NH health insurance

[rsmlp]

So we've had a home in Moultonborough since 1997 and we're finally moving to NH as our home base next year after our youngest son graduates HS from Albany, NY. We will be looking to replace our NY health ins. I'm 57 and retired and unless I'm mistaken there's only one game in town (NH) and that's Anthem and there premium is about $15K/yr with a $10K deductible! Holy Moly! Moreover, this is irrespective of Ocare so I can't blame him. Am I missing something? Does anyone out there know of any more options? thanks so much

[JDeere]

Not sure how it will change under Obamacare but with NH's small market you will not find many alternatives.

Good luck!

[tis]

Originally Posted by JDeere

Not sure how it will change under Obamacare but with NH's small market you will not find many alternatives.

Good luck!

In our area there are still a couple of other options-Harvard Pilgrim and right now I can't think of the name of the other one. But both generally quote higher than Anthem at least for business. In NH we have had the mandatory things that you are now hearing people talk about with Obamacare like pregnancy and drug rehabilitaton for years. I think that is one reason why we have always been so high. The prices started going crazy when those mandates went in. If I were you, I would talk to an agent who sells health insurance to get information. My business is ok for another year as we did an early renewal but I don't know what next year will bring. If you are going into the Obamacare, so far Anthem is the only one who has signed up in NH. Good luck.

[8gv]

Originally Posted by rsmlp

So we've had a home in Moultonborough since 1997 and we're finally moving to NH as our home base next year after our youngest son graduates HS from Albany, NY. We will be looking to replace our NY health ins. I'm 57 and retired and unless I'm mistaken there's only one game in town (NH) and that's Anthem and there premium is about $15K/yr with a $10K deductible! Holy Moly! Moreover, this is irrespective of Ocare so I can't blame him. Am I missing something? Does anyone out there know of any more options? thanks so much

I'm in a similar boat. My youngest will graduate HS in 2015 and wifey and I will be moving to our NH home from CT. We have Anthem in CT but our policy was non conforming. We were able to renew in Dec. a month early and dodged the huge (55%) increase we were facing.

We'll likely be moving in August so we can spend the fall "shopping" for insurance.

FWIW, we won't need pregnancy or birth control insurance.

[BroadHopper]

And they know it! With no competition they can pretty well charge what they damn well please. ObamaCare does nothing in regards to controlling costs and that is why cost id increasing in every state.

When I retired in 2010, I was paying 10K a year with 5K deductible. I couldn't afford to retire and found a job with health benefits. I am hoping to retire when I can collect Medicare. From what I am hearing, Medicare payments are going up as well.

I just got my subscriber's certificate for next year along with a note that premiums will be increasing. Lots of changes and they are not good and rules are more complicated.

One that I know of is that they will no longer pay for health club dues as the doctor recommend a health lifestyle. They are cutting back on preventive medicine.

[fatlazyless]

.... as a 62-year old who has been 100% totally un-insured for something like the last ten years....here is what I've learned....it is so much cheaper than health insurance to just stay healthy....and to stay the heck away from ambulances, emergency rooms, and anyone with an M.D. after their name.....healthcare on the cheap....locally maybe go to the convenient care walk-in clinic at Laconia's Lakes Region Gen Hosp which supposedly has a $150 ceiling cap per visit if one should catch a bad case of the flu or something and u-need a prescription....I have never ever ever been there yet so I do not really know what I'm talking about?????

Speare Hospital in Plymouth has nothing similar to Convenience Care from what I know?????

www.lrgh.org/Programs-Services/Convenience-Care

....on the road to single-payer health care! .. ..

[ITD]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

.... as a 62-year old who has been 100% totally un-insured for something like the last ten years....here is what I've learned....it is so much cheaper than health insurance to just stay healthy....and to stay the heck away from ambulances, emergency rooms, and anyone with an M.D. after their name.....healthcare on the cheap....locally maybe go to the convenient care walk-in clinic at Laconia's Lakes Region Gen Hosp which supposedly has a $150 ceiling cap per visit if one should catch a bad case of the flu or something and u-need a prescription....I have never ever ever been there yet so I do not really know what I'm talking about?????

Speare Hospital in Plymouth has nothing similar to Convenience Care from what I know?????

www.lrgh.org/Programs-Services/Convenience-Care

....on the road to single-payer health care! .. ..

Less, not sure if you are kidding or not, but your behavior above is very foolish. Odds of having a major medical issue increase dramatically as you age, yearly screenings will catch many life threatening illnesses. I hope your good health continues because without insurance you risk losing everything if it does not...

[Warren T]

Ok I've been looking at most of the replies... Here's my question? Does that $1000.00 a month cover a "family" with kids? or is it the individual cost? I may be moving to NH and it would be just my wife and I... So, would it cost us less for just the two of us?

[fatlazyless]

Originally Posted by ITD

Less, not sure if you are kidding or not, but your behavior above is very foolish. Odds of having a major medical issue increase dramatically as you age, yearly screenings will catch many life threatening illnesses. I hope your good health continues because without insurance you risk losing everything if it does not...

....no....I'm not kidding about being 100% un-insured for the last ten years or so.....anyway....in less than three years when I reach 65....then I will be eligible for Medicare.....which is a single-payer health care system....so's it's not like I will need to go 100% un-insured till I'm 95 or so.....

....about ten years ago I had Anthem-Blue Cross-NH and after seeing how they processed one small claim I decided to just drop all health coverage.....and you know that none of this medical insurance seems to include any dental coverage anyway...

....i'm as healthy as a horse......and just as smart....and just as smart....weeeoooooo.....k-naieeee......winnieeeeeee....quote the famous Mr Ed! ( a talking tv horse from the 1960's in case u did not know!)

...on the road to single-payer health care??? .. ..

[DEJ]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

....i'm as healthy as a horse......and just as smart......

You are a "horses ass" if you have not had blood work performed or an EKG etc... etc... in the past 10 years.

[ITD]

Originally Posted by fatlazyless

...on the road to single-payer health care??? .. ..

Nice troll there Less, not taking the bait though. Hope you've got nothing brewing until 65.

[tis]

Originally Posted by 8gv

I'm in a similar boat. My youngest will graduate HS in 2015 and wifey and I will be moving to our NH home from CT. We have Anthem in CT but our policy was non conforming. We were able to renew in Dec. a month early and dodged the huge (55%) increase we were facing.

We'll likely be moving in August so we can spend the fall "shopping" for insurance.

FWIW, we won't need pregnancy or birth control insurance.

But you must pay for it even if you don't need it. That is the law.

[rsmlp]

thanks for all your responses. obviously I'm not missing anything. going without insurance starting in 2014 is illegal and with penalties and frankly a risk I'd rather not take. that said, paying $15K in premium with a $10K deduct. is outrageous and I'm shocked the state can get away with it. not sure how we'll proceed but we'll probably be more serious about buying another home in FL sooner than later.

[tis]

Originally Posted by rsmlp

thanks for all your responses. obviously I'm not missing anything. going without insurance starting in 2014 is illegal and with penalties and frankly a risk I'd rather not take. that said, paying $15K in premium with a $10K deduct. is outrageous and I'm shocked the state can get away with it. not sure how we'll proceed but we'll probably be more serious about buying another home in FL sooner than later.

I don't believe you can have a 10K deductible. I think around 6 is all you are allowed under Obamacare. But again, I am talking about business, so maybe individual polices are different.

[rsmlp]

Anthem's 2014 policy if bought now for my family is a premium of roughly $15,000 with a $10,000 deductible. it is the ONLY insurer in NH and while it sounds unbelievable I assure you it is accurate.

[ishoot308]

Originally Posted by rsmlp

thanks for all your responses. obviously I'm not missing anything. going without insurance starting in 2014 is illegal and with penalties and frankly a risk I'd rather not take. that said, paying $15K in premium with a $10K deduct. is outrageous and I'm shocked the state can get away with it. not sure how we'll proceed but we'll probably be more serious about buying another home in FL sooner than later.

These changes in insurance and premiums are not just occurring in NH, they are happening across the country!

As a business owner who employs approximately 100 people here in NH and Maryland and supplies fully paid health insurance, you simply cannot believe the changes in plans and premiums that have occurred since the threat of and implementation of the "affordable health care act". Our premiums have doubled and deductibles more than tripled!

Just a few years ago (4 years), our plan was with Anthem and had $1,000.00 deductible. Every year since, premiums have had huge increases which we simply could not absorb, therefore we had to offer plans with higher deductibles to offset the cost. What we use to pay for a $1,000.00 deductible plan is now a $10,000.00

These plan and premium increases are NOT just with Anthem as we have a company who shops out our health insurance to all the major carriers for us. Some years none of the other carriers would even bid on supplying our company with insurance!

We are currently with Harvard Pilgrim and are anticipating yet another huge increase this year.

As a company, I am not sure what we are going to do except pass the additional cost on to the employees, something we have always strived not to do.

I think everyone will soon find out that the "affordable" care act is not so affordable!

Dan

[8gv]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

These changes in insurance and premiums are not just occurring in NH, they are happening across the country!

As a business owner who employs approximately 100 people here in NH and Maryland and supplies fully paid health insurance, you simply cannot believe the changes in plans and premiums that have occurred since the threat of and implementation of the "affordable health care act". Our premiums have doubled and deductibles more than tripled!

