Will watch and see if it affects us.

More lessening of competition so prices can just go up and up and up….sigh.

I know some growl about a 'nanny state', but this is an example of how a free economy theory fails when we're talking health. A lot of people will get hurt before this self-regulates.

our "loved" local hospital is now part of a huge hospital group...thanks be it still will maintain it's unique small space, as the only way they can go is up...and the now parent hospital is an entire city block the next town couple of towns over...as much as living in Detroit area can be, lol...the only way you know you're in a different town are signs...

Thanks, Anne. I didn't know about this, but just yesterday I was thinking I may have made a mistake in switching to the Humana/Walmart prescription Plan D coverage this year. I did so because I don't take any meds on a regular basis, and hoped to save money with the considerably lower monthly premium ($17/month vs. the $47/month I'd been paying with the AARP/United Health Care plan).

But I didn't take into account the cost of doxycycline, the antibiotic I've been on so many times for Lyme disease over the past 5 or 6 years. I'm on it again, and I'm shocked at the current price. It used to be on Walmart's $4 list, but yesterday I paid $65 for 15 days worth. I'll need renewals on that, so there goes my monthly savings.

Based on past experience, I think United Health Care would have given me a better break on this, although I don't know for sure.

I don't take any meds either, Susan...but the Eylea injection itself that I was given during my quest to stabilize my macular degeneration cost over $2,000 for just the Eylea itself. After I got over that shock, I pulled myself together and thanked my lucky stars that I chose AARP's Aetna-US Health Care Plan D. Once in a blue moon I've needed an antibiotic and I paid only $7 for whatever the med was. Of course...the meds are generic in nature unless there's no generic available.

I currently pay $61.10 for this coverage but factored into that figure is a late enrollment penalty that changes every year. My late husband had handled all our meds coverage through his NYC PBA early retirement program so I was never aware of what they supplied. We had no control over it...and I only used it for eye glasses every couple of years. Later when he became involved in an engineering career...we still kept his police benefits because they cost us little to nothing and were terrific. All of this history goes to explain that upon his death, the PBA forgot to tell me about Plan D and that it was mandatory to have meds coverage. I quit all other coverages with them and went private. However, the first couple of years after his death I was such a mess with life-in-general demands that I failed to realize I needed to enroll in a Plan D plan. Thus...when I finally became aware of it...and enrolled...I received a penalty charge. I challenged it and the PBA admitted to the fact that they had been remiss...but the government said that was no excuse for ignorance of the law and although they reduced the number of months I was being penalized...they didn't erase the entire penalty.

In any case...my local news today is attempting to address the possibility of huge rate increases for Humana people. The local opinion is that it won't be disastrous and they reminded readers that premiums are based on the geographic health insurance demands of the subscriber. If you live in a fairly healthy and low insurance demand area...your premium will probably stay low under the new insurer. If you don't meet that criteria...look for a good sized increase.

I'm so sorry to see that you're back on the Doxy. There are some new medico opinions about this type of treatment for tick problems. I'll have to dig around and see if I can find the particular article to bring here. I remember being surprised by its contents. As much as I'm a naturalist...I'm a Deet spray user during tick season. I know you and I have very similar attitudes. I wish I could convince you to spray, as well. I spray my clothing/ shoes, etc. Never the ground itself. I have very minimal tolerance for meds of any kind...so spraying is my only choice. I could never tolerate the Doxy if I got bitten.

It's too soon to know if this is better or worse.

For reasons that weren't publicized but perhaps cost was involved, my employer changed health plan administrators a few years ago. From an insurance company on the smaller end of the big boys to one on the bigger end. The new one has had, let's say, a less than stellar reputation in recent years.

I was apprehensive. With recurring doctor visits, I would mention and apologize for the switch from loved insurer to somewhat hated insurer. The uniform reaction was "Oh, we much prefer your new XXX company. They pay us the fastest and with the least hassle".

The experience on the individual side? A huge improvement, they're accessible, they process claims in just a few days, the information flow is superior to what we had before. What everyone thought was adequate now seems in hindsight to be deficient.

So, you'll never know what happens until it does.

Here's the article I mentioned, Susan. It's encouraging.

http://www.empr.com/news/can-a-common-allergy-medication-help-treat-lyme-disease/article/397324/

The experience on the individual side? A huge improvement, they're
accessible, they process claims in just a few days, the information flow
is superior to what we had before. What everyone thought was adequate
now seems in hindsight to be deficient.

This was mentioned in the article I read this morning and I tend to agree with it. I was forced....due to lack of Medicare accepting Drs in my area...to switch over to Pro Health Care a few years ago. Without US Healthcare in my corner...I never would have found them...and I can't begin to laud them enough. Care is intelligent and prompt. Attitude is towards education of the public and illness prevention where possible ...and communication skills are outstanding. In short...I've never felt so pampered. LOL Of course...my medical demands are low due to my personal healthcare attitudes...but this is the first medical care facility that hasn't scared me out of my wits. I actually feel confident that they could meet any demands I might have of them....or they'd find someone who could. That's such a nice feeling as my years keep growing. LOL

Glad to hear about your good situation, anne.

We're pre-Medicare and will have continuing private coverage when we hit that age. We too have low needs (so far) but for the small niggling things we deal with now and the complaints that arise, it's been a breath of fresh air to deal with a behemoth insurance company that's accessible and responsive. .

I hope some day everyone will have adequate coverage, however that gets done.

I hope so, too, Snidely. If my late husband hadn't enrolled in Medicare just a few months before his pancreatic cancer was discovered...and we hadn't had decent supplemental coverage through his PBA plan...I doubt that I'd be sitting here today. The cost of his 20 month treatment and all the additional medical disasters that occurred during that time period...including a massive heart attack...were staggering. I shudder...even today...just thinking about them.

Sorry to hear about what you both had to go through. Best wishes.

(what's PBA?)

Thank you. I have a healthy helping of grit and manage to muddle along with dedicated effort. LOL As long as I retain all my faculties...I'll survive. And...if I lose them...I probably won't realize it so I'll just survive on a lesser informed level. :-)

PBA = Police Benevolent Association Actually...I think his benefits came through the Police Pension Fund. Because I was not directly related to any of his NYPD experiences...I had no input. It wasn't until he died that they actually talked to me directly...and they weren't the easiest nor most empathetic people I ever came in contact with. My husband had joined very young and then was hurt and forced to retire in his 30's. Rather than sit around whining about his experience...he went back to school and earned an engineering degree. I didn't meet and marry him until we were both in our mid 40's. By that time...he'd had a rather interesting life...and certainly contributed a lot more of it to mine. I lost him almost 21 years later.