*The individual did not want to be personally identified but to remain anonymous; for the purposes of relaying her story, we’ve called her Jen here.
Jen and her husband, North Carolina residents, selected a health insurance plan that had a low monthly premium. The Blue Advantage Saver offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) of North Carolina worked for them and fit their needs.
They received a letter dated September 24, 2013 that said, “We value your continued membership and want to let you know about some changes.”
But Jen found that the letter was about more than “some changes” as she read through the infuriating letter. The letter outlined the three key ways her health care plan would be affected “due to the ACA regulations.”
Her BCBS plan would no longer be offered in 2014 because it did not match up to Obamacare requirements; it its stead, they offered her a “new plan that both meets the guidelines of the ACA and offers all the features you’re used to from BCBS.”
The letter added, “to make it easy for you, we have transitioned you to a plan that most closely matches the benefits of your 2013 plan.”
There was just one problem with the suggested plan, the Blue Advantage Bronze.
It was way more expensive.
In fact, Jen told said that the new premium was more than her monthly mortgage payment for her home.
Monthly Premium Under Obamacare Most Costly Than Monthly Mortgage Payment
|
Monthly Premium |
Total Deducible |
|
|
Before |
$291.09 |
20,000 |
|
After |
$1,095.90 |
11K in network and 22k out of network |
The letter also notified her that, due to her family’s level of income, she may qualify for a subsidy. But again, there was a catch. Because her husband’s employer offers employer sponsored health care plans, her family may be rendered ineligible for the subsidy.
Jen and her husband had selected a plan on the individual market in the first place because, though her husband’s employer offered a good insurance plan, it was more than they needed and more than they wanted to spend, at $200 per week.
Jen was unable to reach BCBS because their phones were jammed. Now, she and her family will be without any health care coverage, because they have chosen not to pay the higher premium.
Moreover, due to legitimate security concerns Jen has with HealthCare.gov, she does not even want to attempt to sign up for a plan under Obamacare on the exchange.
She said:
I feel helpless, angry, and I hear from so many angles that the website is not secure. Why would I want to put my information out there?
I have never been affected personally by a government decision so profoundly. I am being forced to pay a higher premium when I don’t need it now and can’t afford it.
Since I moved to Wilmington, it’s been hard for me to find a full-time job. I’ve never wanted to hold a sign up in front of the White House till now!
Obamacare is unfair to Jen and her family. It needs to be fully repealed.
Katherine Rosario
Communications Deputy
Katherine is the Communications Deputy for Heritage Action for America. Before joining Heritage Action, Katherine completed internships at the Heritage Foundation’s Center for Legal and Judicial Studies and on the Hill in the office of Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-Fl). She graduated from Ave Maria University with a BA in politics. She was born and raised in New Bedford, Massachusetts.