1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:04,600 Speaker 1: At some point in life. Everyone needs to see a doctor, 2 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,200 Speaker 1: and arguably many of us should be going way more 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,879 Speaker 1: frequently than we actually do. But seeing a doctor here 4 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:14,920 Speaker 1: in the United States can sometimes result in an expensive bill, 5 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:18,840 Speaker 1: especially if you're uninsured, and sometimes even if you are insured, 6 00:00:19,160 --> 00:00:22,160 Speaker 1: maybe your appointment, or your treatment or your provider wasn't 7 00:00:22,200 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: included as part of your medical coverage. According to research 8 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: led by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 9 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 1: the average cost of an appointment with a primary care 10 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: doctor for an uninsured patient in twenty fifteen was one 11 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: hundred and sixty dollars, and from the same case study, 12 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,400 Speaker 1: only seventy nine percent of the uninsured patients were even 13 00:00:40,440 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: offered an appointment. In May of twenty twenty three, Forbes 14 00:00:44,440 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 1: published in an article comparing the cost of health insurance 15 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: on the ACA marketplace. They found that the monthly cost 16 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: for an adult twenty one years of age ranged from 17 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 1: three hundred and thirty to four hundred and four dollars 18 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,520 Speaker 1: depending on the plan, and for a twenty seven year 19 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: old adult that range increase, with the lowest plan costing 20 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:04,440 Speaker 1: four hundred and five dollars to the highest level costing 21 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: about four hundred and twenty three a month, and these 22 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:11,319 Speaker 1: rates are based on single adults without dependence. Now you 23 00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: may be trying to do some math to sort out 24 00:01:13,600 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: if you can save some money by going without insurance. 25 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:18,039 Speaker 1: I mean, how often do you see your primary care doctor? 26 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:20,319 Speaker 1: After all? Aside from the fact that you should be 27 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,080 Speaker 1: going to see your primary care doctor ideally every year 28 00:01:23,120 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 1: for a regular physical, there are other doctors you should 29 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:30,119 Speaker 1: also be going to see regularly. I mean, there's your dermatologists. 30 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: You should be going every year for a skin check. 31 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: And if you're someone who visits the guynecologists, that's another 32 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 1: exam that should be done annually. And those types of 33 00:01:39,319 --> 00:01:42,600 Speaker 1: doctor's visits typically cost more than a primary care doctor. 34 00:01:42,959 --> 00:01:43,679 Speaker 2: But perhaps the. 35 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 1: Biggest reason why we need insurance is for those unexpected 36 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:49,240 Speaker 1: health issues that can arise. What if you're in a 37 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: car accident or you find yourself really sick with a 38 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:56,040 Speaker 1: more long term diagnosis. That's when medical costs can become 39 00:01:56,080 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 1: insurmountable and insurance can make a huge difference. The end 40 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 1: of October is typically the time of year when open 41 00:02:04,040 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: enrollment begins for a lot of health insurance plans. This 42 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:09,600 Speaker 1: is the window of time when you can change or 43 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:13,760 Speaker 1: enroll in a health insurance plan, and once that window closes, 44 00:02:13,880 --> 00:02:16,119 Speaker 1: you have to wait again to enroll or make any 45 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,880 Speaker 1: changes until next year. But with so many options and 46 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: plans ranging significantly in cost, how do you know which 47 00:02:23,720 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: one is the best one for your needs and for 48 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:29,280 Speaker 1: your budget? And what on earth is a ppo versus 49 00:02:29,320 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: an EPO? Start taking notes because this. 50 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 3: Is grown up stuff. 51 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:40,799 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to another episode of grown Up Stuff 52 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:43,280 Speaker 1: How to Adult, the podcast where we figure out things 53 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: like what's a premium and what's included in a deductible? 