This flippant attitude toward those harmed by the ACA will cost us 2014.

[meaculpa2011]

262. My two cents about "shitty" coverage.

I've been a freelancer for more than thirty years--self employed with health coverage bought on the individual market. For years I had a so-called "shitty" policy. The cost was $196 per month for a family of four. My wife and I were in our early forties and our kids were still toddlers. There was a a $2,000 per person deductible and a $4,000 family deductible. After those thresholds were met all of our hospitalization costs were covered as well as all routine visits with small co-pays. Most importantly, in case of serious injury or illness, we didn't have to worry about being bankrupted by medical costs. Thankfully, we never reached our deductibles.

Then NYS overhauled the insurance regs and I was declared under insured.

Under our old plan, in a worst-case scenario if we reached all of our deductibles, we would have been out of pocket for less than $7,000 in any given year.

As it turns out we just paid for our routine visits in cash and our total health-care spending, including premiums, never exceeded $3,500.

Under the new plan mandated by the state, my first year premium went to $690 per month. So if none of us got sick or went to the doctor we were still on the hook for more than $8,000, just in premiums. Add in co-pays and deductibles and we would have topped $9,000. And that's if none of us got seriously ill.

Now my coverage is going from about $13,000 per year to more than $19,000. Granted, I earn enough to pay the increase without a subsidy, but it's still quite a hit. I'd be happy to take back my "shitty" coverage today.

Collectively, we may be better off for the changes. But I have been forced to pay thousands to the insurance industry for coverage I did not want. I doubt that I'm alone.