Average Health Insurance premium....true for you?

[JMAC]

I googled and came up with this- "The range of average monthly premiums paid for individual plans across the United States fell between $119 in Iowa and $382 in New York*."

Sounds like they decided not to include Maine in their figuring....it would be well over $400 for me to get full coverage, so I got what I could afford- minimial coverage with a $10,000 deductible. You?

[katey]

I have minimal coverage with a $10,000 deductible for just over $200/month. They sent me a notice saying that it was going up to $360 on the first of the year, but it hasn't happened; I'm guessing the state whupped their asses.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

I pay 300 dollars a year based on what I earn as my tax contribution. No deductible, full access, hospital of choice, etc. If I made less it would be as low as 0.

[RichKrough]

I pay 300 dollars a year based on what I earn as my tax contribution. No deductible, full access, hospital of choice, etc. If I made less it would be as low as 0.

Ha! but you can't buy a handgun! How about that smarty pants!!

[Paul Pless]

Ha! but you can't buy a handgun! How about that smarty pants!!

Nice!

I think its $28 per month to add me to Kat's policy. Before that I paid $325.00 a month for a reasonable BCBS policy ~ 80/20 copay and $2,000 annual deductible.

Those $10,000 deductible policies are often designed around folks that have HSA's available to them you may want to shop around a bit because those are ridiculous. United Health Care used to have a quite reasonable 'temporary' policy that you could buy in three month blocks and renew it three times. Might be worth checking out.

[Peter Malcolm Jardine]

Worse than that, I can't even get shot in order to use my low cost socialized health care system.Nobody has any damn guns!

[Meli]

Hmm, I get full access to public hospitals free, GP's free, blood tests, xrays, girlie exams, psychologist, theatre fees, anestesitists.
Or I can access all of the above and anything else (other than cosmetics) at any private hospital or clinic and the gov will pay anywhere between 35-85%

Cost zero

Thanks to our socialist health.

I do have to wait a whole 2 months to get an outpatients apt with an orthopaedic specialist for an old intermitant back problem

[Jim Bow]

Given the choice between complete access to healthcare, or complete access to handguns ....

[Captain Intrepid]

Come here, I'll shoot your illness out of ye!

[Mrleft8]

LOL! More like $192 a day!..... Even with the absurd co-pay and deductibles we get socked for something along the lines of $18,000 a year.
Thankfully the company Carter works for chips in 60% of that premium, unfortunately the insurance that they bought doesn't like to pay for anything without a fight, so a lot of drs and labs won't play with them.

[ljb5]

I think mine went down $56 per month.

[George Jung]

Is that your total cost, or just your cost contribution?

In our area, approx. $1400/month for a family policy.

[oldsub86]

Worse than that, I can't even get shot in order to use my low cost socialized health care system.Nobody has any damn guns!

Come on over and hang about in north Winnipeg. Your odds of getting shot will be greatly increased.

Randy

[George Ray]

Went up a bit this year and is $300+/mo with LARGE deductible at age 60+.

[Concordia...41]

Since 2007, my BCBS policy went from $179 per month gradully to around $390.

This month it went from $390 to $540. That got me shopping and I got the same coverage for $259.

Just like my homeowners and car insurances, they crept up and crept up until I got off my butt and invested a couple of hours in shopping.

Time well spent but YMMV.

-M

[Canoez]

My contribution dropped from $92/month for a family plan to $11/month with a $1000 deductable with a $3000 total cap on all costs (including drugs, procedures, tests and co-pay). Free dental is included. Two of my three employers are European and consider this to be a very important benefit to provide.

[GregW]

If Americans had a single payer system, think of all the money you'd save - money that could be used to buy more guns and ammo! Then you'd be even more safe from the general mayhem and home invasions that appear to be rampant down there.

[Dan McCosh]

I googled and came up with this- "The range of average monthly premiums paid for individual plans across the United States fell between $119 in Iowa and $382 in New York*."

Sounds like they decided not to include Maine in their figuring....it would be well over $400 for me to get full coverage, so I got what I could afford- minimial coverage with a $10,000 deductible. You?

