WTF?? I just went on Healthcare.gov and in this area of N.C. ONE ins. co provides coverage

[loudsue]

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of NC is the ONLY company that is on the exchange for my county, and they just got a 25% rate increase approved by our newly republicanized legislature. The Bronze level coverage starts at $541 per month for my insurance.

Have I mentioned how I HATE having republicans run this state?

One company is on the federal exchange for my area. One. No choices, except for which policy you want within blue cross.

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

1. Well now,

that blows!!!

[loudsue]

2. There are definitely some glitches with the site, also.

That was pretty frustrating. Trying to get to "the marketplace" to look at the policies, you had to "click around" a box that wasn't really a box. Very strange. I got someone on the phone who told me where & how to click on this not-a-box.

It's been a hard day at the loudsue residence.

[penultimate]

12. The site is still messed up, which is frustrating...

Still can't register "life events" or whatever they call them. Which is no big deal, as I will just have to call them, but the site working would have been awesome. I also tried helping someone sign up online the other day and the thing errored out on them after filling everything out.

[loudsue]

14. It kicked me off about 7 or 8 times, but I persevered, plus I called the 800 number.

It's been hard finding out how much it all costs. With the deductible, out of pocket expenses are about $11,000 per year. Who in the hell can afford these insurance executive's salaries on my pay grade?

[penultimate]

16. If you haven't tried out thehealthsherpa.com, you might find that useful if the healthcare.gov site

is being problematic. You can't sign up or anything, but it does seem to aggregate the same plans. http://www.thehealthsherpa.com

[mucifer]

3. and I bet most people in your state will blame President Obama and not the repubs

[loudsue]

4. Oh, you can make sure the republicans will convince everyone here that the whole thing is obama's

fault. In fact, they already have. That's why the Koch-heads were able to turn the state red.

[KoKo]

5. Not really...we are suffering from the REPUG TAKEOVER...by Koch/Alec and Local Crook

who took over. We didn't get enough help from our Dem Party to stop this onslaught. Don't blame us...NC went BLUE for Obama in '08....but that was due to Howard Dean's Grass Roots Movement for the Activists in the Dem Party. After POB was elected...and Dean was out...we had very little help against the RW WOLVES who salivated for Decades as to how to overcome the Dems in NC.

[loudsue]

6. Spot on KoKo. The Citizens United ruling is what was the final straw in that whole thing.

These new tax-exempt corporations are the cesspool they are all wallowing in, too.

[Blue_In_AK]

7. Same here.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. Yep...

same thing here in Ala.
in the 4 real cities in Ala. there may be more than one insurer
but in all the other counties, there is ONE insurer, BC/BS, as far as i could tell.

Seems to be true for some other states, I noticed when I was looking over the website.

AND since the program is by county, some plans could only cover services IN that county.
Apparenlty that is a risk with lower cost plans.

As we know, many people often go to a nearby city for needed heatlh care which is not available in their county.

[okaawhatever]

9. Koch Bros and Chamber of Commerce types probably discouraged insurance companies

from joining. I know the states that embraced it actively sought out companies to participate. I wonder if the state insurance commissioner did anything to help or hurt prospects.

I would definitely file a complaint or send a letter to the insurance commissioner and ask for an explanation why there aren't more participants.

[Lyta2000]

10. Yes, it is disappointing

I am a certified Navigator in NC and am quite sad that our state only has two options. I assume you make too much to get a good subsidy? I hope things work out. I do want everyone aware of N C Med Assist which is is Charlotte. Gives help to those who need Rx mess and can't afford them.

[loudsue]

15. Thank you for your service, Lyta. In rural areas near Raleigh there is only the one option.

My husband's pension puts us over the $$ subsidy level, by about $1,000/yr. I count my blessings that he HAS a pension, but even with that, we don't have $$ for extras.

[penultimate]

11. Hmmm... $541/mo for one of the bronze plans? That seems really super high..

Is it just you or is that also for other people?

[loudsue]

13. I think it is just my county, Penultimate.

And, yes, it was for one of the bronze plans. To me, it is SUPER high for what you get. I'm 64 years old, so I only have one more year of it until I can join Medicare. But I'm also thinking of the many people in my county who are close to my age, and only given ONE choice.

Damn these republicans!

[PATXgirl]

17. Same in Texas. BCBS of Texas. Rates are at least $200 more a month. Deductible is outrageous.

No choices.