We just were informed that Cobra benefits would be about $1,100 a month....

[WCGreen]

Add the $350 we spend on scripts each and every month and the $150 per month, on average, for co-payments and stuff that is just not covered and then add the money taken from my SSI benefit, another $125 and that really takes a BITE out of the budget.

We are going to have to shell out $1,750 bucks a month to cover this.

That is more than our mortgage, car payment, food and the Cable combined.

I don't know how we are going to pay for it, but I'm sure something will turn up, We get some help from a really generous friend and some from family, but it's scary.

[NYC_SKP]

1. My COBRA is $1,375 just for one person.

three years ago it was under $500, then I took a job with bennies, then I quit it.

Why the difference?

[WCGreen]

2. I think it is based on the coverage you had before you separated from your

employer.

It is basically continuing your coverage with the provider.

[cascadiance]

9. I think it's risen for everyone. Perhaps because some of our getting older and becoming "riskier"..

I know mine that I'm signing up for is about double what my previous amount I paid in COBRA from a previous job and over double the amount of COBRA the job before that. I will be paying the same amount I was paying before which I knew about since it was taken out of my contract worker pay each month (and had I known the amount it would be before hiring on, might have negotiated for a higher contract rate).

Insurance companies are finding a lot of ways to scam more money from us before Obamacare kicks in I think. I think they just tried to bill me an additional $100 for a "deductible" for a pharmacy refill order I made just recently after my contract ended but my health coverage still in place. I've found a way to creatively get back some or all of this deductible creatively if someone wants to PM me on this if they feel they've gotten the same treatment on a pharma order where they might have had a drug suddenly jump in your cost to $100 more or so.

[tammywammy]

15. COBRA is simply you paying for all of your premium.

Really. You're paying for all of the premium. The reason the cost is different, is because when you switch employers you're switching insurance.

For instance, at my previous employer if I had needed COBRA it would have been around $200/month. It was really shitty insurance to boot. If I lost my job know my COBRA would be around $550/month - but I have much better insurance.

All COBRA is, is allowing you to still purchase your insurance from a previous employer, but the employer no longer subsidizes the cost. That's why there's usually a sticker shock from people when they're told how much COBRA is, because they don't know how much of their premium is being covered by their employer.

[cascadiance]

17. I understand that, but I'm perceiving that each job I get the costs are getting incrementally higher

... and by quite a large amount, and I see a lot less benefits in terms of having higher copays for doctor visits and pharma costs, etc. too.

It's been made visible to me since I've gotten COBRA plans from the last three employers I've worked for. And as a person who works contract jobs, it IS visible in that case to many people since it isn't absorbed in to the cost of being a permanent employee the way it is in other jobs. Now, I've also started working each time for smaller sized employers as well, and also understand that bigger employers usually negotiate the costs of their medical coverage to be lower than the smaller employers pay (so, the smaller the employer you are with less negotiating power, you usually pick up the slack for the reduced costs that larger employers are paying). And if you are paying for health coverage completely on your own, then you often times pay the most as you have no negotiating power at all and therefore are probably paying for more than you should probably pay for in a "global pool", since the large companies are being subsidized with your payments to make up for their lower rates.

[tammywammy]

18. Ahh, I see

Yes, health insurance costs have been going up.

I work at a much larger company now and have better insurance and my out of pocket cost has not gone up really in the 4 years I've been there (around $3 increase per week). But they have a lot of negotiation power, plus they obviously pay a lot toward my insurance cost. I'm fortunate and know most people are this lucky.

[still_one]

30. That is exactly correct, it is dependent on your employer /nt

[Fumesucker]

3. Because they can

[tammywammy]

11. It's the amount of the total premium for insurance.

The problem is that most people know what they pay each pay period for insurance, but not what their employer pays. COBRA is you paying for all of it.

At my previous job if I had needed COBRA I would have paid around $200/month. I know because I took in the payments from previous employees - this was 4 years ago. If I lost my job where I am now, I would pay around $550 a month. My employer doesn't hide how much our total insurance premium costs, every employee can look it up. I pay around $16/week for insurance, and my employer covers the rest.

Different insurance is going to cost a different amount.

[Warpy]

4. I couldn't get insurance for 26 years

Even if I had been wealthy, full insurance was not to be had. The best I ever found was Blue Cross which was more than my mortgage, food, and other expenses. Since I could just as easily go bankrupt over 20% of the bill as I could over the full amount, I passed and resigned myself to a life of penury so I could afford to keep the lupus in check.

To say I'm angry about this is to call the Pacific Ocean "damp."

[SoCalDem]

5. Actually, that's not as bad as I expected. In 1996 we paid $900 a month for our COBRA

It was AWFUL... but we had to have it because two of our sons played sports and my husband is diabetic.

[WCGreen]

6. I'm on the list to get a lung transplant....

I'm pretty worried about how this is going to affect my future...

