(02-17-2015 01:13 PM)maximus Wrote:  

(02-17-2015 12:59 PM)smudge12 Wrote:  Reading some of these stories, some employers/insurance companies must be doing something completely wrong...or simply trying to screw people.

I don't understand how my insurance went up a whopping $6/month this year for the same plan while some of you are seeing increases of thousands of dollars.

My friend is in the same boat as some of you...she'll pay almost $1000 more this year through her employer for an even worse plan, and of course the company's reasoning is the ACA.

But I don't completely buy that reasoning. Some employers are pulling off admirable insurance plans/agreements (and I'm lucky to be employed by one) and other employers are in the opposite boat. Something just seems off about the whole thing.

It really has nothing to do with companies trying to screw their employees. Whenever legislation like this debacle is passed companies will always make adjustments to stay operational.

Another thing you need to remember is some of the prices and plans being thrown around are apples and oranges.

what you are really seeing is a correlation between oil agenda and health agenda.....

I can't help but laugh at it....

...and I'm certain this post will be laughed at....

(02-17-2015 12:59 PM)smudge12 Wrote:  Reading some of these stories, some employers/insurance companies must be doing something completely wrong...or simply trying to screw people.

I don't understand how my insurance went up a whopping $6/month this year for the same plan while some of you are seeing increases of thousands of dollars.

My friend is in the same boat as some of you...she'll pay almost $1000 more this year through her employer for an even worse plan, and of course the company's reasoning is the ACA.

But I don't completely buy that reasoning. Some employers are pulling off admirable insurance plans/agreements (and I'm lucky to be employed by one) and other employers are in the opposite boat. Something just seems off about the whole thing.

You pretty much nailed it.

If companies know the law and know what they are doing, they can get you a policy pretty much the same as before.

What is happening is that they are either unwilling or unable to figure it out.

It's much easier to blame ACA and screw the employee.

(02-17-2015 01:39 PM)Fitbud Wrote:  

(02-17-2015 12:59 PM)smudge12 Wrote:  Reading some of these stories, some employers/insurance companies must be doing something completely wrong...or simply trying to screw people.

I don't understand how my insurance went up a whopping $6/month this year for the same plan while some of you are seeing increases of thousands of dollars.

My friend is in the same boat as some of you...she'll pay almost $1000 more this year through her employer for an even worse plan, and of course the company's reasoning is the ACA.

But I don't completely buy that reasoning. Some employers are pulling off admirable insurance plans/agreements (and I'm lucky to be employed by one) and other employers are in the opposite boat. Something just seems off about the whole thing.

You pretty much nailed it.

If companies know the law and know what they are doing, they can get you a policy pretty much the same as before.

What is happening is that they are either unwilling or unable to figure it out.

It's much easier to blame ACA and screw the employee.

Yeah because none of this is due to the unaffordable plans from the ACA.

So I work for a small, privately owned business. The owner can't afford to pay a certain percentage of all its employees. I can't afford the cheapest health plan. And I don't qualify for a subsidy because my employer offers health insurance.

So what am I supposed to do?

My cost has hardly gone up at all. My employer does pay part of the cost, but I'm sure any increases in cost would not have been subsidized by my company, but passed on to the employees. There's a trend in the dental insurance area for companies to stop paying for any of the cost, or at a minimum, paying less of the cost. I suspect there's a lot of that going on for medical too, especially since the dollar savings are a lot more.

(02-17-2015 11:04 AM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  

(02-16-2015 05:25 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(02-16-2015 05:14 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  Absolute cheapest I can do, and this is from 2014, not since they've increased everything in 2015, is $3539.32 per year... That's over $1,000.00 more than I was paying... But my copay went from $20.00 to $6,250.00 and this is for the craptastic Bronze plan for one person, it's freaking $12,700 with a family... And that's IF I'm within my network. Out of network, it's $12,700 just for me, $25,400 for family... Then it's 80/20%, but first it's deductible, THEN coinsurance. WTF is up with that???

For the good plan, I'm looking at $7,425.88 per year with a $250.00 copay. Gosh, how generous. $618.82 per month, WOW, that's almost $100.00 more than my effing mortgage.

What the hell kind of affordable shiit is any of this?

That's ridiculous. You're saying your monthly cost of insurance withheld from your pay is $618.82? I have the bronze family plan and mine is less than $90 per pay period (every two weeks).

For the Platinum, yes. For the Bronze, it's $295 per month. That's for Single and non smoker. I'd have to go back and find my email again to see what the family monthly cost would be, but it's even more expensive. I don't know how you get away with $180 a month unless you catch a break with subsidies somewhere, but I don't qualify.

Edit: For each child under 19, it's $31.73 per month. So tack on another $126.92 per month. So $421.92 with a family plan.

Most likely because I work for either a bigger company, a better company, or both. Overall costs are likely similar, but my company probably foots more of the bill.

(02-17-2015 12:48 PM)HeartOfDixie Wrote:  You can get on the government website and enter in your information and see what it would cost.

