Our premiums for Anthem BCBS are going up 22% for 2026.

[LuckyCharms]

And the maximum out of pocket increased by a huge amount...I can't remember the number, I'd have to dig out some paperwork to find out.

Premiums were already almost unsustainable, so this is a huge hit.

This is NOT a Medicare Advantage plan. It's regular insurance through my wife's employer.

[Emile]

1. Wow, not good.

[LuckyCharms]

2. Two insured people...

$1,054 per month X 1.22 = $1,286 per month new premium.

It's fucking ridiculous.

[lostincalifornia]

3. Not to worry, your COLA for Social Security will cover it ......... OOPS, my mistake

[LuckyCharms]

4. Haha! A drop in the bucket!

My $80 increase isn't going to cover it!

[lostincalifornia]

5. I know, and you are definitely not alone, and it isn't just with Anthem, it is across the board.

[LuckyCharms]

6. Very true.

[Karma13612]

7. Hubbie and I have a zero premium** Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan PPO for 2025

I know some people despise them and advocate for the horrendously expensive Medicare Supplemental plans instead. We looked at those. We could not afford them. Their premiums were insane.

Keep in mind, we are not rich, and we don’t get the top maximum of SS retirement benefits. We have to watch our money, especially now.

All that being said, Starting in January 2026, the plan we have now will provide less coverage. Some services like simple PCP visits or a simple lab test will now be charged. Others things are going to increase in cost. Some by alot. And they will no longer cover the cost of Dental Restorations like a simple crown. They don’t have ANY in-network Dentists near us, so we always had to pay 50% for any dental service anyway. But, now some services won’t be covered at all.

If we want to retain the level of service we have now, we will have to pay $50 per month. **This is on top of the Medicare premium which is going up. The premium which is deducted from your Social Security Retirement Benefit before it even hits your bank account. Right now, it’s $185 per month. Next year, it’s going up to $206.50

So, in a nutshell, if I want the same coverage I have now, and with the increase in Medicare premium factored in, my medical coverage PREMIUM cost is going up 39%

Pure BS. Pure utter BS

(N.b. All these figures are per person, not as a couple. There is no Medicare family plan.)

[EdmondDantes_]

8. Unfortunately the cost of care is skyrocketing

GLP1s, various specialty drugs. Everyone had to raise prices due to inflation and other costs. But the indirect costs of subsidizing unhealthy foods and lifestyles is another cost that's catching up to us. Even switching to a single payer isn't going to get around how many of us are unhealthy. Some is the cost of living longer, but obesity and its associated issues are a major issue. Covering 1000 a month for everyone to be on GLP1 drugs isn't a viable approach. Not to be confused with RFK Jr but when it's easier to get a candy bar than an apple, when everything has sugar in it, that adds up. When you can't walk or bike anywhere in most cities.

But we aren't ready for that conversation. So instead we're stuck on figuring out how to pay for the backend costs. A lot of insurance companies lost a fortune in the last couple of years. Given our current system, premiums and cost sharing had to go up.

[leftstreet]

9. Time to take the profit out of healthcare

A lot of insurance companies lost a fortune in the last couple of years.

They shouldn't even exist