Has anyone gotten thru on healthcare.gov?

[Jerry]

I've gotten taken to the log-in page, but am unable to sign up because there are no "questions" available in the drop-down menu to give your secret answer to.

Has anyone been successful? And, if so, what did you think of the premium?

I keep telling them to shut down but the site is still up...I can't get through to them.

 

[Dickieboy]

...You can get info about the plans being offered by contacting your states Dept of Health

So you're suggesting that we revert back to 20th century technology, phone/paper/in person? How 'progressive'...

 

[MaggieD]

So you're suggesting that we revert back to 20th century technology, phone/paper/in person? How 'progressive'...

Yeah, 20th Century technology. Where a human being answered a phone and every call didn't end up in voice mail. Where you actually KNEW who you're talking to on the phone and can, you know, call him back and pick up your conversation where you left off. That's called customer service.

 

[sangha]

So you're suggesting that we revert back to 20th century technology, phone/paper/in person? How 'progressive'...

Yeah, that's what I said :roll:

 

[Dickieboy]

Yeah, that's what I said :roll:

Ok, perhaps I misunderstood your suggestion...please explain. thx

 

[Dickieboy]

After hearing in the President's 'speech' today that the healthcare.gov website had been changed to facilitate 'shopping' I went to investigate. What I found was that after entering your desired product (individual, ind+spouse, family, etc.), state of residence and county of residence the website generated a list of polices that were available. These policies were identified by carrier, policy number and 'estimated premium'...:



First the premium wasn't based on age, smoking, etc. as this data wasn't asked for but a state/county average(?). Further there is no way to link down in the individual policies to get the details on coverage. It enrages me further that we spent time/money for this instead of FIXING THE PROBLEM...will someone please explain what usefulness this has?

FWIW, the policy numbers provided are NOT the same as those available from the same provider outside the exchange.

 

[code1211]

Yes. That is exactly what I'm saying.

Affordable Care Act - National Immigration Law Center



Comparing plans without knowing your subsidy will give you incorrect information, and that helps no one. The subsidies vary based on income, and how much you choose to apply to your monthly bill vs using it as a deduction on your annual return (or a combination thereof).



Yes, it's a private sector estimation. It's better to keep that separate from the site which will tell you:

• What are the plans available to you
• What do the different plans cover / variations in benefits
• Your out-of-pocket maximum with different plans
• How much do they cost, given your subsidies

I.e. the estimator does just that -- it estimates. It is nowhere near as specific as the actual plans, with or without subsidies.



At the stage where you can review the plans, you will be shown the price of the plans with your subsidy (if you get one), as well as the full cost of the plan.

I am already covered.

All I want is a way to compare what I would have to pay if I was not covered.

I assume that as it is with all Government subsidies, I will not qualify to get paid, i will only qualify to pay and i would appreciate the information being easy to find and compare.

I do not have to buy a TV right now today, but sometime i will and I have, on occasion, logged on to several web sites and reviewed hundreds of listings of TV's. That's all I want.

They seem to be striving to keep the actual cost of healthcare a secret.

 

[code1211]

"It's easy" says the guy who thinks Amazon.com was also easy :lamo

Did I say that? You will please reference the post.

I think that what I said was that Amazon works.

 

[Visbek]

After hearing in the President's 'speech' today that the healthcare.gov website had been changed to facilitate 'shopping' I went to investigate.....

Sort of. What they did was change the front page to make it clearer you can use offline methods to apply.

FYI, Tennessee is running its own Exchange. You aren't using the Federal site, except as a gateway to get to your state Exchange.

First the premium wasn't based on age, smoking, etc. as this data wasn't asked for but a state/county average(?). Further there is no way to link down in the individual policies to get the details on coverage. It enrages me further that we spent time/money for this instead of FIXING THE PROBLEM...will someone please explain what usefulness this has?

You'll have to take that one up with your state.

I'm using the Federal Exchange, which does tell me exactly what plans are available, the full cost, the cost after subsidies, detailed coverage info and a comparison tool.

FWIW, the policy numbers provided are NOT the same as those available from the same provider outside the exchange.

Correct, you have to go through the Exchange. You also do not qualify for subsidies unless you purchase your insurance through the Exchange.

 

[Dickieboy]

Sort of. What they did was change the front page to make it clearer you can use offline methods to apply.

yes, they added the 'Apply by phone' which essentially takes you to a page that shows the phone number...which has always been on the home page...?
I was specifically speaking to the new 'See plans and prices in your area "See Plans Now"' option...have you checked it out?

FYI, Tennessee is running its own Exchange. You aren't using the Federal site, except as a gateway to get to your state Exchange.

You're wrong...
Most uninsured Americans live in states that won’t run their own Obamacare exchanges | Pew Research Center

You'll have to take that one up with your state.

Why? As I stated AND PROVED my state is not operating its own exchange...

I'm using the Federal Exchange, which does tell me exactly what plans are available, the full cost, the cost after subsidies, detailed coverage info and a comparison tool.

I'm trying to but cannot as the website continues to fail...but I'm hoping!

Correct, you have to go through the Exchange. You also do not qualify for subsidies unless you purchase your insurance through the Exchange.

No, your wrong again. I CAN purchase insurance directly from BCBS outside the exchange and get VERY detailed quotes/pricing with full information as to benefits RIGHT NOW (for 2014 coverage) but doing so I/we WILL NOT be eligible for a subsidy (as I think you meant). My point was that having shopped OUTSIDE the exchange on BCBS I noted the policy numbers were not the same as those through the exchange, i.e. 'B01S' in the screen capture above.

