(Yahoo Finance) ObamaCare high deductibles fuel new worries–many people with modest incomes are encountering a troubling element of the federal health care law, deductibles so steep, they may not be able to afford the portion of medical expenses that insurance doesn’t cover, subverting one of the ACA stated goals, which to ensure more people receive needed health care. Hospitals in the meantime are bracing for a rise in unpaid bills.
For policies offered in the federal exchange as in many states, the annual deductible often tops $5,000 for an individual, $10,000 for a couple.
In El Paso, Texas for example, a husband and wife both age 35 one of the cheapest ObamaCare compliant plans on the federal exchange offered by Blue Cross & Blue Shield has a premium less than $300 but the annual deductible is more than $12,000 For a 45 year old couple seeking health insurance on the federal exchange in Saginaw, Michigan a policy with a premium of $515 has a deductible of $10,000
In Santa Cruz, California, Robert Aaron a self-employed 56 year old Engineer said he was looking for a low cost plan on Covered California, the best one he could find had a premium of $488 a month but the annual deductible was $5,000 and that he said, “sounds really high.”
More here from the NY Times
Related: High Deductibles Fuel New ACA Sticker Shock Worries –WSJ
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