54 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 1: All in the name of adulthood. I'm Mollie and I'm 55 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 1: joined by my co host, Matt Stillo, and we hope 56 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 1: that you are healthy and well as you are listening 57 00:02:54,880 --> 00:02:58,400 Speaker 1: to this podcast because we're going to dig into health 58 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: insurance on this episode. What is it? Why do we 59 00:03:01,520 --> 00:03:04,120 Speaker 1: need it? Why does it seem to be written in 60 00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: another language that relies so heavily on acronyms. But to 61 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:12,079 Speaker 1: start us all off, Matt, what was your earliest experience 62 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:15,720 Speaker 1: with health insurance and what has it been like in 63 00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: your young life? Has it been good? 64 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, bad? 65 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:19,480 Speaker 2: Confusing? 66 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 4: Well, thank you for calling me young on this podcast. 67 00:03:22,680 --> 00:03:25,440 Speaker 4: Because this year and I don't know how I feel 68 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:26,639 Speaker 4: about very young, but. 69 00:03:27,040 --> 00:03:29,160 Speaker 1: We all feel some sort of way about that age, 70 00:03:29,400 --> 00:03:32,040 Speaker 1: about all the ages. So you're doing great, Matt, You're 71 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:32,560 Speaker 1: doing great. 72 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:36,120 Speaker 4: So for everyone out there who's like, you know, unemployed, underemployed, 73 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 4: you were in the right place because I was actually 74 00:03:39,720 --> 00:03:44,800 Speaker 4: on my parents' healthcare up until the last possible second. 75 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 4: I was like about to turn twenty seven, right before 76 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:50,880 Speaker 4: like the enrollment period for the new year, and I 77 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,120 Speaker 4: got this job, my first like full job with like 78 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 4: four oh one K and salary and healthcare, and I 79 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 4: was like I couldn't believe it. I like, I got 80 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 4: through that open enrollment and I was like, wow, under 81 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 4: the freaking wire because I was so worried about what's 82 00:04:06,800 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 4: gonna happen now, you know, that wave of relief quickly 83 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 4: subsided as I was reading through the healthcare plans because 84 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:17,719 Speaker 4: what the hell? Yeah, all this lingo, like how is 85 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:21,120 Speaker 4: a child right? Because twenty six is a child supposed 86 00:04:21,120 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 4: to figure that stuff out? Even my parents couldn't help 87 00:04:24,240 --> 00:04:26,960 Speaker 4: me because it's gotten so confusing in the last few years. 88 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:29,080 Speaker 4: So after it was all said and done, I felt like, 89 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:30,400 Speaker 4: did I make the right decision. 90 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:31,520 Speaker 3: I have no idea. 91 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 4: Every subsequent year, I was trying to like do right, 92 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:37,280 Speaker 4: Like I'm gonna get it this time. Yeah, I'm gonna 93 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 4: get it this time. 94 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:38,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. 95 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:39,520 Speaker 3: And I don't think even. 96 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:41,960 Speaker 4: To this day, I've ever really fully figured it out. 97 00:04:41,960 --> 00:04:43,640 Speaker 4: But I just want everyone to know out there that, like, 98 00:04:43,680 --> 00:04:46,640 Speaker 4: if you are confused by this, it is okay, We're 99 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 4: going to figure it all out together. But Molly, yeah, 100 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 4: I feel like you probably felt the exact same way. 101 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 1: Oh. I mean, I'll hit submit and I'll go back 102 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:59,240 Speaker 1: and review before the window of open enrollment closes, ultimately 103 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:02,080 Speaker 1: decide I've made the right decision. But once that period ends, 104 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:03,800 Speaker 1: I'm like, Nope, I've made the wrong decision. I know it. 105 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 1: I've made the wrong decision. But let's get to our 106 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:09,200 Speaker 1: conversation with our guests, because I do think she's going 107 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:11,600 Speaker 1: to be able to clarify a lot of this for us. 108 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:17,480 Speaker 4: Today we are joined by the one and only Julie Robner. 