is a copy of a notice from my heavyweight health care provider,
UnitedHealthcare/Oxford. Note that at the renewal rate insurance for a
family of four now costs $58,600 a year.
In the Heathcare debate the CBO but out some numbers on insurance costs
for a family. Their high-end number was 17% of household income. By that
calculation a family would have to have an income of $345,000 to afford
this plan.
This is no Cadillac. I pay minimums and co-pays. I had a surgeon I know
and trust cut something recently. He was out of network so that cost
$1,300. I have the Freedom Plan. But actually I am in jail. These
folks have me over a barrel.
Consider the pricing differential for a husband and wife and a family of
four. The kids cost an extra $1,629 a month. Pay that bill for eighteen
years and it comes to a tidy $350 thou. Who in their right mind would
want to have kids looking at that tab?
How many people are getting letters like this? Not many. 4-5 million is
my guess. More every day is the certain answer. There is nothing in the
Healthcare bill that is law today that changes this. There is no
interstate competition. There is no reason to it. It is gouging.
I have to suck it up and pay these bills. But I am going to vote with my
feet. For my State Senators, Charles Schumer (D) and Kirtsten
Gillibrand (D) and my Congressman John Hall (D), don’t look for my vote
or support this fall.
Disclosure: Long time Dem. Until recently, a district leader for
the party. Steady contributor. Pissed.
I'm from the Winter Home of the Great Satan (California; Surf City, blondes, malls, free love, soon to be legal doo-dah) and they told me this was all gonna be for free. What happened?
Your kid is my mortgage. My mortgage may be my urology exam in a few years. I'd be placing my kids in bubbles until they get a job.
Your kids get a job? In the USA? Surely sir, you jest!!
Sweet Jesus! Do you and your entire family have a unique kind of cancer or something?!?! How the hell is this even a plan? I'm pretty sure that would be easier just to pay for almost anything out of pocket. God, I wonder what is going to happen with my plan...I was paying next to nothing for insurance because my employer was eating it....
I mean really who the hell could afford this? This a good bit more then the median family income for most of the country.
Glad this plan really stuck it to the insurance companies and are gong to keep costs down...
It's New York, tons of mandates for insurance policies, which ObamaCare will be bringing to your state soon. And if you think Bruce's rates are high now, wait till the bill drives up rates by 50% beginning next year.
But worry not. Once ObamaCare kicks in, you can just dump your policy. Pay out of pocket for regular doctor visits. If you get really sick or hurt, then go buy a policy since the insurance companies can't turn you away. Yea, you pay the fine, but it is set way to low to discourage what I've described. Net, net you'll come out way ahead under most scenarios.
Bruce, its a lot, but didn't it "only" go up about $600 a month for you?
???