My 'Obamacare' price is $85 per month more expensive than my current employer based health insurance.

Right, because you already have insurance available through your employer you don't qualify for any subsidies...so it's always more.

(02-17-2015 02:22 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  Yeah because none of this is due to the unaffordable plans from the ACA.

So I work for a small, privately owned business. The owner can't afford to pay a certain percentage of all its employees. I can't afford the cheapest health plan. And I don't qualify for a subsidy because my employer offers health insurance.

So what am I supposed to do?

Don't take this the wrong way but... get a new job.

(02-17-2015 01:01 PM)UofMstateU Wrote:  

(02-16-2015 05:25 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  

(02-16-2015 05:14 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  Absolute cheapest I can do, and this is from 2014, not since they've increased everything in 2015, is $3539.32 per year... That's over $1,000.00 more than I was paying... But my copay went from $20.00 to $6,250.00 and this is for the craptastic Bronze plan for one person, it's freaking $12,700 with a family... And that's IF I'm within my network. Out of network, it's $12,700 just for me, $25,400 for family... Then it's 80/20%, but first it's deductible, THEN coinsurance. WTF is up with that???

For the good plan, I'm looking at $7,425.88 per year with a $250.00 copay. Gosh, how generous. $618.82 per month, WOW, that's almost $100.00 more than my effing mortgage.

What the hell kind of affordable shiit is any of this?

That's ridiculous. You're saying your monthly cost of insurance withheld from your pay is $618.82? I have the bronze family plan and mine is less than $90 per pay period (every two weeks).

If your cost is $90 per pay period, then either your employer is picking up a big chunk of the cost, or you are heavily subsidized. (Based upon your "projected" income you had to enter when you signed up.)

You could be heavily subsidized because your projected income was wrong. I hope you didnt make more money than the paultry amount you entered, because you are in for a shock in a few months if that is the case.

I'm not getting a plan through the ACA exchange. My employer offers coverage like around 85% of the country. Most of those folks are like me and saw little change. Mine is cheaper because my company is probably bigger and can negotiate lower costs. Then further, they foot more of the cost of it to attract the best employees.

(02-18-2015 11:11 AM)blunderbuss Wrote:  

(02-17-2015 02:22 PM)LSU04_08 Wrote:  Yeah because none of this is due to the unaffordable plans from the ACA.

So I work for a small, privately owned business. The owner can't afford to pay a certain percentage of all its employees. I can't afford the cheapest health plan. And I don't qualify for a subsidy because my employer offers health insurance.

So what am I supposed to do?

Don't take this the wrong way but... get a new job.

Sadly...yeah. Look around...many employers will be trying to attract better employees with lower end benefit costs. Free market!

There's no doubt health care costs did increase...but they nearly always increase. And I assume they will continue to do so until there are many more customers in the market...which is something the ACA is attempting to do.

One of the big reasons many people are seeing huge spikes is just because their employer is cutting costs to help the bottom line. And yes, some of that bottom line is due to ACA costs...but it's not as much as some are being hit with.

(02-18-2015 11:15 AM)Redwingtom Wrote:  There's no doubt health care costs did increase...but they nearly always increase. And I assume they will continue to do so until there are many more customers in the market...which is something the ACA is attempting to do.

One of the big reasons many people are seeing huge spikes is just because their employer is cutting costs to help the bottom line. And yes, some of that bottom line is due to ACA costs...but it's not as much as some are being hit with.

Wrong.

Dude, we have video of Gruber saying he counted on the stupid people to tote the water for the administration on this. We have video proof. You can give up now.

Most of us smart ones SAID this would happen. You lefty loons either toted the lies, or believed the lies. Now when reality hits and its laid out exactly like the republicans said it would be, you are full of excuses.

Gruber appreciates your all-out effort on this. He really does, Sure, he laughs when he talks about you guys, but I'm sure he appreciates you none-the-less.

I've outlined where my situation is countless times around here it seems, but as an EMPLOYER, let me state it once again-

First, I have probably shredded the f#$%ing letter by now, but in NO uncertain terms the phrasing went about like this- Due to the recent changes and mandates passed in the ACA, your plan is no longer considered compliant and will not be offered any longer. Instead, we have substituted our now compliant plan xxx, which you may now review and make your decision. If you decide to stay with plan xxx do nothing, you and the others on your plan will be automatically enrolled. *Wanders over to plan xxx, reviews plan xxx, plan xxx is an increase of 24.7% over last years premiums. PLUS a new deductible, PLUS a new, large out of pocket. There's no way that can happen.

So look into other plans- comparatively speaking to the plan I have now had for over a decade, yes with modest increases here and there, but no significant changes in deductibles or out of pocket etc, it has changed very little. Comparatively speaking this "new" ACA complaint policy sucks ASSS. Hard.

Premiums per month? UP. For a far shittier plan. "Only" up about 8% or so, so it only dings me for around 1300 per MONTH.