109 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 4: Julie is the Chief Washington correspondent and host of What 110 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 4: the Health, a weekly health policy news podcast from KFF 111 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 4: Health News. 112 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: KFF Health News is a national newsroom that focuses on 113 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:32,839 Speaker 1: health issues and was founded by the Kaiser Family Foundation, 114 00:05:33,279 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: which is now more commonly referred to as KFF. Julie 115 00:05:36,880 --> 00:05:40,600 Speaker 1: joined the KFF Health News team after sixteen years as 116 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:44,360 Speaker 1: a health policy correspondent for NPR, where she helped lead 117 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 1: the network's coverage of the Affordable Care Act. 118 00:05:47,360 --> 00:05:50,240 Speaker 4: Julie is also the author of the book Healthcare, Politics 119 00:05:50,279 --> 00:05:53,040 Speaker 4: and Policy, a Disease, and the recipient of the National 120 00:05:53,080 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 4: Press Foundation's Everett McKinley Dirkson Award for Distinguished Reporting of Congress. Well, 121 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:04,599 Speaker 4: Julia Rovner, thank you so much for joining us on 122 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 4: this episode of grown Up Stuff? 123 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:06,560 Speaker 3: How do adult? 124 00:06:06,760 --> 00:06:09,520 Speaker 4: And at this podcast, we'd like to really like ask 125 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 4: the most dumb question straight. 126 00:06:11,680 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 1: Out of the gate, because you're kind of anything. 127 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 4: Exactly, and that really dumb question is what exactly is 128 00:06:20,480 --> 00:06:23,479 Speaker 4: health insurance and why is it so important to have, 129 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:25,480 Speaker 4: especially in the United States. 130 00:06:26,080 --> 00:06:29,440 Speaker 2: Well, health insurance is supposed to prevent you from going 131 00:06:29,520 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 2: broke if something bad happens to you. A lot of 132 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:35,840 Speaker 2: young people don't think they need health insurance because, after all, 133 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,880 Speaker 2: they're less likely to get sick. But you know, even 134 00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:41,080 Speaker 2: a twenty five year old can get hit by a 135 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,120 Speaker 2: bus or run into a tree. If you go skiing, 136 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 2: things can happen. Unfortunately, young people get very serious diseases. 137 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,240 Speaker 2: And if you don't have health insurance, our healthcare system 138 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:55,960 Speaker 2: is really, really expensive. You do not want to get 139 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:57,840 Speaker 2: caught up in it if you don't have some kind 140 00:06:57,839 --> 00:06:58,479 Speaker 2: of insurance. 141 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 1: You know, that's a really good point. Young people are 142 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:04,720 Speaker 1: not exempt from getting cancer, unfortunately, and sadly, I've had 143 00:07:04,760 --> 00:07:06,800 Speaker 1: a handful of friends in their late twenties and early 144 00:07:06,839 --> 00:07:10,320 Speaker 1: thirties who have been diagnosed with cancer. And even things 145 00:07:10,400 --> 00:07:13,680 Speaker 1: like a broken bone can be really expensive without insurance. 146 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: But I myself have been in situations where I've either 147 00:07:17,360 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: been in between jobs or freelancing. So what are the 148 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: best options to get health insurance if we can't get 149 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: it through an employer. 150 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 2: Well, congratulations, we now all have options which we didn't 151 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,960 Speaker 2: when I was a young freelancer. That is exactly what 152 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:34,760 Speaker 2: the Affordable Care Act was aimed at. It was aimed 153 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:37,680 Speaker 2: at people that don't get their health insurance on the 154 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 2: job provided by an employer. So basically, if you're working 155 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 2: for yourself, you can buy insurance and it's pretty good 156 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 2: insurance on the healthcare exchange. And if you don't earn 157 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 2: a lot of money, you'll get a subsidy, in some 158 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:51,600 Speaker 2: cases a really big subsidy, So not only will you 159 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:54,040 Speaker 2: not have to pay very high premiums, and particularly if 160 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 2: you're younger, you might not even have to pay very 161 00:07:56,600 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 2: much if you have to go and get care. You 162 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 2: can get savings on your your co payments and deductible. 