Affordable Care Act
 

We recieved a memo from our home office this morning that my health insurance premium will double next year from 295.34 per month to 644.00.
What are most of you seeing out there, is the Marketplace the way to go or is Barb better off sticking with what we have. My concern is quality of care, we are in the process of sorting through the options. I dont want to leave my employer provided plan to find out Barb wont receive the care she has up to this point.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

Almost 100% increase is quite a lot! Are you and Barb covered under your employer? Usually the broker shops around if their client is getting such a high increase so maybe something cheaper will be a available. Does Barb qualify for Medicare?

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

We have POS insurance (HMO, PPO, and Out of Network) through my husband's employer. On Friday we received a letter in the mail stating our insurance premium was going from $308.00 per month to $708.00 per month in the new benefits cycle! The next day we got a letter saying that we had been sent this info in error and our premium will remain the same as before - WHEW!!!! I hope an error was made in your case as well. Not sure if this "error" had anything to do with my husband being in a union with his current contract in effect until 2015, but I am so relieved that it will remain the same - for now at least.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

Yes, I'm really concerned. I had great affordable coverage before the "Affordable Care Act". Like everyone else the premiums have started up. I expect to lose big in the change up.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

In my state the Med-Advantage Enhanced plans are going away, and I had to cut back to the next best thing, with a little more out-of-pocket and lower premium. Not sure where I will net out at the end of next year, but that was the best I could do under the circumstance.

My hubby's HMO premium for their top plan is increasing about 75%, so he is about to cut back to their second-best coverage.

My mother's plan is leaving her county, so we had to get her a medicare supplement plan with a separate prescription coverage.

With three of us to work out, I had to spend some time on our coverage options!

But I have heard some have it a lot worse.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

Be glad you aren't self-employed. Ours is $1000 a month and I haven't seen our increase yet.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

We ARE self-employed, and did pay a lot for two of us before becoming eligible for Med-Advantage plans!

I was paying top dollar for a single preferred provider plan when my cancer hit. Found out that the pain of those premiums was nothing compared to what would have been the pain of going bankrupt without the coverage I had.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

I received a letter from my health plan (affiliated to the hospital）that my Medicare Advantage plan will not change (except the premium which they won't know until next year when all are enrolled). Hubby received a notice from Blue Cross/Blue Shield that he needed to shop for a new plan. But the Website was down when we tried to check it out. Glad the deadline had been extended ...

The affordable care act seems to be something similar to HMO. All the insurance plans offered by my (ex-)employers had been HMO except once or twice when I was offered Blue Cross / Blue Shield. I did not choose the HMO plan of that hospital when I was first insured through my job in the late 80's. I thought the other plan had offered more choices of doctors and hospitals (not realizing the one in town is a top-notch hospital/clinic) After I had had my brain tumor surgery done in the big hospital in town (was fortunate that a Johns Hopkins trained neurosurgeon happened to be there - he stayed there for only 4 years and I was 'lucky' to be his patient. We had to do a special contract [was pushed around by the insurance company clerks until my boss called the Vice President of the Insurance Company and hinted about possible law suit] After that horrible experience, I switched to the HMO offered by the big hospital in town. It now has plenty of clinics spreading in the region and I know I can get top quality care here (My Gamma-knife Radiosurgery in 2001 was contracted out to a facility two hours away in the big city.)

The insurance rules and regulations were pretty good except that patients weren't told of their rights. My neurosurgeon, who happened to be a friend of mine through the local Chinese Club, had told us that "They should pay!" when we mentioned perhaps we needed to try a fund-raising since we couldn't even get through the receptionist on the phone to talk about the special contract (to have the surgery done locally). Yet none of my doctors (including the neurologist who'd told us he would only recommend this particular neurosurgeon and the ones whom I'd known through the Club) would get themselves involved in the process. Hopefully the Affordable Care Act will help resolve some of the issues. The preventive clause/choice of doctors looks very much like an HMO plan to me. I'm wondering whether the 'contracts' between hospitals can still be done when necessary?

