Home Changes to Healthcare Plans vent

[janinegirly]

Any other working ladies notice big changes to health care plans..as in pricing? Mine is going up .. fine I can deal with that, but when I looked at the small print I realize there is now a deductible (was none before) AND only 85% of in hospital delivery costs. Now I am not planning on having a baby this year since I had one last year, but the difference is paying $250 last year vs. potentially thousands this year. Unbelievable, and it all costs me more for a worse plan!

 

[D&T]

yep- we changed our insurance plan (more self insurance) you start to weigh your cost and benefit analysis, once your kids are older and if you are healthy and not going having a baby (think about the premiums you would pay on a no deductible plan vs the deductible plans. I have to figure it out not only for my family but for my company as well. It sucks when you only have one choice, but with my husband (we go through his insurance) and I have to assess the risk and benefit for each plans and whether I am ok paying for the higher premiums + copay if I only visit the doctors once or twice a year for routine visits or bank on the higher deductbile much lower premiums which covers 100% routine but you have out of pocket expenses if you need to visit for other purposes (saving of over $3600) or pay the higher premiums and not use the insurance kwim

? Insurances, they get you any which way, unless you are the lucky ones (lottery) on banking with the lowest plan and not ever visiting the drs.... we did that for a couple of years, and we're on that track right now...knock on wood, just put money aside in savings that we would have paid towards premiums.

 

[elrohwen]

I''m out of work, so I''m not sure about changes within one company, but I was shocked at the prices at DH''s company when we were switching me over. I was paying about $40 per month for a fantastic plan. To get a similar one at DH''s company, it would cost about $100 each so we have to go with a much cheaper plan

I have a lot of doctor''s visits per year and now I''m going to have to pay a lot more for them (which is still cheaper than paying $200 per month for the plan).

 

[janinegirly]

my DH''s company charges 2x as much to cover me if I work. Unbelievable..so while we have options, seems like the system has found a way to knock some of those out.

If I was having a baby this year, it would be a tough call. Plans which cover 100% anything are becoming harder to find..

 

[MustangGal]

My HMO is going up 16% this year

, = $40 a month, but at least the benefits aren''t changing. And I can blame myself for some of the increase, I had a c-section, baby in the NICU, and an ICU stay last year, and only paid $250. I haven''t gotten DH''s stuff yet, I hope his isn''t too bad either.

 

[lucyandroger]

My monthly premium increased this year but I don''t think there was a change in coverage...at least I hope not...

 

[qtiekiki]

We are pretty lucky. We are switching over to insurance through my work. The coverage is comparable, maybe even slightly better, and I don''t have to pay anything out-of-pocket for the whole family. With DH''s work, we were paying 80 something dollars a month. Both plans still cover maternity 100%.

 

[Shoopy]

Yup. It''s $50 more a month, ER cost went up an extra $100 that they waive if you are admitted and they no longer cover specialty hospitals. The company that will cover is less expensive but the deductible is $700 minimum. My current deductible is $150. I have a lot of decisions to make. Stay with the more expensive plan that basically covers everything but no specialty hospitals or go with the cheaper company that has a higher deductible but where I can take DD to a specialist in case of anything (knock on wood).

 

[meresal]

Date: 11/19/2009 5:12:13 PM
Author: MustangGal
My HMO is going up 16% this year

, = $40 a month, but at least the benefits aren't changing. And I can blame myself for some of the increase, I had a c-section, baby in the NICU, and an ICU stay last year, and only paid $250. I haven't gotten DH's stuff yet, I hope his isn't too bad either.

Mustang, do you have Aetna?

Once I read this thread I started freking out, and double checked my 2010 coverage. We are still at In-Patient hospital stay is $250/admittance and then 100% coverage once in, semi-private room (which I'm sure can be upgraded at a price), and no limit to stay. It doesn't specify coverage for pregnancy, but I'm pretty sure they are lumping it in with hospital stay. I'm trying to get a better answer just in case. Do all of yours specify pregnancy coverage?

My company offers a choice of apprx 20 different plans with an option of two dental plans as well, and DH's offers one that doesn't have an option for dental. Hooray

. I guess we will be adding the baby to mine and hope that I don't up and quit one day out of frustration.

