Comment by Tim on October 25, 2010 at 7:49pm

so far so good on mine... but you never know. I'm self employed, so it's already outrageous, and I carry a second policy 'just in case'... but the good news, I have insurance! :-)

Comment by SF Pete on October 25, 2010 at 8:26pm

We are also starting our open enrollment. I've not heard that we've had any change in our premiums. I'm also on a PPO. Looks like your company is going cheap.

Comment by Teena on October 25, 2010 at 9:27pm

My insurance is called "Family" Insurance covering my husband and I (self employed). It usually increases between 30-40% each year depending on utilization (and inflation). When I had a major surgery, my premiums went up 300%!
In corporate health insurances it usually increases between 15-20%. I worked with HRD and handled compensation and benefits of employees before. Every renewal period...we take in "bidding" and negotiate for the most effective, practical and most efficient priced health insurance for our employees. The company and the employees (and their immediate family members) have a percentage sharing on the premium. The amount will depend on the number of years in service and ranking. Having 5,000 employees then (and family members) we can usually negotiate for a good price.
Maybe your corporates utilization increased dramatically? Although group insurances will always be lower than individual ones.

Comment by Tim on October 26, 2010 at 3:22am

And you think this rumor has nothing to do with scaremongering attempting to influence the upcoming election?

Comment by Brian (bsc) on October 26, 2010 at 5:32am

A three fold increase is really outrageous. Most companies would not tolerate that, it would have an "impact." I also have an Aetna PPO and work for a "small" company. I would expect some increases from the latest health care reform, but not 300%. I don't know what is coming next year, but last year my company faced a "large" increase of over 20% and worked it down. My company considered 20% high enough that there would be fallout and heat from the employees. In the end, my company negotiated some of the increase out by shifting some of the costs to higher co-pays, deductibles and so forth.

The other factor that will affect me in the coming year is the reduction in health care spending accounts which will be capped at $2500.

Comment by Sareln Pupkies on October 26, 2010 at 11:18am

My insurance premium increased by almost $400 this year making my premium over $1200/mo and the deductables increased dramatically. They get more than I get to live on a month. I have also noticed that they are also denying more and more claims. In fact the last denial really shocked me. It was for a drug that my insurace does cover with prior approval. It was denied because the said I needed to fail a trial on another drug first. They gave the name of the drug to be tried. So my doctor prescribed the recommended drug. Well, come to find out my insurance does not cover the drug they demanded I try first. After checking at almost every pharmacy in my area I found out that the drug was going to cost me almost $300/mo. And the fiasco keeps going (now for almost 2 months). So what's up with this? They have also been denying procedures. My new plan year begins in July and I shudder to think what is going to happen then. At the rate it is going I don't think I'll live long enough to see Health Care Reform take place in 2014.

Comment by Andurea on November 6, 2010 at 10:14am

Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see...My insurance Premiums went up slightly (for me and my daughter). Good thing I'm not a tobacco user or the cost is significant ($90 a month). I've provided the cost differences below for AETNA PPO for 2010 and was the most expensive plan at the time and AETNA EPO Plan new for 2011 and the most expensive option. (EPO, offers more coverage as long as you stay In-Network) My doctors are all in the plan...so I won't have to change anything. A bid bummer is...Starting in 2011 this money will no longer be excluded from Federal Taxable wages.(Ouch...that's going to push me into another tax bracket! Good thing they took away our bonuses this year. Thought I would never make that statement. Now, I just want to keep my costs to a minimum.) Hmm...Let's see:


Other Deductions from paycheck 2010:
(every two weeks)
Dent Pre-Tax $34.08
PPO Pre-Tax $158.22 (co-pay $20)
Vision Pre-Tax $11.79

Other Deductions from my paycheck 2011:
(changed to twice a month)
Dent Post-Tax $38.36 (cost decrease of $4.28)
PPO Post-Tax $174.88 (co-pay $25) (cost increase of $16.66) (co-pay cost increase of $5.00)
Vision Post-Tax $7.13 (cost decrease of $4.66)

I'm glad I have a job and I have insurance. I still think a lot needs to be worked on. The insurance companies are screwing us over...especially small employers who can no longer sustain with the cost of insurance going up. They are dropping insurance plans forcing employees to look for work else where for insurance, for other employment or to go without. My husband's employer is asking us to drop the insurance plan he has with the company and add him to my insurance plan. They are going to pay for the difference in cost and so we will not be out of pocket...except the taxes. It's cheaper for them to do this. Interesting...My company is going to pay the majority of the premium for me, husband and daughter. His company is going to pay $100 of the cost for him to be added my plan. They are passing the cost on the my company and somewhere down the line it costs the employees. This is probably wrong, but what other choice do we have? I'm sure this type of creative accounting is going to be happening more and more.

Comment by SF Pete on November 6, 2010 at 11:26am

I just completed our open enrollment. My PPO premium went up a buck. My dental PPO went up a couple. One thing that chilled me to the bone was that they said the increase was due to "utilization." All I could think was that this year I went with Dexcom and OmniPod and had some unusual hospitalizations. Our firm just did another round of lay-offs (the 4th one since the economy tanked). They didn't hit our office this time. But I am feeling like I have a target on my back. There was chatter in the halls that the partners were required to take a 1/3 cut in compensation. Private insurers are going to get me pushed out of my company because I'm dealing with a chronic disease. With the new crew in Congress doing everything they can to nullify health insurance reform, you can bet your bottom dollar that things are going to get worse for us.

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