163 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 2: So there are a lot of ways that the Affordable 164 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 2: Care Act is aimed at getting people insured who were 165 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:12,600 Speaker 2: not previously eligible, either for Medicare or Medicaid or an 166 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,400 Speaker 2: employer to ensure them. So that's the good news. The 167 00:08:15,400 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 2: other way, of course, you can get insured or stay 168 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 2: insured if you've had a job in your between jobs 169 00:08:21,480 --> 00:08:24,120 Speaker 2: is there something called cobra which allows you to continue 170 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 2: your employer insurance until you get another job, or another 171 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:30,480 Speaker 2: way to get insurance. But if you had insurance and 172 00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 2: you lose it for pretty much any reason, you can 173 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:36,640 Speaker 2: sign up under the Affordable Care Act at any time 174 00:08:36,640 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 2: of the year. You get your own personal open enrollment period. 175 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 4: Just so that I'm clear on this, was there no 176 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:45,560 Speaker 4: way to directly go to a health insurance company before 177 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 4: the ACA otherwise known as Obamacare, was enacted. 178 00:08:49,679 --> 00:08:51,360 Speaker 2: There were lots of ways to go to a health 179 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 2: insurance company before the Affordable CARECT. The problem is they 180 00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:57,360 Speaker 2: might not have sold you insurance because they didn't always 181 00:08:57,360 --> 00:08:59,800 Speaker 2: have to. In states where they said you have to 182 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:03,000 Speaker 2: take everybody even if they're sick, the insurance said, okay, bye, 183 00:09:03,040 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 2: we're just not going to sell in this state. So 184 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 2: there were a lot of people who wanted to get 185 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 2: insurance who couldn't. If you were really healthy, they were 186 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:12,959 Speaker 2: likely to sell you. Insurance could have been, depending on 187 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,720 Speaker 2: where you live, pretty cheap or pretty expensive. But sometimes 188 00:09:16,760 --> 00:09:18,880 Speaker 2: when it was really cheap, it didn't cover very much. 189 00:09:18,960 --> 00:09:21,960 Speaker 2: There were health insurance policies that would only cover up 190 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 2: to the first five hundred dollars worth of care that 191 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:28,120 Speaker 2: barely gets you in the door at a hospital and 192 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:30,599 Speaker 2: even a doctor's office in some case. So there was 193 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 2: a lot of bad health insurance and a lot of 194 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 2: health insurance it wasn't really insurance. And one of the 195 00:09:36,160 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 2: things that the Affordable Care Act did, and it was controversial, 196 00:09:40,160 --> 00:09:42,200 Speaker 2: was to say that these are going to be the 197 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 2: standard benefits that every accredited health insurance policy has to offered. 198 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 2: That of course made a lot of health insurance a 199 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 2: lot more expensive because hey, now it had cover actual stuff. 200 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:56,559 Speaker 2: But I think a lot of people who didn't need 201 00:09:56,600 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 2: their health insurance very often didn't realize how little their 202 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:00,600 Speaker 2: health insurance covered. 203 00:10:01,120 --> 00:10:03,560 Speaker 4: Actually puts it in a great perspective, like you know 204 00:10:03,679 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 4: how historic the Affordable Care Act was. I was before 205 00:10:08,840 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 4: I had had my first job and have my first 206 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:13,679 Speaker 4: health insurance plan, so I did not really realize how 207 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 4: big of a deal. 208 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:15,240 Speaker 3: That is. 209 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:17,000 Speaker 4: The one other thing that I wanted to ask you 210 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:19,520 Speaker 4: about and maybe why it was included in the Affordable 211 00:10:19,559 --> 00:10:23,839 Speaker 4: Care Act, which is the dependents you know, children who 212 00:10:23,840 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 4: are on their parents' plan, they can stay on those 213 00:10:25,760 --> 00:10:26,960 Speaker 4: plans until you're twenty six. 214 00:10:27,200 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 3: Why exactly was that included in the ACA? 215 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:33,920 Speaker 2: This was a huge, huge deal until then Moost kids 216 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 2: got kicked off their parents' plans when they turned eighteen. 217 00:10:37,120 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 2: If they went to college, they would buy student health plans. 218 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:42,760 Speaker 2: Then they would graduate and they would have no insurance. 219 00:10:42,840 --> 00:10:44,880 Speaker 2: And it was a big problem and also was a 220 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:47,920 Speaker 2: deterrent to do things like go join the Peace Corps, 221 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,120 Speaker 2: you know, become a volunteer somewhere, take an internship, or 222 00:10:51,160 --> 00:10:53,800 Speaker 2: take any kind of job that didn't offer health insurance. 