Paying the Price: How Health Insurance Premiums Are Eating Up Middle-Class Incomes

[HM2VikingRN]

The rapid rise in health insurance premiums has severely strained U.S. families and employers in recent years. This analysis of federal data finds that if premiums for employer-sponsored insurance grow in each state at the projected national rate of increase, then the average premium for family coverage would rise from $12,298 (the 2008 average) to $23,842 by 2020--a 94 percent increase. However, if health system reforms were able to slow premium growth by 1 percentage point in all states, by 2020 employers and families together would save $2,571 per premium for family coverage, compared with projected trends. If growth could be slowed by 1.5 percentage points--a target recently agreed to by a major industry coalition--yearly savings would equal $3,759.

http://www.commonwealthfund.org/Content/Publications/Data-Briefs/2009/Aug/Paying-the-Price-How-Health-Insurance-Premiums-Are-Eating-Up-Middle-Class-Incomes.aspx

IOW your family would have an extra 300 dollars per month in 2020....

[K98]

Re: Paying the Price: How Health Insurance Premiums Are Eating Up Middle-Class Income "What about those of us who have affordable plans through our employers? My costs have not risen for the last four years."

When you get ill and call your insurance company, and you get the message "you're not covered for that...pre-existing...experimental treatment" you keep holding on to your precious affordable employer plan that didn't increase it's cost in accordance with inflation.

After killing yourself working for years on end, and then decide to retire, that's when you'll see your plan skyrocket in cost. You won't then be able to afford it and they won't get stuck with another retiree and their future claims. Ahhhh the irony.

Insurance is a BUSINESS -they are in it to make $$$$.

Lest you forget

-every time yo buy a car, you are paying for the welders insurance.

-every time someone pays for health care, they are paying OUR insurance

-every time we pay our property taxes, we are paying City Halls insurance

We already have a perverse-twilight zone social-exclusive health care system,

lets make it a perverse-twilight zone socially-inclusive health care system.

I have Crohn's disease. I've had it since 1970. I've required lots of hospitalizations over the years, and had one major surgery. My insurance company never gave me a problem. Never dropped me. Always paid my bills. Didn't raise my premiums.

[BahoRN]

So long as your needs are met, that's all that matters then.

[K98]

So long as your needs are met, that's all that matters then.

Roger that, Eh? I'm a nurse, not Mother Teresa.

[BahoRN]

Roger that, Eh? I'm a nurse, not Mother Teresa.

What is that supposed to mean exactly? Sometimes I really have to scratch my head at some of these comments.

For the past two years my husband and I were on self-payer insurance. We are both under 35 and both without ailments.

The cost per month in 2008 was $240.00. One year later the cost increased to $282.00.

My doctor ordered blood work and we got a bill for $360.00 and were told it went towards our deductible. Each time I went to the Dr's for an office visit, I was billed $70.00 on average and again was informed that it went towards my deductible....

My only point in telling you this is, many of you keep talking about employer based insurance coverage -what you need to realize is that most of the working class don't have employer based coverage and cannot afford the cost of self-pay coverage.

[K98]

What is that supposed to mean exactly? Sometimes I really have to scratch my head at some of these comments.

For the past two years my husband and I were on self-payer insurance. We are both under 35 and both without ailments.

The cost per month in 2008 was $240.00. One year later the cost increased to $282.00.

My doctor ordered blood work and we got a bill for $360.00 and were told it went towards our deductible. Each time I went to the Dr's for an office visit, I was billed $70.00 on average and again was informed that it went towards my deductible....

My only point in telling you this is, many of you keep talking about employer based insurance coverage -what you need to realize is that most of the working class don't have employer based coverage and cannot afford the cost of self-pay coverage.

It means I'll take care of me, you take care of you, eh? The Baucus plan will be released today. Media outlets are saying that the average US family with an income of 77K will be paying over 10K per year for the MANDANTORY insurance. That will go over big.

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

They already are paying 12 k per year on average......The current rate of health care inflation is unsustainable. By 2020 it will cost 20 k/year. If you are one of the 40% of American Families living below 200% of poverty fully half of your income will go to health care costs...)

(FWIW the Baucus plan will not survive unmodified..)

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

I have Crohn's disease. I've had it since 1970. I've required lots of hospitalizations over the years, and had one major surgery. My insurance company never gave me a problem. Never dropped me. Always paid my bills. Didn't raise my premiums.

the exception that proves the rule.....