So - I've Received Notification that my Pre-ACA Policy is Cancelled

[cadylou]

As I recall, the date you purchased the plan does not matter....as some carriers automatically made changes to the plans after the ACA date, thereby removing the Grandfathered clause. Aetna moved a lot of people to the "Value" plan.....and it is no different than the client calling in and altering the benefits after the ACA date. Most of my clients, to save money over the years, may have raised deductibles, etc........so, same impact.

I seem to recall that Coventry did something similar when they moved $20 copays to $30 copays a while back. So...it boils down to when did your plan last get amended....even if you had no say in the matter. Else, real grandfathered (un-altered) plans are still safe, by law (supposedly).

My plan has not changed. I would know - I had cancer in 2012, so I am well versed about my lousy coverage. I didn't change anything & no amendments were made since I was effective 4/1/2009. No co-pays changed or any of that.

Screw all of them. I'm going uninsured. I don't care - I never see doctors. For the price of the premium, I could get out of the hospital debt I still owe from 2 years ago. Next time they see me it will be when I stroll into emergency because I'm dying & am told to go to hospice. I'm not a fan of our lousy Medical "system". If anyone's been there - they know why I feel that way.

 

[taterpeeler]

lets see... you sell health insurance and you are going uninsured? you had cancer 2 years ago and going without insurance?.... I suggest you take a job with insurance because you by all accounts don't understand the law that you are selling.... no offense but the post spelled it out quite well.... jeze Louise

 

[Ann H]

Cadylou, it is true that carriers can cancel grandfathered plans. They simply close the entire block. That is being done here in AZ with Health Net, who cancelled all IFP plans last year (whether grandfathered or not), and this year are also cancelling all GROUP plans, whether grandfathered or not. The clients have two options - migrate to an ACA-compliant plan, or choose another carrier.

Going uninsured is not wise, and you already are aware of that. The revenge will never punish the insurance company or Obama, it will just boomerang back to you and damage you. Buy the lowest priced plan you can that still has a great network. Better yet, make it an HSA and save tax dollars. Also save the tax dollars you would have spent for the individual mandate penalty. But don't hurt yourself. You are the innocent one in this scenario, yet going uninsured will only hurt you.

 

[AllenChicago]

I have a GRANDFATHERED policy & received a notice from Coventry that they are dropping my health coverage as of 12/31/2014. My effective date for this policy was well before the law was passed - 4/1/2009.

Thoughts?

CadyLou, if your plan is being cancelled by Coventry because the company is closing the entire block, they would mostly likely say so in the letter you received. Otherwise, it's being cancelled because a material change was made to your policy.

What reason did your letter give for the cancellation CadyLou?
ac

 

[tonyisme]

Az has some decent off exchange plans via BCBS. Lic Agents don't have to be navigator certified to offer the off exchange BCBS plans. Also this might work if you
take your insurance cancel letter with you and a decent size box of SEES candies and have your best sob story ready and visit the head of provider billing face to face. This might get u a decent discount especially if u are very nice to them. Then enroll in a plan just before open enrollment ends....and you are certainly not the only one going to lose a grandfathered plan. Do you believe anything POTUS says? Start storing cases of bottled water and storable food. We have 5000 gun shops here in Az and they are friggen busy and parking lots full...

 

[G.Gordon]

This has hit home for us as well. I am on BCBS, the wife on Coventry, she got her letter as well. She had that plan since before Obummer was even a senator, never changed anything, not even the bank account it drafts from, and she gets Dear Johned.

The biggest thing that pisses me off is that we were not told anything, we were left in the "what the hell" zone when we started getting these calls from clients, then get home and get our own letter. All of the calls we got Friday and Saturday were from folks on non-grandfathered plans.

 

[cadylou]

This has hit home for us as well. I am on BCBS, the wife on Coventry, she got her letter as well. She had that plan since before Obummer was even a senator, never changed anything, not even the bank account it drafts from, and she gets Dear Johned.

The biggest thing that pisses me off is that we were not told anything, we were left in the "what the hell" zone when we started getting these calls from clients, then get home and get our own letter. All of the calls we got Friday and Saturday were from folks on non-grandfathered plans.

well, sorry about your wife, but glad to know I'm not the only one. And as you say - as agents we were not given any notice at all on this. I started getting calls on Friday night from people who were not grandfathered as well, only to find later on Saturday, my grandfathered one was gone. And I, like your wife had made no changes. Very frustrating to say the least. . . .

 

[leevena]

The fact that a carrier is closing shutting down a grandfather plan should not come as a surprise. It is normal and has been going on for a long time.

Anytime a pool of is closed to new business it will start to become older, riskier and higher cost. It's just a matter of a short time as the cost increases accelerate and eventually the product is cancelled.

 

[cadylou]

I spoke to my rep over at Coventry and Coventry has decided to close out all pre-ACA plans. No more legacy plans at all. Just FYI - that's here in KS & MO - I don't know if this applies to other Coventry/Aetna territories or not.

 

[tonyisme]

All the grandfathered plans are subject to adverse selection so many who are grandfathered who think they are safe are not ..economies of scale in action here. Old plans limited to new business and fresh premium. Time to write to dept hhs.gov the secretary before they replace her and to whitehouse.gov before that admin is replaced .