<p>I already had the option. An early renewal of my Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield individual policy on Dec 1st that would grandfather my plan through Dec 1, 2014. I explored this option with my insurance agent earlier this week. The early renewal included a price increase, effective immediately, that brought the cost of the plan up to price of a comparable exchange policy. </p>
<p>There are minor differences, but the value of my plan and the exchange plans are pretty similar. For now, my old plan has a bigger provider network.</p>
<p>Apparently there is no regulation requiring insurance companies to allow customers to “keep their plan.” This was obviously NOT included in the ACA. </p>
<p>Absent additional legislation/interpretive regs, the President alone cannot <em>compel</em> private insurance companies to do anything, including stay in business at all. It will have to be voluntary on the part of the insurance companies to continue to offer old plans.</p>
<p>At least right now IYLYPYCKYP is not going to be operable in California. </p>
<p>From CNN:
"Since insurance is regulated at the state level, it remains up to the commissioners to permit the extensions and the companies to do so. The president noted that not all commissioners may agree to extensions. At least four states – California, Idaho, Virginia and Kentucky – are requiring all individual plans adhere to Obamacare rules. "</p>
<p>This does nothing to stop the political bleeding. People will still lose their plans, either now or next year right before the midterm elections along with millions more in employer plans. The IYLYPYCKYP promise is still not kept.</p>
<p>GP, there are other people that exist in Cal besides us. Some people have pretty crummy plans. A friend of mine is going to save 5,000 a year because he can switch to a new plan. No subsidies. He also has a wife. He isnt on websites like this. He is very happy. I wont switch. That is 4 more people. Now you have to come up with 594 people. Lets see your list of 594 people that you know that want to keep their plans. :)</p>
<p>This doesn’t seem like a fix to me. The insurance companies have to agree to reinstate those cancelled policies. If they were not consulted on this ‘fix’, then what happens if they just say no? They have to jump through all kinds of hoops to get policies approved through the individual states. There’s programming changes they must make in their own systems. This ‘fix’ will cost the insurance companies a ton of money. They may decide to play along and offer the old policies but I am almost 100% sure, the cost will be quite significant. After all, someone will have to pay for all the reprogramming to get these cancelled policies back.</p>
<p>Individual plans in Ca are pretty good. Ca has a ton of mandates so I don’t think you see the subpar plans that might be available in other states. No lifetime caps, maternity coverage, etc is all mandated. So the question is do you join a plan with a network that is uncertain at best or stay with a plan that has a broad network with all the doctors and hospitals you like. It’s hard to believe anyone is saving $5,000 without subsidies.</p>