43% Increase in Healthcare Premium for Me in 2012. How Bad Is Yours?

[hvactec]

If I didn’t have side income from blogging I’d be pretty pissed each year when we get our new benefits options for the next year. I guess it’s downgraded to just being annoyed and not “pissed”. I understand that healthcare costs continue to exceed the rate of inflation. So, inflation’s 3%, healthcare rises 6%. That’s not sustainable forever, but that’s the current rate of increase nationally. But 43% year over year increase? WTF! Clearly, our firm either continues to work with the wrong healthcare providers or we have some really bad negotiators each year acting on behalf of our employees….OR the company just wants to continue to cut costs. 43% is the increase for the same healthcare option we were in last year. I’m comparing apples to apples. 43%

read more 43% Increase in Healthcare Premium for Me in 2012. How Bad Is Yours? « The Burning Platform

 

[Mr. H.]

Do you report your income from blogging?

 

[LoneLaugher]

That's what you get when you have health insurance companies.

 

[chikenwing]

0 zzzzzzzzzip Insurance premiums went from sorta affordable to unrealistic and no longer affordable,so those costs are now the big goose egg.But the saving account is growing nicely.Wife changed firms and the costs almost doubled.

 

[Caroljo]

We haven't had our health insurance meeting at work yet, it's coming up this month. I'm really NOT looking forward to it!!!

 

[healthmyths]

you wrote" But 43% year over year increase? WTF! Clearly, our firm either continues to work with the wrong healthcare providers or we have some really bad negotiators each year acting on behalf of our employee"

We experts and I am by the way, tried to tell you insurance companies deal in risks that they can calculate the costs!
With now 26 years old and NO pre-existing conditions.. what kind of costs do you think they will bear?
Are you aware that 80% of all premiums go to paying claims?
Are you aware that $600 billion a year goes towards "defensive medicine"?
And all of that is being passed on to you!

The stupidity of these idiot Obamacare proudly boasting "no pre-existing conditions" and then thinking we'll expand the uninsured pool! How absolutely dumb!
No way will any insurance company cover for example again an example..
smokers and non-smokers for the same premium. Not knowing now who will have the more claims due to being a smoker for example.. insurance companies have to lump everybody together.. Divide the projected costs of ALL smokers/non-smokers AGAIN for example... and then say this is what we'll need to charge!
Do you understand now why most knowledgeable people were NOT in favor of Obamacare?
And it will get worse!
AND IT is NOT the insurance companies fault!
Idiots running the administration stupidly feeling "single payer" is the only way... well look to GREECE, Italy,etc. and see the affect of that mentality!
WAKE up and kick this guy out of office!

 

[miami_thomas]

I work in health care and I can tell you government regulations are costing us millions. I work for a not for profit so it certainly not profiteering it is just more expensive to meet hipaa and aca.

 

[Douger]

Mine soared to $68 USeless dollars.
Thanks for the reminder. My meds will be in the caja tomorrow.

 

[DaGoose]

you wrote" But 43% year over year increase? WTF! Clearly, our firm either continues to work with the wrong healthcare providers or we have some really bad negotiators each year acting on behalf of our employee"

We experts and I am by the way, tried to tell you insurance companies deal in risks that they can calculate the costs!
With now 26 years old and NO pre-existing conditions.. what kind of costs do you think they will bear?
Are you aware that 80% of all premiums go to paying claims?
Are you aware that $600 billion a year goes towards "defensive medicine"?
And all of that is being passed on to you!

The stupidity of these idiot Obamacare proudly boasting "no pre-existing conditions" and then thinking we'll expand the uninsured pool! How absolutely dumb!
No way will any insurance company cover for example again an example..
smokers and non-smokers for the same premium. Not knowing now who will have the more claims due to being a smoker for example.. insurance companies have to lump everybody together.. Divide the projected costs of ALL smokers/non-smokers AGAIN for example... and then say this is what we'll need to charge!
Do you understand now why most knowledgeable people were NOT in favor of Obamacare?
And it will get worse!
AND IT is NOT the insurance companies fault!
Idiots running the administration stupidly feeling "single payer" is the only way... well look to GREECE, Italy,etc. and see the affect of that mentality!
WAKE up and kick this guy out of office!

