2018 Health Insurance Increases

[Wulf202]

Hence why I use CHM (Christian Healthcare Ministries).

I signed up, only to be denied on a pre existing condition. Since they're a co-op they're allowed to pick and choose.

[Irving]

I looked up negotiating with companies before I paid my bill. I found lots of info, and everything I tried got shut down pretty hard. BUT they knew all the moves and I just had to follow the lady's lead on the phone. I still got it down into the $3,000 range I think. Still.

I remember the CHM from last year, but I never made a move on it.

[Bailey Guns]

I'm very fortunate (you know...silver lining and all that) that I'm now enrolled in the VA Choice program. I'm seeing the same doctor I saw under my BCBS plan thru my employer. But I just got my open enrollment packet and our premiums thru my employer didn't go up this year. Insurance is getting more and more important now that I'm rapidly approaching "senior discount" age.

[Ramsker]

Ours is going up . . . just not sure by how much. We were acquired this year and we're all losing the UHC coverage we've had for years--which has been awesome. Everyone is getting put on Blue Shield (California), which is what the company who bought us uses. We all get to move over and pay more . . . they all stay on the plan they had and get to pay less. Great.

Only other choice is Kaiser here in CO and I won't go back to them unless it's a last resort. Had a couple bad experiences with them from a previous job. So I guess we'll find out what Blue Shield has going for it starting Jan 1.

[.455_Hunter]

My company is self-insured (employee owned) and we use BCBS to administer the plans. The rates and coverage are pretty good, especially since all of the participants are current employees and their families. If I feel BCBS unfairly denies a claim, I can just squeal to our HR director or COO and get resolution. For FY18, our friends benefits pool (including health care costs) was underrun by $2M.

[CS1983]

My wife and kids are on CHM as well. $300/mo for all 4 ($150 wife and the kids are considered one "unit"). That's the "gold" level. We are also part of the "brother's keeper" program, which is for catastrophic. It's quarterly and based on participation numbers. I think last quarter was $50? $500 copay per incident, and if you get enough self-pay discounts they often waive that.

Prescriptions could be an issue, if one needs a bunch of them.

Also, they have a lifestyle clause, so no tobacco users. I'm covered under the VA *spits*, so the tobacco thing isn't a problem. I've been out since 2009 and haven't used them once for anything not related to the med retirement. I just suffer lol. Actually haven't been to them since... mid 2010? I should probably look into that as it's my understanding we can now see other providers.

Anyway, if you are interested in CHM, Grant or myself can provide you some info and personal experiences if you want to go that route. I think there are a few more on here too.

[GilpinGuy]

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. We got notice last night that our premiums aren't going up this year. I don't remember a year they haven't gone up at least a little.

[Irving]

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones. We got notice last night that our premiums aren't going up this year. I don't remember a year they haven't gone up at least a little.

I was listening to something talking about how premiums aren't going up this year, and some are even going down. They cited something about prices having gone up so much already that they can't go up anymore. That sounded ridiculous, so it might have been within the framework of a law or something. Either way, it was clearly a piece trying to make things sound Rosey.

Fentonite: When the lady came to get my insurance info, I laughingly told her, "As long as it's under ten thousand dollars." She said, "Oh, I'm almost SURE that it will be." I was like, "Ummmm, I was just joking."

I assumed it would be at least $2,000 just because it was ER related, but was floored when that bill came in. All I could think about was how I needed some nurse on the side to bandage me up like super heroes have. I would have paid someone $500 cash in a heart beat if I had suspected.

[TFOGGER]

I was listening to something talking about how premiums aren't going up this year, and some are even going down. They cited something about prices having gone up so much already that they can't go up anymore. That sounded ridiculous, so it might have been within the framework of a law or something. Either way, it was clearly a piece trying to make things sound Rosey.

Fentonite: When the lady came to get my insurance info, I laughingly told her, "As long as it's under ten thousand dollars." She said, "Oh, I'm almost SURE that it will be." I was like, "Ummmm, I was just joking."

I assumed it would be at least $2,000 just because it was ER related, but was floored when that bill came in. All I could think about was how I needed some nurse on the side to bandage me up like super heroes have. I would have paid someone $500 cash in a heart beat if I had suspected.

I'd have stitched it up myself for those numbers...

[hollohas]

Colorado also has some of the highest rates in the nation. Notice how they are building an ER on every corner? Well, those ER's don't have any patients so they all have been forced to raise the costs of service to keep the doors open.