This sounds more like the range of individual contributions, rather than the range of actual premiums.

[George Jung]

Something I read:

"I have a family member in her 50s who was recently diagnosed with metastatic pancreas cancer. She presented with painless jaundice, a pancreatic head mass was seen on CT, a biliary stent was placed, and at ex-lap a small metastasis was seen on the liver so a gastrojejunostomy, cholecystectomy, and an alcohol neurolysis of the splanchnic nerves was done instead of a Whipple.


I’ve been trying to help her navigate the medical maze she has been thrust into. She has employer-provided health insurance about which she originally said, “Oh yeah, I’ve got really good health insurance.” But when she went to get her first Gemzar treatment, she was informed that her insurance wouldn’t cover it (and that the cost would be about $15K a month). I couldn’t believe it was possible to have a health insurance policy that didn’t cover chemotherapy, so I actually called her insurance company and got a copy of it. I was appalled.
This “health insurance” has the following limitations:

• 10 physician visits per year
• $100 per visit for up to 3 ED visits (this is the maximum payment, NOT the deductible)
• $1000 in surgery or diagnostic tests per year
• $50 per month in outpatient prescriptions
• $400 per day (up to 15 days per year) for inpatient hospitalizations (same rate for ICU admissions)

The policy is quite clear, when you read it, that this isn’t a “comprehensive” policy and that if you get really sick, it isn’t going to cover anywhere near the entire cost. But who reads their health insurance policy? She was never even given a copy of it. It took me, a physician, 45 minutes on the phone in 3 separate phone calls and 10 minutes on the web just to find the policy. (It took almost as long to find my own.)
Most employees don’t read these policies. I’m furious with the employer, since I assume he actually did read this policy, and intentionally decided to screw over his employees by telling them they had “health insurance” when in reality, they didn’t. And I’m furious that the state insurance commission actually allowed this policy to be sold without appropriate disclosure that it wasn’t real health insurance. Obamacare outlaws policies like this starting this year, but apparently Aetna was able to get a waiver for this particular policy for 2012.
The first thing I did after reading her policy was go find my own. It’s a HDHP with a $3000 deductible and a maximum $5000 out of pocket per year. My employer combines that with a Health Reimbursement Account that essentially lowers my deductible to $500. But the policy covers everything you’d expect it to, including many types of reconstructive surgery and certainly chemotherapy.


I’ve been lucky to have always had a good health insurance policy. I was on my father’s plan through college, which was negotiated by a state employees union (you better believe they read their health insurance policy.) I bought an individual policy in med school (but luckily never needed it) and then had a good policy in residency (my first child cost $10 total) and then a $0 deductible for four years in the military (my second and third children were free.)
When was the last time you read your policy? How about the one you provide for your employees? I suggest you go read it BEFORE someone gets sick. Just like with disability insurance, you might need an individual policy despite having a group policy through your employer. If you aren’t insured against medical catastrophes, you run the risk of facing the choice my family member now faces- relying on charity care or declaring bankruptcy. Even with Medicare, Medicaid, cash discounts, non-profit hospital charity programs, and manufacturer assistance programs, there is still a gaping hole that never should have existed in this safety net. It’s a real tragedy that someone working a real full-time job, whose husband works a real full-time job, doesn’t have the insurance coverage she needs now that she is sick."

From 'WhiteCoatInvestor', a blog. You might want to read your policies.

[Norman Bernstein]

From 'WhiteCoatInvestor', a blog. You might want to read your policies.

Excellent story, George. My first reaction, on seeing this thread, was to argue that health care plans differ so dramatically, in terms of what they will and won't cover, what the copays and out-of-pocket limits are, that rate comparisons are nearly impossible. The policy described in that C&P was incredible.... incredible that ANY state regulator would permit it to be sold without STRONG warning labels plastered all over it... and yet, it came from Aetna, hardly a 'fly-by-night' insurance company.