[SoCalDem]

7. Sometimes it's just one thing after another, isn't it?

Sending good vibes your way, friend

[still_one]

31. I would hope the ACA would help /nt

[Ms. Toad]

38. Should be a lot better in about 6 months.

If you do not have eligibility through an employer, you should be eligible through the exchanges and/or via expanded Medicaid, likely at a reduced rate because the plans are income based.

[cascadiance]

10. Mine will be over this amount for just myself...

but as I'm typing this I have a few ailments I'm being treated for and need to get healthy again before I can probably get back to work again. Basically my unemployment checks will just pay for health care costs, and everything else will be paid for out of savings.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. Good luck to you.

I like the part about generous friends and family. That helps.

[allin99]

12. have you checked costco for scripts?....

my mother has a script that costs $400 w/o insurance, and at costco it costs $30.Same for her other script that is usually $150 w/o insurance. I know you have the insurance, but it's worth a look. and you don't need to be a member to use the pharmacy.

[WCGreen]

13. That is what we pay for the co-pay...

[allin99]

21. k. : ).

[avaistheone1]

47. That sounds like a good recommendation.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

14. Oh, no...

That is truly scary...

[Sgent]

16. Depending on your income

you should save some money on Jan 1.

Also, you mentioned that your on a transplant waiting list. You might try contacting one of your disease advocacy groups (ie Kohen Foundation, etc.) and see if they can help you.

This sucks. I hope you can get through this.

[WCGreen]

19. This just came through today and I am going to the Clinic

next week. I will make an appointment with the Financial person in the transplant program and see what we can do.

[REP]

20. Doesn't your former employer have a Medicare plan?

If you're on the list and on Supplemental Security Income (SSI), I'm guessing you're on Medicare already. Medicare group plans are usually a lot cheaper than non-Medicare ones.

[WCGreen]

22. I will look into that but I think if my spouse is covered I have to be on her provider.

[REP]

23. You can be Medicare even if she's not

Even though under COBRA, you pay 101% of cost, the employer can't deny the Medicare plan to the eligible partner.

[WCGreen]

24. Medicare has been my secondary provider.

[pinto]

28. (aside) Medicare is not automatic with SSI. Medicare does automatically kick in under SSDI.

[REP]

49. I know it does with Disability, bit once you're one the tx list, it's supposed to

Then again, I know the rules governing kidney patients, since I am one

[galileoreloaded]

25. until we ALL start using the ER for primary care, nothing will change.

its gotta get darker before it gets lighter.

[Ms. Toad]

39. That will make it worse, rather than better. n/t

[galileoreloaded]

40. itll get there soon enough. but until it does, we are bumping along the bottom. nt

[Ms. Toad]

43. For those eligible for subsidies, it should be better come January

I'm concerned about people who make too much for subsidies and who have chronic illnesses. The plans are mostly structured as relatively high deductible plans. Most people only hit the deductible perhaps 1 year in 10. But since my daughter uses $30-$60,000 of care a year, every year, that makes her health care considerably more expensive than the average - and paying that extra cost every year will be a significant bite. The same will be true for others with chronic illnesses.

Still better than it is now - but a hardship.

[Orrex]

26. When I was let go from my job in March 2008...

The HR person went over the COBRA paperwork with me.

In short, it would have cost about 3X as much as my existing insurance under that employer, and I'd be making somewhat less than half of what I'd been taking in.

I literally laughed in her face.

Best of luck to you--COBRA is nothing at all like a viable alternative, but they offer it up as if it were.

[Boomerproud]

27. Hugs and prayers for you Chris.

I have my own problems with insurance premiums (the $350 a month I pay for my PPO isn't worth the paper it's printed on) and I can't get on Major Medical because of "preexisting conditions" but your situation sounds very serious and positive vibes to you and your wife so you can get through this.

[still_one]

29. Here is what you need to look into if you do not qualify for exchange programs and do not have

pre-existing conditions. Get a plan with a high deductive, i.e. 5,000 - 7000 deductible. It sound like you are talking about your family, so it may cost you up to 1000K a month. I know that is a lot of money, but if you can manage until the ACA kicks that is what you need to do.

The only other choice is borrow the money for the premium, either through credit cards or something like that. It is too dangerous to be without insurance, and you can lose everything.

Really sorry what you are going through, and frankly the Democrats could have changed COBRA years ago to make it affordable, and that hits a very bad point with me, because thousands of people have suffered because they could not afford COBRA

[zeeland]

32. +1

[pinto]

33. It can really be a maze...

DOL faq's about COBRA

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-consumer-cobra.html

If you are on SSI I would follow up with Soc Sec about your options as well as your state / county Dept. of Social Services. They have the access info for Medicaid. And ask about availability of a benefits counselor. If offered, they know the ropes.

Additionally, I would contact your prescription providers about Patient Assistance Programs. Some offer them, some don't. Yet you need to ask. That's key.

Good luck. And hang in there.

Ed for Medicaid (CA uses MediCal as the name for state program).

