My health insurance takes another 20% hike! Sheesh...

[Left coast liberal]

Man alive, how in the hell are we going to continue at this rate?

Every year, like clockwork, yet another increase. Sure, they reconfigure everything to make it look like there is something different but no! It's just 20% more for the same (or less).

That's pushing almost $700 a month for me, my spouse and 2 kids.

Crying shame what's happening to the middle class.

[napi21]

1. Ours is do for renewal in January. We should get the notice in Dec.

I know it's coming, but I'm scared to open the envelope!

[bballny]

2. Your lucky it is

only $700. I own my own company and if I got full coverage it would be $1,000(probably more) with a $500 deductible. I now have a blue choice plan with $4,000 out of pocket and a $2,000 deductuble and I pay $510 for each member

[Supersedeas]

11. same boat here

[Oceansaway]

3. I know the feeling......

and each time they raised it they claimed it was because of 9/11....
GMAB....i'm so SICK of people useing that as an excuse.......

[datadiva]

4. Mine too

I am 60. I pay now 482.00 per month just for myself. 5 years ago I paid 208.00. I am considering cancelling it and just paying for what I get. The bad part about that is that they will charge you more for the same services because you don't have coverage. Sick. Plus I pay for the first $500 in tests and 20% of everything else. Prescription are just a discount. x(

[Left coast liberal]

6. I know, it's just sick.

I'm self employed too, 41 and healthy (thank god). But, that's a seriously long haul until I am elegable for Medicare. If it's still availabe by then.

Just crying in my beer (or coffee) but I sure feel like I am being ripped off every month when I write that check.

They got us by the short hairs and it really sucks.

[FormerDittoHead]

10. If only we could just pay what the insurance co's pay...

>The bad part about that is that they will charge you more for the same services because you don't have coverage.

This was always the most frustrating part, the "adjustment".

Anyone with insurance looking at their paid bills will see this, and the amount ACTUALLY PAID to the doctor, hospital, etc.

After seeing this, I figured we'd be ahead if we just got THAT price and paid out of pocket.

[HereSince1628]

5. Well, you've still got it. 40+ million Americans don't

And the message REALLY is the system America has in place DOES NOT WORK. Employers and Employees UNITE. The crazy costs can be brought into line with universal health care.

But WE NEED TO GET THE R's OUT OR IT WON'T HAPPEN!

[Left coast liberal]

7. Hear, Hear to that, friend! nt

[masshole]

8. one of the fortunate few in New England

No increase, (2nd year in a row), $122.00/month for Health New England HMO, full family coverage. Some co-pays have increased, but the monthly amount stayed the same.

[Left coast liberal]

16. That's a wonderful plan! Wish we had it here in WA state. nt

[Quakerfriend]

9. We all need to get out in the streets and fight for

regulation of the entire insurance industry!

I was hoping that Elliot Spitzer would break this can of worms wide open!

[Left coast liberal]

14. Spitzer's terrific! I would love to see him go after that one.

Whoever has the balls to stand up for that one will have a very grateful country strongly behind them. Except of course the Insurance industry. They have been sitting on a cash cow for a long time. Life has been real good for them.

While more and more people drop out and aren't able to cover their families.

It just p's me off.

[fleabert]

12. ours went up this quarter too...

of course more than the increase in wages for inflation...

[pitohui]

13. you think that's bad

my husband's co. had a 98 percent increase in 2003

double digit increases are the norm, i would never advise anyone to go the self-employment route now

[Left coast liberal]

18. ouch! 98% Blood suckers. It's just disgusting.

Oh Canada! I wish we could pull it together like them.

Yah, I know. Dream on.

Cheers!

[lovuian]

15. and remember they can even still not pay if they choose too

Its a fraud and it will keep going up and up ...

[Foodbunny]

17. I lucked out, but things are getting scary.

I managed to get health insurance through a job before I was diagnosed with cancer. My surgery and radiation treatment was covered leaving me only $1500 in the hole instead of $60,000. But then I had to leave my job. I have COBRA for a year, but if I don't get replacement insurance before that runs out I will be in severe trouble.

Thyroid cancer is slow-growing, so it has a fairly high rate of recurrance. I'll be diligent against it for the rest of my life and I have to take a (thankfully cheap) replacement hormone every day for the rest of my life or my body will literally shut down over the course of a couple of months and my heart will stop.

It's terrifying to think that I will be screwed over and poor for the rest of my life because a piece of genetic code in a cell got screwed up and it started reproducing without limit.

[Left coast liberal]

19. You said it, very scary. Hang in there. Thinking of you.

Hats off to a true survivor.

Cheers!

[newyawker99]

20. Hi Foodbunny!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast: