Former MSNBC Host’s Health Plan Cancelled, New Plan Costs 3.5 Times More

[jct74]

Former MSNBC Host’s Health Plan Cancelled, New Plan Costs 3.5 Times More

by Noah Rothman | 7:41 am, November 8th, 2013




“Thnx Mr. President.” That’s all former MSNBC host Dylan Ratigan had to say to President Barack Obama on Thursday when he announced that the health insurance plan he purchased on the individual market after leaving the news network was being cancelled. The new plan he was eligible would cost him 3.5 times more than his previous plan.

“I bought a catastrophic health policy for $170/mo when I left MSNBC,” Ratigan confessed. “Obamacare cancelled the policy. New rate $600/mo. Thnx Mr. President!”

His tweet admission was met with a flurry of ACA supporters who attempted to explain to Ratigan why he should welcome the elimination of his previous plan. Ratigan’s subsequent tweets consist of debating his followers who advocated for the abolition of simple, catastrophic coverage plans.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/former-ms...-5-times-more/

[Keith and stuff]

A catastrophic plan should cost less than $150 a month for the average person his age. For the age 18 year old, I cannot image why it would costs more than $50 in a free market.

Auto insurance is what, $200 to $400 a year? Why should health insurance be so expensive?

[RonPaulFanInGA]

[angelatc]

If you want to see red, check out this article on The Atantic, that explains why Dylan Ratigan isn't really the poster child for cancelled insurance.

Well, actually, there are still low cost, high deductible plans: Bronze plans. They're just more comprehensive than they were before.
It's worth pointing out that he can probably find a plan for less that $600 a month. Ratigan lives in California, and Covered California has a great shop and compare tool. A 41-year-old living in San Diego County (where his farm is located) can easily find a Bronze Plan for about $70 a month more than what Ratigan is paying now. Since Covered California doesn't offer any plans more that $500 a month, we might assume Ratigan is covering an additional person. In that case, the most expensive Bronze plan for two 41-year-olds is $544 a month.

My head hurts.

Anyway, Ratigan's not really concerned about money.

What makes you say that?
Well, first, because he used to make a million dollars a year.

I hate these people.

And from the comments,

Ratigan's income is relevant because the ACA provides subsidies for people with incomes at or below certain levels, so it is necessary information to determine how much he really will be paying for decent insurance. And, no, these horrible policies that are disappearing are not decent insurance, since they cover almost nothing (sometimes not even hospitalization), often with huge deductibles and lifetime caps. And when people can't afford those deductibles, non-coverage and caps, the cost gets shifted back onto you and me, which is why they are illegal now.