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

Was just told that my 90 day Exemestane (trade name Aromasin) is going to be $630.97 (79% or the full $798）because I'd hit the 'doughnut hole! Thought I might try to buy 10 pills to tie it over and defer the prescription to next year. But they are calculated by the full price. So it will hit the 'hole' next year as well - plus there might be other prescriptions eating up the 'quota'! So I guess we'll have to pay the $630.97 now.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

Please be aware that many insurance companies will kick you out due to not accepting the renewal if you have severe health issues. That is what the ACA will prevent. Self employed professionals pay the brunt of this if they had catastrophic based plans in the past. I watched the deductible go from $750 to $1000 to $2500 to $4500 over the past four years. That is what is crushing me. I put $2500 into a FSA, but still have to come up with $2000 by the first of February. I have a great employer who pays 100% coverage price, but I still have spent $27,000 plus the last two years on medical expenses due to traveling for treatment.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

I have Cobra Blue Cross Blue Shield and I will have to keep it as long as I can. I have supported the ACA all along and when I saw the reality of it I cried. There is only one company listed for Mississippi. None of the specialists they offer are anywhere near my home. They stated flatly when I called them that they won't pay anything for out of network. None of my doctors are in their network. The nearest oncologist is about three hours away. A marletplace implies options. I am so angry. And of course Mississippi turned down the expanded Medicaid while supposedly having the highest premiums. And then, of course they can charge more because of age. This whole thing frightens me.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

That is terrible, Fauxgypsy! I am amazed that there is not more for you there - it sounds like the wilds of Siberia!

Got a letter last week that my eye doctor is closing HIS practice. Guess he figured he could not support his office and staff because he has too many patients on medicare. I had noticed that his office chairs were getting on the tattered side and wondered if something might be up. He is an excellent eye surgeon, which is one reason I have stuck with him in case I would need that service.

And my dermatologist was hinting at an early retirement last time I saw him. I hope it is not due to consequences he sees coming from the ACA.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

Censorship of free expression of worries and concerns is never the right answer.
I think the care act may end up working for all at some point. I hope so. The drug program is not perfect either.
Since I am on Medicare and older none of the ACA effects my personal situation. I don't get the protections either.
However I pay big money each month to have full coverage of doctor and hospital insurance. Then extra for dental and drug coverage. Eye and ear care out of pocket. Besides medicare takes over $100 out of my social security each month.
The local hospital raised its prices over 5 % while social security was increased 1.5, so I pay the price for coverage as I have savings and a home I would not want in jeopardy.
So far my daughter in Florida still has the same coverage. But only one plan was available to her as a supplement to Medicare when she had to purchase.
I had full free coverage prior to the General Motors bankruptcy engineered by the Whitehouse. Part of the workers UAW kept their lifetime health coverage and part of us IUE/CWA lost our life time coverage. I chose an insurance company that offered a decent price to have them more than double the price after I was enrolled and they knew I could not change. The guarantee of not being able to be accepted by another company does not extend to me.
So yes, I think it is OK to talk about it.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

We are talking about personal experiences. It is good to know how our members are being affected by the health care changes.

In my state pre-existing conditions have been outlawed for many years so that was not an issue here.

Certainly there are some good points for some families.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

I know that our founders, Joe and Christine (regardless of how they voted), did not want their HER2 site to be a place to air political views about policies. For this reason, such discussions were generally pulled. However, perhaps we are now operating under a different set of rules (and there is certainly nothing inherently wrong with that, although it is a bit surprising for a longer term member). I am here to read, learn and help regarding the HER2 experience.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

I think as long as we stick to FACT and not opinion this is a VERY good thread. There is a lot to learn here.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

We have two options as I see it. One is to keep our existiong plan at 644.00 per month which is double what I paid last year. The other options is I stay on my plan for 94.00 per month and Barb gets her own policy through a broker for 477.00 per month. The only problem with the broker route is premiums are paid after tax and with my employer they come out before tax. Any savings through the broker would be negated. The only way we can afford this increase is to scale down my 401K input now at 5% and change my deductions on taxes also dropping my dental would help. Its sad when you have to forego saving for the future for the now. My whole purpose with this thread was to get a feel for where you all are at financially not politically. If I offended anyone with my initial comment regarding our present leadership in Washington I am sorry. It is what it is and for now we have to live with it. I just pray that Barb has every opportunity to do just that LIVE.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

Hi

We do want to keep this thread going as the subject is important - the New Healthcare System, and how it is affecting our members. Keep it nice and keep it unpolitical and be respectful of all opinions. This can be informative and interesting and things we all need to know. I do not want to shut this thread down.

Thanks!

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

I think this is an important thread, and in my opinion,,,,,,it's a worthy discussion to have. The new laws have caused many to lose their coverage or pay higher premiums. It's understandable that emotions run high in such a discussion, but let's do what Becky says.
As a side note, I've had several of my threads shut down, and sometimes just by commenting on others threads, caused them to be shut down. It's not a good feeling. So let's not do that here.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

Rhondalea,
Do you know which plan she is using and which provider she chose from Anthem or Maine Community Health Options? I have to pick something and I just don't know where to start.

Re: Affordable Care Act
 

Without a doubt, it wasn't Anthem. That's what she had before the ACA went into effect, and Anthem drove her crazy. (Interestingly, I too have Anthem, but my plan is so different from hers that it's like dealing with an entirely different company.)

