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Moderators: jcmanson, Sly Fox, BuryYourDuke

User avatar
By VAGolf
Registration Days Posts
#519922
$400 / mo w/ $5,600 deductible. It's just me and my wife.

Here's a list of what I could buy with $400 / mo.

- a small house

- a Lexus

- upgrade our grocery budget and just buy everything from Fresh Market (considering the quality of products from FM, this might actually be healthier than the insurance.)

- roundtrip plane tickets to Florida...once a month

- an average suit

- a college course

- learn to fly

- a puppy

- 400 mega million tickets. Seriously, if I'm buying 400 per month, I'm bound to win eventually right?

So, for the price of one ipad a month, I can get crappy healthcare. Yay. Thanks Obama. Mainly just posting this because I need somewhere to complain and I haven't broke the news to my wife yet.

Have any of you all looked at the new plans yet? Any suggestions?
User avatar
By bballfan84
Registration Days Posts
#519923
ha welcome to the club VA Golf...im paying 1200 for 5 of us..6500 deductible..its almost as much as my mortgage.
User avatar
By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#519925
$400 is bad but not earth shattering. However a $5600 deductible is crazy.
I have Company health care and it still goes up
User avatar
By VAGolf
Registration Days Posts
#519927
Maybe my thinking is wrong, but how does it not make sense for a young couple in good health, to just not have coverage? I'm not going to spend $400 / mo on healthcare...we don't go to the doctor that often. If something happens, it only makes sense if the costs is over $5,000 (how often is that?) Why not just not have coverage, put $400 into a savings account and file for a religious exemption on my tax return so that I don't have to worry about a fine?
User avatar
By adam42381
Registration Days Posts
#519929
VAGolf wrote:Maybe my thinking is wrong, but how does it not make sense for a young couple in good health, to just not have coverage? I'm not going to spend $400 / mo on healthcare...we don't go to the doctor that often. If something happens, it only makes sense if the costs is over $5,000 (how often is that?) Why not just not have coverage, put $400 into a savings account and file for a religious exemption on my tax return so that I don't have to worry about a fine?
That's a good question. It's obviously a gamble, but may be worth considering if you are confident you won't have any medical issues.
User avatar
By Sly Fox
Registration Days Posts
#519930
My deductibles are so high that basically pay all healthcare out fo pocket. Our health insurance is strictly for catastrophic situation. My rates have tripled int he past few years in spite of me raising my deductibles higher and higher.

Incidentally I saw where the Chinese are buying out the life insurance company I pay premiums to in Lynchburg. I believe we might even have some posters on here who work there.
By ATrain
Registration Days Posts
#519932
Sly Fox wrote:My deductibles are so high that basically pay all healthcare out fo pocket. Our health insurance is strictly for catastrophic situation. My rates have tripled int he past few years in spite of me raising my deductibles higher and higher.

Incidentally I saw where the Chinese are buying out the life insurance company I pay premiums to in Lynchburg. I believe we might even have some posters on here who work there.
I almost ended up working at said company. Instead a took a promotion with the state and went to VA Beach - no regrets about that choice.
User avatar
By TH Spangler
Registration Days Posts
#519933
I quit my job and I'm a pre-65 retiree living off savings. I can get a ACA plan for $139 a month with a $500 deductible. Basically you're paying for it, crazy huh ..... even crazier I'm voting against Hillary.
User avatar
By RubberMallet
Registration Days Posts
#519945
VAGolf wrote:Maybe my thinking is wrong, but how does it not make sense for a young couple in good health, to just not have coverage? I'm not going to spend $400 / mo on healthcare...we don't go to the doctor that often. If something happens, it only makes sense if the costs is over $5,000 (how often is that?) Why not just not have coverage, put $400 into a savings account and file for a religious exemption on my tax return so that I don't have to worry about a fine?
because what happens is you have no coverage have a major catastrophe and go bankrupt to rid yourself of the debt and the rest of us absorb the cost of that in larger healthcare costs. Won't happen to you? well it happens every day. a friend of ours is in charge of billing at a large hospital.

what i would be for is a high deductible only plan. where you have a 10k deductible and pay a small percentage of 0% after that. but those really don't exist anymore due to obama. all plans have to cover those 10 things that generally aren't important to most of us.

