing, what’s the point to even buy or sell it? Just a scam.

The problem for me is that medical insurance is a required evil unless we want people dieing in the streets. It’d be nice if there was a very very basic policy coverage with limited advanced treatments (which is probably the expensive stuff we have here) so stuff like cancer, you can get no treatment or whatever other countries do to keep their cost down. Sad we aren’t doing everything we can to save people, but doing everything would be too cost prohibitive…

[SK in CV]

two words:

minimum essential coverage.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=joec]Having those policies would be the same as not having insurance at all.

Like if someone sold a home policy and covered nothing, what’s the point to even buy or sell it? Just a scam.

The problem for me is that medical insurance is a required evil unless we want people dieing in the streets. It’d be nice if there was a very very basic policy coverage with limited advanced treatments (which is probably the expensive stuff we have here) so stuff like cancer, you can get no treatment or whatever other countries do to keep their cost down. Sad we aren’t doing everything we can to save people, but doing everything would be too cost prohibitive…[/quote]Agree, joec, due to Obamacare essentially doing away with High Deductible Health Plans (HDHP’s). Prior to Obamacare, these (PPO) plans covered catastrophic events, such as a cancer diagnosis with a typical $5K deductible for an individual (very fair). They also covered at 100% an extensive physical exam each calendar year (incl any blood work ordered by your GP) + 100% of different routine prophylactic exams required annually by males and females as well as diagnostic exams at nearly 100% for those who had a genetic predisposition to certain cancers (ex. a colonoscopy every 1-3 years). For a 50 year-old in good health (proven, previously thoroughly vetted by their carrier), the typical HDHP premiums started at about $175-$200 month.

Sadly, the ACA (Obamacare) has no longer allowed those plans to be sold since 12/31/13. And six of the major US carriers who previously offered them in CA have since left the state’s individual market on that date. A few scattered “grandfathered” policyholders whose carrier remained in the individual market in CA after the passage of the ACA were able to retain their HDHP until 12/31/14, but that was the end of HDHPs as we knew them (because they are not “ACA compliant”).

Currently, the only way to obtain a similar type of insurance (sans all the “100% payments” for diagnostic exams) is to take out “minimum essential coverage” (catastrophic coverage) through a state exchange as SK has suggested here. But one must be 29 years of age or younger (at the time of sign-up) to legally do so.

The rest of us are “trapped” into ever-escalating premiums each year which are beyond our wildest prognostications. Especially those who have individual plans with the state exchange who were 58-64 years of age at the time of signing up for (or attempting to “renew”) their plans.

Hence my argument on this forum ad nauseam why “Obamacare” should be repealed forthwith and I will vote accordingly in the General election (changed my voter registration to “R” last week). I’ve been (and currently am) paying premiums through the nose because my carrier now can no longer by law reject my “brethren’s” applications for coverage … many (most?) of whom now display major health problems of their own making (due to their earlier “lifestyle choices”). I strongly feel that this should not be my problem because of the intensive scrutiny I was put through at “middle age” in order to be accepted into an HDHP (with a reasonably priced monthly premium) by a major US health plan which has since left CA’s individual market in the wake of Obamacare. As a direct result, I was summarily “dumped” onto the state’s exchange with a pool of much “sicker” people than I am who just so happen to be in my age group. At the end of the day, you gotta ask yourself …. why and how did this end up happening to ME??

[spdrun]

Genetics are genetics — one doesn’t always need to blame people for falling sick.

[bearishgurl]

Not blaming anyone here, spd. Just illustrating reasons why my monthly premium post-obamacare is over 3x what it was pre-obamacare. There are several reasons for these massive increases but the fact that monthly premiums are now age-ranked is the most important reason with a “sicker population” in older age groups as a byproduct.

In my age group, there are far more people who are ill today thru their own choices in the past than there are “unlucky people” who “inherited” predispositions to certain illnesses.

[scaredyclassic]

I think one can get out by moving abroad?

[flyer]

I know exactly what BG is talking about, and have heard the same from others who are seeking healthcare options–especially those who are 50+.

Under the current system, you are no longer given the option to be personally evaluated for your individual healthcare needs and awarded premiums that correspond to your individual health situation. You are in the same pool as the extremely ill in your age group, and must pay exorbitantly whether the terms apply to you or not.

We happen to have employer based coverage that will extend to retirement whenever I fully retire, but, as BG and I have previously discussed, that is now a rarity, and many who find themselves at 50+ seeking healthcare coverage may need to be prepared to spend a small fortune until Medicare kicks in.

Even then, with Medicare, Medigap, etc. financial experts still estimate a couple will need to budget around $250K to cover insurance costs from age 65 for the balance of their lifetimes whether they are ill nor not.

[spdrun]

NY doesn’t even rate based on age, only on location. I don’t think that rating only based on a few factors is so bad.

The whole point of ACA is to cover the sick. If their premiums become exorbitant, they’re less likely to get medical help. Downward spiral. Also, the sick are less likely to have a good income to pay exorbitant premiums.

Basically, the previous system was “you need to be already healthy to get coverage.” Insane.

[joec]

Agreed that if Obamacare is way too expensive, people will simply drop out…The credits help me a lot as our cost isn’t as bad as it is without.

That said, I think people and society in general should just ACCEPT that we can’t get tests or treatments for everything.

I don’t want to give doctors complete immunity neither for malpractice, but I would think if given the choice, sane people with low chances of survival would be happier with some cash in leau of treatment for themselves and their family.

People state that our healthcare is the best and other countries, you don’t have this or that treatment…but I suppose there is a cost to that and I, for one would be willing to not get the latest and greatest (at least not on the “general”/ “basic”) plan. If someone wanted advanced treatments, they should pay separately and there will still be a market for that.

Another problem I see is maternity as healthcare for women is a lot more than for men as men tend to ignore going to doctors and just die a lot earlier.

Young pregnancies, I’d guess is also paid a lot by the government, etc…need a better way to educate these people that having 4 or 5 kids isn’t doing yourself any favors (cultural thing probably).

[joec]

[quote=spdrun]

Basically, the previous system was “you need to be already healthy to get coverage.” Insane.[/quote]

My problem with the previous system was that as a self employed family, no one will even sell you coverage. As a healthy guy and wife, it was insanely hard to have anyone cover you if you even wanted maternity “just in case”.

That and any previous tests and you maybe out was extremely scary that 1 accident and you would be bankrupt.

I am also completely not overweight, never had a surgery, no smokes, drinks, whatever…

At the end of the day, for profit companies don’t care so it’s in their rightful corporate interests to drive profits and eliminate paying/treatment.

One reason I still think we need a different or better system than what we have now.

Medi-Cal is also bad as local places may not see/treat you at all and you may have to drive hours to find a place willing to see you.

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