Ugh....

[UofIDem]

Met with employer yesterday on insurance renewals. Said b/c of new healthcare law BC/BS had huge spike in rates. Before, we had a high deductible plan and they paid 80% of the premium and contributed 90% of the high deductible (they contributed $2700/family) into our HSA account for us, which was just phenomenal. Now we had a 20% hike in the monthly rate and the contribution cut to 33% of the deductible. Next year is going to be fun...

[MannyGoldstein]

1. No worries

Under single payer, we'd all be commies. Commies with low medical costs and longer, healthier lives.

Thank God single payer was negotiated away instantly, for a few pieces of silver.

[Gormy Cuss]

2. Your employer is repeating the lies of BC/BS

They would have raised the rates (and probably by at least as much) without PPACA(HCR.)

[UofIDem]

3. My ER has switched companies ever year I've been there...

First year they renewed with anyone because, for first time in a while, they couldn't do better by switching companies. Said all the "good" companies were about the same rates. My ER has been pretty good about this stuff in the past. Not a lot of businesses pay 80% of premium (I was paying like $200/mo for my family) plus $2700 per family for Healthcare. Plus once you reach the limit on an HSA, the plan is phenomenal. Insurance co pays for freaking everything. We have non-mgmt employees on our benefits committee, the entire group seemed pretty upset.

[Gormy Cuss]

4. Yes, all of the insurers are using PPACA as an excuse to jack up prices.

It's still just that -- an excuse, or as I prefer to describe it, a lie. The provisions of PPACA that have already kicked in would account for a tiny increase in premium cost -- the rest of the increases aren't related.