US health insurance changes, freakin unaffordable! - anyone else?

[MamaFlick]

MamaFlick, look at your local DHHR, because the government has programs for childrens healthcare, even if you make good money. It's a lot less expensive than getting it yourself. Most states don't want parents to have to make the choice to cover their kids or not, worth a look into! It's called CHIPS here in WV, my hubby and I made $60K a year and we still qualified.

I've checked, and unfortunately we just make too much. I wish they would look at what you actually have after paying for student loan debt, mortgage, health insurance, day care, etc. But they just look at gross income.

 

[Piper84]

It sounds really untransparent. Why doesn't everyone pay roughly the same percentage of their pay cheque?

I'm in Germany and freelance, so pay about €350 a month (17% of average monthly income, a lot cos the lowest pay bracket is really high). LO is on our insurance and will be til he's 18. I'll be on DH's insurance for the year after this LO arrives, as will both the kids.

This covers every aspect of healthcare though, except dental and optician.

 

[CatherineK]

Different companies you work for in the US offer different plans, which cover different things, and companies pay some of the cost normally. Some pay a little, some pay all. It's considered a perk or work benefit to offer good plans, to hire and keep good employees. Our health care system is (was) mostly private. Lots is changing with new laws, and so far, not for the better for many.

 

[Piper84]

I think you could call the German system private too, although it is heavily regulated. Doctors are mainly self-employed and run their own businesses, so to speak. Other than that, only very few institutions are permitted to offer healthcare (the Catholic and Protestant churches, municipalities, etc.)

 

[DLA]

Bad news. Found out my premiums are going up just as much. Even we get married and put everyone on my plan it will cost almost $400 a month. No way on earth can we afford this with daycare for 2 kids which will be $800 a month (at least). I feel sick to my stomach. I have no idea what to do.

 

[zorak]

I really feel for you. I am fortunate that the premium for my husband's group health insurance is only $240 for him, me and baby. We really are lucky that it is so low.

 

[Jcliff]

I can't even talk about it because it just makes me angry. We work our butts off and out coverage got worse. When I deliver we have to pay 20% of final bill. It used to be 10%!!!!! Come on now

 

[Jcliff]

My husband gets his insurance premiums paid 100% by his employer because he works for Native Americans... which is awesome. However to add a dependant it's around $350 per month.

I pay $152 per month for my health insurance through work, and once I add my baby to the plan it will shoot up to $356 per month. WTF? I am seriously concerned about how we're going to afford health insurance and daycare for our baby. That's about $800 extra in expense just from those two things, per month.

Of course, that would be a lot easier if I didn't have $20,000 in student loans left to pay off... And I went to community college for 2 years to save money. God I love the USA! Come here, work hard, so that we can make it impossible for you to ever get ahead of your bills and debt!

Thank you!! This is how I feel!! It's like the harder you work the less help you get. My Husband and I will be paying our student loans off forever it seems

 

[Wildfire81]

With all the changes in our healthcare recently, insurance premiums are sky rocketing. My fiances premium is going from like $150/month to well over $300/month. ughhhhh. And the coverage is decreasing and the copays are going to be so high it really won't be affordable to go the even the regular doctor let alone a specialist. Our son is on his plan currently. We are thinking of getting married like right now so we can all get on my plan which at the moment is much better, although I suspect that will be going up too but I'm hoping it won't be as bad because I work for New York state and am in a union..

We were planning to get married next year but there's no way we can afford these changes and pay two plans. Also we were planning to add another dependent when we have the baby so it just makes sense to have everyone on the better and for the time being, more affordable plan.
I feel your pain, we had to drop down to basic care only and it is still $400 a month, direct from paycheck!

Anyone else do this? i'm a little bummed because I did want to plan the wedding and all that but we will still do a celebration next year. Is just so unromantic ! But ya gotta do what ya gotta do I guess.

I feel your pain, we had to drop down to basic care only and it is still $400 a month, direct from paycheck!!

 

[TeddyBearPug]

The whole healthcare premiums is outrageous and keeps getting worse. I currently pay $600 month for me and dh and when I add our LO, it will be $1000 for the family plan. I'm not happy about it, but we need the decent plan instead of this "high deductible" crap that is being offered like its the best for a high price. I'm very upset about it all, but what can we do other than pay it? I do hope it gets better soon but I doubt it.

 

[qpaulina42]

I wonder when these exchange things are supposed to kick in and if that will help at all.

 

[DLA]

OH and I looked into this more last night. It's so depressing. Between the new health insurance premiums and child care we will be paying over $1200 a month, which is not possible. We don't make enough to pay that plus rent, student loans and car loans (even if we get rid of a car). If I quit my job we would qualify for completely free health insurance and obviously wouldn't need child care. I can not believe these are my options, I really can't. I've worked since I was 15 and it's hard to imagine not not having a job. Also I don't feel it's right to quit a perfectly good job and essentially be on government insurance. I'm so upset. I feel like we are in an impossible situation.

 

[wristwatch24]

I would much rather pay higher premiums than pay that much in taxes and have worse coverage. Lots of people make the mistake of thinking "free" health care is free. Places that have "free" health care pay a ridiculous amount of taxes to make up for it.

