High-Deductible Health Plans: for Many, Too Costly

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I recently lost my health insurance due to my mom losing her job. It sucks a**. I've been looking to get Individual Blue from Blue Cross and Blue Shield. What pisses me off the most doing my research is the pure fact that if I am going to pay $100.00 a month for health insurance, which is $1,200.00 a year then I expect my company to at least pay a percentage of the cost of visits etc... What is the point of having health insurance if you have to shell out $2,500.00 a year OUT OF POCKET before your insurance company even pays the first dollar?!?! I mean sh*T!!! It is CHEAPER to be uninsured and pay $300.00 out of pocket to see a Doctor than to pay $1,200.00 a year, THEN having to pay the out of pocket deductible to even be covered!
Health insurance seems like the biggest joke ever. Seems one needs to get into a major car accident at the beginning of the year so they can afford to see the Doctor the rest of the year. Or have surgery, or SOMETHING major just to get the decuctible met. Seems only the ill patients benefit from health insurance over healthy people like me. I don't see the Doctor enough to need health insurance. I think I will keep my money and just go uninsured. This is a HUGE money waster.

Tracy of AL 2:58AM October 14, 2010

I just went to the pharmacy and was asked to pay $190.00 for a thirty day prescription. I said something has to be wrong because I have only been paying a $20 co-pay for years. I left without the medication and immediately called my insurance company. I was informed by the insurance company that 7 days AGO, my planned has changed to a $3000 deductible for all medical services and medications. To this date, approximately 6 weeks ago, I am yet to receive something in writing even though I have requested for it three times. Next move is to call the insurance commissioner.
Since I pay my insurance premium of $600 a month, I cannot afford to pay for each prescription at the current price. So I have had to switch to generics.
Unfortunately, my blood pressure that has been under control for years is now going through the roof. My last reading it was 170/100.
I don't have a problem paying premium, but I would expect that some of my costs would be covered. I have to pay $7200 in premiums with an additional $3000 out of pocket before the insurance company pays the first dollar. Based on my health, the insurance company will likely collect $7200 this year and reimburse nothing.
Stick this in your pipe and smoke it Ron. You have no clue what you are talking about based on your previous comment.

Gregg of FL 6:31PM April 19, 2010

I just went to the pharmacy and was asked to pay $190.00 for a thirty day prescription. I said something has to be wrong because I have only been paying a $20 co-pay for years. I left without the medication and immediately called my insurance company. I was informed by the insurance company that 7 days AGO, my planned has changed to a $3000 deductible for all medical services and medications. To this date, approximately 6 weeks ago, I am yet to receive something in writing even though I have requested for it three times. Next move is to call the insurance commissioner.
Since I pay my insurance premium of $600 a month, I cannot afford to pay for each prescription at the current price. So I have had to switch to generics.
Unfortunately, my blood pressure that has been under control for years is now going through the roof. My last reading it was 170/100.
I don't have a problem paying premium, but I would expect that some of my costs would be covered. I have to pay $7200 in premiums with an additional $3000 out of pocket before the insurance company pays the first dollar. Based on my health, the insurance company will likely collect $7200 this year and reimburse nothing.
Stick this in your pipe and smoke it Ron. You have no clue what you are talking about based on your previous comment.

Gregg of FL 6:30PM April 19, 2010

My family has been with Kaiser HMO for over eight years now. Usually most services were 100% covered with the exception of the co-pay. But now Kaiser HMO plan is that we must first come out of pocket $750 before any care is provided. And I can not afford this. What's the point of having health insurance if we can't afford to pay the deductible. We have the same care but now with three small children, one of them being an infant, we must now save up every penny to reach our deductible. I just pray that none of our family members doesn't get sick before we do.

Lavica Wiggins of GA 1:52PM January 09, 2010

There are no free lunches. There is now way around paying for your own health care. Even if you have insurance, ultimately, you and you alone will pay your bills. The insurance company may pay your bill for now, but your increased premiums in the future will pay those bills. Insurance companies are not usually benevolent, but increasing premiums for sick people is the correct thing to do. Why should somebody else on earth pay your bills?
People must get rid of the notion that you can somehow make someone else pay for your bills (like - expecting healthy people paying for sick peoples bills - some peoples misconception of insurance). Even if insurance companies are non-profits, they cannot satisfy people who want to pay say $100 a month and get $200 worth service/medicine. One must recognize that that is impossible.

Ron Kin of IL 5:02PM June 05, 2009

Blue Cross (Anthem) is charging me twice for my deductible because I changed employers. If your employer starts you off on this plan you must pay the entire deductible (not prorated) before they pay a single dollar. Unless you are in a very stable job, HDHPs are a rip-off.

Drew of CA 7:02PM September 23, 2008

I make $8.25 an hour, work full time and I'm glad that I signed up for my HDHP. I am a recent college graduate holding down a low wage job and staying with my relatives temporarily until I can get a better one. I am a Kaiser Permanente of Southern California card holder. When I got out of school, Kaiser wanted an ridiculous $450/mo. for an individual policy that was similar to the one my parents had me covered under when I was a student. I couldn't afford that and pay my student loans. If I had doubled the deductibles, they'd still want me to pay $280. I couldn't possibly afford this long-term. My family couldn't afford it either. I now have a monthly premium is only $71 and the deductible is $2,700 with $0 copays after the deductible is met and zero co-insurance of any kind. I have used the money that otherwise would have went to pay premiums to adding my my Health Savings Account (HSA) and the high monthly interest that I now earn (5.15% APY) is enough to almost half-way cover the monthly premiums. I estimate that after a year or two, I will no longer have to set aside any more money and will just let the HSA account pay for my coverage on its own. But, I intend to continue adding to it, since it don't just want to have enough to barely get by and it's always good to have that extra padding in case of an emergency or incidentals. I am registered Democrat, but I would have to say that when it comes to health care, I'm going to have to agree with the Republicans on this one.

Grey of CA 4:20PM April 19, 2008

I make $15 a hour , work full-time, & am considering dropping my employer-offered high deductible health care plan. It costs me $45 each two weeks; does not cover anything until I meet the individual deductible amount of $1250 per year, and my employer's only alternative is a plan that has a $250 deductible but maxes out at $10,000. Oh yes, and neither one covers "pre-existing conditions," which self-insuring employers can refuse to cover.
When I came down with asthmatic bronchitis recently, I could not afford to go to the doctor, let alone afford prescriptions.
Yes, it might be better than nothing in case of serious injury or illness, but I may have to do without so I can afford the gas to get to work.

Broke in Ohio of OH 9:02PM April 18, 2008

I have been a member at Kaiser for many years. I am now 81 years old. I also have many health problems and therefore make numerous visits to the clinic or hospital.
I have observed that a majority of the Kaiser patients are old, like me.
I have also observed, during my long years that most children don't get sick.
As a child, I seldom needed a Doctor and when I did it was as the result of some sort of accident.
It is usually the elderly who need and use the medical facilities which are being subsidized by the young through higher insurance premiums and through higher income taxes required to support Medicare etc. Your study seems to feed into this.
My KAISER information for 2008 indicates a premium for two people of $546.72 per month, or $6552 per year. Using your figures, an (FSA) would be an affordable alternative, assuming that a couple wanted medical insurance at all.
As I recall, the U.S. NEWS article indicated that many of the uninsured families are not insured because they don't feel that they need medical insurance.
Because my memory isn't what it used to be, I may be wrong about this.
In any case, I believe that the media and the politicians have done the country a disservice by contiually harping on the so-called medically uninsured.Your study seems to feed into this.
My insurance at Kaiser is provided by the State of California and by Medicare, so I don't need to worry about that particular item. However, in view of the current California budjet deficit, my (earned) advantage may not be provided in the near future. The Medicare will, do doubt continue. I don't think that I will live long enough for the Federal Government to bankrupt itself.

Frank of CA 5:21PM April 18, 2008