This link expresses the concern some of us have about the House health care bill. Does it really bring down costs? Will it give better care? Or is it doing something just to do it and get credit-- which might end up blame.
Basically, having just gotten the word of changes in our supplemental policy [to cover what Medicare will not like routine physicals, the doughnut holes in prescription costs (which we never have gotten there but might with the way meds cost so much), and that 20% of major problems that can end up very high for anyone who finds themselves with a major problem], I am frustrated that I once again have to study these policies to figure out what each one offers. That's enough in itself to lead to stress diseases especially since I thought, after we went through all of this when we went on Medicare last year that we wouldn't have to wrestle with it again right away.
Everyone we know, including younger, has gotten the word that their insurance premiums will double and for less coverage. From what I read about this, the insurance companies say it will be worst next year. There are no controls on them and from what I can tell will not be in this new bill.
The answer from the Republicans is don't let people sue for malpractice and allow buying insurance across state lines, which does good for people like Humana or the big ones but probably not so much for small companies. I suspect that original law was put in place to try and stop monopolies; so we have cartels instead. Explain the difference.
The answer from Democrats to high costs and confusing policies appears to be duh.
Hinessight put it well-- Health Money and Fear Shows Weakness of Reform Bill.
It's not too late to demand that our Congress people put together a bill that really will hold costs down, maybe even turn health insurance into a non-profit business leaving them to make their money off all the other insurances they sell which are more optional.
Incidentally, my personal choice to health care would be single payer and let the stock market chips fall where they may!
This was an ad. The regularly scheduled program will resume tomorrow :)
My health insurance company Blue Cross made so much money this year that they reduced my premiums for 2 months and they are only raising prices a little next year. I have a PPO which is more expensive than an HMO. The cheaper HMO plan that is available to me is raising the premium quite a bit next year though. And the people that have it are complaining about that a lot.
ReplyDeleteI prefer to pay more for the PPO and get treated better and not have to get pre-approved for every little thing like when I had an HMO.
Does your PPO have a limit on out of pocket expenses, ingineer? That's been the big question for us whether to accept a higher premium or take the risk that we might be stuck with 20% of say $200,000, the kind of medical bill that happens when people have serious problems. A lot of them were pretty reasonable in fees until they had that limit which could be a big deal in some situations. I have hardly used my insurance benefits in the last three years; but the future could change fast and really at any age.
ReplyDeleteWe are pretty much being forced to change our Medicare Advantage plan because our docs and in fact the whole clinic are dropping the plan we have been on. If we stay we'd have to change doctors and that may not be easy. Plus the premiums are going up, 140% for Pat's and only about 112% for mine with Plan D coverage. Oh, and mine is also dropping both of my prescriptions that I take from their formulary so that I can't get them next year.
ReplyDeleteWe are picking one of the 5 Advantage plans supported by our clinic and our premiums will actually go down, but I expect them to rise a bunch next year when the full reductions in Part C Plans (Medicare Advantage), not just this year's 4%, will be taken away from them to fund what Congress appears to be doing. And we will have to get used to having referrals to see a specialist.
For the last few years the Medicare people have been pushing these Advantage plans. Now they are hitting them with major reductions in funding. Leave it to the government to create something and then try to destroy it.
Yes It says that I have an annual out of pocket cap of $6,000. But I am sure the year that I broke a rib and my son had hernia surgery and then broke his hand and had 2 surgeries on it that I paid more than that out of pocket.
ReplyDeleteAnd Dick that is a drag about your Advantage Plan getting messed up. From what I have heard the Health Care reform bill pretty much eliminates Medicare Advantage.
I have heard that about the Advantage also but it's not why this is happening. The health care plan, even if it gets passed,won't take effect right away. This is purely the insurance companies, who have all the power and aren't likely to lose it given the way both parties act.
ReplyDeleteI'm already on Medicare and I've no idea what I really have. I'd love to take a class that explains all this. And I'd like to know how, on my paltry income, I'm supposed to pay all the deductibles.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Ingineer66 re the PPO and years ago strongly encouraged my husband to select a no lifetime cap, knowing all the unpredictable potentially really expensive health complications he might have faced in the future. Those expenses didn't come to pass with his sudden death, but I'm going to stick with that plan for myself. I don't have problems as he did, but I don't want to risk the unexpected and subject my children to worst case scenario. They'll have their hands full trying to provide ins. for themselves. Meanwhile, I keep working part time 'cause everything is just so uncertain.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I agree, too, that we'd be better off with a single payer plan as I really don't like the way this current plan is shaping up. I'm really distressed that it's beginning to look like the middle class is going to be shafted in this. Insurers are going to have incredible power and wonder how we'll ever be able to regain any of it to correct the obvious weaknesses of where this plan seems to be headed.
I guess we have to keep after our Congresspersons, but I have a guarded view of how much influence that will have. Can't not do anything.
The ins. companies love the windfall they have with the Advantage plan and extra monies over and above what they get paid for regular Medicare patients, especially with the donut hole in place. There has to be an adjustment of some sort for those receiving some of the Advantage plans benefits so they aren't hurt, but that current Advantage plan is more taxpayer rip off for insurers benefit and those politicians supporting that plan knew exactly what they were doing. No coincidence years ago AARP (insurers themselves) supported it. Fortunately, enough subscribers saw through the deceit and canceled their membership as did I. I still haven't rejoined, but may soon. AARP got the message on that one. Now if we could just find the pressure point on our Congresspersons -- all we have are elections.