 

[vespergirl]

When I quit working after I had DS, I switched to DH''s insurance plan. Even though it''s still a PPO, my old plan was MUCH better. This one is more expensive, higher deductible, and covers less. That''s the difference between a law firm and an electrical/security company, I guess. Thank goodness he''s an exec so we get the PPO option. I''ve never had an HMO, but I''ve heard horror stories ...

 

[meresal]

Date: 11/19/2009 7:18:05 PM
Author: vespergirl
When I quit working after I had DS, I switched to DH's insurance plan. Even though it's still a PPO, my old plan was MUCH better. This one is more expensive, higher deductible, and covers less. That's the difference between a law firm and an electrical/security company, I guess. Thank goodness he's an exec so we get the PPO option. I've never had an HMO, but I've heard horror stories ...

I've heard bad things as well, but I love mine, and "knock-on-wood" haven't had an issue.

My dad always had the HMO when I was growing up, and I just kept the same one when I started working because it covered my prescriptions. My only issue is that our company took away the PDO (Preffered Dental) option for 2010, which I have been planning on switching to for over a year now. I grew up going to a "dental beautification specialist" that I loved, and I have been at one of those B&M dental places for two years that I HATE! /i stormed out last week, and now I have to figure out where to go from here. That is my only compaint.

Otherwise, I don't get sick much, so I like that it is just a small co-pay when I go in.

On the other hand, many of the people in my office have United and all I hear are compliants, all the time. In United's defense though, I work with major complainers.

 

[ljmorgan]

I am so impressed with how little some of you pay each month for insurance! My husband and I pay $360 a month total, we have good insurance. I have been through cancer, he''s been through surgeries, and we''ve come out very well. I see health insurance more as "catastrophic" protection. I don''t mind the co-pays and such, I just see it as a huge cost/bankruptcy protector. Love it!

 

[lili]

Wow, some of you ladies have pretty low premium.
We pay around 300 a month for a HMO family coverage -- and that is only a small fraction of what my company kicks in.

Our premium did go up this year, but the coverage is still the same.
Co-pay is the same too...but it did go up a year or two ago.

 

[qtiekiki]

meresal
Our insurance specifies maternity care.

vespergirl
We have HMO, and I haven''t had any problems. Yes, I have to wait for the approval before setting up appointments, but they give approval pretty fast in a day or two. I didn''t pay a dime for the birth of our DD, except for the office visit copay (about $250).
The PPO offered by my work will cost more in the long run because of the deductible and 90% coverage. The maximum out-of-pocket deductible is also higher.

 

[meresal]

Date: 11/19/2009 8:01:42 PM
Author: qtiekiki
meresal
Our insurance specifies maternity care.

vespergirl
We have HMO, and I haven''t had any problems. Yes, I have to wait for the approval before setting up appointments, but they give approval pretty fast in a day or two. I didn''t pay a dime for the birth of our DD, except for the office visit copay (about $250).
The PPO offered by my work will cost more in the long run because of the deductible and 90% coverage. The maximum out-of-pocket deductible is also higher.

My HMO doesn''t require approval. They have a website that provides all of the doctors in the area you are searching and it is your own responsibility to make appts with doctors that accept our insurance.

Re: Payment: I pay like $60/month. If I added my husband and 1 dependant it would go up to like $150/month. It was $50, so it went up about $10.

 

[Kunzite]

Date: 11/19/2009 4:24:07 PM
Author:janinegirly
Any other working ladies notice big changes to health care plans..as in pricing? Mine is going up .. fine I can deal with that, but when I looked at the small print I realize there is now a deductible (was none before) AND only 85% of in hospital delivery costs. Now I am not planning on having a baby this year since I had one last year, but the difference is paying $250 last year vs. potentially thousands this year. Unbelievable, and it all costs me more for a worse plan!

We must work for the same company

For the second year in a row the plan I''m on is no longer being offered and I now have to switch. The changes sound exactly like yours except that our costs are 80%. Ugh.

