<< Surely prices haven't gone up 300 percent in the past 3 years!! >>
Completely off-topic, but very important to me:
I'm an independent businessman, and part of what makes being a small
businessman painful is the fact that in the USA we usually get raped by
individual health insurance policies. An organization called "N.A.S.E."
(National Organization for Self-Employed) markets "affordable" insurance for
the Selt-Employed. The issuing company is PFL Life, which is a member of the
CCN network.
Part of N.A.S.E.'s sales pitches was that they spread rate decisions over the
entire U.S., so rates rise slower than the national average. The salesman
informed me that their average rate hike, historically, was approx. 9 percent
every 2nd year. I signed up for a plan which covered my wife, my daughter,
and myself four years ago. I initially was paying $284 per month... I
expected a small rate hike within 6 months, which I got... around 15%. Oh
well, medical costs are rising faster than in the past.
To make a long story short: over the past 3-1/2 years my rates have gone up
like clockwork every 6 months, usually 20 percent or more each time. I just
received a letter stating that my rates are going up again next month -- FROM
$688 PER MONTH UP TO $819 PER MONTH -- and this is AFTER I dropped from their
"A" plan (zero deductible, $10 copay, etc.) to their "E" plan ($2500
deductible, $25-$50 copay, etc.) two years ago. I have no idea what their
"A" plan is selling for these days, but I would have to assume it is over
$1000 per month. That means in four years the rate has increased at least
350 percent!
I have had enough, and am currently trying to find another carrier
(unfortunately, both my wife and I were hospitalized in 1997, so finding an
insurance company to take us "risky" types is no picnic). However, spread
the word: DON'T SIGN UP WITH N.A.S.E. HEALTH INSURANCE!!
Sorry to use this board as a soapbox, but I'm really steamed about this.
Blame Joe... his comment is the one that got me started.
(Gotta lay off the coffee...)
Scott (& Hobbs, 77 Spit, whose restoration is severely hampered by rising
health insurance costs).
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