Health Insurance

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

We had a big increase in our UnitedHealth premiums, so I'm shopping.

What I'm being told is that the insurance companies are preparing us for astronomical rates that will kick in January, 2014, rates that most will likely not be able to afford.

Scare tactics or ????

[Presley Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Presley]

I've been told the same thing. I tried to shop around over a year ago and nobody, agents or insurance companies, knew what was coming. Everyone said wait until 2014.

[Brogers92026 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Brogers92026]

My own insurance has been going up about 20% per year for the past four years. So in that time, it has basically doubled in price. If I didn't have that expense, I have thought alternate uses I (theoretically) could have found for that money. I could easily have leased a
very expensive luxury car, or paid the maintenance fee on four weeks of timesharing in Hawaii.

During the last two years my insurance company has given a list of reasons (with their notice of increased premiums) including "a shift from the public to the private sector" in providing medical services to uninsured persons. I don't understand that based on what I hear on TV from the politicians that the affordable healthcare act would help to reduce future increases. Perhaps someone can explain to me whether this is finger pointing on the part of the insurance company or companies or whether what I hear on TV is not the complete truth. I feel that I'm stuck between a "rock and a hard place."

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

In 2012 we got an obamacare refund because United Health did not spend enough of then premiums they took in on health-related matters. It was about one month's premium. At the time I remember thinking, that's nice, but I bet they find a way to get around that part of obamacare. Obviously they did.

I just filled out an online app to get information on new insurance. My phone has not stopped ringing, and for those I took the time to talk to I could hear four or five other calls trying to get me, and giving up. The one I just talked to was a noisy boilroom operation. He took me to an Internet site and then got really pushy when I was not ready to enroll after he assured me it was the best deal going. I had to cut him off.

[Presley Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Presley]

Twice last year I got a small refund for my insurance making too high of a profit. That didn't stop them from raising our monthly premium $60./month as of this month.

I find it interesting that we are 9 months away from full Obamacare and nobody knows what changes will take place. I'm close enough to Mexico to just save my monthly premiums and go pay cash there. Depending on what happens in 2014, that may be a better option for us.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Twice last year I got a small refund for my insurance making too high of a profit. That didn't stop them from raising our monthly premium $60./month as of this month.

I find it interesting that we are 9 months away from full Obamacare and nobody knows what changes will take place. I'm close enough to Mexico to just save my monthly premiums and go pay cash there. Depending on what happens in 2014, that may be a better option for us.

it may that we are all close enough to mexico

I just googled complaints against the one that was pushy on the phone, and there's lots of them. National Congress of Employers Unified Health One

It's funny how my phone won't stop ringing from all the people who want to sell me new, better plans, and the company we have now is virtually unwilling to offer us anything. I would think getting you is most the battle, so they would fight a little to keep you.

But, what would I know; I'm just a dinosaur who dealt with a few hundred thousand people in our business for 20 years.

[SherryS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close SherryS]

Ours was just raised by $50 a month....

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

The phone's been ringing every five minutes. For now, I am telling them I am only responding to emails. I have a standard reply prepared with all the pertinent stuff.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

My wife also had United Health care. Her premium went up 30% in December. Fortunately she became eligible for Medicare that month so she switched to the same Medicare Advantage plan that I have had for 6 years. Like mine, she doesn't pay any premium for her MA plan. However that will probably change drastically in 2014 according to the company when the Obamacare cuts to Medicare kick in.

[susieq Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close susieq]

Hate to rain on anyone's parade ............. Be afraid, Be very afraid............. Remember back before Obama got the bright idea to push "his idea" Obamacare - our wonderful governor up here in Mass. decided that it should be a law that all citizens of the Commonwealth should have health insurance. How magically all of a sudden everyone can afford this ............ (He himself would not be subject to any such laws, as a matter of fact, now that he's eligible for Medicare - he says Oh No - I want the Best!) Anyway, when this went into effect - our rates TRIPLED!!

[ace2000 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ace2000]

Hate to rain on anyone's parade ............. Be afraid, Be very afraid............. Remember back before Obama got the bright idea to push "his idea" Obamacare - our wonderful governor up here in Mass. decided that it should be a law that all citizens of the Commonwealth should have health insurance. How magically all of a sudden everyone can afford this ............ (He himself would not be subject to any such laws, as a matter of fact, now that he's eligible for Medicare - he says Oh No - I want the Best!) Anyway, when this went into effect - our rates TRIPLED!!

Tripled? I'm very skeptical of that. Can you provide a reference? There's a lot of misinformation floating around out there.

What I do know is that the polls show Mass. voters have consistently approved their state system...

http://www.wbur.org/2012/02/15/health-care-wbur-poll

Most Mass. Residents Support State Health Care Law

about two-thirds of whom have consistently endorsed the state’s coverage plan since it passed in 2006. Not so. In the latest WBUR poll, 62 percent support the law and 33 percent oppose it.

[basham Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close basham]

Hate to rain on anyone's parade ............. Be afraid, Be very afraid............. Remember back before Obama got the bright idea to push "his idea" Obamacare - our wonderful governor up here in Mass. decided that it should be a law that all citizens of the Commonwealth should have health insurance. How magically all of a sudden everyone can afford this ............ (He himself would not be subject to any such laws, as a matter of fact, now that he's eligible for Medicare - he says Oh No - I want the Best!) Anyway, when this went into effect - our rates TRIPLED!!

I would question this too.

I don't remember any such thing happening. i don't remember any reporting of such a thing.

In fact i think you are mistaken.

Perhaps your rates did tripple, everyone else's did not.

[susieq Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close susieq]

My rates for Tufts Ins. went from $585. mo. to $1756. -I told you what happened..... you can believe me or not ... don't matter...

[ace2000 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close ace2000]

My rates for Tufts Ins. went from $585. mo. to $1756. -I told you what happened..... you can believe me or not ... don't matter...

I believe you. I misinterpreted what you meant. I thought you said all rates tripled. Individually, yours could've easily tripled. I am not doubting that. In the above post, when you said "our" I thought you meant the whole state. You were probably meaning your family instead. Sorry.

[Brogers92026 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Brogers92026]

The affordable healthcare act gave me a refund

In 2012 we got an obamacare refund because United Health did not spend enough of then premiums they took in on health-related matters. .

We got a refund too from Anthem Blue Cross. But it was some odd amount like $ 2.07. That was for a year! Perhaps enough to get a cup of coffee if I choose a drive through. Kind of pathetic. Meanwhile my premiums went up something like $100 a month.