I don't have a problem with a "you need to have at least some coverage" mandate. The cost of HC in this country is an issue at least in some part to the uninsured walking away from their debts. what i have a problem with is that we currently have a "you need to have ALL the coverage" mandate. basically the only wiggle room insurance companies have is messign with deductibles and OOP costs.
User avatar
By RubberMallet
Registration Days Posts
#519946
TH Spangler wrote:I quit my job and I'm a pre-65 retiree living off savings. I can get a ACA plan for $139 a month with a $500 deductible. Basically you're paying for it, crazy huh ..... even crazier I'm voting against Hillary.
word on the street is the only people seeing real savings are those 55+. everyone else is taking it on the chin.
User avatar
By VAGolf
Registration Days Posts
#519947
RubberMallet wrote:
VAGolf wrote:Maybe my thinking is wrong, but how does it not make sense for a young couple in good health, to just not have coverage? I'm not going to spend $400 / mo on healthcare...we don't go to the doctor that often. If something happens, it only makes sense if the costs is over $5,000 (how often is that?) Why not just not have coverage, put $400 into a savings account and file for a religious exemption on my tax return so that I don't have to worry about a fine?
because what happens is you have no coverage have a major catastrophe and go bankrupt to rid yourself of the debt and the rest of us absorb the cost of that in larger healthcare costs. Won't happen to you? well it happens every day. a friend of ours is in charge of billing at a large hospital.
I don't live life based on fear...99% of my life decisions are based on whether it's efficient or not. While the scenario you described is possible, numbers show it isn't probable. So, why pay an astronomical amount per month for something that likely doesn't happen? Seriously, the more I type and think things through, the less I'm convinced this entire thing isn't a giant scam. lol
User avatar
By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#519951
VAGolf wrote:
RubberMallet wrote:
VAGolf wrote:Maybe my thinking is wrong, but how does it not make sense for a young couple in good health, to just not have coverage? I'm not going to spend $400 / mo on healthcare...we don't go to the doctor that often. If something happens, it only makes sense if the costs is over $5,000 (how often is that?) Why not just not have coverage, put $400 into a savings account and file for a religious exemption on my tax return so that I don't have to worry about a fine?
because what happens is you have no coverage have a major catastrophe and go bankrupt to rid yourself of the debt and the rest of us absorb the cost of that in larger healthcare costs. Won't happen to you? well it happens every day. a friend of ours is in charge of billing at a large hospital.
I don't live life based on fear...99% of my life decisions are based on whether it's efficient or not. While the scenario you described is possible, numbers show it isn't probable. So, why pay an astronomical amount per month for something that likely doesn't happen? Seriously, the more I type and think things through, the less I'm convinced this entire thing isn't a giant scam. lol
It's taken you this long to realize the ACA is a scam?
User avatar
By thepostman
Registration Days Posts
#519954
I thought it was affordable? :)

Healthcare costs is one of my main motivators to stay in the military. Especially with a family.
User avatar
By jbock13
Registration Days Posts
#519956
I pay $123 a month with a $3,000 deductible. I consider myself lucky.
User avatar
By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#519968
TH Spangler wrote:I just went to the ACA site. The 2017 rates are loaded.
From what I hear you may need to go to the Dr after looking at them !
By lynchburgwildcats
Registration Days Posts
#519969
I have an individual essential keycare plan, which basically means it's just one of those catastrophic plans. So it doesn't cover much, but it works out pretty well for me since I rarely go to the doctor.

$130 a month. First 3 doctor visits only cost me $30 a visit (though it can cost more depending on what I have done, like x-rays would cost more, for example). Visits 4+ are 30% after deductible, and the deductible is $1,500. So I am basically covering full cost on any visits after 3, unless I've met the deductible. I've never met the deductible. Only time I came anywhere close to even $1,000 is the year when I went to the ER one night.
By rhezick
Posts
#519983
VAGolf wrote:
RubberMallet wrote:
VAGolf wrote:Maybe my thinking is wrong, but how does it not make sense for a young couple in good health, to just not have coverage? I'm not going to spend $400 / mo on healthcare...we don't go to the doctor that often. If something happens, it only makes sense if the costs is over $5,000 (how often is that?) Why not just not have coverage, put $400 into a savings account and file for a religious exemption on my tax return so that I don't have to worry about a fine?
because what happens is you have no coverage have a major catastrophe and go bankrupt to rid yourself of the debt and the rest of us absorb the cost of that in larger healthcare costs. Won't happen to you? well it happens every day. a friend of ours is in charge of billing at a large hospital.
I don't live life based on fear...99% of my life decisions are based on whether it's efficient or not. While the scenario you described is possible, numbers show it isn't probable. So, why pay an astronomical amount per month for something that likely doesn't happen? Seriously, the more I type and think things through, the less I'm convinced this entire thing isn't a giant scam. lol
Lol, isn't that the whole point of insurance? I mean, yes I get in this particular case we're also incorporating the high price. However it's not likely you will die in your 30's, not likely you will get in a severe car wreck, not likely your house will burn down....etc. But I'm betting you have insurance. Because even for that 1% chance that it does happen, life would astronomically suck if it did.
By Wvflame2013
Posts
#519994
I have gone without insurance the past year. Went to sign up for ACA in January and was going to pay 200$ a month with a 3k deductible which is not sustainable with my part time job salary at kroger. Hit my year mark at kroger and met the requirements to receive insurance. They may pay me crap but the insurance is affordable at least. I'll be paying around 40$ a month with 1k deductible, 30$ copay. I guess the union got the workers a really good deal on deal insurance at least.
User avatar
By VAGolf
Registration Days Posts
#519995
Lol, isn't that the whole point of insurance? I mean, yes I get in this particular case we're also incorporating the high price. However it's not likely you will die in your 30's, not likely you will get in a severe car wreck, not likely your house will burn down....etc. But I'm betting you have insurance. Because even for that 1% chance that it does happen, life would astronomically suck if it did
I have gone without insurance for the past couple of years. For me, this is all about risk management. Yes, it would astronomically suck if something happened, but it isn't likely to happen. So, there is a certain price that I'm willing to pay to be insured if something goes wrong. However, if the cost of the insurance is above what I believe it's worth, I'm not going to pay for it.