 

[iheartscience]

I know the feeling-at my last job our insurance costs went up every year by a LOT. Plus every time the costs went up we got less coverage, more expensive copays, etc., to help the owner absorb the higher costs. I was paying about $155/month for a crappy HMO plan with $40-$60 copays and very expensive prescriptions copays as well. My birth control was $40/month. And we had no dental coverage, either. Luckily my husband's company covers domestic partners so I actually got dental insurance through him before we were married.

Now I work for a state university and my insurance is amazing and CHEAP. I have the best plan available (a PPO) with extensive dental coverage for about $65 a month. Plus prescriptions are so cheap! My birth control is now $20/month for the brand name as opposed to $40/month. And to add my husband would only be a little bit more-maybe $20-30 more a month? His insurance is so great, though, he doesn't want to switch!

 

[rockpaperscissors67]

I haven''t found out whether we''re having an increase because our open enrollment isn''t until April, but I hope it doesn''t go up much. At last open enrollment, the PPO that I had the previous year went up from $35 a month to nearly $300! I changed to the HMO and it''s $85 a month to cover me and 2 kids (and it allows me to cover my 20 year old even though he doesn''t live at home and he''s not in school).

I didn''t pay much attention to the maternity care portion of it because when I was choosing, we''d been TTC for 15 months and I figured it wasn''t going to happen. I got pregnant 3 weeks later, LOL.

But...we use a midwife and we''re planning a homebirth, so I just assumed at first that it wouldn''t be covered. I was ok with that -- we paid out of pocket for the last birth. As it turns out, Anthem is paying $1800 and we''re paying $1000, which is more than we''d pay for a hospital birth, but we think it''s worth it.

I can''t complain about my copays at all since they''re $10 for PCP and $20 for a specialist. We also have decent dental insurance. I am especially grateful for the coverage I have since our company has about 25 people.

 

[packrat]

The place JD works for used to have the BEST insurance, med/dental/vision at no cost to the employee..of course this was actually when his work was owned by a different company...now we pay for it and it keeps increasing and the coverage isn''t as good. It''s not horribly expensive by any means..I *think* it''s around $60/week for our family for med/dental/vision. Our saving grace is that I work for our Dr and we all get free medical care in the office. I can''t imagine otherwise..families doesn''t get sick all at once, and with follow up visits and required yearly exams, copays and deductibles add up fast.

 

[janinegirly]

My current plan at my employer is also great.no deductible, no referral 100% coverage with co-pay. My issue is the same plan for next year 2010 now has all these changes and I think it''s happening at a lot of co''s. My plan is Oxford and my company is a top 10 global bank (i.e huge), so this is not typical.

Anyone know what the reasoning is..rising costs, the insurance co''s, Obama''s efforts spiking private costs? Whatever it is I''m not happy!!

 

[pennquaker09]

I don''t think our coverage is changing, but the only thing we vent about are the domestic partner taxes. The insurance is fine.

 

[aliceinwonderland]

Reading all of that makes me so glad that I live in Canada where hospital coverage is free. That being said I really wish that Canadians were given a statement at the end of every doctor''s apt/ hospital stay that detailing the cost of their care. I think that people would be much less likely to use the hospital system for unecessary reasons if they understood the actual cost of their visits! Small co-pays therefore make some sense to me!

Interesting disucssion!
Alice

 

[MustangGal]

Date: 11/19/2009 6:44:41 PM
Author: meresal

Date: 11/19/2009 5:12:13 PM
Author: MustangGal
My HMO is going up 16% this year

, = $40 a month, but at least the benefits aren''t changing. And I can blame myself for some of the increase, I had a c-section, baby in the NICU, and an ICU stay last year, and only paid $250. I haven''t gotten DH''s stuff yet, I hope his isn''t too bad either.

Mustang, do you have Aetna?

Once I read this thread I started freking out, and double checked my 2010 coverage. We are still at In-Patient hospital stay is $250/admittance and then 100% coverage once in, semi-private room (which I''m sure can be upgraded at a price), and no limit to stay. It doesn''t specify coverage for pregnancy, but I''m pretty sure they are lumping it in with hospital stay. I''m trying to get a better answer just in case. Do all of yours specify pregnancy coverage?

