Professional Woodworkers and The Affordable Care Act

[Paul Wunder]

http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/1...care/?src=dayp

I am posting, NOT to be political but simply to pass on an article from today's New York Times written by Paul Downs, a custom Cabinetmaker from Philadelphia as he looks at the impact on his business of the new Health Insurance law. Paul is an official member here although he has never posted. This article will be one of a series written by him over the next few weeks. I know that we have many professionals here (I am not).

I hope that this subject matter doesn't cause problems here and I do think it may be useful. I suspect that the moderators will follow this closely.

[Matt Day]

This thread will likely get moved soon, but I enjoyed the article and look forward to his next article. I didn't know the ACA is based on age, sex, ZIP CODE, and tobacco use.

Thanks for posting.

[Mike Henderson]

Good, balanced article. Thanks for posting.

Mike

[Mark Carlson]

I liked the article and will look for his updates on how he makes out.

[Phil Thien]

Yep, I enjoyed the article as well, look forward to more updates.

In fact, I appreciate how the article avoids the politics of the issue.

[eugene thomas]

I really hope they mods do move this to proper forum.

[David Kumm]

One of the new requirements is that there can't be as large a price difference based on age as their used to be. Older people will be getting a benefit and young people will be subsidizing them. One reason why the system needs the young people to sign up. Employers with older workers are likely to see the impact of that- at least initially. Among my business clients, the group policies seem to be holding up. The people with individual policies are seeing cancellations and bigger increases. That is here in WI. I suspect different markets are different. Dave

[Earl McLain]

We're seeing the same thing in Indiana David, though our main small group carrier has not released our 1-1-2014 renewals yet. The downside on the Marketplace and SHOP offerings in our area is that the networks are incredibly narrow--with no coverage outside the network (for the most part--life threatening emergency being the main exception).
earl

[Paul Wunder]

In Connecticut, the networks are limited to the state of Connecticut. While CT has great hospitals, there appears to be no coverage that would enable someone to go the The Mayo Clinic or Johns Hopkins for specialized care if needed. I don't know if most commercial plans today have similar restraints. Maybe this will change over time with experience and listening to the public.

Some good news: A small businesswoman in CT (a friend) currently has a group policy that covers herself and her teenage daughter and pays almost $24K annually. I researched the CT marketplace for similar benefits and coverages and found a Blue Cross "Gold Plan" at <$15K. She was thrilled

[Wade Lippman]

Some good news: A small businesswoman in CT (a friend) currently has a group policy that covers herself and her teenage daughter and pays almost $24K annually. I researched the CT marketplace for similar benefits and coverages and found a Blue Cross "Gold Plan" at <$15K. She was thrilled

I lost my group insurance 2 years ago; they said I didn't have enough income to be considered a group. I was paying $14,000 for a family.
The only non-group I could find was $31,000, and it wasn't as good. I was rather upset.
Before the first insurance expired I found a group set up under the first phase of Obamacare for early retirees for $15,000 with somewhat better coverage than my original plan. I was thrilled.
Next year I can get even better insurance for $14,000. I am a happy man.

I am surprised though that a Gold plan for mother and daughter would be $15,000 Here it would be $8,000 for platinum. Maybe we are talking about different things.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

My small business's plan's for all our employees where cancelled, and a the cheapest in exchange option doubled the out of pocket and doubled the premiums for everyone. We were able to switch companies to find a similar plan to the old ones, out of exchange, but it changes the networks, so some of us lost doctors, and will only be able to use the cheaper rates for 2014. After that, we will apparently all be forced to go to a more expensive plan that none of us want. Interesting to see the extreme disgust from the usually ambivalent employees over that. Every one of them opted to stay outside of the exchange. This is a mess for my business and our people.

[Pat Barry]

I really hope they mods do move this to proper forum.

Its already in off topic, where else can they move it?

[Brian Elfert]

Its already in off topic, where else can they move it?

I suspect it started in another area and got moved to Off Topic.

I looked at the Minnesota exchange last night for the heck of it. (I have coverage through work.) I am in my 40s and do not smoke. My cost as a single person was right about $250 a month and it covers 100% after $750 deductible. That price does not include tax credits. My employer pays over twice what coverage through the exchange would cost. I also have to pay 20% of any medical bills so the exchange plan is actually better.

[Phil Thien]

I suspect it started in another area and got moved to Off Topic.

I looked at the Minnesota exchange last night for the heck of it. (I have coverage through work.) I am in my 40s and do not smoke. My cost as a single person was right about $250 a month and it covers 100% after $750 deductible. That price does not include tax credits. My employer pays over twice what coverage through the exchange would cost. I also have to pay 20% of any medical bills so the exchange plan is actually better.

I am an a state-run pool in Wisconsin. I have a bad back, so I wasn't able to get a conventional policy. While I never had or intend to have back surgery, the underlying problem is right there on film, and so three insurance companies turned me down, and I went into the high-risk pool. My premium was $1225 every three months.

They are closing that pool effective Dec. 31, and sent me a letter telling me to check-out the exchanges.

I had my wife check and I can go on her policy (they can't turn me down), and my cost will be about $700 every three months (saving $500 over what I have now).

I hope these threads can remain non-political. It is interesting to me to hear what others I feel I've come to know and respect are doing about their insurance, without any rants.

[Val Kosmider]

It is truly wonderful to have an objective discussion on the ACA.

Yes, there a re a LOT of bad people in this world who would think nothing of trying to profit from the needs of others, but at its core, a national health plan is not a bad idea.

As this example points out, there are plusses and minuses to the plan, but better disclosure can't be hurtful IMHO.Every article I have read which attempts to shoot down this ACT always has a bogey in it which makes the discussion moot. This article, and the gentlemen's real experience sets forth a plausible program as envisioned by its founders. Has to be helpful and informative to many , both insiude and out of the woodworkiung community. Thanks for posting.