Just a few years ago (4 years) our plan was with Anthem and had $1,000.00 deductible. Every year since premiums have had huge increases which we simply could not absorb therefore we had to offer plans with higher deductibles to offset the cost. What we use to pay for a $1,000.00 deductible plan is now a $10,000.00

This plan and premium increases are NOT just with Anthem as we have a company who shops out our health insurance to all the major carriers for us. Some years none of the other carriers would even bid on supplying our company with insurance!

We are currently with Harvard Pilgrim and are anticipating yet another huge increase this year.

As a company, I am not sure what we are going to do except pass the additional cost on to the employees, something we have always strived not to do.

I think everyone will soon find out that the "affordable" care act is not so affordable!

Dan

It's hard to be competitive when your employment costs increase so dramatically.

[RLW]

Longtimelurker, I just noticed that you are fairly new to posting on the forum and glad you have joined us. Have fun and enjoy the Winni Forum while making many new friends.

[BroadHopper]

When I was working for a major electronics company, employees can choose from a number of insurance companies. The company will only contribute x amount of money to you health benefit. Any premium above that amount will be taken out of your pay. Anything below will be added to your pay.

They were, Harvard Pilgrim, Matthew Thornton, Anthem, Cigna, Liberty Mutual to name the major players, there were others that I can't recall. All insure in NH at the time. If you have a healthy family, CIGNA is the cheapest. If you have major health issues, Liberty Mutual may be expensive but you are covered. The rest have pros and cons so you need to compare, but most of the 5,000 employees were either CIGNA or Liberty Mutual. Because of that Anthem (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) actually wanted to 'drop out' of the plan. I guess they don't play very well with others.

I was hoping the ACA will work in the same principle but it does not. I was also hoping ACA will put a cap on premiums or invite competition. This clearly shows what lobbyists do and the damage that PAC money can do the taxpayers.

[Jeanzb1]

A friend of mine here in NH has had Anthem all along, and then Obamacare notified her they were canceled. Now they have to go on the "exchange" where the premium is MUCH MUCH higher. What a farce.

[DickR]

I've thought that, if the government wanted to do the most good, they should simply level the "playing field" by requiring the health insurance companies to spread their coverage costs for any individual over their entire base, and not "cherry pick" by giving low rates to large companies at the expense of the small companies, self-employed, and unemployed who lack marketing clout. After all, the whole purpose of insurance of to spread incurred costs over the greatest base possible. The chance that any insured person will incur a covered cost really has nothing to do with the size of the company employing him.

[Chaselady]

Originally Posted by Jeanzb1

A friend of mine here in NH has had Anthem all along, and then Obamacare notified her they were canceled. Now they have to go on the "exchange" where the premium is MUCH MUCH higher. What a farce.

I retired to NH 2 years ago. I have to pay for private BCBS as I retired early. I pay $1000 per month. I compared my plan to NH anthem and they were almost the same price, but they had outrageous co-pays and a deductible that would empty anyone's bank account. I have practically no deductible. I had major surgery last year and never saw a bill. This was before Obamacare.

[tummyman]

Remember, you have the absolute power to do something. It comes next November at the ballot box. If you keep voting for the current gang in DC, you will continue to reap the "benefits" of their policy. It is up to you. Don't forget these issues and forget what the incumbents try to sell you. Make your own decisions based on the facts, not the rhetoric.

[AB_Monterey]

In 1994, New Hampshire had the second-lowest health insurance costs in the nation. Then came Jeanne Shaheen who catered to BCBS by sponsoring SB 711, and her community rating, which forced insurers to base their rates largely on geography, not risk. At least 21 insurers immediately stopped offering coverage in the state. New Hampshire’s insurance costs rocketed from the second-lowest in the nation to the second-highest.

And here we are.

[SteveA]

Bill Cosby had a very funny bit many years ago called Hoof and Mouth. Anyone older than 45 or so will remember it. The punch line to the story was that the way to cure Hoof and Mouth an therefore not be shot dead was to simply "wipe the foam off your mouth".

The perfect way to understand politicians votes is to look at who they take money from. Both sides have a giant "FOR SALE" signs hung around their necks. If you think that ANY of them vote in OUR best interests you are simply kidding yourself.

Remember "Follow the Money" from the movie "All the Presidents Men" based on Woodwards book Deep Throat? Just follow the money.

Just take a look at this website if want to know who your own favorite political hack really works for. You can very easily search any Politician for any Federal office, House or Senate.

Throw in the "Citizens United" decision that lets any industry, including the Insurance Industry, spend as much as they want with no limits, and you have a very clear picture of who each of the current and past "Political Leaders" really work(ed) for.

Until, we the people, demand public funding of elections this will not change.

