U.S. puts health insurance prices online

[ProSense]

Source: USA Today

Millions of consumers who shop for health insurance policies in the individual market will get a tool today that will help them compare prices and see inside information on how often insurers deny applications for coverage.

The Department of Health and Human Services is now posting pricing information for 4,400 individual and family health plans offered by more than 225 insurance carriers at www.healthcare.gov. Plan information will be updated monthly, said Todd Park, HHS chief technology officer.

"The whole point is to put consumers in charge," Park said Thursday as he demonstrated the site's new pricing features to USA TODAY.

The insurance shopping tool returns personalized results of available plans based on such factors as where the individual lives, age and gender.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20101001/healthshoppers01_st.art.htm

[Roland99]

1. Here's the

http://finder.healthcare.gov/

Or, better yet:

http://finder.healthcare.gov/more_info/ihi?age=3&audience=fam&dependents=y&no_afford=y&situation=need&state=FL

(a link for family/children plans in FL...adjust the last two characters of the URL for your state abbreviation)



Example results ($200-300/mo...most number of options in that range):



Plan 100

UnitedHealthcare Individual Markets

Compare (up to 3) Click to Compare
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs for Individual:
$2500 Doctor Choice:
PPO Monthly Premium Estimate:
Premiums start at $272 per month
Annual Deductible for Individual:
$2500

Prescription Coverage:
Yes
You may be charged more.

8% received surcharged quotes.
How many people are denied?

15% who applied were turned down.

Copay Select 80 - 2500

UnitedHealthcare Individual Markets

Compare (up to 3) Click to Compare
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs for Individual:
$3000 Doctor Choice:
PPO Monthly Premium Estimate:
Premiums start at $296 per month
Annual Deductible for Individual:
$2500

Prescription Coverage:
Yes
You may be charged more.

8% received surcharged quotes.
How many people are denied?

15% who applied were turned down.

Copay Select 80 - 5000

UnitedHealthcare Individual Markets

Compare (up to 3) Click to Compare
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs for Individual:
$3000 Doctor Choice:
PPO Monthly Premium Estimate:
Premiums start at $223 per month
Annual Deductible for Individual:
$5000

Prescription Coverage:
Yes
You may be charged more.

8% received surcharged quotes.
How many people are denied?

15% who applied were turned down.

FL HEALTH SAVINGS 3000

CIGNA

Compare (up to 3) Click to Compare
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs for Individual:
$3000 Doctor Choice:
PPO Monthly Premium Estimate:
Premiums start at $297 per month
Annual Deductible for Individual:
$3000

Prescription Coverage:
Yes
You may be charged more.

43% received surcharged quotes.
How many people are denied?

18% who applied were turned down.

FL OPEN ACCESS 3000/80%

CIGNA

Compare (up to 3) Click to Compare
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs for Individual:
$4000 Doctor Choice:
PPO Monthly Premium Estimate:
Premiums start at $272 per month
Annual Deductible for Individual:
$3000

Prescription Coverage:
Yes
You may be charged more.

36% received surcharged quotes.
How many people are denied?

17% who applied were turned down.

FL PHC 3000

Aetna

Compare (up to 3) Click to Compare
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs for Individual:
$5000 Doctor Choice:
PPO Monthly Premium Estimate:
Premiums start at $217 per month
Annual Deductible for Individual:
$3000

Prescription Coverage:
Yes
You may be charged more.

31% received surcharged quotes.
How many people are denied?

29% who applied were turned down.

Plan 100

UnitedHealthcare Individual Markets

Compare (up to 3) Click to Compare
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs for Individual:
$5000 Doctor Choice:
PPO Monthly Premium Estimate:
Premiums start at $218 per month
Annual Deductible for Individual:
$5000

Prescription Coverage:
Yes
You may be charged more.

8% received surcharged quotes.
How many people are denied?

15% who applied were turned down.

Copay Select 70 - 2500

UnitedHealthcare Individual Markets

Compare (up to 3) Click to Compare
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs for Individual:
$5000 Doctor Choice:
PPO Monthly Premium Estimate:
Premiums start at $260 per month
Annual Deductible for Individual:
$2500

Prescription Coverage:
Yes
You may be charged more.