I don't know much more than that, except that her premiums went down, as did her deductible.

Edited to add: Good luck. Navigating all these changes has to be a nightmare.

Re: Affordable Care Act
 

This is a very important topic which I hope can continue to be discussed in an appropriate manner.

Not only am I concerned about the effect of the Affordable Care Act for myself, but as the HR administrator for my place of business, it is my responsibility to gather as much information as possible for both the employer and the employee. This shared information of what others have experienced and continue to experience is of great value. I am sure many on this site can benefit from a civil discussion of the topic.

When major changes occur that have a significant impact on individuals, such as the Affordable Care Act, it is easy to assign blame and frustration to whomever one determines appears to be the cause, be it government or individuals. In such a charged climate, sharing of opinions on private business (insurance companies, employers, etc.), government entities, political parties and personalities, and individuals can become a source of contention and should be divorced from the discussion. Attacks on the perceived opinions of others should also remain mute.

I join Becky in asking for a continued civil discussion of this topic for the benefit of all. Those who are averse to the topic, or who cannot refrain from personal opinion attacks are asked to simply refrain from participating in the thread.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

Rereading the comments and cannot find the uncivil ones everyone is referring to. Were they censored out?

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

I edited my original post to accurately refer to Washington as a whole. My intentions were never to debate political preference but to get a feel for how our situation compares to others on this site. It appears to us that if anything was accomplished with this law it was to raise premiums across the board. The last thing Barb and I need at this point is more money going out. I guess I really need someone knowledgeable to explain why doubling my premium was necessary. My impression is as soon as government offered subsidies for anyone paying 9.5 % or more of their gross income the whole insurance industry raised premiums to 9.5 % of the average american income.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

Actually Norkdo, attacks on those who replied in a civil manner but questioned horribly non-civil attacks were primarily censored out- along with another's comments defending the person who disagreed with non-civil and inaccurate attacks (hooray for free speech for some). Thank God we are now being civil but (oh oh) we still have a frowny face, the word affordable in quotes (gosh, I don't quite think that is the actual name of the legislation) and also the LOL thing- (let's all laugh at legislation that was passed and upheld by the highest court in the land) in the name of this important thread. Very sad when accurate comments are removed but others not. PC is alive and well (but unidirectional).

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

I have been thinking about the deterioration that would allow a hugely political discussion (to ignore that is to ignore hours and hours of extensive news coverage daily) to continue, when I believe it was not Joe and Christine's wishes for this particular site (there are many political hack sites around to waste one's time on). And to leave "up" derogatory comments or symbols about President Obama (actually, it occurred to me that many probably didn't even consciously notice these derogatory signs as such IF the signs fit one's own views- as a Ph.D. in psychology I am all too aware of how these cognitive processes work). However, to have one's comments removed from a site (without even being told) when one is trying to defend oneself against blatantly uncivil comments (let's not only pretend it didn't happen but let's reinforce the one's who did it) is a bit too much. I would like my name deleted as a member of the site as I do not believe in what it has de-evolved into. I am also not interested in political "free for alls"- but, even worse, only for the chosen few.

Re: Affordable Care Act
 

I wish you wouldn't leave, Karen.

I understand your frustration because I share it (as to the political issue). I believe the post deletions (including mine) were an attempt to preserve the important part of the discussion--insurance issues, which is something nearly everyone shares--without devolving into politics.

I think a better solution might have been to delete the entire thread and start over, but then some of the actual information would have been lost.

I just don't think throwing out the baby with the bathwater is the way to go here, and I hope you will give consideration to the fact that even in the best of relationships there are occasional blips. The way to fix the site is not to leave it but to participate more and to call attention to the times when the subject veers into the unacceptable. (Yes, that probably means more deleted posts in the sorting, but how else to end a contentious, political discussion than to put a full stop on it?)

I can't post much these days, and I can't stay in touch with people the way I would like--my brain refuses to cooperate--but being able to log on here and see that certain people are still posting is very reassuring to me that the light at the end of the tunnel isn't just an oncoming train. I'm sure I'm not the only person who feels that way. I would be dreadfully sorry to see you go (but I'd like to stay in touch--in my haphazard way of the moment--so I'll be emailing you just in case you won't change your mind--might take a day or two, but please don't change your address in the interim).

Anyway, give this some more thought, please. You have been a long-time contributor to this group, and I would hope that you see some value in preserving that.

Rhonda

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

Everyone,

I have not commented on this thread, principally because I have strong feelings about our new healthcare adventure. However, I will say that as a politically divided and polarized nation we Americans are bound to have polarized opinions of the new health care legislation. It will not be easy to respond CAREFULLY to this discussion. However we all DO need to know what is happening to one another regarding our insurance experiences going forward. By doing so we can assist one another around the bureaucracy and unintended pitfalls that ANY system will inevitably manifest.

