It's time to get mad about the outrageous cost of health care - Consumer Reports

[staggerleem]

44. The time period covered by this report ...

... is from BEFORE the Obamacare exchanges were opened.

A year ago at the beginning of October, when that messy roll-out began, my company re-negotiated our health insurance plan with Company U. The new plan featured $3,000 deductibles, and a family out-of-pocket maximum of around $15,000. The HR department encouraged us all to open Health Savings Accounts, so we could at least pay the deductilbes and o-o-p expenses with pre-tax money.

This year, at LESS expense to the company, we have a new plan, with ZERO deductible (in-network, $500 out-of network), a max family o-o-p of $2000, and a MUCH better prescription plan. Our biggest problem now is figuring out how to use the cash in our HSAs (which we can no longer contribute to with our deductibles so low), without incurring a penalty.

So, believe it or not, the ACA IS WORKING! Yes, we STILL pay more than any of the other "big-boy" countries, but the curve IS being deflected downwards.