To: (local agent) Subject: anthem sucks..HSA 841******9
Hey (local agent)!
I sent Anthem the form to change my insurance agent to you and they never took action.
They are now jacking up my insurance rate,again...from $412.(HSA plan) to $509. I cannot stand this company.
Is there another company out there for me?
I will be 64 in November. I do have existing hashimotos (hypothyroid) disease and skin cancer (basal cell). I know that pre-existing cannot be used against me..at least openly.
Any thoughts? I have until June to make changes within Anthem. I cannot figure out which change, if any to make.
God bless Obamacare. These companies are having a field day.
(Dissatisfied Customer)
(we spoke last year. you gave me great advise that helped me reduce my monthly ins. bill.)
Agent's response . . .
You’re going to hate this but much of the price increase is because of Obamacare. Possibly the worst piece of garbage legislation ever passed.
As an example, companies now have to insure all children regardless of health and can only increase the otherwise low premium by 2 times. So a kid with cancer is now insurable and you don’t think that will affect everyone’s rates. Furthermore, group health plans must keep adults on their parent’s coverage until age 26. So lots of married “kids” now can get the insurance companies to cover their maternity even if they are married. Another “benefit” of what had to be passed before so we will know what’s in it (thanks Nancy Pelosi).
So please put at least some of the blame on the socialists in charge of our government.
That being said, because you do have pre-existing (and YES, it can be held against you until 2014), you have virtually no options except to pay the premium until you are eligible for Medicare.
However, even with the rate increase Anthem is really at the low end of insurance carrier pricing.
Since I am not your agent, I am not earning any commission on your policy. It would help me financially if I could re-write you elsewhere. But at age 64, it’s never been an easy task, and with pre-ex conditions (and likely medication), it’s damn near impossible.
Lastly, 25-33% of your premium is government mandates imposed upon insurance companies. At least $100 of your premium is not the fault of insurance companies.
The bottom line is that until the underlying prices (doctors, hospital, drugs, etc) are kept under control, health insurance premiums will continue to rise.
You don’t like it now, you’ll REALLY hate it when the government becomes the only insurance company available.
Sorry for the rant but I feel I have an obligation to present the real cause of the problem – and it’s not the insurance companies. It’s the jackasses in DC and Sacramento.
By the way, because of all the stupidity, I have re-focused my career. I no longer am looking to write health insurance (except for nice people like you) and am focusing on Medicare products and more importantly, long term care insurance.
Wish I could help.