[still_one]

34. Medicaid/medical are also viable possibilities. You are right it is a maze. They really need to

Call social services in their state

[auntsue]

35. I think COBRA is a joke -

a really mean joke. Unless a person has some massive savings there is no way to pay for COBRA when you are out of work, trying to get by on unemployment. It's just totally out of reach !!!

[Lint Head]

36. COBRA is a joke and a rip off and squeezing every drop of money out of people so some CEO can make

his or her boat and mansion payments. People are frigging dying so ass hats can play golf and hang at the country club with Babs and Buffy. Corporate health insurance should be illegal and any doctor who gets into medicine to get rich should have their medical license revoked.

What the hell happen to common decency and human beings who want to be of service to others instead of looking at them as suckers to be taken for every damn penny they have? I guess that's just how it is and reality sucks. We evolved out of the caves from killing each other with rocks and clubs to killing each other with damn greed. But it does keep a person from getting their wealthy hands soiled by people they consider less than they are. Damn right. I'm not holding back. I don't have that much time left on the face of the earth to give a good rats ass about greedy bigoted animals who think they're a part of the human race.

Sorry, had to get that off my chest. Maybe tomorrow will be better. At least it's Sunday and we can pray our sickness away.

[customerserviceguy]

45. Just remember

The CEO of the company that was paying those premiums while you were working had a little less money for greens fees and mansion mortgage payments. Most people who have really good coverage through an employer don't have a clue how much health insurance costs until they get a COBRA bill.

[Lint Head]

46. I was lucky. As soon as I retired I was blitzed with propaganda that I had to take COBRA or I

would have no health insurance. Then I looked at the fine print on my retirement papers and found out I could keep my company insurance until I became Medicare eligible. I saved hundreds of dollars. One other scam is supplemental insurance. As far as I'm concerned. A doctor is a doctor. If that doctor is 'non assigned' with Medicare he can see Medicare patients and charge more for his service and the patient has to pay the difference. I he is 'assigned' he cannot charge the patient for the difference and must take what Medicare pays. A doctor who is 'non assigned' is in it for the money and that is the evidence. I've heard all the bull shit stories as to why doctors do not accept assignment. I also know of doctors who do not take Medicare patients because they think it does not pay enough. Most live in the tony side of town and drive newer luxury cars. Wonder whose in it for the greed and whose in it to serve sick people? It's a shame people have to die because they can't pay for health care.

[nessa]

37. I'm 52. I pay $288 a month for my 18 yo son and myself.

This is an individual policy from Highmark, I'm self employed. There were no pre-existing conditions and we have $4000 deductible with an HSA. If we have health problems that cause us to use the entire deductible we're still only out only $7456 a year or $621.33 a month.

Is it possible for you to get a policy like ours? I know they have policies that allow for pre-existing conditions. They are more expensive than the policy I have, but less than the numbers you are quoting.

[Ms. Toad]

42. Transplants start at around half a million -

and it can be around $100,000 in anti-rejection drugs a year for life. (The costs vary - what I am most familiar with are the liver transplant related costs). No insurance company is voluntarily going to pick that up, because it is a guaranteed loss. (And even for very minor pre-existing conditions most companies refuse to issue coverage.)

In Ohio some of the major insurers are required to offer insurance to everyone during an open enrollment period - but it is in the same ballpark (or higher) than WCGreen is quoting.

[uppityperson]

41. That happened to me, had to switch to 1/2 that with wayyyyyy less benefits, $10 thou deductible

The insurance I had had was great insurance, had never had such good coverage. But, laid off, checking COBRA and omg. Trying to pay $500+ a month is bad enough, for catastrophic.

They need to change things somehow.

[customerserviceguy]

44. Funny that you use the term "COBRA benefits"

Insurance premiums don't buy healthcare, they buy varying levels of coverage (whether it is needed within the month) for something called "health insurance". You can see why many people who don't have generous employers (who are probably shorting people on wages) don't pay for coverage. It's just too damned expensive.

[Freddie]

48. COBRA is a continuation of the same insurance you had while employed

Except that now you're paying the "true price"--what your employer pays monthly for your coverage. I'm a benefits admin and people are always shocked at the price of COBRA and I have to tell them that's what we've been paying on your behalf all this time. So it will also depend on the quality of the plan that you had because COBRA has to offer the exact same plan that you had. As a school district we have a truly great plan (a PPO) but its not cheap. I tell people that its quite likely they can find a cheaper, less generous plan in the marketplace; currently however COBRA can't turn you away for pre-existing conditions or age like the real world still can. You have a 60-day window to elect COBRA and it can be retroactive as long as you elect within that period. For example if you know you are getting other coverage soon you can "go bare" during that time and only elect COBRA if you have a claim and they have to take you (retro to the day you qualify) and pay the claim.
As of Jan. 1 all this will change as the exchanges and subsidies will be up and running, despite the efforts of the Repug governors.

[WCGreen]

50. I knew that, I am an accountant and have done plently of payroll work...

But thanks for providing this good information so other people know.

[Liberal_in_LA]

51. i am glad u r getting help with this large bill