We're in the individual health insurance market

[SHRED]

My wife and I have a Bronze Kaiser HSA plan.
We are within the 400% federal poverty level so we get help. This is a $1,500-$1,700 per month plan. Between us and the ACA that is what they are getting paid each month.

Now the "fun" part...
We can't afford to go there. This plan pays for virtually nothing until the high deductible is met. They want over $200 to go see the the dermatologist. This isn't counting any treatments or lab work.

Here's the kicker...
It's less expensive for us to go to Scripps and pay cash. We qualify there for the financial assistance program also.

Our Kaiser plan is our "catastrophic" plan.

This is the state of the individual market.
It's beyond FUBAR.
So much wasted money.

[enough]

1. It's the American way. Get shafted and be proud of it.

Hope things change soon.

[msongs]

2. is that your ACA plan? nt

[SHRED]

3. Yes

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

4. This sounds a lot like certain plans that existed before the ACA.

I very high deductible, but once met it covered catastrophic coverage.

Is there even a distant chance one of you could get a job that offers a better plan?

[Merlot]

7. Can't believe you're even asking

Is there even a distant chance one of you could get a job that offers a better plan?

Bronze plans are a part of the ACA, they are the catostrophic coverage plans.

[TwistOneUp]

5. Single payer. Period.

Cut the effing DoD useless-and-never-works-right programs like the F35 and redirect those funds to single payer.

[questionseverything]

6. my dad used to say,"becareful what the gov't thinks you can afford"

the aca really proved him right

gov't needs to make the things we can't get on our own more affordable not to saddle us with bills we can't afford for something we can't afford to use

[Merlot]

8. The ACA is more affordable than insurance before it was

It doesn't lower the cost of insurance, it provides subsidies to those who can't afford the full price of the premium.

It's not the greatest, but millions of people who had NO coverage now have coverage.

[questionseverything]

9. for those it helps, i am glad but the problem is how it is decided who can't afford the full price

being self employed, we are not sure what our income will be

using the aca calculator I entered 42 grand at that level of income a bronze catastrophic policy would be no cost but have a 6 grand deductible a piece or 12 grand a yr

at 52 grand a year that same policy costs 18,000 bucks a years with the same high out of pocket cost

so for 10 grand more a year it costs 18,000 grand and leaves you nothing to pay ss tax or income tax

who would think that was fair or reasonable?

I am telling ya, no one did the math before they passed the law

[Merlot]

10. I'm self employed as well, got a silver plan which doesn't have the 6K

[questionseverything]

12. i looked at those but my problem is still the same

if we made "too much" we would owe the subsidy...just way more than the bronze plan

[Auggie]

11. I'm in the same exact boat as you ...

one advantage we freelancers have is the ability to control our monthly income and know when to refuse new work, delay billing until the next tax year, or utilize every legal business deduction there is.

"A disincentive to work" was one of the early criticisms of the ACA.

BTW, I understand the qualifying poverty level has been raised by about a $1000 for 2018.

[questionseverything]

13. that disincentive to work rubs me the wrong way but i understand what you are saying

we are raising grandkids so that makes our situation a lil dif...I don't want them to have to do with out everything


i just don't get how the gov't can expect a person to pay 18 grand plus ss tax for a 10 grand increase in income

another thing that bothers me is, people who recieve their insurance thru their work do not have to declare it as income,i realize making that change would be really unpopular but it would be more fair as self employed people have to pay ss on their entire income before they pay the cost of insurance

i just feel like this is a disscussion we as democrats need to have

ty for your imput

[Auggie]

14. I sincerely don't know how to respond ...

other than to share how I'm dealing with it. You can join me (if you haven't already) in calling your federal and state representatives.

You're not alone. Best of luck.

[questionseverything]

15. there is nothing we the people can't solve

identifying the problem is the first step