Blue Cross/Blue Shield Of Illinois Just Raised My Premium Again.......

[global1]

I am now going to have to pay $2063.36 every 2 months or $12,380.16 per year for a $3000 deductible plan - just for myself. I am self-employed and have to bear the expense myself.

I checked back and in 2006 my yearly expenditure for the same plan was $6,054.00 per year. So in three years my health insurance more than doubled.

The letter I received telling me of this newest premium increase said - "A review of rates has made it necessary to adjust premiums. This notice reflects your new rates. I called BC/BS and they said this was a 'utilization increase'. I only had to rely on my insurance once - and that was back in 1999 when I had a kidney stone and I incurred expenses just a tad more than my deductible. So BC/BS had to pick up some of the expense.

I'm 61 y/o. In four years I'll be eligible for Medicare. Coincidentally - any health reform is said not to go into effect until 2014 - right around the time I transition into Medicare. So if I remain healthy (knock on wood) BC/BS will continue to hike my rate every year. I'll pay into them by that time another $60,000+ and they won't have to shell out a penny for me.

I'm so ready for a 'strong public option'. And Congress better put it into effect sooner than 2014. They should have learned their lesson of pushing out effective dates of the start of new legislation - with the Credit Card reforms they put through that don't go into effect until sometime next year. The time they gave the Credit Card companies - just gave them the license to jack around with the rates - before the legislation goes into effect. We're now bending over and letting the Credit Card companies put it to us - and they are being more brutal than ever.

Really - I wonder how much more that we have to take before we have a big revolt against - this corporate extortion.

I'm at my wits end here. Any advice?

[Christa]

1. It is spiralling out of control fast

I have no advice for you though :(

The sooner this gets fixed the better.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. Have you checked the competition? That rate seems extremely high.

Do you have any pre-existing illness that would keep you from obtaining different insurance? Could you get by on one of those advertised on the Internet?

Read these two things before seeking other insurance.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f38/health-insurance-gotchas-for-people-over-55-a-24898.html

http://seniorliving.about.com/od/retirement/a/retireebenefits_2.htm

[KansDem]

3. It's a race to the top...for the CEOs

UnitedHealth CEO Stephen Helmsley makes $464,000 a day. I don't know what BCBS's CEO makes but maybe he wants more?

Maybe Edward G. Robinson was really playing a health-care CEO in "Key Largo?"

Frank McCloud: He knows what he wants. Don't you, Rocco?
Johnny Rocco: Sure.
James Temple: What's that?
Frank McCloud: Tell him, Rocco.
Johnny Rocco: Well, I want uh ...
Frank McCloud: He wants more, don't you, Rocco?
Johnny Rocco: Yeah. That's it. More. That's right! I want more!
James Temple: Will you ever get enough?
Frank McCloud: Will you, Rocco?
Johnny Rocco: Well, I never have. No, I guess I won't. You, do you know what you want?

[juno jones]

13. That was sampled for the intro to a punk/grunge song

But for the life of me, I don't remember which.

Thank you for informing me of the original source. :hi:

[Romulox]

4. Soon, you'll be required by law to keep paying that premium, regardless of how much it's raised.

That will somehow help, I guess. :wtf:

[sinkingfeeling]

8. Not true. He's self-employed and is free to choose any insurer, if he can find one to take him.

[Romulox]

9. He'll still be required by law to pay premiums, which tend to rise across the industry.

There are certainly no price controls in any of the leading bills. :hi:

[sinkingfeeling]

10. No price controls but plenty of things that should drive down the cost of premiums across the board.

[Romulox]

12. Such as a "Public Option" that will enroll 5% of the uninsured...in 2013?

:shrug:

[JPZenger]

5. Our company can't get cheaper ins. because of one employee with MS

Our company is stuck with Blue Cross through the Chamber of Commerce, even though the premimiums keep going up at 10 times the rate of inflation. We looked into private insurers and they were much higher - because we have one otherwise healthy employee who has Multiple Schlerosis and who needs expensive pharmaceuticals. Therefore, we have to be part of a large non-profit group to get coverage.

[mikelgb]

6. My advice is to invent a time machine.

UNfortunately there is talk of increasing the age of medicare eligibility instead of lowering it. So just when you think you might get it you might have to wait until you are 70.

btw I recommend taking the time machine back instead of forward, things in the past need to change before things in the future ever will.

[Frustratedlady]

7. I found out in the 1990s what kind of company BC/BS had turned into.

My husband retired and I had to go on COBRA. They raised my fee twice before I even made a payment because I had twisted my knee while standing on ice (2 day layup) and because their contract year was up. I had JUST signed the contract two weeks before. They are awful. Get as far away from them as you can..if you can.

Look at private insurers. It can't hurt...might help. Good luck!

[Doremus]

11. My sympathies. I'm right there with you.

We've been paying $1000/mo. for the last 5 years. Our average out of pocket annual expenses including premiums, co-pays, etc. are +/- $15k.

It's our single biggest monthly bill. It's damned hard to scrape it up and getting more so as our business continues its downward spiral.

So no suggestions, just commiseration. I can totally relate. :hug:

[eridani]

14. Yes. Campaign for voluntary buy-in to Medicare as the public option n/t