223 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 2: Because it's so dangerous to be uninsured. These days. So 224 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 2: basically what they said was, we're going to require employee 225 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:02,800 Speaker 2: to allow kids to stay on their parents' plans until 226 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:04,920 Speaker 2: they're twenty six. And the idea is that by the 227 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 2: time somebody is twenty six, they should be grown up 228 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:10,920 Speaker 2: enough to find a way to have health insurance, either 229 00:11:10,960 --> 00:11:13,360 Speaker 2: be established as a freelancer or have a job that 230 00:11:13,440 --> 00:11:16,720 Speaker 2: provides insurance. But basically want to be able to get 231 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,960 Speaker 2: kids through school and through higher learning and still keep 232 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 2: them insured. And also a lot of young people, as 233 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 2: I mentioned, at some point, don't think they need health 234 00:11:26,160 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 2: insurance and don't buy it, and this is just an 235 00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,280 Speaker 2: easier way for parents to make sure that their kids 236 00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 2: are insured even as they are launching their own careers. 237 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,400 Speaker 2: It was an extremely popular benefit. It was one of 238 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,400 Speaker 2: the few benefits in the ACA that was completely bipartisanly popular. 239 00:11:40,600 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 2: Both sides wanted it, and it's obviously a fairly highly 240 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:45,840 Speaker 2: used benefit. 241 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:55,920 Speaker 1: The Affordable Care Act or ACA or Obamacare is a 242 00:11:55,960 --> 00:12:00,480 Speaker 1: comprehensive healthcare reform law that was enacted in March twenty ten. 243 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:03,559 Speaker 1: According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, 244 00:12:04,000 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 1: the law had three primary goals. One, make affordable health 245 00:12:08,320 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 1: insurance available to more people, to expand the Medicaid program 246 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:15,559 Speaker 1: to cover all adults with income below one hundred and 247 00:12:15,679 --> 00:12:19,120 Speaker 1: thirty eight percent of the federal poverty level, and three 248 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:23,600 Speaker 1: support innovative medical care delivery methods designed to lower costs 249 00:12:23,600 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 1: of healthcare generally. As Julie mentioned, one way they achieved 250 00:12:27,640 --> 00:12:31,240 Speaker 1: this was by increasing the age of health insurance dependence 251 00:12:31,280 --> 00:12:35,559 Speaker 1: to twenty six. Now, I personally didn't have the slightest 252 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 1: idea how to properly choose a health insurance plan when 253 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:41,680 Speaker 1: I did turn twenty six, and I was often asking 254 00:12:41,679 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: coworkers what they chose for guidance. And that's because when 255 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: I was given these options, I felt like I needed 256 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: a translator for all of the different terms. 257 00:12:53,200 --> 00:12:55,880 Speaker 4: Before we get into anything too specific, I think there's 258 00:12:55,920 --> 00:12:58,040 Speaker 4: a couple of terms that we should really like talk 259 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:01,200 Speaker 4: about what they mean exactly. So first, would you mind 260 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 4: telling us what a premium is. 261 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 2: A premium is the amount you pay basically to have insurance. 262 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:10,280 Speaker 2: So it will usually be a monthly fee, and that's 263 00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,800 Speaker 2: what makes you a policy holder, is paying the premium. 264 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 2: Usually if it's employer provided insurance, the employer will pay 265 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 2: at least some, possibly most in a few cases. All 266 00:13:20,960 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 2: of the premium, but generally there is someone pays the 267 00:13:24,559 --> 00:13:26,160 Speaker 2: premium for you to have insurance. 268 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:28,600 Speaker 4: Awesome, Okay, I'm just going to rattle through the So 269 00:13:29,160 --> 00:13:31,320 Speaker 4: deductible what is a deductible. 