This Week I Read...

My mail.

I got a letter from my health insurance company. I am mostly retired, but not yet 65, so I have to carry my own health insurance. I am healthy. I take no prescription drugs. I see a doctor once a year to track a thyroid issue. I think my “primary care physician” might have retired a year or two ago. I’m not sure, since I don’t need to see him.

What does this have to do with your mail, you might be asking. Here’s what: my insurer informed me that because of the new Obamacare directives, they cannot continue to offer the insurance program I participate in after my plan year ends in January. They indicated several options including doing nothing. If I do nothing, they will automatically transfer me to the program they have that is closest to the one I currently participate in.

I thought that was thoughtful of them and decided to check on what the change in premiums was going to be. I am currently paying about $355.74 a month for my one annual doctor visit and one set of blood work. I have no co-pay and no deductible for these services, so my annual health care cost is $4269. It’s high for what I’m getting, but I continue to carry the insurance because I might get hit by a car…

The new plan proposed by my insurer – which is closest to the services I currently pay for – will cost me $818 a month! A whopping 230% increase! This new premium comes with a 50% co-pay for doctor visits and prescriptions. It also has an annual deductible of $2650. Given that I won’t be using the prescription plan and have only one doctor visit and I think that I can have 3 doctor visits before I actually have to pay the co-pay, my annual health care costs are now going to be roughly $9816.

How is this providing affordable health care? They assure me I can get a subsidy – if I qualify. I haven’t checked that out.

So far I haven’t heard of anyone who will be paying less in health insurance under Obamacare. I’d love to get comments from anyone who is! To leave a comment, you have to click on the red “Comment” below. That will open a comment box. Please write!