8% received surcharged quotes.
How many people are denied?

15% who applied were turned down.

HSA 100 - 2500

UnitedHealthcare Individual Markets

Compare (up to 3) Click to Compare
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs for Individual:
$5000 Doctor Choice:
PPO Monthly Premium Estimate:
Premiums start at $273 per month
Annual Deductible for Individual:
$5000

Prescription Coverage:
Yes
You may be charged more.

13% received surcharged quotes.
How many people are denied?

14% who applied were turned down.

CelticSaver HSA PPO 100% 5000 Individual or 10,000 Family Deductible

Celtic Ins. Co.

Compare (up to 3) Click to Compare
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs for Individual:
$5000 Doctor Choice:
PPO Monthly Premium Estimate:
Premiums start at $242 per month
Annual Deductible for Individual:
$5000

Prescription Coverage:
Yes
You may be charged more.

0% received surcharged quotes.
How many people are denied?

41% who applied were turned down.
1 2 3

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Nice tool, I ran a sample for my 40 year-old son. Gave over 34 options.

[wordpix]

18. however, I just discovered I have the privilege of paying $550-750/mo

for individual coverage with at least a 1000 deductible. I'm healthy, no pre-existing condition. :puke:

[StandingInLeftField]

3. I'm only eligible for the High-Risk Pool in my State

Based upon the cheapest high-deductible plan for my age-group (80/60, $1500 deductible, $5000 in-network, $15,000 out-of-network) I would only have to pay $1,063.93 PER MONTH! A STEAL AT TWICE THE PRICE!!

I'm ecstatic...

[raccoon]

4. THROW UP. ""The whole point is to put consumers in charge,"

No, Mr. Park, consumers aren't in charge of anything here; they're at the mercy of the protection racket called the health insurance industry.

[Schema Thing]

6. give it a rest. this is an awesome tool that didn't exist before now.

[TBF]

7. An "awesome tool" would be Medicare for all so we could

remove the profit motive from health care.

[Roland99]

8. Oh HELL yeah!

[valerief]

16. Now THAT would be awesome!!!!! nt

[Smashcut]

21. THIS

:thumbsup:

[Posteritatis]

27. Yes it would, but this kind of information is still worth having in the meantime. (nt)

[Cal Carpenter]

14. Yes, now we can see exactly how fucked we are

while the health industry can make obscene profits off of our (shrinking) livelihoods..

[NorthCarolina]

15. Actually it did exist before

A similar service has been available at ehealthinsurance.com for quite some time.

[Schema Thing]

5. This is great. If you have to compare outrageously confusing info - at least you..

can now make apples to apples comparisons of said outrageously confusing info.


The "one-place-to-go-for-information" aspect of reform is one of the nicer features.

[Mimosa]

9. Oh goody! Look at my 'affordable health plan'

Don't forget to note the turn down rate:



CelticSaver HSA Indemnity 100% 1500 Individual or 3000 Family Deductible

Celtic Ins. Co.

Compare (up to 3) Click to Compare
Maximum Out-of-Pocket Costs for Individual:
$1500 Doctor Choice:
Indemnity Monthly Premium Estimate:
Premiums start at $1560 per month
Annual Deductible for Individual:
$1500

Prescription Coverage:
Yes
You may be charged more.

0% received surcharged quotes.
How many people are denied?

67% who applied were turned down.

[TBF]

10. Our premiums are around $1000/month -

which includes some dental & eye benefits. Family of 4. The deductibles are about the same, and prescriptions are pretty reasonable (full-price $35, generics less). It is Cigna coverage and we don't have to have referrals for specialists.

We are thrilled to have it and now feel tied to my husband's job. Earlier this year I was diagnosed with Psoriatic arthritis, and this month also osteoarthritis in my knees. Lots of expensive injections. No complaints because I've met my deductibles and I am doing really well with the meds - but heaven help us if my husband loses his job.