For what it's worth, insurance for SWMBO and I comes from her job. Her employer pays 70%, we pay 30%, and the total cost is around $24,000 per year. It covers everything... or at least, we haven't run up against anything it doesn't cover. I pay a $25 copay for an office visit, $100 for an ER visit, $500 for surgery..... drugs are $15 for generics, $50 for proprietary. I'm going to have shoulder surgery in March, and my total cost will be the $500 copay, but (see below) $300 will be rebated by my wife's employer.

Last year, the nonprofit corporation she works for decided that they ought to do something about the rising costs.... so they picked a slightly lower plan which raised the copays and drug costs to the levels I described above (prior to that, they were substantially lower). To compensate the employees for the additional costs, the corporation re-imburses the difference between the previous co-pays, and the new levels. In essence, they're 'self insuring' a tiny bit of the costs, since (aside from my wife) the employees are young, and are not big consumers of health care.

[Tar Devil]

$723 per mo., $3,000 deductable. That's AFTER they excluded my bulging discs and my tremors. Bless their hearts, they did let me take my cholesterol meds.

Hate this *#&%ing industry!

[brad9798]

I pay about $500 per month ... for FIVE (5) people, including three (3) kids ... I think it is a GREAT deal ... as my co-pays are no more than $20 ... ER is $50, but how often do I go there?

Scripts are mostly $4-5 ... one is $20 for my wife ... but it is new and HIGHLY expensive ...

I am not complaining.

[Norman Bernstein]

I pay about $500 per month ... for FIVE (5) people, including three (3) kids ... I think it is a GREAT deal ... as my co-pays are no more than $20 ... ER is $50, but how often do I go there?

Scripts are mostly $4-5 ... one is $20 for my wife ... but it is new and HIGHLY expensive ...

I am not complaining.

Sounds suspiciously cheap.... any deductible? How about lifetime caps?

[brad9798]

I have NO deductible ... not sure about the cap, though. REMEMBER, I live in Missouri ...

[Norman Bernstein]

I have NO deductible ... not sure about the cap, though. REMEMBER, I live in Missouri ...

Well, I'm aware of regional differences... but that is extraordinary.

[Shang]

Mine runs $1;650 a month. Half of this covers me, half is for one dependent. Theoretically mine is "free," but that just means that my half is removed from my pay before I see it. Deductible is $3,000, office copay is $35, ER is $75. No dental, no eye care.
BCBS's rate actually dropped slightly this year as BCBS was required to refund a few of the bucks they'd fudged out of us for the past several years.

Why can't the teabaggers and the right wingnuts realize that "Obama Care," ( the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) will bring us up to par with health care in the rest of the world, will dramatically reduce costs, and will take control of health care away from the HMO corporations.
Tonight, as the presidential candidate debates raged on, three of the four republicans on the stage stated that their first act when elected president would be to end "Obama Care," thus returning us to the era of millions upon millions of Americans without health care, and enabling health care companies to charge what ever they pleased, to be able to refuse coverage of children for "existing conditions," and to drop young people from their parent's health policies.

[Shang]

I have NO deductible ... not sure about the cap, though. REMEMBER, I live in Missouri ...

Brad,
Are you sure about that?
I also live in Missouri, covered by Blue Cross, Blue Shield.
On our policy here's a deductible of $1,000 for each person, and a total of $3,000 per family.
Also a lifetime cap of one million--and if that sounds as if you couldn't actually run up a total that high, let me assure you...you can.

If your policy is as good as it sounds I'd sure like to transfer to it, but BCBS doesn't permit that option...you cannot opt out of the plan.

[stevebaby]

2.5% of my income, 1.5% for those on lower incomes. No cost for anyone receiving welfare benefits.
I've had 3X chemo,1X radiotherapy and major surgery recently and multiple specialist visits...the total cost was about $AUD100.
But we're all COMMUNISTS!

[leikec]

I'm covered on my wife's insurance--$220.00 per bi-monthly paycheck. The insurance covers 80% of the total hospital bill, but doesn't cover doctor's visits at all. My prescriptions are $64.00 per month.


I rang up just under $100,000 in hospital bills last year (18 days total), but my out of pocket was only $5000.00 (different insurance last year). I'm hoping for a much healthier year this time around.

