Today, the rate increases and changes in insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act actually become a reality for consumers. Many Tennesseans are facing two major questions: how much more their new plan will cost, and whether their current doctors will still be covered.
Cindi Malone, a real estate agent in Gallatin, knew the price for health insurance would go up substantially in Tennessee, but it was a stark reality check to go on Healthcare.gov and see exactly how much coverage for her family would cost.
“I can’t say I was shocked because I already knew that was happening, but the cheapest plan was $1,568,” she says — up from her current plan of $1,200 a month. “How can you call $1,500 a month and a $6,400 deductible affordable?”
Malone and her husband make too much money to qualify for subsidies. But even searching off the federal exchange, where there are few more options, she hasn’t found anything much cheaper.
Health care officials note that the majority of people who buy insurance on Healthcare.gov do receive subsidies — this past year, it applied to 210,000 Tennesseans, or anyone who makes less than four times the poverty level.
Those are the people that Mary Moore tends to see. She works with the nonprofit Family and Children’s Services, which helps people sign up for plans on healthcare.gov.
“We’re not as concerned with sticker shock or our consumers having to deal with increased premiums, because those are absorbed by the financial assistance,” she says.
But she is concerned many people will have to switch doctors. After BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee pulled out of the Nashville region, the federal marketplace will no longer cover the networks of Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Nashville General Hospital at Meharry.
St. Thomas Health was also under BlueCross; it only reached an agreement a few days ago to be covered on the federal marketplace — which came as a big relief, Moore says.
Dec. 15 in the deadline for coverage to start in January.
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