Obama Care Resource

[stuy119]

I wish it were someone other than Oregon who was first on all of this stuff.

 

[Yagents]

Here is a more insightful article and PDF:

http://media.oregonlive.com/health_impact/other/portland_individual.pdf

Two Oregon insurers rethink 2014 premiums as state posts first-ever rate comparison | OregonLive.com

 

[stuy119]

The first time rates have ever been posted side-by-side? I thought all we were good for was putting together a spreadsheet of rate comparisons? Wasn't that why navigators were needed, to actually explain plan design?

(That's sarcasm, if you couldn't tell - I was laying it on pretty thick.)

 

[kahlestyle]

I expected more carrier collusion.
Allowing a redo, though could be huge
Even the underwriters don't know what the hell is gonna happen

 

[Yagents]

I ran rates using the Berkeley calculator:

21 yr old = $288
40 yr old = $368
60 yr old = $782

All/most of the oregon rates posted are lower than these

So, at least in OR, a medium cost state (?), the calc seems to be overstating released premiums

 

[Ann H]

The Society of Actuaries report that we talked about a few weeks ago predicted that Oregon's rates would go up 14.30%. I believe only VT and OR have released rates so far, and of course both states have health care reform already.

I would love to see the benefits for these OR plans, along with the networks, formularies, etc.

http://cdn-files.soa.org/web/research-cost-aca-report.pdf - pdf file of the SOA's actual report - chart on page 7 shows rate increases per state expected in the non-group (IFP) market.

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Oh, silly me. I see that the pdf file that YAgents linked contains a clickable link for the summary of benefits. That link goes to http://www.oregonhealthrates.org/files/plan_summary.pdf.

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These plans are really hard to compare to currently marketed plans because the co-insurance is not 80% / 20%. The copays on the Platinum plan ($20/$40) are normal, but look at the $60 copays on the bronze plan. So, I agree with TaterPeeler to compare the Bronze plan to an HSA. Using the OR Bronze plan's Out-of-pocket maximum of $6400, and comparing that to Golden Rule's HSA of $6000 deductible, then 100%, I see current premiums here in Arizona would be:

Male age 20 - $66
Male age 40 - $118
Male age 60 - $317

Female age 20 - $74
Female age 40 - $142
Female age 60 - $254
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Next I averaged the rates shown on that OR chart for all insurers. The average bronze plan is

Unisex age 20 - $207.50
Unisex age 40 - $265.21
Unisex age 60 - $563.14
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So, if you convert AZ's current rates to Unisex and compare them to Oregon's Obamacare rates, the difference is:

20 year olds - 296%
40 year olds - 204%
60 year olds - 197%

 

[stuy119]

No big deal - there are subsidies.

 

[Yagents]

I ran quotes at E-health, for portland zip 97205, prices for HSA's for females were:

21 yr old = $55 - $150
40 yr old = $134-200
60 yr old = $250-400

This equates to about a 100% rate increase from current available plans compared to exchange plans.

Since all 3 metal plans have OOP of $6400, the best plan to compare to is the HSA plan, and will be the best choice in all exchanges if offered. Who would want to pay more money for the same out of pocket risk?

 

[Ann H]

So.... what this tells us is that states with health care reform already (like Oregon) could still have about 100% rate increases. And states like AZ that have fewer mandates now, may see 200-300% rate increases if our Obamacare rates become like Oregon's Obamacare rates. Then, states like Ohio are going to get really hammered. Won't it be fun to explain this to our clients???

 

[supersupps]

Sounds crazy hard to explain, esp when I dont understand it.. yet..