Jeff C

[brad9798]

Okay, you guys made me research my policy ... I pay $125/week for my family ... I ACTUALLY do have a GRAND deductible for each of us (3-grand for family) ... beyond regular check-ups/ER/Urgent Care ...

I apologize for my ignorance ... I have NOT found any info about a cap, however ...

AGAIN, sorry I was incorrect in my ascertations earlier ... I feel kind of stupid ...

All that being said, I think I have a helluva deal!!!

B

P.s. Gotta go to be now ... have to get up in six (6) hours ...

[jsjpd1]

We pay $209 a month for our family plan, my employer pays 2500/mo, and that covers 80% the other 20% is out of pocket. No deductible though...

Jim

[pcford]

A friend had a colonoscopy about 7 years ago. He had a state insurance policy...the Rethugs were threatening to take away his insurance so he thought he would get another colonoscopy even though it was less than the normal 10 year interval.

Wellsir, turns out he had colon cancer. It cost $750,000 before he was done. In and out of hospital for two months. (That's right...seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.) Insurance pays 80%. How could any sentient being believe this is the best way to run a health system?

I suppose you could say he owes his life to the Republicans.

This episode was in spring...just before Xmas he had a stroke. He's ok, but has a saggy face and a hitch in his getalong.

[Norman Bernstein]

Okay, you guys made me research my policy ... I pay $125/week for my family ... I ACTUALLY do have a GRAND deductible for each of us (3-grand for family) ... beyond regular check-ups/ER/Urgent Care ...

I apologize for my ignorance ... I have NOT found any info about a cap, however ...

AGAIN, sorry I was incorrect in my ascertations earlier ... I feel kind of stupid ...

Not to worry, Brad... I DID suspect something was wrong with your numbers, but glad you were able to clear it up.

$6000/yr for a family plan, with a $1000 per person deductible, still sounds like a good deal.... but there are always those pesky details.

[Norman Bernstein]

A friend had a colonoscopy about 7 years ago. He had a state insurance policy...the Rethugs were threatening to take away his insurance so he thought he would get another colonoscopy even though it was less than the normal 10 year interval.

Some insurance companies wouldn't cover a colonoscopy in a shortened interval.

Wellsir, turns out he had colon cancer. It cost $750,000 before he was done. In and out of hospital for two months. (That's right...seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.) Insurance pays 80%.

...and how did he cover the $150,000 for the un-covered 20%? For most averaqge Americans, that's a straight path to bankruptcy.

How could any sentient being believe this is the best way to run a health system?

Simple.... just be extremely rich... or never have an adverse medical event that bankrupts you!

[brad9798]

Thanks, Norm ... yes, it is definitely a good deal in this day and age!

[Shang]

Okay, you guys made me research my policy ... I pay $125/week for my family ... I ACTUALLY do have a GRAND deductible for each of us (3-grand for family) ... beyond regular check-ups/ER/Urgent Care ...
I apologize for my ignorance ... I have NOT found any info about a cap, however ...
AGAIN, sorry I was incorrect in my ascertations earlier ... I feel kind of stupid ...
All that being said, I think I have a helluva deal!!!
B
P.s. Gotta go to be now ... have to get up in six (6) hours ...

No apology necessary--they don't write those policies to be easily understood.

Doing some quick math, Brad, it sounds like you and I have pretty similar health insurance expenses.
I don't look on it as a particularly good deal. I think we're both being shaken down by the insurance providers. Remember, those "providers" are not charatable organizations, they are for-profit corporations, and they're making one big hellofa profit!

Let's taka a closer, non-teabagger, look at the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

[brad9798]

You forget Shang, or did not know, that I have three kids that are back and forth to the docs all the time during the school year ... ear infection here, strep there ... miscellaneous other stuff, etc. ... I CERTAINLY get my money's worth. NO question about it! I am not complaining!

B

[brad9798]

You forget Shang, or did not know, that I have three kids that are back and forth to the docs all the time during the school year ... ear infection here, strep there ... miscellaneous other stuff, etc. ... I CERTAINLY get my money's worth. NO question about it! I am not complaining!