270 00:13:31,360 --> 00:13:34,200 Speaker 2: Deductible is how much you pay out of pocket before 271 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:39,240 Speaker 2: your insurance starts paying Deductibles can most are in this 272 00:13:39,320 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 2: sort of couple of hundred to several hundred dollars range, 273 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 2: which in theory is what people can afford. It depends, 274 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 2: you know, if you have a family, sometimes it can 275 00:13:48,679 --> 00:13:51,560 Speaker 2: be you know, five hundred dollars for each member of 276 00:13:51,600 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 2: the family. That can turn into a lot of money 277 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:56,560 Speaker 2: pretty quick. But the general rule of thumb is the 278 00:13:56,679 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 2: higher your premium, the lower you're deductible. So if you 279 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:01,320 Speaker 2: don't think you're going to use a lot of health insurance, 280 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:04,840 Speaker 2: you might want to get something with a lower premium 281 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:07,439 Speaker 2: but a higher deductible, and vice versa. If you think 282 00:14:07,440 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 2: you will use insurance, you might want to get a 283 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:12,560 Speaker 2: higher premium with a lower deductible so your insurance kicks 284 00:14:12,600 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 2: in faster. 285 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:18,079 Speaker 3: Awesome. And then what about like copay and co insurance. 286 00:14:18,160 --> 00:14:20,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, those are two slightly different things. But the idea 287 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 2: is that once you reach the place where your insurance 288 00:14:24,120 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 2: starts paying for things. It's shared. Insurance rarely pays one 289 00:14:27,840 --> 00:14:31,000 Speaker 2: hundred percent of anything, So either they will charge you 290 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:33,160 Speaker 2: a co pay. They will say, if you go to 291 00:14:33,200 --> 00:14:35,760 Speaker 2: the pharmacy and you get one of these, you know, 292 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:38,400 Speaker 2: four hundred common drugs, you will have a copay of 293 00:14:38,480 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 2: ten dollars, and if you get a slightly more expended drug, 294 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,400 Speaker 2: you'll have a copay of twenty dollars. Co insurance is 295 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 2: when they say, if you go to the doctor or 296 00:14:47,040 --> 00:14:50,640 Speaker 2: the hospital, we're going to pay eighty percent or ninety percent, 297 00:14:50,680 --> 00:14:52,920 Speaker 2: and you're going to pay the other ten percent. Co 298 00:14:53,040 --> 00:14:55,720 Speaker 2: insurance can turn into a lot of money these days 299 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,280 Speaker 2: when health care is so expensive. You know, people think, oh, 300 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:02,840 Speaker 2: it's I have a five percent co insurance if you 301 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:05,680 Speaker 2: go to the hospital. Five percent can very quickly become 302 00:15:05,720 --> 00:15:06,920 Speaker 2: many thousands of dollars. 303 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 4: Truly, it's insane. And so I have a deductible and 304 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 4: I hit that. But then why is there an out 305 00:15:11,600 --> 00:15:12,840 Speaker 4: of pocket maximum? 306 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:16,560 Speaker 5: Great question, That's a very good question, because, as I 307 00:15:16,680 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 5: just said, your co insurance can turn into a lot 308 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:23,520 Speaker 5: of money very quickly, and that's why plans are required 309 00:15:23,520 --> 00:15:25,880 Speaker 5: to have an out of pocket maximum, so you don't 310 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:30,040 Speaker 5: once you hit a certain number, usually in the near 311 00:15:30,120 --> 00:15:32,920 Speaker 5: ten thousand dollars range, you don't have to pay anything 312 00:15:32,920 --> 00:15:34,000 Speaker 5: more for the rest of the year. 313 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 2: Then the calendar will reset and you'll have to start again. 314 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:41,760 Speaker 2: But it's generally, yeah, even if you have health insurance, 315 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:43,320 Speaker 2: you can end up on the hook for a lot 316 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 2: of money. That's why they have things like flexible spending 317 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 2: accounts and health savings accounts. Healthcare these days is really 318 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:53,160 Speaker 2: expensive in the United States, even with insurance. 319 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:56,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, So to clarify just that, I understand this. So 320 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 1: your deductible, once you meet that, then they'll cover a 321 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 1: certain percentage of certain things right. 322 00:16:01,800 --> 00:16:03,600 Speaker 2: Right up to your out of pocket maximum. 323 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:05,640 Speaker 1: It's like basically a video game. You're like, you get 324 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:07,720 Speaker 1: to the first boss, and you get to the second boss, 325 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:08,800 Speaker 1: and you get to the second bus. You win and 326 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:10,680 Speaker 1: you get all these new things and you can do anything. 327 00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:12,600 Speaker 1: So after you hit that out of pocket though, then 328 00:16:12,640 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: they have to cover everything. Right, Is that correct? 