 

[code1211]

After hearing in the President's 'speech' today that the healthcare.gov website had been changed to facilitate 'shopping' I went to investigate. What I found was that after entering your desired product (individual, ind+spouse, family, etc.), state of residence and county of residence the website generated a list of polices that were available. These policies were identified by carrier, policy number and 'estimated premium'...:

View attachment 67155381

First the premium wasn't based on age, smoking, etc. as this data wasn't asked for but a state/county average(?). Further there is no way to link down in the individual policies to get the details on coverage. It enrages me further that we spent time/money for this instead of FIXING THE PROBLEM...will someone please explain what usefulness this has?

FWIW, the policy numbers provided are NOT the same as those available from the same provider outside the exchange.

Whether it's the ACA or any other insurance, the coverage options are all but unintelligible.

That said, the Bronze plan seems to call for a deductible of about $5000+ for an individual and an out of pocket for an individual of about $6000+ for an individual. Premiums are not counted as out of pocket.

In your example, if the Individual plus spouse take the plan, they spend about $5800 on the premiums and are liable for another $12,000 if the worst happens.

I think I like Ben Carson's idea better.


Bronze Health Insurance Plans - Information on Bronze Healthcare Plans

 

[Dickieboy]

Whether it's the ACA or any other insurance, the coverage options are all but unintelligible.

That said, the Bronze plan seems to call for a deductible of about $5000+ for an individual and an out of pocket for an individual of about $6000+ for an individual. Premiums are not counted as out of pocket.

In your example, if the Individual plus spouse take the plan, they spend about $5800 on the premiums and are liable for another $12,000 if the worst happens.

I think I like Ben Carson's idea better.


Bronze Health Insurance Plans - Information on Bronze Healthcare Plans

Coverage options are pretty clear to me but one must engage several models to understand what the expense REALLY IS. As to the rest of your post, yes the premium, deductible and out-of-pocket maximum amounts you advance are correct as is their 'interrelationship' but this is as it always has been. PPACA hasn't changed that AFAIK...if I'm wrong please explain.

 

[code1211]

Coverage options are pretty clear to me but one must engage several models to understand what the expense REALLY IS. As to the rest of your post, yes the premium, deductible and out-of-pocket maximum amounts you advance are correct as is their 'interrelationship' but this is as it always has been. PPACA hasn't changed that AFAIK...if I'm wrong please explain.

I am as ignorant of this as the next guy, but I have read and understood the plans at work.

The Bronze Plan does limit the chance of losing your house if you break your leg, that is what I look for in an insurance plan, but not what the plan was advertised to do.

The way the ACA was presented, it was advertised to have various features that simply are not there:

You probably can't keep your doctor, you probably can't keep your plan, the care is not free as it was heavily implied (and I know this because so many of the younger employees where I work told me so), and the access will not improve for most.

The web site is a turkey and that's the truth, but the whole plan is pretty much a red herring. Information is complex by its nature and those who are forcing us to buy it are acting like the folks in the communist block that we used to make fun of. Might as well call it the people's insurance. However, since the majority of the population is now communist in spirit, they probably would not grasp the humor.

It seems that very few of the "Peoples" want it, though. There are more individuals who have been cancelled from their non-qualifying plans than have signed up on the Obamacare plans. A whole bunch more.

Apple sold 9 million I-phones in 3 days. We are at more than 25 days and counting and we don't even know with assurance exactly how many Obamacare polices have been sold.

I wonder how many I-Phones would have been sold if Kathleen Sebelious was in charge of Apple...

Apple polishes forecast after selling 9 million new iPhones | Reuters

 

[code1211]

Coverage options are pretty clear to me but one must engage several models to understand what the expense REALLY IS. As to the rest of your post, yes the premium, deductible and out-of-pocket maximum amounts you advance are correct as is their 'interrelationship' but this is as it always has been. PPACA hasn't changed that AFAIK...if I'm wrong please explain.

I am as ignorant of this as the next guy, but I have read and understood the plans at work.

The Bronze Plan does limit the chance of losing your house if you break your leg, that is what I look for in an insurance plan, but not what the plan was advertised to do.

The way the ACA was presented, it was advertised to have various features that simply are not there:

You probably can't keep your doctor, you probably can't keep your plan, the care is not free as it was heavily implied (and I know this because so many of the younger employees where I work told me so), and the access will not improve for most.

The web site is a turkey and that's the truth, but the whole plan is pretty much a red herring. Information is complex by its nature and those who are forcing us to buy it are acting like the folks in the communist block that we used to make fun of. Might as well call it the people's insurance. However, since the majority of the population is now communist in spirit, they probably would not grasp the humor.

It seems that very few of the "Peoples" want it, though. There are more individuals who have been cancelled from their non-qualifying plans than have signed up on the Obamacare plans. A whole bunch more.

Apple sold 9 million I-phones in 3 days. We are at more than 25 days and counting and we don't even know with assurance exactly how many Obamacare polices have been sold.

I wonder how many I-Phones would have been sold if Kathleen Sebelious was in charge of Apple...

Apple polishes forecast after selling 9 million new iPhones | Reuters

 

[rhinefire]

We saw the democrats questioned this past week by members of congress and asked who was responsible none of the five spoke a word, literally, they all just sat there. Then many of them started with this "let's fix it not nix it" slogan. This our wonderful government in action. The computer program was set up by people unqualified to do so and the head of Obammy Care has literally no medical background whatsoever. This presidency may go down as one of the worst in American history. No one in this administration will say they are responsible for any mistakes including bitch Clinton for the deaths of our ambassador and soldiers.