Healthcare.gov results.

[SmittynMo]

I am 59, My wife is 61. I have been unemployed for 8 months with no job in sight. To be short, I have interviewed for 3 jobs during that time. There were 200+ applicants for each job. I was fortunate to make it to the top 10 in each interview. Once they saw how old I was, I'm almost for certain that killed my odds of being hired. So I hold very little hope for finding a decent paying job. Finding one with benefits are about 1 in 10,000.

My wife has been in the same job for 35 years and has built up only a 1200 a month pension. She wants to retire at 62. That gives me 6 months to find a job with benefits. So I called healthcare.gov to get an estimate of what it might costs us to obtain benefits. The facts are as follows: We will make about 35K a year. I will be 60, She will be 62. I was looking for healthcare and drug benefits and dental benefits. Here are my results.

At first, they wouldn't give me anything without my name address, etc. All I wanted was an estimate. After the person on the phone was reading all kinds of crap from a screen, over and over, I told her all I am looking for is and estimate. It was clear she did not understand my needs. It took many many times for me to get my point across. I finally asked to get someone else on the phone. She finally caved in and started asking me questions about how much our 2014 income was. I gave her 35K as a number and 60 and 62 as our ages. Since she is working in 2014, our income will be much higher. This leads me to believe we will have to wait a year before I can get affordable insurance, since her retirement and social security will be our only income. Anyway, I gave her 35K as our income, as though all we made in 2014 was her soc sec and pension.

After many minutes, she came up with a tax credit and quoted with with a 0 monthly payment and a 12K deductible. No dental was included in this price. Yes, that's a 12 THOUSAND deductible!! How can anyone afford this? I then asked her if there was other options. What if I made monthly payments and a lower deductible? The best she said she could do was 720.00 a month with a 1500 deductible. Again, no dental. I was so upset, I said, fine, I'm done.

My question is what the hell is so affordable about the Affordable Care Act? At this time, I am extremely disappointed, and don't know where to go next.

[Harmony Blue]

1. This will become afforable when enough adults in my age range

and younger enroll. However, that is a double edged sword as women in my age range (mid 20's-30s) tend to have a lot of needs due to the pregnancy and birth control during their child bearing years. But for those older that need affordable coverage it hinges on the younger adults enrolling. Right now since the ACA is in its infancy it isn't where it needs to be, and there will be winners and losers for sure. Eventually that will change but the time frame is not known.

[Yo_Mama]

2. You can find all your options here

http://www.valuepenguin.com/

I think you can do better, but it does depend on where you live, so try that link.

I think you were given the wrong information, to be honest. but try that link, because if you want insurance this year, you are running out of time.

[SmittynMo]

4. Wouldn't we qualify for extenuating circumstances?

Just like me losing a job, that would be an extenuating circumstance for me to be covered/added on her insurance? In August, when she retires we will have no insurance. Could we apply then? I know the current situation with insurance companies is the end of March.

[Harmony Blue]

6. There is a form you can fill out

that might be something you may want to look into.

[WillowTree]

8. Were you previously covered by your former employer's plan?

If so, then yes, loss of your other benefits ought to be considered a valid qualifying event making it possible for you to be added to your wife's plan.

Would she (and thus you) have any coverage available from her employer as retiree's benefits when she retires? Might be something to look into, anyway,

[Yo_Mama]

10. Theoretically, but when I checked they said that wasn't incorporated yet

I wouldn't depend on it.

Also, if you do end up with a 35K income in August, they use the full year income (which I don't think they are supposed to do). So there are some bugs to be worked out.

But anyway, at 35K for a whole year you are supposed to be getting minor cost-sharing as well, because you are below 250% of FPL.

The deductible and OOP are doubled for two, but they still should be reduced from the baseline for a couple with an annual income of 35K. That's why I'm pretty sure you got bad info, but you have to understand that the system the workers use isn't designed for estimates, so they can't give you a good estimate. You have to use an outside system to get a good estimate.

[SmittynMo]

7. Excellent reference

The price and deductibles are still quite high though

[Yo_Mama]

11. It is not cheap, but it's better than the numbers you were given.

Also, if you pick a Silver plan, at 35K you get some cost-sharing, which helps a little. Look at the red numbers on the left and double them to get your family number. You can see plan details by clicking on the individual plan links, but adjust the plan details by using the red numbers on the first page.

Once you find a plan or two that you like, you can contact the ins cos for confirmation and plan details, and then you can call Healthcare.gov back and ask the question about coverage beginning in August because of loss of income due to retirement.

You can't just use the healthcare.gov website because it only takes into account the full year's income, so this is a question you have to ask at the help desk.

[lancer78]

13. Depends

I found a deductible of $2,500 max yearly $5,200 for $208 a month. Insurance, especially for a couple in their 60's should be expensive.

[SmittynMo]

15. Why?

Its our golden years. Yes, I can see it being more expensive because of our age, as the body starts to break down. But most of us will be on limited income soon. In my case, I have been doing contract work for the past 7 years, with short contracts and little pay. Finding a full time job with benefits at this age is extremely hard to find. It all started when Bush trashed the economy. So here I sit, spending 4-6 hours a day seeking full time employment, no UE benefits because of the republicants, and each day becomes more frustrating. I worked in IT my entire life, and cannot find a decent job. Even when I apply for jobs 1/4 my salary, I am told I am not experienced in the field I am applying for. So what am I to do? I expect I will not find employment. No income for the next 2 years, until I reach age 62, with a wife that is ready to retire now, and will be making 1/4 of what she would full time(SS and pension). And now to get a big kick in the ass on paying for insurance, which is suppose to be affordable? I don't think so.
What's so affordable about it?

[Diamonique]

3. You have more than one option.

Have you tried the healthcare.gov site? When I went there I got 10 options varying in price, deductible, benefits, etc. I have insurance through my employer, so I didn't pick one. I just wanted to see how it worked.

[SmittynMo]

5. My original post was about heathcare.gov

I assume that's the Affordable Care Act that Obama has been preaching about.

[SmittynMo]

14. My Bad

Last edited Thu Feb 20, 2014, 09:32 PM - Edit history (1)

I reread your post. I thought it was faster to call. I was wrong. Yes I will try today, hoping that they will not ask 1 million questions. And earlier post was an excellent reference for what I was looking for. (www.valuepenguin.com)

[snacker]

9. I don't know where you live...

but I find it difficult to believe that there aren't more options for you. Also, I've found options and prices by just going online to healthcare.gov and only typing in my state/county (no name or street address). Since you apparently have internet service and a computer, I would suggest trying the link yourself and searching there. It would be complicated for someone to give you all of the options over the phone. We had at least 3 pages of options and found a reasonably priced plan with very good coverage. No complaints from us.

[SmittynMo]

12. Missouri

The damn republicans won't allow Medicaid expansion so it's going to make all of us pay more and have less choices.

[snacker]

16. We live in Wisconsin

I feel your pain. While visiting our daughter in Minnesota, we checked their options/prices and couldn't believe the difference between the two states. We did, however, have several choices of plans and found a very good one at a decent price.

[cbdo2007]

17. there is something about it you aren't understanding....

and I'm not sure what it is, maybe the amount of credits you'll get or something??

My Mom and Dad live in Kansas City on the Missouri side, make a little more than you do, are similar ages, and only have to pay like $250/month for 1500 deductible, because of their income they get all these credits or something that lowers their monthly payment.
Try again and hopefully it will be easier for you to understand next time.

On a side note, if you live in the KC Area, what kind of work are you looking for?

[SmittynMo]

18. I did more checking

For about that much per month my deductible is 4500. I live in St. Louis