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Poll

What are your monthly insurance expenses (health insurance)?

Over $600 a month
5 (13.2%)
Over $500 a month
3 (7.9%)
Over $400 a month
2 (5.3%)
Over $300 a month
2 (5.3%)
Over $200 a month
2 (5.3%)
Less than $200 a month
6 (15.8%)
A bit less than $100 a month (Medicare)
6 (15.8%)
None of the above apply to me
3 (7.9%)
None of the above (I don't live in America)
2 (5.3%)
Employer-sponsored
7 (18.4%)
Individual coverage does not apply to me
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 38

Author Topic: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?  (Read 8860 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline allopathicholistic

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  • Posts: 3,258
I think I might be out of touch with today's world  :-[ In an article dated last week, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas-delorenzo/will-americans-ever-get-t_b_167950.html the author says he pays $500 a month for his healthcare coverage. He is HIV positive. (And I assume he gets individual health coverage)

Is that normal these days?  ???

Roughly 5 years ago, if I heard someone say $240 a month my jaw dropped.
« Last Edit: February 25, 2009, 09:42:57 pm by allopathicholistic »

Offline David_CA

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  • Posts: 3,246
  • Joined: March 2006
Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #1 on: February 25, 2009, 07:06:29 pm »
A friend of mine (early 50's female, HIV-, healthy, non-smoker) mentioned her premiums were a bit under $400 per month, so $500 for an HIV+ individual doesn't sound so bad!  None of the choices applied to me, as my insurance premiums are covered by my job.  Perhaps employer-provided would be a good option to add.


edited to add:  I initially selected 'none of the above apply to me' since the employer-sponsored option wasn't there.  I can't go back and choose that now, but that's what I'd choose if I could change my 'vote'.
« Last Edit: February 25, 2009, 10:05:13 pm by David_NC »
Black Friday 03-03-2006
03-23-06 CD4 359 @27.4% VL 75,938
06-01-06 CD4 462 @24.3% VL > 100,000
08-15-06 CD4 388 @22.8% VL >  "
10-21-06 CD4 285 @21.9% VL >  "
  Atripla started 12-01-2006
01-08-07 CD4 429 @26.8% VL 1872!
05-08-07 CD4 478 @28.1% VL 740
08-03-07 CD4 509 @31.8% VL 370
11-06-07 CD4 570 @30.0% VL 140
02-21-08 CD4 648 @32.4% VL 600
05-19-08 CD4 695 @33.1% VL < 48 undetectable!
08-21-08 CD4 725 @34.5%
11-11-08 CD4 672 @39.5%
02-11-09 CD4 773 @36.8%
05-11-09 CD4 615 @36.2%
08-19-09 CD4 770 @38.5%
11-19-09 CD4 944 @33.7%
02-17-10 CD4 678 @39.9%  
06-03-10 CD4 768 @34.9%
09-21-10 CD4 685 @40.3%
01-10-11 CD4 908 @36.3%
05-23-11 CD4 846 @36.8% VL 80
02-13-12 CD4 911 @41.4% VL<20
You must be the change you want to see in the world.  Mahatma Gandhi

Offline J.R.E.

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  • Posts: 8,207
  • Positive since 1985, joined forums 12/03
Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #2 on: February 25, 2009, 07:37:51 pm »
Alex,

My partner is HIV negative and healthy and pays  $439.00 per month for his plan through Aetna. He also has a $5,000.00 deductable.

My insurance thorough work cost $45.00 per pay period ( $80.00 a month-Humana) JP Dental $2.50 a month and Hospital indemnity insurance (CL hospital ) is $16.85 a pay period or $33.70 per month.


Ray
Current Meds ; Viramune / Epzicom Eliquis, Diltiazem. Pravastatin 80mg, Ezetimibe. UPDATED 2/18/24
 Tested positive in 1985,.. In October of 2003, My t-cell count was 16, Viral load was over 500,000, Percentage at that time was 5%. I started on  HAART on October 24th, 2003.

 As of Oct 2nd, 2023, Viral load Undetectable.
CD 4 @676 /  CD4 % @ 18 %
Lymphocytes,absolute-3815 (within range)


72 YEARS YOUNG

Offline Robert

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Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #3 on: February 25, 2009, 08:33:31 pm »
Hi alex.

I'm on Medicare so I'm paying a "bit less" than $100.00/mo.  But I also have Medicare Part D which is approximately another $15.00/mo (Paid by ADAP). 

I also have Kaiser's Senior Advantage but I don't know anything about that. 

robert
..........

Offline Miss Philicia

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  • Posts: 24,793
  • celebrity poster, faker & poser
Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #4 on: February 25, 2009, 08:40:54 pm »
Hmmm... my Part D is ~$50.  Odd how they can be so far off. 
"I’ve slept with enough men to know that I’m not gay"

Offline allopathicholistic

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  • Posts: 3,258
Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #5 on: February 25, 2009, 09:40:45 pm »
Hmmm... my Part D is ~$50.  Odd how they can be so far off. 