So look, everyone, this is here and now and must be dealt with no matter what one's feelings about it may be. We need to assist, enlighten, and educate one another so we can continue to receive the needed care for our members. Karen, stay. Please know you are loved and respected. Stay. Let's all fight on together our real enemy--Her2 breast cancer--not one another. We can do this, because at the end of the day love prevails. Let's not be too harsh on ourselves at his moment in time. This new legislation is frightening to some, welcome to others. We must allow civil discourse to go forward and not attempt to silence one another so we continue to share our experiences. We need to hear the GOOD, the BAD, the BEAUTIFUL, and the UGLY. We, certainly as cancer warriors, know all too well that knowledge is power.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

Just another thought: I for one would really appreciate hearing positive experiences with our new system. Has anyone signed up and paid their new premium? If so, will you share how this has affected you, positively or negatively? What was your experience?

Re: "Affordable" Care Act LOL
 

Please, Karen, stay? Please.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

Mike has done what he can to edit this thread.

Anyone who has posted here and wants to take out the LOL in the title of their post must do it themselves.

Click Edit and then at the bottom of the edit box click on Go Advanced. There you can edit the Title.

Onward in a positive manner, please.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

We have Blue Cross Blue Shield through the corporation we are employed by and have experienced no changes at all since the ACA began.

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

Karen,
In the past, I have felt attacked for my points of view and opinions on this site before and, at one point, felt it divisive, even. I asked the powers that be to be taken off, too. Felt under-appreciated. Uncared about. I have my beliefs, others have theirs. But when asked to reconsider, I'm glad I stayed. I've made great friends here.
I am very careful with verbage, keep it quick, simple and short. Not at all how I write poetry or speeches or fiction.
So, just sleep on it.
Great.
Karen

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/...=wnl_edit_dail
This is an article showing cuts to oncology clinics in 2014. More local clinics will be forced out - but funds to hospital outpatients services will increase for cancer treatments.
To read you have to sign in though.

Ev

Re: Affordable Care Act
 

Brokers are available to help you anaylze(sp) the policies. I am not sure how fair and unbiased they are. Just another option. Staying alive and not running out of money is enough to scare any of us. Praying for the best for everyone.

Hugs,

Re: Affordable Care Act
 

Hi Everyone,

As a former Civilian Employee I don't qualify for the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. But I'd like to say that I agree with Becky, we need to leave politics outside of this organization and stick to what matters most to all of us, just by talking about premiums and health plans and how everyone is affected by these changes, we're learning and getting an education on the new healthcare ystem. I have a daughter who's 27 y/o and has no medical insurance at the present time- - we're still waiting on a response from Health Net. I checked some of their plans and they don't look good for her-- each one of them has a deductible of $6,500.! It's a lot of money considering she's a young, healthy woman with no pre-existing medical conditions. I believe this new healthcare thing is for people with more money to pay for those who can't afford health insurance, that's what socialized medicine is all about.
I find it very difficult for people who don't wish to sign up for the Obamacare to be forced to do so. Regardless, I find this thread educational and personally I'm learning from other people's experiences .

So in short, let's keep this thread alive.

Thank you for your time.

Adriana

Re: "Affordable" Care Act
 

Karen,

Your response is lovely.

Adriana

Re: Affordable Care Act
 

Adriana,

In your post you said your daughter is 27 years old and without insurance presently. When she searched the new website the best she can do is a $6500 deductible? Without getting too personal, can you tell us if she is in a higher earning bracket? That kind of deductible would be impossible for my 21 year old daughter to float on her salary. Gosh, it seems very high to me on first blush. Thanks.

Re: Affordable Care Act
 

Our deductible is 6350.00 with a monthly premium of 644.00. Barb can go in for one treatment and that would knock out the deductible. Im still trying to get my mind around why the premium had to increase so much. If the insurance industry cant discriminate against preexisting conditions how do they justify doubling our premium. Is it simply that now they anticipate more in claims?

Re: Affordable Care Act
 

Good Morning Warriors! As I read the responses and concerns in this thread, it takes me back to so many times I felt uncomfortable with what was being said by some of our greatest warriors (now angels). They were fighting for their lives and felt strongly...very strongly about whatever. I didn't like everything people said....some made me mad or sad....but I loved the person who was saying it. I know we need to be a bit more careful in who we "fire" at with our words, but we also must feel safe to "unload" feelings and fears. This is a mean, dirty fight for so many and they need a place to come that is safe. Love and Happy New Year and success in battles to everyone......