At 27 years old, it's reasonable to assume that if a catastrophic event happened, it likely would only happen once over the next five years. Even then, I don't believe there is even 50/50 probability of an event happening. However, let's just say that for the sake of this argument, something did happen. If I were to take $400 a month, for the next five years and place it into a savings account, I would have about $28,000. So, my risk is that if something happened over the next five years, I'm losing money by not having insurance if the cost of whatever that is, is over $28,000. Yet, even if something does happen, and the cost is under $28,000, I'm losing money by having insurance. Of course, there are plenty of more numbers that go into this, but this is just a simple explanation.

I haven't made up my mind yet, but I will say that I certainly am seeing reasons to believe that not having insurance COULD be financially smarter for someone in my predicament.
User avatar
By LUminary
Registration Days Posts
#520000
I "retired" at age 55 in 2015, kept my employer plan through COBRA because I liked it and it was affordable relative to my other options at the time. It expires at the end of the year and I will not be able to renew with the same company because it is out of state. I checked the Obamacare rates last night and found out pretty much what I expected. Because of my wife's income, I'll have to pay full price. My premium will jump from $500 to $780 a month. And that was for a much worse plan and much higher deductible. And down to only one carrier in state. So, I will begin shopping on the open market Nov. 1 in hopes of a decent option. Best of luck to all in trying to figure this mess out and being able to afford it.
User avatar
By RubberMallet
Registration Days Posts
#520004
VAGolf wrote:
RubberMallet wrote:
VAGolf wrote:Maybe my thinking is wrong, but how does it not make sense for a young couple in good health, to just not have coverage? I'm not going to spend $400 / mo on healthcare...we don't go to the doctor that often. If something happens, it only makes sense if the costs is over $5,000 (how often is that?) Why not just not have coverage, put $400 into a savings account and file for a religious exemption on my tax return so that I don't have to worry about a fine?
because what happens is you have no coverage have a major catastrophe and go bankrupt to rid yourself of the debt and the rest of us absorb the cost of that in larger healthcare costs. Won't happen to you? well it happens every day. a friend of ours is in charge of billing at a large hospital.
I don't live life based on fear...99% of my life decisions are based on whether it's efficient or not. While the scenario you described is possible, numbers show it isn't probable. So, why pay an astronomical amount per month for something that likely doesn't happen? Seriously, the more I type and think things through, the less I'm convinced this entire thing isn't a giant scam. lol
so if not required to you wouldn't have liability car insurance? your chances of an accident are pretty slim too. catastrophic health insurance coverage at the least would provide you essentially "liability" for us all that would curb ridiculous costs of healthcare. If that makes sense.

obviously "catastrophic" care is really not even available but i'm not saying you should go out onto the marketplace and dump whatever godawful amount of money on insurance. so don't think thats what i'm saying.

i think they should offer the subsidies to even those with employer based hc.

btw for a family of 5 i pay close to 10 grand a year after my employer chips in. its absurd.
User avatar
By Purple Haize
Registration Days Posts
#520008
I was fairly active after college and before I had a job that offered health insurance. I always had insurance in case something happened. I'm glad I did. I blew out my knee so I'm glad I did. Of course back then I had a lot more options
User avatar
By VAGolf
Registration Days Posts
#520010
so if not required to you wouldn't have liability car insurance? your chances of an accident are pretty slim too. catastrophic health insurance coverage at the least would provide you essentially "liability" for us all that would curb ridiculous costs of healthcare. If that makes sense.

obviously "catastrophic" care is really not even available but i'm not saying you should go out onto the marketplace and dump whatever godawful amount of money on insurance. so don't think thats what i'm saying.

i think they should offer the subsidies to even those with employer based hc.

btw for a family of 5 i pay close to 10 grand a year after my employer chips in. its absurd.
If you don't have car insurance, you can't drive a car. So, you don't really have an option. It's easy to not have health insurance, just file for a religious exemption and it has no effect. FWIW, if I had a family, I would probably just get the insurance. However, I'm not really concerned for my health and neither is my wife really. If it's just us though, and I can't financially justify it over five years, I'm opting out.
User avatar
By bballfan84
Registration Days Posts
#520011
bballfan84 wrote:ha welcome to the club VA Golf...im paying 1200 for 5 of us..6500 deductible..its almost as much as my mortgage.
Im scared to look at what my deductible is going to be in 2017...assuming around 1600 a month. I am actually considering joining Christian Health Ministries and use that as insurance..its like a co-op..is anyone familiar with this.

Me and my wife are 32 yrs old and healthy as all get out..im already not going to get to enjoy social security by the time im older...just getting a raw deal man
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