Obamacare

kaiser715

kaiser715

Doing hard time
Joined
Jun 1, 2006
Location
7, Pocket, NC
DAMMIT, DAMMIT, DAMMIT

We are both early-retired. ACA is our only insurance option. Our only available plans (for LEE county) for next year SUCK. UNC providers are just about the only ones in-network. Moore Regional hospital, which we prefer, is out of network. Our own damn county hospital, CCH is out of network for us! My family doc I have used for 20 years is now out of network and I'll have to change.

As bad as it is just to stay home, we can just about forget having coverage when traveling.

Lee County is in a little hell-hole of all the ACA regions in the state.

My options are looking like:

1) Get a job, with insurance benefits. Don't need the job, need the insurance.

2) Buy a supplemental insurance plan ON TOP of ACA plan. Pay for ACA thru BCBS, then pay for another plan on top of that to get actual coverage.

3) Go back into consulting, hire folks, get a small business group plan. At least premiums would be deductible then.

So, y'all that have to buy your own insurance thru ACA, self-employed, or whatever, what do you have that works??
 
I don’t mean this as harsh as it’s going to sound, but to me, whoever is telling you that you don’t need the job, just the insurance, doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Insurance expense should have been included in your retirement (Plan for the worst, hope for the best), and if you can’t afford it now, it won’t get any easier and you need the job. Beyond that, find an agent, tell them what you want and what you can afford. Personally, sounds like #2 would be the cheapest and easiest option, but again, I’d let a licensed professional tell me that. If you’re just griping and don’t want to pay, I’d still suggest going through an agent. I think there were a couple noted in the recent Cobra thread.
 
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I’m happy to help anyone on this forum, shop for insurance. I posted in another thread and am actively discussing with other members. I’ve been licensed coming up on 11 years and in 30 states. I have an alternative to the ACA at much more reasonable rates.

Give me a call. 954-464-3558. Even if my plans aren’t the fit for you or anyone I’ll be more than happy to point you to the right plan.
 
UTfball68 said:
I don’t mean this as harsh as it’s going to sound, but to me, whoever is telling you that you don’t need the job, just the insurance, doesn’t know what they’re talking about. Insurance expense should have been included in your retirement (Plan for the worst, hope for the best), and if you can’t afford it now, it won’t get any easier and you need the job. Beyond that, find an agent, tell them what you want and what you can afford. Personally, sounds like #2 would be the cheapest and easiest option, but again, I’d let a licensed professional tell me that. If you’re just griping and don’t want to pay, I’d still suggest going through an agent. I think there were a couple noted in the recent Cobra thread.
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My last boss was an absolute ass, and I got no retirement benefits at all, not even a "don't let the door hit...". Oh, BTW, I was self-employed.

12 more years until the joys of medicare.

I just don't understand how ACA can leave folks in our county in such a hole, where even the local hospital is out of network. Stupid.
 
avoid buying anything from "the health insurance marketplace" like the plague. Self employed here, and when it was the law of the land it was my only option. It makes taxes a pain, the website is awful at best, and the support personell (which you WILL need) know significantly less than you.

I would sooner self insure than go back on any plan that was funded via. the ACA.
 
kaiser715 said:
My last boss was an absolute ass, and I got no retirement benefits at all, not even a "don't let the door hit...". Oh, BTW, I was self-employed.

12 more years until the joys of medicare.

I just don't understand how ACA can leave folks in our county in such a hole, where even the local hospital is out of network. Stupid.
Click to expand...

Again, not to sound as harsh as it does, but if that’s the case, and you’re already having issues, might be worth scheduling a sit down with a legit financial advisor too. Hopefully, they’ll be able to identify some of these gaps and can tell you what’s best for your employment path as well. Perhaps I’m a bit paranoid, but some of my best friends are financial advisors and they always have stories of folks that pulled out of the workforce too early, stay out of the game too long before they realize they don’t have enough in retirement (or cant live the way they want to), become irrelevant in their field and they end up hoping Walmart will take them in to check receipts.
 
kaiser715 said:
I just don't understand how ACA can leave folks in our county in such a hole, where even the local hospital is out of network. Stupid.
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I don't want this to turn into political mudslinging - but a large part of the answer is "because of the provisions and requirements that were removed or blocked form the original plan."
ACA really could only have ever had a chance (not I didn't said "would") of success if implemented in whole. Allowing (or forcing, really) it to only draw on a subgroup of people within a certain demographic, stripping out all the requirement of coverage, but still requiring open access pretty much opens the door for exactly this situation. The ACA backed company has zero incentive, or cost margin, to actually make it good for you.
 
