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Comment by madengr | Hacker News Reader

Yep. Took my wife to the ER last week for suspect appendicitis or diverticulitis. Last time this happened a CT scan alone was $3k ($11k prior to insurance reduction). My HDP is $4,500 OOP max per family member; $8,500 for family.

What really pisses me off is that the HSA max contribution has not kept up with family OOP max. I contribute the max every year and can't end up with $8,500 saved.

I had a decent insurance plan prior to Obamacare. Now it's 3x as much and a HDP. Don't even have dental insurance anymore; use the HSA for that. Work for a Fortune 100 Company too.

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Work for a Fortune 100 Company too.

Your HR department is shit. I manage a 30 person company and our benefits are better than what you've mentioned.

Unfortunately, the grand-parent poster's experience is par for the course at most Fortune 100 companies.

Yes, no argument there. I work for Fortune #75 (hint; it's probably hanging on your wall). Lost dental insurance last year, vision the previous year, and switched to an HDP the year before (with massive premium increases every year). But hey, the stock price was at an all-time high on Friday.

Funny thing about HR directors is that they don't last more than 1 year before rotating out. Don't want them to become too attached to the people they are there to screw.

>I work for Fortune #75 (hint; it's probably hanging on your wall).

Honeywell; thermostats?

HON stock did just hit an all time high.

To be fair, health insurance doesn't HAVE TO be provided through work. It's easier than ever to find a private plan. To the employer it's just another employee cost along with salary so if you didn't ask for a raise when that happened, that's on you then.

I did get a raise; had to threaten to quit, but did get one. It's the HSA contribution limit that pisses me off. I don't have an issue paying, but I'd at least like the benefit of pre-tax $. The HSA limit has not kept up with the ACA OOP limit. Other than inflation adjustments, it's up to congress to raise it.

Employers can also contribute to HSA. Ask them to top you off.

It's doubtful we would be in a different situation without Obamacare. Health care costs have been rising faster than inflation for literally decades. There are too many bad actors at every level trying to grab whatever they can, while they can.

New Zealand example full unsubsidised price list for CT scan:

http://www.riverradiology.co.nz/diagnostic-solutions/price-l...

$500 NZ versus $11000 US - maybe there is something wrong with your health system.

Yes, the lack of pricing transparency (and maybe even regulation) is a problem.

Average price for a CT scan is probably between $1000 and $2000 though.

Just maybe...

If you work for a company with 10,000 employees or more and don't have a gold-plated health plan then it is by deliberate effort on the part of the company to save money.

At that level a company that wants a good plan can demand no exclusions for pre-existing conditions (an issue prior to ACA), same-day partner additions, better drug tiers, lower copays, etc. Often they pay less per person than a 1,000 person company does for a much worse plan.

I know because I looked. Two employers ago we got acquired by a very large company (over 80k employees). They paid ~$800/mo for my family. When I moved to a startup, they were paying ~$1200/mo and the benefits were worse. I'm back at a large company again and it's back to ~900/mo for a better plan.

You are getting screwed because the company has decided to do so.

"You are getting screwed because the company has decided to do so."

Ha ha, didn't have to tell me that! I bet my coworkers we won't have company health insurance in a few years. Gotta keep that stock high.

Crazy thing is, now that I'm middle age, and my 401k approaches 7 figures, I'm beginning to care more about fund performance to get me to retirement in 20 years than benefits. It's all coasting from now.

Wouldn't the mandate against dropping coverage for people with pre-existing conditions result in price increases across the board? (Because now insurers can't take your money, and then tell you to fuck off once you get sick.)

You're probably now paying the 'true' cost of healthcare. (Of course, inflated by the peculiarities of the American system.)

Large employer group plans already operated along those lines prior to the ACA.

They didn't get to be in the fortune 100 by handing out benefits to their resources. Resources are there to benefit the company; not the other way around.

Wow.

In Russia fully out-of-pocket (no insurance, no subsidy) CT scan will cost you $50-$200 (depending on body part).

So, this is likely around its prime cost. And the rest of your $(3000-200) is split and pocketed by hospital shareholders and insurance company.

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