Yesterday, when I went to Blue Cross/Blue Shield of RI (BCBSRI) to renew my healthcare, I discovered my rates had increased by over 20%.
Part of this increase (11%) was the elimination of the health risk factor, which moved rates up and down based on health factors. Although I ended up on the wrong side of the fence on this one, it strikes me as very reasonable, as insurance companies like Blue Cross had been raising and lowering rates based on information other than health factors. Blue Cross had told me it was an across the board increase for all small businesses and self-employed people. I only found out the relevant information after talking with a helpful lawyer at the state Office of the Health Insurance Commisioner.
8% of my increase was due to age/gender factors. I'm not sure what happens at age 38 to warrant such an increase, especially since I'm still in the 35-39 age band. I found the reasoning by BSBCRI to be confusing and less than convincing. Finally, health insurance costs went up across the board by 1.3%.
I had also applied for Dental insurance through BCBSRI, and was told I would not be eligible to receive benefits until April, because BCBSRI Dental only enrolls quarterly. My application, which I completed in late December, had been lost. The woman at the help desk took over 45 minutes to find it. To its credit, BCBSRI Dental reinstated me for the first of the year.
The entire process was confusing and frustrating. The Answers I received were nebulous, and no one could tell me why my rates had increased by such a huge margin, only how they had increased. The 3 people I spoke to all told me there was nothing they could do.
Is this the "choice" and "personal service" that prevents universal, government sponsored health care? I couldn't have felt more powerless or felt more like a number after my interactions with Blue Cross yesterday.
Frankly, my problems are extremely minor compared to many who cannot afford health insurance and to those who have uncovered medical conditions, whose relationship with medical insurance companies can be catastrophic and life altering.
Is this the best we can do?
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2 comments:
Oxford did the same thing to my company. We had to switch to a different provider because we just couldn't afford the 20% increase. It is really frustrating, but I felt more than anything, that is just par for the course when it comes to Health Insurance, especially for small businesses.
Since we are told we MUST have health care insurance,(in case we should develop a life threating condition) it's an easy sell. Just name your price. If you choose to NOT to have health insurance you'll be an outcast. Good Luck ! Trying to find out how any insurance costs are factored is baffling. Just about any plan will group you by age, gender and health factors. If you are covered by a plan from your employer you belong to a "group" plan. Insurance, in my understanding, is supposed to spread the risks across a broad group for it work properly. By your description it's priced according to age/gender factor that would narrow that group. What exactly determines a health risk factor that rates were based on? Tobacco use ? Driving without a seat belt. Not having your annual prostate exam ? Does health care insurance companies have to get approval for price increases? Are their any price controls/and or regulations? If health care insurance is going to be mandatory, what prevents them from naming their own price? Also by your description you didn't mention and I assume you are purchasing individual coverage. If you happen to price different plans offered by your employer and you have a spouse/children, you can't split coverage individually, to my knowledge, that is, one member of the family have different deductibles or one family member opt not to have prescription coverage or even different/optional dental plan coverage per family member. Also don't forget even prescription coverage is tiered differently depending on what option you select. Having mandatory health care insurance sounds good, but without proper regulation are we giving the health care industry the same power as tax collectors?
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