Miss P, Robert likely has L.I.S. ("Extra Help") or perhaps you have a superb Part D plan.

David NC: I'll fix the poll now. Thanks.

Offline allopathicholistic

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  • Posts: 3,258
Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #6 on: February 25, 2009, 09:46:56 pm »
My insurance thorough work cost $45.00 per pay period ( $80.00 a month-Humana) JP Dental $2.50 a month and Hospital indemnity insurance (CL hospital ) is $16.85 a pay period or $33.70 per month.


Hey sweety I think Obama said in his address yesterday he intends to improve healthcare for veterans like you! i'd love to know exactly what a politician's gonna do after they say  something - but I do remember he mentioned veterans and making things better for them 

Offline md

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Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #7 on: February 25, 2009, 10:53:14 pm »
Both my domestic partner and I are covered under my employer's health plan.

Direct cost is approximately $50 per month for each of us.

However since the Federal government doesn't recognize domestic partnerships his coverage is treated as a taxable benefit and I pay additional Federal taxes on the amount that the benefit is worth. For 2008 the imputed income for his healthcare was about $6,300 - ie about $525 a month.

Offline madbrain

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    • My personal site
Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #8 on: February 25, 2009, 11:13:02 pm »
I think I might be out of touch with today's world  :-[ In an article dated last week, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/thomas-delorenzo/will-americans-ever-get-t_b_167950.html the author says he pays $500 a month for his healthcare coverage. He is HIV positive. (And I assume he gets individual health coverage)

Is that normal these days?  ???

Yes it's fairly normal. My premium costs about $450 a month in California, including medical, dental and vision, through my employer. My partner's coverage is the same, through my employer also. My employer covers about 80% of it for both of us. But my partner's coverage is actually much more expensive since I have to pay income tax on the cost of his coverage, but not on mine, and I'm in a pretty high tax bracket - about 35% combined federal & state.

That's only for the premiums. That doesn't include copays. I also put $2600 per year in my flexible spending account to pay for doctor visit copays, therapy visit outside my insurance, prescriptions, supplements, etc. I can only use the FSA for myself since it's a federal program and my partner is not eligible to use it.

My partner is on ADAP so he doesn't have med copays, but he does have doctor and other copays.

Offline ga1964

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  • Posts: 188
Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #9 on: February 26, 2009, 12:42:36 am »
Being self-employeed, I did not have Insurance till about 6mo. before diagnosis.  (Thank god I got insurance before diagnosis.)   The policy started at $245.00 and when renewal came up, it jumped to $478.00.  (This was after diagnosis.)  This year it has gone up to $535.00.

The one thing I have noticed, is how their attitude towards me when I call customer service.  Before I was diagnosed they were friendly and helpfull, now they argue constantly about paying for anything.  I recently qualified for a program that will pay my premiums and they asked me to have my insurance billed quarterly instead of monthly.  My insurance company (World Insurance) sent me an invoice for a quarterly payment that the program paid promptly.  The next time I went to get my meds, the pharmacist told  me my insurance had expired.  After contacting my insurance co., they told me that there was a $10.00 fee for quarterly billing,  (I guess they just happened to forget to put the charge on the invoice)  and that I was still within my grace period to pay the $10.00.  So I sent them the $10.00.

When this quarter's bill was sent in and was paid.  When I went to get my meds I was told again that my insurance was expired, and after calling them was told that the $10.00 fee had not been sent in and was still due.  I notified my case worker.  When she called me back to let me know what was going on, she had been given a different story and saying that my payment was $535.00. 

Thank god she got it worked out.  I was out of Atripla, and a few other meds, it was a Friday and it would be the following Monday before they could get it all worked out so I could get my meds.  Thank god, my case worker was able to get me the Atripla that afternoon.  When the insurance finally got approved, I went and got my refill and will be keeping the extra bottle in case this happens when the next premium comes due.

When I last talked to my insurance co., the lady I talked to tried to evade answering what was going on and tried to say it was everyone isle's but theirs.  I asked to speak to a supervisor and was told there wasn't one available at the time.  (I'm sure that was true)

I haven't had the energy to call back, and I know I need to, but it gets soooo trying having to deal with them all the time.  I honestly believe they are looking for any excuse to drop me or make things so agravating, that I give up.

Sorry about the rant, but back to the pole, yes $500.00/mo probably standard for someone HIV+.


Offline LordBerners

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Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #10 on: February 26, 2009, 11:15:40 am »
I didn't see any option for 'cannot get insurance' or 'uninsurable', so I just voted 'none of the above apply to me.
Please, just call me Berners.. or Baron.

