MAJOR health care changes in TX in 2016 (Pre-Medicare RVers)

[powerboatr]

Originally Posted by GVJeeper

Texas has a bad reputation when it comes to medical insurance....one of the worst in the nation.

hmm based on what exactly


all the medical insurance change ups are a direct result of the affordable care act or the unaffordable care act.

[WheelingIt]

Originally Posted by saydiver

What zip codes in Florida use WellMark? I checked a few areas both north and south and only found Florida BCBS(Florida Blue). Their Blue Options policy is both an EPO and a PPO. EPO in state and PPO out of state, although my card shows PPO only.



Sue

Argh, sorry my bad. It's Florida Blue, not Wellmark. Florida Blue is still a good option in FL and allows use of the extended BCBS network out of state.

[Taterpeeler]

BCBS NC just killed the PPO in some counties, Arizona announced to the broker community they are killing their PPO as well (according to my friend in AZ)


BCBS-NC just announced they were killing their broad network PPO in 16 counties, and adjusted their average rate increase request from 25.7% to 34.6%....

[WheelingIt]

Originally Posted by Taterpeeler

BCBS NC just killed the PPO in some counties, Arizona announced to the broker community they are killing their PPO as well (according to my friend in AZ)


BCBS-NC just announced they were killing their broad network PPO in 16 counties, and adjusted their average rate increase request from 25.7% to 34.6%....

Yikes. Thanks for the update. It certainly looks like this may be a general trend.

[JFXG]

Originally Posted by WheelingIt

.....It certainly looks like this may be a general trend.

It is the intended result of legislation and policy.



John & Diane, fulltiming since '12
'02 DS 40, FL, 3126, '04 Element

[Taterpeeler]

Originally Posted by JFXG

It is the intended result of legislation and policy.



John & Diane, fulltiming since '12
'02 DS 40, FL, 3126, '04 Element

you just nailed it....... local care, i heard that so many times during the passage.... look, i may own an Obamacare agency but I don't support the law, I been doing this almost a quarter century... I was here before this law

[Taterpeeler]

Ok, here is what I know at this point.... things subject to change as per CMS approval. United HealthCare will offer a PPO in all Texas counties ON Exchange (subsidy eligible) Their plan does not offer out of network bennies but its at least a quality PPO network.... I met with Humana but docent look like a PPO on exchange, forgot to ask about the PPO off (shoot me).....

Cigna appears to be PPO OFF Exchange but they are known as having a little local access PPO... not liked on my end

Will advise if I get more

[WheelingIt]

Originally Posted by Taterpeeler

Ok, here is what I know at this point.... things subject to change as per CMS approval. United HealthCare will offer a PPO in all Texas counties ON Exchange (subsidy eligible) Their plan does not offer out of network bennies but its at least a quality PPO network.... I met with Humana but docent look like a PPO on exchange, forgot to ask about the PPO off (shoot me).....

Cigna appears to be PPO OFF Exchange but they are known as having a little local access PPO... not liked on my end

Will advise if I get more

Thanks again for the update! The United Health Care PPO sound like a decent option on exchange. That's actually really good news.

[Taterpeeler]

Update time, and it aint looking good:
We know BCBS pulled PPO.

Humana has also pulled and no longer expanding into other counties in Texas

Cigna stated in their meeting yesterday that the PPO will be in select counties in Texas however I received back channel communications late last night that they have now decided to pull that plan off the table.

UHC will NOT return calls and one agent friend that got thru stated that the carrier VP said don't get to excited about the HMO thing, it may not happen.

Bottom line, Texas blew up last night... there may not be ANY PPO plans for the great state

[Taterpeeler]

Update: you Texas folks look to be OK, I found a National PPO in Polk county (Livingston)

[DMTTRANSPORT]

Should we all really have to fight for something like this, everything was fine till..........................

[mjeffrey]

Originally Posted by DMTTRANSPORT

Should we all really have to fight for something like this, everything was fine till..........................

Actually, for us everything was not fine. We are relatively healthy full-time 50-ish year-olds and had a heck of a time getting independent healthcare PPO coverage before the ACA came along. Process to apply was a nightmare (10 years of medical history, long phone interview process), premiums and deductibles were high and previous conditions were excluded. The ACA was just what we needed! Just hoping a PPO option is still available in TX next year with sufficient doc coverage.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by Taterpeeler

Update: you Texas folks look to be OK, I found a National PPO in Polk county (Livingston)

With what company?


On the Escapees forum posts have now begun on folks receiving letters from Blue Cross that there will be no PPOs in Texas or Arizona.

[DMTTRANSPORT]

Originally Posted by mjeffrey

Actually, for us everything was not fine. We are relatively healthy full-time 50-ish year-olds and had a heck of a time getting independent healthcare PPO coverage before the ACA came along. Process to apply was a nightmare (10 years of medical history, long phone interview process), premiums and deductibles were high and previous conditions were excluded. The ACA was just what we needed! Just hoping a PPO option is still available in TX next year with sufficient doc coverage.

ACA? is NOT fine for us, 3X what is was and we have NO health issues and YES we do mind paying for the other two households health care, they are entitled to it, then we are entitled to a Ferrari.