Successful Enrollment in MNCare ACA exchange!

[MineralMan]

My wife (age 57) finally made a decision on her ACA plan and enrolled in that plan. Currently, she is insured on an individual portability plan and has not been able to change plans due to pre-existing conditions. Premiums for her current individual plan are $942 per month. It has a $500 deductible and 80/20 coverage, with a $5000 maximum out of pocket amount. Our income just exceeds the amount for subsidies. So, the Platinum level plan she selected through MNSure, which has a $1000 deductible, and also a $1000 maximum out of pocket annually, has a premium of $461 per month. It is a PPO, and both her general clinic and one specialist she sees are in the network. Prescription costs are slightly higher for some prescriptions, but lower for others. The savings from just two months of premiums almost covers the entire annual deductible and after the deductible has been reached, the plan covers 100% of all medical costs with no copays.

All in all, it's a very good plan for our situation. If our income goes down, she'll qualify for the subsidy as a tax credit.

This is truly an affordable care policy.

Thank you, President Obama!

[PoliticAverse]

1. "and both her general clinic and one specialist she sees are in the network."

That's a real important part and a reminder that people need to check the doctor and hospital networks
included in any plan they are considering, and make sure any new doctor you are considering is accepting
new patients.

[MineralMan]

3. Yes. My wife has been doing her homework in

selecting a plan. The MNSure site is very good at presenting information on each plan, and there's a lookup system for checking your providers to be sure they're included.

The only thing she didn't care for so much was their network hospital, but only because it's not the closest one to our home. It's a fine hospital, though, and just a few minutes farther away.

It's also important for people to look at the numbers when figuring out deductibles, out of pocket maximums, and copays, etc. Doing a complete comparison of plans takes time and some work. In that sense, it's a difficult situation for some people, who may have issues in figuring out what their health care costs and risks may be over a year. For my wife, it's fairly simple, really.

Since I'm on Medicare and have a supplemental policy that I like, none of this is an issue for me. My total cost is about $225 per month, including the Part B deduction from my SS payment and the cost of the supplemental policy. Between the two, I have no deductible and no copays for almost everything, and my prescription costs are quite low, so it's a great plan for me. If I wanted to spend a little more, I could add a Part D coverage plan, but all of my prescriptions are generics, and I also qualify for prescription coverage through the VA, so I pass on the Part D.

Still, it's like we got a $500/month increase in our income, this is.

[okaawhatever]

2. So glad to hear it. Please consider donating (tithing) a portion of what you save to your favorite

candidate next election season!! I haven't called to sign up, but have looked at plans on the web and i'm glad to see one with such low out-of-pocket costs. Most of the generic plans advertised have high out-of-pocket. I'm definitely going to ask about that because I'd rather pay a little more each month and not worry about it.

[MineralMan]

4. Look at available Gold and Platinum level plans

and run the numbers to see what makes the most sense for your personal situation. That's the best advice I can offer. Everyone has different needs.

[MineralMan]

5. Weekend kick