Give it a rest. It's a business like any other. The idea is to maximize profits and minimize risk.

Stark reported Wednesday that the collective $9.3 billion in profits for the first nine months of 2010 is up an average of 41 percent over the same period last year.

This profit comes despite the hundreds of millions of dollars spent by the foes of health care reform to blunt reform and ensure the absence of a public option. The health care industry as a whole sent an average of six lobbyists to every elected official on Capitol Hill to defeat reform.

The hunger for ever-increasing profits inevitably leads to the biggest sins that health reform has sought to correct … denying coverage, dropping coverage if someone gets sick and denying the ability to purchase health insurance to those who need it most.

insurance company profits up 41 percent

 

[Salt Jones]

The same $460 per year that I always pay for family coverage. Being retired military has its perks.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Friggin' socialist!

 

[SFC Ollie]

The same $460 per year that I always pay for family coverage. Being retired military has its perks.

Yes but if you don't live near a military Pharmacy your cost for prescriptions just went up. And they are still talking about an increase on tricare fees and even adding a fee for Tricare-for-life........ The Military retiree is getting the shaft again. You just haven't seen it yet.

 

[code1211]

I'm insured through work. The premiums stayed the same, but there were some changes. There is a deduction for "healthier lifestyles" which I lead so the premiums actually declined by about 80%.

The coverage changed in that the first amount is covered 100% and the second bit is not covered at all then the next bit to the out of pocket max is covered 80.20 and after that is 100%.

All of the preventative stuff is covered 100% all the time.

For me, it will end up costing less. The goal is to find a way to keep the costs under the limit where it turns from 100% covered to 100% uncovered. I have negotiated with Doctor to change my medications and avoid certain procedures if avoidable. It seems to be working and that's just fine with me.

 

[Salt Jones]

The same $460 per year that I always pay for family coverage. Being retired military has its perks.

Yes but if you don't live near a military Pharmacy your cost for prescriptions just went up. And they are still talking about an increase on tricare fees and even adding a fee for Tricare-for-life........ The Military retiree is getting the shaft again. You just haven't seen it yet.

I live near an Air Force base and use their medical and pharmacy. I think the fees should go up some. They wanted an increase of $5 per month on Tricare Prime and vets went crazy. We haven't had an increase in 11 years. I use the fact that I carry my own health insurance as a way to increase my pay by a minimum of 35%.

 

[uscitizen]

I went on the medical dole under SS disability.

 

[SFC Ollie]

I went on the medical dole under SS disability.

Understand that, I had no choice but to do the same thing, What I didn't know was that they would force me off Tricare and onto Medicare. So my fees went up 300%. Now they want to add more.

And people like Salt Jones don't care that we were told this would be free...............

 

[uscitizen]

I went on the medical dole under SS disability.

Understand that, I had no choice but to do the same thing, What I didn't know was that they would force me off Tricare and onto Medicare. So my fees went up 300%. Now they want to add more.

And people like Salt Jones don't care that we were told this would be free...............

With pre existing conditions we oldsters have no choice other than to die.
And give all you own up before you die to the medical industry.

 

[Salt Jones]

I went on the medical dole under SS disability.

Understand that, I had no choice but to do the same thing, What I didn't know was that they would force me off Tricare and onto Medicare. So my fees went up 300%. Now they want to add more.

And people like Salt Jones don't care that we were told this would be free...............

Wow! That's the only lie the military told you? You didn't know because you didn't look.

 

[Seawytch]

The same $460 per year that I always pay for family coverage. Being retired military has its perks.

Me too! Of course, I have to pay for HC through work too, so my TCPrime is secondary insurance.

I've got Blue Shield through work and they're giving refunds thanks to the ACA.

 

[Douger]

The same $460 per year that I always pay for family coverage. Being retired military has its perks.

Fantastic ! I'm glad you get a fair shake for defending Nazi's and corporate whores. It's the least they could do.