Write to your particular Politician! Great Idea! But, if and when they actually open the letter, if a check dosen't fall out of the envelope, you will still get a nicly typed "I understand your concern" letter back, but in that letter they will simply "wipe the foam off their mouth" and add you to their potential Donor list.

http://www.opensecrets.org/industrie...F09&cycle=2014

[Diver Vince]

Unfortunately we indeed have the best government that money can buy!

[tis]

Originally Posted by AB_Monterey

In 1994, New Hampshire had the second-lowest health insurance costs in the nation. Then came Jeanne Shaheen who catered to BCBS by sponsoring SB 711, and her community rating, which forced insurers to base their rates largely on geography, not risk. At least 21 insurers immediately stopped offering coverage in the state. New Hampshire’s insurance costs rocketed from the second-lowest in the nation to the second-highest.

And here we are.

That is just about when health insurance started going crazy. Was that also when everything was required whether you wanted it or not? It seems to me the two came about the same time.

[AB_Monterey]

http://heartland.org/sites/all/modul...pdfs/17917.pdf

[Billy Bob]

Time to start thinking about the advantages of Obamacare.

For all the complaining Romneycare has worked out just fine in Massachusetts and made health care more competitive. Take a look at all the real facts not rumors and you will come around to seeing that the plan will help a lot of every day people

[rsmlp]

Originally Posted by Billy Bob

Time to start thinking about the advantages of Obamacare.

For all the complaining Romneycare has worked out just fine in Massachusetts and made health care more competitive. Take a look at all the real facts not rumors and you will come around to seeing that the plan will help a lot of every day people

and hurt far more than it helps I'm afraid.

[jrc]

Originally Posted by Billy Bob

...
For all the complaining Romneycare has worked out just fine in Massachusetts and made health care more competitive....

Sure it has, in January the state had the highest costs and we (a Mass company) just got our new rates. Up 12% for the same coverage.

http://www.masslive.com/politics/ind...ing_to_ad.html

I'm sure this is good for the Mass economy...

[SteveA]

Originally Posted by Billy Bob

Time to start thinking about the advantages of Obamacare.

For all the complaining Romneycare has worked out just fine in Massachusetts and made health care more competitive. Take a look at all the real facts not rumors and you will come around to seeing that the plan will help a lot of every day people

Agreed, the difference is that NH has only one bidder, there is no competition and the prices are the highest (so far) in the country, exactly because of a lack of competition. Anthem has a free ride, and can charge whatever they please, and decide what hospitals and doctors you can select from.

[Begonezvous]

Originally Posted by rsmlp

thanks for all your responses. obviously I'm not missing anything. going without insurance starting in 2014 is illegal and with penalties and frankly a risk I'd rather not take. that said, paying $15K in premium with a $10K deduct. is outrageous and I'm shocked the state can get away with it. not sure how we'll proceed but we'll probably be more serious about buying another home in FL sooner than later.

Technically, it is not illegal to forgo insurance coverage. The Supreme Court affirmed the "penalty" portion of the ACA as a type of tax and within the authority of the Federal government to assess. So as a consumer, you have the choice of obtaining insurance or paying the penalty "tax". For younger folks, it could be much less expensive to pay the penalty than to sign up for expensive coverage they may not need.
Of course, having no insurance if fine as long as you don't come down with a serious illness.

[rsmlp]

good point and I stand corrected. also, you can "wait" until you get sick and THEN buy insurance which is just another reason why premiums are skyrocketing. all in the name of "progressivism"!

[gtagrip]

Originally Posted by rsmlp

thanks for all your responses. obviously I'm not missing anything. going without insurance starting in 2014 is illegal and with penalties and frankly a risk I'd rather not take. that said, paying $15K in premium with a $10K deduct. is outrageous and I'm shocked the state can get away with it. not sure how we'll proceed but we'll probably be more serious about buying another home in FL sooner than later.

If I remember correctly, the penalties worked out to be less expensive than signing up for health insurance. At least that was the talk a few years ago. Not sure if anything has changed since then.

[gtagrip]

was right, Obamacare should have been repealed!

[8gv]

Originally Posted by tis

But you must pay for it even if you don't need it. That is the law.

So I guess I better use protection because I'm getting ...... anyway.

[fatlazyless]

Vermont, population 626,011
www.healthconnect.vermont.gov


New Hampshire, population 1,320,718
http://www.healthinsurance.org/new_h...ance-exchange/


For now, New Hampshire has the one insurance provider, Anthem-Blue Cross-NH to provide the bronze-silver-gold coverage that goes with the Affordable Healthcare Act of 2010, which is to start on Jan 1, 2014.

And, how many different insurance providers does Vermont have .... am trying to figure this out from the Vermont website?


....on the road to single-payer health care??? .. ..

[windsail]

As the saying goes The Republicans steal from everyone and help the rich, The Democrats steal from the everyone and gives breadcrumbs to the poor. So it depends on where you are in the end, either way they are are stealing from us.
lol