Offline Blixer

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Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #11 on: February 26, 2009, 05:35:14 pm »
Part of my job entails working with Health Insurance brokers and providers to secure the best price possible for the group health insurance that we provide for employees have.  Medical costs have been escalating well above the rate of inflation the past few years.  We have been told to expect 10% to 15% increases even if a group is healthy.  One of the concepts behind group health insurance is that it helps to keep the overall cost low.  In the end, health insurance companies are not going to supplement any group or individual.  Over the long term the premiums charged must cover the costs of medical care, insurance administration, and company profit.  Contrary to common opinion, health insurance companies usually shoot for something in the 10% range for profit.  I've learned way more about health insurance and how it works in the past few years than I ever care to know.

With that said, many of the educational institutions in our area (rural Missouri) are paying between $400 and $500 per month to provide health insurance coverage for their employees.  These are policies with $1,000 deductibles, $20 - $30 office visit copays, tiered drug copays (normally $15/$30/$45/25%), and 80% to 90% coinsurance.  Those with insurance have access to some of the best health care in the world in the United States, but it comes at an increasing cost that may some day price many of us out of that care.  It's a scary thought.  So $500 per month for coverage is not anything out of the ordinary and many employees that "pay" for health insurance are only paying a portion.  Having health insurance as an employment benefit has hidden the real cost from most of us.
David
Diagnosed 1/9/06
8/27/2007 CD4 598, 29%, VL 58 (72 wks)
11/19/2007 CD4 609, 30%, VL < 50 (84 wks)
2/11/2008 CD4 439, 27%, VL <50 (96 wks)
5/5/2008 CD4 535, 28%, VL <50 (108 wks)
10/20/2008 CD4 680, 28%, VL <50 (132 wks)
Changed to Atripla in 2012
1/14/2013 CD4 855, 35%, VL <40

Offline Blixer

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Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #12 on: February 26, 2009, 05:45:29 pm »
One more thought... at a 15% rate of increase in medical costs per year, that $240 five years ago would now be approximately $482 just to cover the increased costs of medical care with all other things equal.  At that rate, costs and premiums could be doubling every 5 years.  So extrapolating that five years down the road you would be looking at nearly $1000 per month.

So the conclusion....   somebody better get serious about health care reform.
David
Diagnosed 1/9/06
8/27/2007 CD4 598, 29%, VL 58 (72 wks)
11/19/2007 CD4 609, 30%, VL < 50 (84 wks)
2/11/2008 CD4 439, 27%, VL <50 (96 wks)
5/5/2008 CD4 535, 28%, VL <50 (108 wks)
10/20/2008 CD4 680, 28%, VL <50 (132 wks)
Changed to Atripla in 2012
1/14/2013 CD4 855, 35%, VL <40

Offline AlanBama

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Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #13 on: February 26, 2009, 07:56:20 pm »
Sounds about right to me.  When I still had private coverage, Ryan White funds were paying my premiums, and in 2006, they were about $450 a month.

Now I'm a Medicare "red headed step-child"  lol
"Remember my sentimental friend that a heart is not judged by how much you love, but by how much you are loved by others." - The Wizard of Oz

Offline allopathicholistic

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Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #14 on: February 27, 2009, 10:51:08 am »
One more thought... at a 15% rate of increase in medical costs per year, that $240 five years ago would now be approximately $482 just to cover the increased costs of medical care with all other things equal.  At that rate, costs and premiums could be doubling every 5 years.  So extrapolating that five years down the road you would be looking at nearly $1000 per month.

So the conclusion....   somebody better get serious about health care reform.

hear hear - America needs serious reform PDQ =pretty damn quick!!!

Wish I wrote a sharper poll for all of you... I must admit-- insurance was never my forte

Now I'm a Medicare "red headed step-child"  lol

LOL :D it looks blue and pointy to me :D You have a thing for Kansas gals don't you? 


When I still had private coverage, Ryan White funds were paying my premiums

See, this is why I cherish this website. I learn something new here constantly! I never knew RW funds could be used in that manner  8)

« Last Edit: February 27, 2009, 10:55:55 am by allopathicholistic »

Offline pozhealthy

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Re: $500 a month for his healthcare coverage - is that normal these days?
« Reply #15 on: March 03, 2009, 11:23:10 pm »
i pay a rather large chunk of my  biweekly paycheck towards my health coverage. This does not include all the copays for the medications i am on. I cannot afford my HIV meds at $100 copay for each one. I also take ambien, acyclovir, albuterol nebulizer,oxandrin,temazepem,loperamide and a bunch of other stuff.
I have asthma and my doc wants me to start Flovent but WITH insurance it is $118 which I just cannot afford.
So all totalled I spend well over $500 a month and still not on my HIV meds.
Something has got to give.

 


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