Post by Deleted on Dec 4, 2014 12:13:27 GMT -6
The story here is not complete, but I do add something at the end to address that problem. Here is the basic outline though..
Yup... Knew that was coming...but how much? What is "modest"?
Honest question.... Does ANYONE here have healthcare coverage beyond minimal catastrophic that hits $100 or less per month? Anyone at all??
I saw 2014 plans which were at or below that, but they were specific child plans and catastrophic instances of them. One, I recall at a bit over $80 as a matter of fact...but that wasn't a plan anyone here would ever get, as well as being specific to a state and sub-grouping within it, as I recall that example.
Source
Oh really?? More stable... Well, I believe public news releases about as much as I take the White House Press Office as a reliable authority on anything outside, perhaps, the interior decorating of the WH itself. (I think they'd be honest about that?)
Never a bunny to just throw out such statements without something more to work with though (I try not to be, anyway), I have the source for truth. It just isn't an easy or simple source to use in getting it.
Data.Healthcare.Gov
What you will be looking for, if they are there yet (and I have not had a chance to take time in really looking again recently) is the "Individual Landscape" dataset for national healthcare. You'll need it in a Table, CSV or Excel format, and last year's came in all three at one point.
Within that file, you will find every state within the exchange system. Below that, you will find every county, individually listed, within every state on exchanges. Going deeper, each county of each state has an entry for each individual plan, by name, and the cost for a range of pre-set 'groups' like 'Single Male 50', 'Single Parent Family' 'Family' and so on.
Basically and ultimately, every single rate, for every plan within the exchanges, and for every individual county covered has a row and listing of all the data associated with it. This was how I could build out pivot tables last year on rates across states for relative comparison. I didn't type a single number in any of that, and I'd hope no one else does either. Typing invites mistakes...and in spreadsheets of that complexity? Good luck finding a typo among the 10's of thousands of points of data ....but whoever DOES find one will never let your credibility live it down.
So..... What I would recommend is to use Excel, or one of the free spreadsheet/database programs (Open Office works and is easier for some). When you find the files you like (some exist for Dental plans in the same format and breakdown, for instance), plug it into the spreadsheet or database program.
If you're comfortable with that software, you'll have very useful and meaningful data rolling across your screen inside half an hour at most.....and you'll then know MORE than the vast majority of people in the nation running around talking about it like experts. Most I've outright called out on their facts....didn't even know data.healthcare.gov existed. That is usually about all I need to know, too.
Enjoy!
WASHINGTON (AP) — Many HealthCare.gov customers will face higher costs next year, the Obama administration acknowledged Thursday in a report that shows average premiums rising modestly.
Yup... Knew that was coming...but how much? What is "modest"?
However, the administration says about two-thirds of current customers can still find coverage comparable to what they have now for $100 a month or less if they shop around. That estimate takes into account the tax credits that most consumers are entitled to, which cover about three-fourths of the cost of premiums on average.
Honest question.... Does ANYONE here have healthcare coverage beyond minimal catastrophic that hits $100 or less per month? Anyone at all??
I saw 2014 plans which were at or below that, but they were specific child plans and catastrophic instances of them. One, I recall at a bit over $80 as a matter of fact...but that wasn't a plan anyone here would ever get, as well as being specific to a state and sub-grouping within it, as I recall that example.
The modest average increases the administration reported Thursday mask bigger price swings from state to state, and even within regions of a state. Some are still seeing double-digit hikes. But others are seeing decreases. And most are somewhere in the middle.
On the whole, administration officials say the market is more stable.
On the whole, administration officials say the market is more stable.
Oh really?? More stable... Well, I believe public news releases about as much as I take the White House Press Office as a reliable authority on anything outside, perhaps, the interior decorating of the WH itself. (I think they'd be honest about that?)
Never a bunny to just throw out such statements without something more to work with though (I try not to be, anyway), I have the source for truth. It just isn't an easy or simple source to use in getting it.
Data.Healthcare.Gov
What you will be looking for, if they are there yet (and I have not had a chance to take time in really looking again recently) is the "Individual Landscape" dataset for national healthcare. You'll need it in a Table, CSV or Excel format, and last year's came in all three at one point.
Within that file, you will find every state within the exchange system. Below that, you will find every county, individually listed, within every state on exchanges. Going deeper, each county of each state has an entry for each individual plan, by name, and the cost for a range of pre-set 'groups' like 'Single Male 50', 'Single Parent Family' 'Family' and so on.
Basically and ultimately, every single rate, for every plan within the exchanges, and for every individual county covered has a row and listing of all the data associated with it. This was how I could build out pivot tables last year on rates across states for relative comparison. I didn't type a single number in any of that, and I'd hope no one else does either. Typing invites mistakes...and in spreadsheets of that complexity? Good luck finding a typo among the 10's of thousands of points of data ....but whoever DOES find one will never let your credibility live it down.
So..... What I would recommend is to use Excel, or one of the free spreadsheet/database programs (Open Office works and is easier for some). When you find the files you like (some exist for Dental plans in the same format and breakdown, for instance), plug it into the spreadsheet or database program.
If you're comfortable with that software, you'll have very useful and meaningful data rolling across your screen inside half an hour at most.....and you'll then know MORE than the vast majority of people in the nation running around talking about it like experts. Most I've outright called out on their facts....didn't even know data.healthcare.gov existed. That is usually about all I need to know, too.
Enjoy!