My company offers a choice of apprx 20 different plans with an option of two dental plans as well, and DH''s offers one that doesn''t have an option for dental. Hooray

. I guess we will be adding the baby to mine and hope that I don''t up and quit one day out of frustration.

Yup, Aetna HMO

. Maternity is usually specified, but is normally the same as hospital. I had to pay a $25 copay at my first OB visit, and then $25 each for my 2 ultrasounds, and the $250 hospital, so total maternity cost me $300. Both hospitals I was admitted to this year only had private rooms, so luckily I didn''t have to share!

My companies other insruance plans only went up liek 3-6%, just the one I''m on had the huge increase

.

And I''ll pay about $200 per month for me + the baby on my insurance, and DH pays another $30 per month through his company.

 

[meresal]

Date: 11/20/2009 11:24:27 AM
Author: MustangGal

Date: 11/19/2009 6:44:41 PM
Author: meresal



Mustang, do you have Aetna?

Once I read this thread I started freking out, and double checked my 2010 coverage. We are still at In-Patient hospital stay is $250/admittance and then 100% coverage once in, semi-private room (which I'm sure can be upgraded at a price), and no limit to stay. It doesn't specify coverage for pregnancy, but I'm pretty sure they are lumping it in with hospital stay. I'm trying to get a better answer just in case. Do all of yours specify pregnancy coverage?

My company offers a choice of apprx 20 different plans with an option of two dental plans as well, and DH's offers one that doesn't have an option for dental. Hooray

. I guess we will be adding the baby to mine and hope that I don't up and quit one day out of frustration.

Yup, Aetna HMO

. Maternity is usually specified, but is normally the same as hospital. I had to pay a $25 copay at my first OB visit, and then $25 each for my 2 ultrasounds, and the $250 hospital, so total maternity cost me $300. Both hospitals I was admitted to this year only had private rooms, so luckily I didn't have to share!

My companies other insruance plans only went up liek 3-6%, just the one I'm on had the huge increase

.

And I'll pay about $200 per month for me + the baby on my insurance, and DH pays another $30 per month through his company.

Mustang, thanks for responding back!

I double checked our prices this morning when I got into the office. My per pay check cost (2x per month) went from $24 to $27, and my dental option went from $2.50 to $3.50. If and when I add the baby, the amounts will pretty much just double.

I also called the Aetna hotline this morning and got my specific maternity coverage. I pay $35 co-pay when I get a full blood work-up or the "big" ultrasound at my doctor's office. They are great, and when they do my appointments, they turn them in as check-ups, but they always give me a peek at the baby on an ultrasound, so I've actaully had 4 ultrasounds and only had to pay co-pay at the first for initial blood work.

They assured me that my coverage for hospital stay is still $250 co-pay and then 3 days for regular birth or 5 for C-sec.

I can breath a sigh of relief now.

 

[radiantquest]

You guys have no idea how good you have it. We had an open enrollment meeting in October for changes Nov 1st. The plan that I did have was about $600 a month for me, hubby and my stepdaughter. The plans changed. There was one that would pay the entire deductible that was $3000, but after that you are required to pay 20% of whatever the care cost. There was another that had a deductible that was way too high. The only other one they were offering had no deductible and reasonable copays. $50 for the hospital, $20 at the regular dr and $30 for a specialist. Guess how much it costs me per month...$945.00!!!

With my husband being on chemo there was no way we could cover 20% of all of his chemo treatments, nor could we meet a huge deductible. That would mean that not only would we be paying about $600 per month, but all of his treatments out of pocket until the deductible was met.

We can''t even find our own with him having a pre-existing condition.


Let me tell you $1000 a month for health insurance sucks!!! BTW it is United Healthcare.

 

[zhuzhu]

Healthcare system is such a big fat mess in the US. I can not wait for the reform to take place!

 

[janinegirly]

That is awful radiant. What happened to healthcare at 100%..this whole coverage of 85%, 90% is such a scam. And even if you are healthy, the way these plans are set up, people will avoid doctors to not deal with paying out of pocket (to meet deductible). For those whose plans are unchanged, count yourselves lucky!

But what I wonder is if Obama reform will help these plans or make them pricer (for those who want to stick with a private plan). Not trying to start a political debate, trying to understand the link.