So I am thrilled I have insurance that costs me $1000/month. Isn't that something? Just disgusting.

[Smashcut]

22. 67%!!!

Premiums STARTING at $1560/mo!

Why even bother?

[pasto76]

11. awesome. sunshine is the best disinfectant.

!!!

[riverbendviewgal]

12. HOLY MOLY.. This should have been done in 2009

Good to see this is out before the election.

Reading those costs to have health insurance makes me glad to be Canadian.

My income was 60 k last year, paid 21 percent Federal and Provincial taxes together . I am retired and paid nothing for medical services. I did pay 1600 bucks annual for supplemental for prescription, dental , physio, (massage). I reached my prescription and dental limits and had to pay out of pocket but that is deductible as well as the supplemental insurance out of pocket.

I had many lab tests, ct scan, mammogram , colons-copy/and gas-trophy done the past year..Paid nothing.

Visiting the doctor is great, walk in , walk out, no bill.

When I turn 65 I will pay $100 annual fee for prescriptions and any prescription is costing me only 4 dollars.

[valerief]

17. WOW!!!! You're retired and not even 65????? And you only paid 21% taxes????

You live in Utopia.

[Mimosa]

23. Don't think we 'down here' aren't green with envy, Riverbendviewgirl

Try a $10,000 annual deductible and a $1,000 annual deductible for Rxs for the price of $985 a month. We are looking for something else but after age 50 no HC insurance has to take us until 2014. We can't afford our premiums but are scared to drop the insurance in case of a catastrophe. But we can't afford to use it.

But if we drop insurance doctors and hospitals won't take us.

Imagine how close to the bone many here are. With high premiums the insurance companies are making big bucks. But we can't afford to save for our old age.

Come 2014 who knows what the premiums will be?

[ProSense]

13. Consumer Reports also has a new health care site up

Consumer Reports Health.org

About Consumer Reports Health

Health Reform: The First Six Months (PDF)

[ipaint]

19. Only option for me is private policy. Nothing I can afford or afford

to use.

This health ins. clusterfuck is beyond degrading. When compared to other countries such as Canada we must be out of our collective minds as citizens to put up with this pandering to private interest garbage over and over and over again.

[MarieP]

20. Thanks...I'll be using this tool in a few minutes

I had to get individual single coverage Jan 1 this year. As of today, Oct. 1, the monthly premium increased 16.5%. Yesterday I received notification that the policy I have will no longer be available as of Jan 1 of next year. At that time I have the option of selecting a comparable "new" policy at a 25% increase in monthly premiums.

Fortunately, I have no preexisting conditions, so maybe I can go with another insurance company. There again lies a problem...insurance companies seem to be like the mafia with their own "territories" and "products and services". Last year when I entered my coverage preferences, two insurance companies appeared. Then I found only one of them covered all my doctors/facilities...at a higher premium.

Oh...and next year will be great when I enter a new age group with the privilege of paying even more in monthly premiums.:sarcasm:

So off I go to get in charge...or find out how much I'll be charged.

[Vinca]

24. I wonder if the people constructing the site have tried to use it.

I followed the link for small business insurance in my state and got to a site with no information even remotely connected to small business insurance rates. Then, for giggles, I decided to check the price of private policies and actually found 1 with a $10,000 deductible for about $500 a month . . . except there was an asterisk telling me it could be more. Why can't this country be like Canada? They send you a card, you present it for medical services, end of story.

[riderinthestorm]

26. You won't find small business group plans anymore.

I know. We tried to get it in IL in April/May/June of this year. Our small biz was turned down by every single company in IL - the reason? They aren't writing small business policies anymore - it's not lucrative enough and they know in 2014 everyone is going to have to buy it individually - far more profitable. Furthermore, my agent told me that she hasn't been able to get a group plan written for any small biz under 200 employees since the HCR debate began last year.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[1955doubledie]

28. "It'll put the consumers in charge..."

Oh. My health and your health are now "consumer items."

[avaistheone1]

29. That's a good thing!

:-) :thumbsup: