The Health Reform stated that in 2008, the average premium for a family plan purchased through an employer was $12,680 or equivalent to the the annual earnings of a full-time minimum wage job. Those costs sound very accurate if I consider premiums, deductibles, out of pocket expenses and the cost for prescriptions. Last year, my husband paid $135.00 weekly towards our medical premiums. The new 2010 healthcare reform bill is supposed to make healthcare more affordable. Imagine my shock when my husband brought home a memo stating our deductible would be increasing by more than $100.00 a week.
Needless to say, I was outraged by the increase. It’s hard enough to pay for the healthcare we desperately need. Now they want more money? When my husband told me about the changes, I immediately went online in search of quotes for group health insurance. I discovered my husband’s employer has the option to choose from several online group health plans such as HMO’s and PPO’s. We currently have a PPO which tends to be higher than an HMO plan because PPO’s allow the freedom to see any doctor without a referral. My husband notified his employer of the options available for medical group health coverage and we are waiting to find out if we can find a cheap health insurance plan.
Do you feel you overpay for health insurance? Besides opting for generic prescriptions, what ways have you found to help cut down costs?
