<p>If they do delay the individual mandate for a few months, that would have little effect on anyone who has been posting here. Some of us are unhappy with the our premiums, or the providers on the plans, but I haven’t seen anyone here say that they would prefer to go with no health insurance at all. The delay would allow us to go without insurance for a few months, but it wouldn’t allow us to buy nonconforming plans.</p>
<p>If they do a delay, it’ll be bad for insurance companies, though. The people most likely to sign up at the last minute, I’d guess, are healthy uninsured people. People with pre-existing conditions who’ve been counting the days until Obamacare takes effect aren’t going to wait.</p>
<p>Parents are required to purchase pediatric dental insurance in order for their insurance plans to be ACA approved. I don’t know if there is an exemption for dentists.</p>
<p>If I were being rational about it, I would seriously consider dropping health care coverage. It really doesn’t make much sense to pay $6000 a year and still have to pay for all of my health care out of pocket. The incentive in the past was that any break in coverage made it very difficult to purchase insurance in the future. I believe that is no longer a big concern so why not wait 'til I need it? The real answer to that is that the only way to get access to the discounted price of health care (50% to 75% off the suggested retail price) is to get the insurance company price. Even if you are paying out of pocket (deductible), you are still paying the sale price.</p>
<p>Frankly, a 27 year old would have to be nuts to not consider just paying the penalty. I think people my age at least comprehend the reality of a catastrophic illness. But, a 27 year old? Wait til they figure out they pay $2100 a year for a Kaiser Catastrophic plan in Arliington County Virginia and they still have to pay for their health care out of pocket until they’ve spent $6350. </p>
<p>Remember, something like a million people across the country have just gotten letters from their insurance companies informing them that they are losing their current plans sometime over the next 12 months. These people will all be without insurance until they proactively go out and buy it.</p>
<p>Regardless of the label, I’m sure any extension/delay will be brutal for the insurance companies, at least financially. Those with medical needs/chronic illnesses will sign up no question; those young 'ens who believe that they are invincible, probably not. Thus, adverse selection at its worst.</p>
<p>I think this is an important point that many are overlooking. Yes, great, I have insurance that costs $2k a year…I can afford that, but everything is out of pocket until you pay $6,350. Now how “affordable” is that?</p>
<p>right, and that is what insurance should be all about. I don’t know how or when employer based plans deviated from what true insurance should be. Wow great, $10 co-payment, let’s run little Johnny to the doc whenever he gets a runny nose. Let’s pump little Sally up with antibiotics every time she has a cold.</p>
<p>As interesteddad points out, that hypothetical 27-year-old is buying two things with their $2100 for the catastrophic plan: catastrophic insurance against health catastrophes, and the hefty might of an insurance company negotiating payments with health care providers. (Or, if they’re buying into an HMO like Kaiser, they’re buying the right to the HMO’s member pricing.)</p>
<p>A while ago, we realized that employers were claiming our health care coverage was a higher level of “benefit” than it was, and we would rather pay out own coverage and take the difference in salary. </p>
<p>As you can imagine, this was significant. Worked out to be 20000 a year or more in cash for us since we are healthy and had a very low premium. </p>
<p>While we have decided on the bronze plan, we may decide to go with employer coverage now that our costs have tripled. We have a lot of options with that, between the two of us. </p>
<p>If we change and it changed our pricing, I will let you know</p>
<p>poetgirl - I don’t know what piece of the employer mandate does not apply/been pushed out but I recently renewed with my employer’s plan and found almost no increase.</p>
<p>“Remember, something like a million people across the country have just gotten letters from their insurance companies informing them that they are losing their current plans sometime over the next 12 months. These people will all be without insurance until they proactively go out and buy it.”</p>
<p>800,000 in NJ, all individual and all small group were cancelled. Since we don’t have a state website, we all have to go on the government one.</p>
That’s not necessarily true. If there insurance company is pulling out of the market, yes. But the letter to me from BS said that my plan was expiring at the end of the year, not my insurance. They will automatically roll me over into an ACA-compliant plan effective January 1, unless I notify them otherwise. The plan they have chosen for the rollover is the one that is closest to the one I have now. The only reason I’m not taking them up on the offer is that I want the eligibility for tax credit or premium. (I think the enrollment thing would go much faster it they allowed people to enroll directly through the companies and then apply for the subsidies- a lot less confusion in the long run as well. The companies could easily designate which plans were subsidy eligible).</p>
<p>If you don’t have coverage and are hit by a vehicle (hit and run) or diagnosed with aggressive cancer or have a heart attack and have no coverage, you can’t buy insurance until open season, which is only during certain periods and times of the year. You would still need the treatment and it can cost a great deal–may be required to put down a substantial cash deposit before treatment.</p>
I think you are really selling 27-year-olds short. My son got married at age 27 – he was not only thinking about insurance for himself, but he was figuring out how to get his new fiance & soon-to-be-born kid covered too. I think most young women are very conscious of their health needs. </p>
<p>If they hadn’t come up with the age 26 cut off, then I’d see the argument – but by age 27 I think most young people have a more serious approach to things. Also, the vast majority are going to be eligible for subsidies. I know a handful of youngsters who are earning will over the $46K cutoff… but I certainly have not seen it happen in my family. </p>
<p>Keep in mind that 2/3 or more of the American population will qualify for subsidies with that 400% FPL cut off.</p>
<p>Just getting the insurance co.-negotiated prices for services makes insurance worthwhile, regardless of age. I just had blood work done and got the EOB from Anthem. The lab billed over $620; insurance allowed $68. Without insurance, I would’ve been billed over $620. I’d much rather pay $68. Ditto this experience for doctor’s visits, X-rays, DH’s medical bills…you don’t need to have a catastrophic event to benefit.</p>
<p>Having said that, we probably still pay more in premiums than we get back in benefits, but that’s because we hardly use services.</p>
<p>If you don’t qualify for a subsidy, you can just go to an insurance company’s site and buy insurance directly from them. Moreover, if you don’t qualify for a subsidy (and you’re sure that you aren’t close to qualifying) you probably should check out what insurance companies are offering that isn’t on the exchange, in case it would suit you better.</p>