329 00:16:15,560 --> 00:16:18,720 Speaker 2: It's usually right? There are things then there we'll say, well, 330 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 2: you're not in networks, so we're not going to cover 331 00:16:21,280 --> 00:16:23,720 Speaker 2: all of it. There are exceptions to that. You know, 332 00:16:23,800 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 2: if it's not covered by the plan, then they can 333 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:29,280 Speaker 2: make you pay it. CAFF Health News and NPR and 334 00:16:29,320 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 2: CBS have been doing something we call the Bill of 335 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:33,480 Speaker 2: the Months for a couple of years now, where people 336 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:36,440 Speaker 2: send us their medical bills that they just can't handle, 337 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 2: and we try to sort out what's going on. And 338 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:41,480 Speaker 2: there are cases where people have been you know, they've 339 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 2: gone way over there out of pocket maximum, but they've 340 00:16:44,040 --> 00:16:47,520 Speaker 2: been billed anyway. Sometimes they're actually liable for those bills. 341 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 2: Sometimes they're not. Do you want the out of pocket 342 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 2: maximum for this year? 343 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 1: Yes? 344 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,320 Speaker 2: Please? What is it for the twenty twenty four plan 345 00:16:53,360 --> 00:16:56,080 Speaker 2: your guests? The out of pocket maximum for a marketplace 346 00:16:56,240 --> 00:16:59,200 Speaker 2: plan can't be more than ninety four hundred and fifty 347 00:16:59,240 --> 00:17:02,240 Speaker 2: dollars for an ind of one, eighteen nine hundred dollars 348 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 2: for a family. 349 00:17:03,080 --> 00:17:03,960 Speaker 1: It's a lot of money. 350 00:17:04,160 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 2: That's not just a lot of money, And it says 351 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:08,040 Speaker 2: the things that they don't cover. It doesn't you're out 352 00:17:08,080 --> 00:17:11,159 Speaker 2: of pocket. Doesn't cover premiums, it doesn't. It says it 353 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:14,120 Speaker 2: doesn't cover anything you spend for services your plan doesn't cover, 354 00:17:14,520 --> 00:17:17,720 Speaker 2: doesn't cover out of network care and services, doesn't cover 355 00:17:17,840 --> 00:17:20,640 Speaker 2: costs above the allowed amount for a service a provider 356 00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:21,400 Speaker 2: may charge. 357 00:17:22,080 --> 00:17:25,560 Speaker 1: So I was curious about what goes towards my deductible 358 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 1: because sometimes I think, I'm like, whoa, I've spent I 359 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:30,160 Speaker 1: must have hit my deductible at this point, like I've 360 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:32,880 Speaker 1: spent so much money. But you're telling me if I've 361 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:35,160 Speaker 1: paid out of pocket for something my insurance doesn't cover 362 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 1: to begin with, then that doesn't count towards my deductible. 363 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 2: No, And that's it's really important to know what does 364 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:44,640 Speaker 2: and doesn't count towards your deductible. In some plans, out 365 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:48,200 Speaker 2: of network care won't count towards your deductible, or you'll 366 00:17:48,200 --> 00:17:51,920 Speaker 2: have a separate out of network deductible and in network deductible. 367 00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,879 Speaker 2: Then usually that out of network deductible will be higher. 368 00:17:54,960 --> 00:17:57,560 Speaker 2: So it's not just anything you spend on medical care, 369 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:00,360 Speaker 2: it's anything that you spend on medical care that would 370 00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 2: be covered after you hit your deductible. 371 00:18:03,760 --> 00:18:10,200 Speaker 1: Son of a bitch cheer leading. Oh and for one 372 00:18:10,240 --> 00:18:13,399 Speaker 1: more cherry. On top of this depressing deductible. Sunday, we 373 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 1: did some additional digging and discovered most plans do not 374 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:20,119 Speaker 1: count your copays towards meeting your deductible. 375 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:27,640 Speaker 4: So what exactly is a healthcare network and like, why 376 00:18:27,680 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 4: are some doctors in it and then others not. 377 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:37,280 Speaker 2: Generally, a healthcare network is a group of providers, so doctors, labs, hospitals, 378 00:18:37,480 --> 00:18:41,120 Speaker 2: urgent care centers that have signed contracts with the insurer. 379 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 2: And generally the deal is the insurer says, we will 380 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,120 Speaker 2: send you our patients, so you will get more patients, 381 00:18:47,400 --> 00:18:49,240 Speaker 2: and in exchange, you will give us a better price. 382 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,439 Speaker 2: So those are that's how you stay in network. And 383 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:55,919 Speaker 2: because the insurer knows what they're going to pay you, 384 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:58,639 Speaker 2: the patient will only have to pay a limited amount. 