Last month my lyme friendly PCP announced that he's closing his practice on January 1. This is mostly due to Obomacare crap, and one of the local healthcare insurance providers dropping scores of MDs and some hospitals from their network of coverage.
Next, on the Tuesday afternoon before Thanksgiving, one of the owner's told me he just learned that BCBS was dropping our company group health coverage plan effective Dec 1, 2013 (in 4 days!!). We had just gone thru a month of open enrollment to look at next year policy choices and cost/benefit changes.
Reason given was that because we hired 5 new employees this past year, now our number of people participating in their plan drops below their required percentage. That's BS, they just want as many folks as they can get to be in the individual (direct pay) health plans (aka ObomaCare).
So I had to scramble to get a bridge policy to cover December 2013, and then another new plan starting January 2014. None of the plans matched what our group policy had offered in low deductables, co-pays or monthly cost.
So all of you out there with company health plan policies thinking you are safe from ObomaCare, beware... you all only got a 1 year exemption before the government makes businesses comply with their master Gold/Silver/Bronze plan rules.
Sorry for rant. I'm ready to give up, go homeless, then get my free stuff.
gmb
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I know. I have a group plan and am waiting for the ax to fall.
Call your Congressmen and Senators.
Moving to General Support
Posted by kgg (Member # 5867) on :
I hear you. It is a nightmare. Can't get started on this topic....
Hang in there!
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- It's not necessary (or only) due to the ACA but also that many of the insurance companies are taking every advantage to squirm out of providing service and care to customers. They've not been proceeding in the best spirit by any means. -
Posted by jkmom (Member # 14004) on :
I am one with company provided insurance and I doubt that it will change next year. It has already been changed to comply with the new provisions which made it more generous than it was, even though this isn't required yet.
Even if we take a hit with that, I am thankful that my daughter with Lyme will be able to get insurance when she ages out of my husband's plan. And, I am grateful that she can stay on his plan until she is 26.
At one point, I was worried that she was going to be too sick to go to college and not have employer provided insurance, either because she was too sick to work or had a job that didn't provide it. While we are willing and able to pay for her Lyme treatment, if she got cancer or something else, I wanted her to have coverage.
We are willing to pay for her insurance but it was my understanding that it was difficult to get at any price before if you were as sick as my daughter. I also looked at our state high risk pool and she didn't have a listed condition to qualify for that. I really think she would have had to be uninsured before this passed. For that, I am willing to pay more for my own insurance if that is what happens.
Posted by gmb (Member # 23562) on :
I do agree that there are some good benefits with AHCA like: removing pre-existing conditions; extending dependent coverage to age 26; and eliminating max benefit payout caps.
Also some sub-par company provided plans will have to be brought up to the minimum bronze level standards. But this will hurt more in other ways, and many employees will end up being moved to part-time status.
Getting thru this first year is painful for many. And next year will tell more of the real story. I just wish that ALL people would have the same coverage choices. Especially government employees and congress who created this mess.