ACA: But I have insurance

I redid my wife’s insurance in August and the monthly cost went up $150. I called my agent, and he said your deductible is only $500. What else can you offer me? Well you can increase the deductible to $5,000 and it will reduce your monthly by $250. OK, let’s do that.

My wife had a doctor’s visit for a cough. A couple of weeks later we received a bill for $167 and another for $30. I called and asked about the charges. I have insurance, I said. Yes, but the plan does not kick in until you have paid out $5,000.

So, before the deductible was $500 and the annual was about $3,900. Now the annual is $3,000 plus $5,000, or $8,000. What was $4,400 annually now is $8,000, an increase of 145 percent.

A lot of people are going to find out that the insurance companies are dipping into our pockets before they cover one expense and all due to the ACA. My agent said sorry, that is the way it is. I asked if I can go back to the $4,400 and he said no. You would have to sign up for the ACA and you will find it costs even more with deductibles of up to $20,000.

ED YOUNG

Rathdrum