UTfball68 said:
Again, not to sound as harsh as it does, but if that’s the case, and you’re already having issues, might be worth scheduling a sit down with a legit financial advisor too. Hopefully, they’ll be able to identify some of these gaps and can tell you what’s best for your employment path as well. Perhaps I’m a bit paranoid, but some of my best friends are financial advisors and they always have stories of folks that pulled out of the workforce too early, stay out of the game too long before they realize they don’t have enough in retirement (or cant live the way they want to), become irrelevant in their field and they end up hoping Walmart will take them in to check receipts.
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Finances definitely not a problem. Returning to work is not going to happen. The problem is finding a good non ACA individual policy that works for us.

2 years ago when I got booted off my "perfect" BCBS grandfathered plan, we applied for several non-ACA plans. Great health, but refused by every one. They were running scared of what else the government was going to bring down on them, and were obviously not wanting to take on any more individual policies. When we got a reason for being declined, it was usually a BS reason such as being on BP meds (and so are 70% of the people in our age group).

Hopefully shopping will go better this time.

We moved into our dream house and shop last year. I seriously put the idea on the table this morning to rebuild in a new county.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
kaiser715 said:
Finances definitely not a problem. Returning to work is not going to happen. The problem is finding a good non ACA individual policy that works for us.

2 years ago when I got booted off my "perfect" BCBS grandfathered plan, we applied for several non-ACA plans. Great health, but refused by every one. They were running scared of what else the government was going to bring down on them, and were obviously not wanting to take on any more individual policies. When we got a reason for being declined, it was usually a BS reason such as being on BP meds (and so are 70% of the people in our age group).

Hopefully shopping will go better this time.

We moved into our dream house and shop last year. I seriously put the idea on the table this morning to rebuild in a new county.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I guess I'm confused on what the problem is then. Going back to work were two of your own 3 options. If finances are good, stop being cheap, call an agent and cough up the $1000-1500/month for good coverage...don't move, don't join the work force, don't over complicate things and continue enjoying retired life.
 
For some reason, it's not as simple as you and I think it should be.

Met with 2 local agents this morning. Both had some answers, nothing available in an individual plan in this area other than the crappy ACA plans. Or a comglubulation of health, accident, hospitalization, etc underwritten by a third party.

One (and one of very few) option we are looking at is United healthcare 3 year short term, but it has limitations that suck, too.

One of the agents actually said one of our best options is to go over 1 county and rent an apartment and "move" there.

Not interested in working because, well, Winnebago.

Next step is calling 99JeepXJ




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I’d be careful “moving” to the next county. Audit time for insurance company, and you may could get dinged for 100% costs of any qualifying event and possibly insurance fraud. IMO it’s not worth the risk.

Medicare?

or just self insure until you are eligible for Medicare?
 
kaiser715 said:
For some reason, it's not as simple as you and I think it should be.

Met with 2 local agents this morning. Both had some answers, nothing available in an individual plan in this area other than the crappy ACA plans. Or a comglubulation of health, accident, hospitalization, etc underwritten by a third party.

One (and one of very few) option we are looking at is United healthcare 3 year short term, but it has limitations that suck, too.

One of the agents actually said one of our best options is to go over 1 county and rent an apartment and "move" there.

Not interested in working because, well, Winnebago.

Next step is calling 99JeepXJ




Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

I’m here when you’re ready my friend!
 
kaiser715 said:
Next step is calling 99JeepXJ




Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

well I guess there’s egg on my face then, and my apologies...and hopefully you just haven’t spoken to the right agent and 99jeep can get you fixed up...but doggon even if it’s ridiculously priced, it’s tough to fathom someone doesn’t want your business and get you covered in your area. Good luck.
 
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