And what do I get for this newly "ACA compliant" plan? Well, despite having had a vasectomy, and two kids in high School my wife now has maternity coverage, automatically. No choice. Whereas back when, we could add it as we saw fit, were covered 100%, then drop it from the policies once we were "done" with having kids. But I now have coverage for mammograms, substance abuse and speech therapy, automatically, whether I want or need them, so that's a plus...

My "Benefit Year Deductible", before this redistributionist boondoggle? Zippo. Nada, not a dime. Now? 3 grand more.

Out of pocket before this utter debacle per year? Nothing. So, this is why we that paid higher premiums for full comprehensive coverage got maligned and stigmatized- We had/have "Cadillac plans".

Oooooooh, naughty, naughty. Can't have that, they have something not everyone else has. So let's punish those that do. It won't change anything for those that don't have that full coverage, but hey, the stupid American people will feeeeel better.

Never mind that I F#$%ING PAID FOR IT EVERY MONTH, for year after year, since 1994. I could have bought another house at the beach or something but didn't, this was more important, so it seemed. So much for doing things the right way...

New ACA compliant plan, with higher premiums, higher (new) deductible, out of pocket per year? Again, prior, nothing. Shiny new clusterf$%& plan? Only the low low low bargain price of.......wait for it......wait for it.

10,500 thousand extra dollars per year. Ding ding ding, we have a winner here folks the "Affordable Care Act" in all it's shining glory.

Now, there's a very good chance I too will be called a liar once again. As I was some 2 years or so ago when I first passed along exactly what was coming from the mouth of my Broker- I mean why would he know, amirite?!?. (His policies for himself and his employees only went up 90%!, lucky guy. Yes, 90%, not a typo). But that's okay, I have my plan and employees plan right here in front of me, in black and white on my desk as we speak. So I can back up whatever alleged "falsehoods" the apologists would like to accuse me of.

As the Employer, I can't really find another job either. Some choice for the small business owner these asssholes have laid out for us. Either take it in the shorts every freaking time we turn around, or simply fold up shop after 22 very successful years, fire everyone, despite being with us for over a decade + and go work for somebody else after all these years. Beautiful.

Yet the leftists around here can not only not figure that out, but will effing defend the lowest labor participation rate in more than 30+ years, AND the fact, FACT- that we have more businesses failing each day and each year than are starting up.

I think it's been called the "death spiral". But yes, by all means defend this garbage. May as well, this schitshow is ALLLLL yours.

Some of you are apparently making out like, well, the bandits that you are. Guess who pays for that? It isn't the public sector seat warmer. It isn't the six figure Union schlubs, Psssst!- remember? They got "exempted" (Now, why is that, if this is such a great deal?) and it SURE as hell isn't anyone touting this naked theft that's collecting a "subsidy" otherwise known as welfare.

So, yea. As stated before, so very eloquently- You're Welcome.

As I was saying...

Quote:While U.S. health-care costs continued to rise faster than inflation in the five years since the law was passed, their rate of growth has slowed. Employers spent an average of $11,204 per worker for health benefits in 2014, up 4.6 percent from a year earlier, according to Mercer LLC. That growth rate was 6.1 percent or more each year from 1998 to 2011.

Obamacare Is Barely Denting Corporate Profits

Quote:“It’s just part of doing business,” said Bob Shearer, chief financial officer of VF Corp., which owns the North Face and Vans apparel brands. “Obamacare has added costs, but not so much that we felt we had to talk about it specifically.”

(02-19-2015 02:34 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  As I was saying...

Quote:While U.S. health-care costs continued to rise faster than inflation in the five years since the law was passed, their rate of growth has slowed. Employers spent an average of $11,204 per worker for health benefits in 2014, up 4.6 percent from a year earlier, according to Mercer LLC. That growth rate was 6.1 percent or more each year from 1998 to 2011.

Obamacare Is Barely Denting Corporate Profits

Quote:“It’s just part of doing business,” said Bob Shearer, chief financial officer of VF Corp., which owns the North Face and Vans apparel brands. “Obamacare has added costs, but not so much that we felt we had to talk about it specifically.”

Yea, we aren't quite as big as North Face and Vans. :rollseyes:

And there are (only) about 15,000 businesses with the number of employees I would guess VF Corp. may have. Small and medium sized businesses are the ones getting kicked in the nuts, over and over.

OR, as cannot be disputed, they are simply closing their doors. But, what would I know, I only deal with this constantly as one of those owners... As I was saying...

JMU, I wasn't talking to you and your situation. I was pointing out that the rate of cost increases have slowed as I suggested in earlier posts.

And every law has winners and losers. I'm sorry that you are a loser here.

(02-19-2015 04:26 PM)Redwingtom Wrote:  JMU, I wasn't talking to you and your situation. I was pointing out that the rate of cost increases have slowed as I suggested in earlier posts.

And every law has winners and losers. I'm sorry that you are a loser here.

Not even remotely how this mountain of lies was sold though, is it?

And the really, really good news? All the REAL fun stuff hasn't even started yet. Wait another year or two when the cost for this thing simply assplodes. This cabal of lying liars who lie are going to send us straight into bankruptcy.