B

[John Smith]

My premiums went down slightly.

[Canoeyawl]

One of the "big lies" that just won't die. Average health insurance industry profits are around 5%..

So, after advertising and contributions to lobbyists and every other concievable deduction including corporate mettings at the finest resorts etc.
What is that 5% number in dollars?

[JMAC]

Let's not forget bonuses....I've been hoping that Vermont's move to provide all their residents with health care would get some momentum going for other states to join in on. I haven't heard where they're at with it lately though...

[Norman Bernstein]

One of the "big lies" that just won't die. Average health insurance industry profits are around 5%.

Yup... AFTER deducting the multi-million dollar compensation packages to the top executives.

[Paul Pless]

Remember, those "providers" are not charatable organizations, they are for-profit corporations, and they're making one big hellofa profit!

One of the "big lies" that just won't die. Average health insurance industry profits are around 5%.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Yup... AFTER deducting the multi-million dollar compensation packages to the top executives.

I continue to be amazed that Obama allowed himself and the nation to be sold out to the insurance industry.

[Norman Bernstein]

I continue to be amazed that Obama allowed himself and the nation to be sold out to the insurance industry.

It's called a 'compromise'... which entails getting some important stuff, while giving away some other stuff, so that the net effect is positive. Ideological purists ignore the net effect, in favor of the talking point.

Ask anyone with a truly disqualifying pre-existing condition if they think that the give-away to the insurance companies was a bad deal.

Ask anyone who heretofore had NO health care coverage if it was a bad deal.

Ask anyone who got left out in the cold by 'lifetime caps' if they thought it was a bad deal.

Ideological purity might be good for the soul of some people... but it doesn't pay for their life-saving drugs or surgery.

[Paul Pless]

Ideological purity might be good for the soul of some people... but it doesn't pay for their life-saving drugs or surgery.

I agree he had to compromise, with one of three institutions: doctors, big pharma, or the insurance industry. Ashame he chose the easy way out and sold out to the worst of the three, the one that provides no added value and is just a big sucking parasite.

[Paul Pless]

'Course with less inept leadership we may have ended up with a single payer system. <sigh>

[Norman Bernstein]

I agree he had to compromise, with one of three institutions: doctors, big pharma, or the insurance industry. Ashame he chose the easy way out and sold out to the worst of the three, the one that provides no added value and is just a big sucking parasite.

No, he chose the practical way out, because the insurance industry was the key player... with the most influential lobby.

Instead of being a 'nattering nabob of negativism' (you're probably too young to get THAT cultural reference), think about it in more positive terms... it will be better for your digestive system

[Paul Pless]

Instead of being a 'nattering nabob of negativism' (you're probably too young to get THAT cultural reference), think about it in more positive terms... it will be better for your digestive system

I think you might be blinded a bit by partisanship as well as the bone the Affordable Care Act threw you and your wife, to be able to recall just how ineptly and ineffectually Obama guided that legislation to and through Congress and how poorly he shaped public perception of the Affordable Care Act, both then and now. . .

It was pathetic.

[brad9798]

Obama is probably not too proud of that, Paul!

[Norman Bernstein]

I think you might be blinded a bit by partisanship as well as the bone the Affordable Care Act threw you and your wife...

A 'bone'? A 'BONE'? I guess you must be one of the ones that a new Bilge member talked about, when he described a conservative as someone without a pre-existing condition. My wife and I paid for health insurance all our lives... a lot of years during which we were NOT big consumers of health care.... and you seem to assume that I'm blinded by bias because Obama gave us something we DIDN'T deserve?

to be able to recall just how inept and ineffectually Obama guided that legislation to and through Congress as how poorly he shaped public perception of the Affordable Care Act, both then and now. . .

He got it passed. Sure, he won 'ugly', but it was still a win.

It was pathetic.

If Romney wins, and has enough of a legislative margin to flush ObamaCare down the toilet, are you going to praise him for doing it 'neatly'?

Honestly, there are times when I just don't get it....