As far as your situation, I would definitely get legally married for insurance purposes and then have your big wedding later.

 

[Audraia]

OH and I looked into this more last night. It's so depressing. Between the new health insurance premiums and child care we will be paying over $1200 a month, which is not possible. We don't make enough to pay that plus rent, student loans and car loans (even if we get rid of a car). If I quit my job we would qualify for completely free health insurance and obviously wouldn't need child care. I can not believe these are my options, I really can't. I've worked since I was 15 and it's hard to imagine not not having a job. Also I don't feel it's right to quit a perfectly good job and essentially be on government insurance. I'm so upset. I feel like we are in an impossible situation.

I felt the same way at first, I've also worked since 15. And while at first it's hard to adjust to the one income, being able to spend time at home with your child is sooooo worth it. We did it for the same reason, insurance and daycare cost, but now, I can't imagine going back to work. It does suck it's our only option, but at the end of the day it kinda forces us to be home, which in the long run is so rewarding.

And don't feel bad for taking government help, it's not like you didn't TRY, and not like you're one of those lazy moms who just pop out kids so they don't have to work. It's your most viable option. You'll probably qualify for WIC too which gives you free formula or feed depending on if you're breastfeeding/formula feeding, I qualified. I've worked since 15 and don't feel bad for taking some of the help that I've paid into for years and years, and my husband still pays into. Like I said, it's not like we CHOSE to do this, but what's the point in working when you don't make enough to cover the insurance and childcare. most countries have programs that help mothers out and families, we can't help it ours doesn't.

 

[qpaulina42]

maybe move to a place with cheaper rent? we moved into a mobile home. It's not ideal but it's very cheap. You could also try putting some of the student loans on hold. To be entirely honest, $1200 for insurance and daycare doesn't sounds bad to me at all. It's about the same as I pay and it's not like we make a ton of money. Perhaps look into childcare grants?

 

[runnergrl]

How would you go a out getting a child are grant? I am so sick about money and insurance at the moment. It is absolutely absurd what we pay. I have a plan that covers me only and I pay $325/mo in premiums. On top of that, I have a $2500 deductible. When baby comes, he will have to be added to my husbands policy which currently covers my DH, and DS1. It's around $180 but I'm sure will skyrocket with an additional dependent. We both work and make pretty good money, but at the end of the with all of these costs and my son in daycare- we are broke as a joke and living in a tiny apartment!

Just doesn't seem right!

 

[DLA]

The grants and assistance I've looked into to help with childcare cost don't apply to us because with both our incomes, we make too much. I don't think we will get much cheaper rent than what we have now. We are in a tiny 2 bedroom apartment that as it is so cramped. I have no idea how we will fit a baby! Our best bet is for OH to find a higher paying job, which won't happen around here since we are in dead end town. We have been applying on jobs in Charlotte, NC because there's tons of them and they pay more. Really hope he is able to get something. It's just so disheartening. It's like the system is designed for you to not work and take assistance. No help for the middle people

 

[Jcliff]

The grants and assistance I've looked into to help with childcare cost don't apply to us because with both our incomes, we make too much. I don't think we will get much cheaper rent than what we have now. We are in a tiny 2 bedroom apartment that as it is so cramped. I have no idea how we will fit a baby! Our best bet is for OH to find a higher paying job, which won't happen around here since we are in dead end town. We have been applying on jobs in Charlotte, NC because there's tons of them and they pay more. Really hope he is able to get something. It's just so disheartening. It's like the system is designed for you to not work and take assistance. No help for the middle people

exactly. No help for us middlers who work our asses off to support our families. its TERRIBLE! unfortunately, i try to ignore the posters who say they get all of this assistance, because it really bothers me. its a really touchy subject with me. I just keep my mouth shut.

 

[Rafferty]

It might be worth talking with an actual insurance agent. Sometimes they can negotiate deals for you with insurance companies or they can help you look at all the options and choose the most practical plan for your family/income. I feel your pain! We were in the same boat a year ago between childcare and insurance. I ended up quitting, wasn't worth the tiny income I was taking home.

 

[Anthrogirl]

While I used to complain about insurance premiums all the time as my employer pays 300 per month and I pay 150 a month for my insurance ( total of 450 per month single plan - my son is on my husbands) I recently have learned why this is. My father had a heart attack last year. He has been in the hospital 6 times since then and has had a procedure to help his heart pump awaiting transplant. We received the medical bills for legal purposes and in 9 months Oxford (health company) paid 1.4 million dollars in medical fees for my father along with my father paying 30,000 in co pays and for medicine! So in times where you really need it - insurance comes through. He will also have a heart transplant hopefully any day which will cost another 1 million plus hundreds of thousands a year in upkeep. Insurance companies pay a lot of money for many people and unfortunately it costs for good care.

The very important point that you're missing here is that this treatment, in any of the other developed nations in the western world, would cost (on average) a quarter of what was paid in the US. The United States has the highest health care costs (by double at the least) in the developed world and many of the worst outcomes.