Group Health Participation

[ABC]

It seems that every group I talk to has participation problems. It seems groups under 50 are really struggling with this. The solution is for the owner to pay more but that is not going to happen.

This seems to be getting worse!

Anyone else seeing this trend?

 

[jemelton]

Yes, nobody will participate because the premiums are so expensive because the employer will not contribute more. Very frustrating....

 

[Dave020]

It's a problem with thousands of businesses in California because many employees get free services from state and county health resources. The employers have always maintained that they won't go for a group plan because of cost sharing for the health benefits (like co-pays) even if the employer pays 100% premium.

I found our recently that there is a bigger issue. Apparently if they have a health insurance plan (private or through work) they lose the ability to receive services from the state/county programs completely. Most don't want to give that up and have to pay co-pays, deductible and co-insurance.

 

[somarco]

Dave is right.

Govt give away's are almost impossible to compete with. Can't wait until 2014 when Medicaid expands and even more folks opt out of employer health plan in favor of free health insurance.

Of course the heavily subsidized exchanges will also compete for group health plans covering the middle income folks.

If I really believed the folks in DC were that smart I would think they actually planned it this way to destroy the private health insurance system.

Rather I choose to believe this is simply the law of unintended consequences . . . which they also did not read . . .

 

[ABC]

Every group that I am quoting has low enrollment.
Group of 15 with 4 on the plan. It seems every month I am faced with the same problem. I am really seeing an erosion of group health benefits because of cost.


Marco, come 2014 if house hold income is under $64,000 they will qualify for medicaid. Now these people will have to wait in line to get medical care unless they go to the ER.

 

[somarco]

The $64k Medicaid qualification was a "what if" that appeared in a news item on the web.

InsureBlog: Obamacare - Millions on Medicaid

Someone who actually READ THE LAW discovered that a couple under 65 and both receiving SS could earn up to $64k and still qualify for Medicaid and other free goodies. Seems the law excludes SS benefits from the earnings calc.

Still, there are a lot of folks who are willing to put up with crap just to get free health insurance.

 

[arnguy]

Yep. Small group health insurance is going bye-bye!

 

[Ann H]

In AZ, many of the carriers will exclude employees from participation formulas if the employee is covered by pretty much ANY other health insurance, including AHCCCS (our form of Medicaid), Indian Health Services, VA, individual plans, etc. Some won't allow individual plans, but some will.

 

[ABC]

In AZ, many of the carriers will exclude employees from participation formulas if the employee is covered by pretty much ANY other health insurance, including AHCCCS (our form of Medicaid), Indian Health Services, VA, individual plans, etc. Some won't allow individual plans, but some will.

This is the same in Indiana but you still have to have at least half of the group take coverage.