385 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,600 Speaker 2: Usually known it used to be sort of flat dollar 386 00:19:01,840 --> 00:19:05,800 Speaker 2: copayments ten or fifteen or twenty dollars. More commonly these 387 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 2: days it's co insurance, so you'd have to pay ten 388 00:19:08,640 --> 00:19:11,240 Speaker 2: percent or twenty percent, which can turn into a lot 389 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 2: of money. But generally, staying within your network of doctors, hospitals, 390 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:20,360 Speaker 2: and other healthcare facilities is going to be a lot 391 00:19:20,400 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 2: cheaper than going outside the network, where the insurer doesn't 392 00:19:24,119 --> 00:19:26,520 Speaker 2: have a deal to get a better rate from the 393 00:19:26,520 --> 00:19:28,720 Speaker 2: provider and may have to pay more even if you're 394 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:29,560 Speaker 2: gonna pay more too. 395 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:33,520 Speaker 1: And what's the best way for us to determine who's 396 00:19:33,560 --> 00:19:34,679 Speaker 1: included and who isn't. 397 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:38,480 Speaker 2: Oh, such a good question, that should be so easy. 398 00:19:38,920 --> 00:19:42,919 Speaker 2: There are provider directories where you can see who's in 399 00:19:42,960 --> 00:19:45,439 Speaker 2: the plan and who isn't, except it turns out the 400 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:50,919 Speaker 2: provider directories are often wrong or incomplete. Unfortunately, this is 401 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:53,480 Speaker 2: something that's been going on for decades, and now that 402 00:19:53,520 --> 00:19:56,399 Speaker 2: it's ever more important to know who's in your network 403 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:59,280 Speaker 2: and who isn't, it's still really hard to find out, 404 00:19:59,400 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 2: so you have to call each provider until this year. 405 00:20:03,400 --> 00:20:06,400 Speaker 2: Last year there was also this problem about something called 406 00:20:06,440 --> 00:20:09,879 Speaker 2: surprise bills, where you go to an in network hospital. 407 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:12,479 Speaker 2: You know what's in your network, but you get treated 408 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:14,800 Speaker 2: by a doctor who's not in the network, and you 409 00:20:14,840 --> 00:20:17,040 Speaker 2: don't have a choice. It might be the pathologist or 410 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:20,520 Speaker 2: the anesthesiologist. You know, you schedule surgery and you know 411 00:20:20,600 --> 00:20:23,359 Speaker 2: you're having surgery with this surgeon, and sometimes you'll call ahead, 412 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:25,959 Speaker 2: is the anti caesiologist in my network? And it's like, well, 413 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:28,000 Speaker 2: we don't really know who your anesthesiologist is going to 414 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 2: be that day, so you have no idea, and then 415 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:33,119 Speaker 2: you would get these huge bills from emergency room doctors 416 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:38,040 Speaker 2: or antithesiologist or doctors that you didn't choose. Congress finally 417 00:20:38,080 --> 00:20:41,200 Speaker 2: made that illegal, but only very recently. 418 00:20:41,800 --> 00:20:42,640 Speaker 3: Oh my gosh. 419 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:44,280 Speaker 2: You know, the best way to find out if a 420 00:20:44,280 --> 00:20:47,000 Speaker 2: provider is a network is yes, I know, I know that. 421 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,480 Speaker 2: You know, like people under forty eight talking to people 422 00:20:49,520 --> 00:20:51,560 Speaker 2: on the phone, but this is a case where you 423 00:20:51,680 --> 00:20:54,679 Speaker 2: might want to talk to people on the show. They 424 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:57,200 Speaker 2: don't always know either, but it's worth asking. I mean, 425 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:59,400 Speaker 2: I still go to providers that are you know, I'm 426 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:02,000 Speaker 2: pretty sure a network, but you know, you keep asking, 427 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,000 Speaker 2: are you really in my network? Am I really not 428 00:21:04,000 --> 00:21:05,720 Speaker 2: going to get a bill for a thousand dollars a year? 429 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:05,879 Speaker 1: Well? 430 00:21:05,880 --> 00:21:07,200 Speaker 4: I glad that's not just me because I feel like 431 00:21:07,320 --> 00:21:08,760 Speaker 4: I have to do that every single time too, And 432 00:21:08,800 --> 00:21:10,919 Speaker 4: I'm like, is this really how it works? Like we 433 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:13,760 Speaker 4: just have to do this all the time. Yeah, apparently 434 00:21:13,800 --> 00:21:14,160 Speaker 4: it is. 435 00:21:14,760 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 2: Our health system is not the most efficient or user 436 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,960 Speaker 2: friendly or inexpensive. It's it's a lot of things that 437 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:24,439 Speaker 2: are not very good. I think there's a lot of 438 00:21:24,480 --> 00:21:26,880 Speaker 2: disagreement on how to fix the healthcare system, but there's 439 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:29,280 Speaker 2: a whole lot of agreement that it is not working 440 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:29,920 Speaker 2: well right now. 441 00:21:30,359 --> 00:21:33,359 Speaker 1: It is complicated, But this is why these conversations are 442 00:21:33,400 --> 00:21:36,600 Speaker 1: so important so that we could be equipped with all 443 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:38,720 Speaker 1: of the knowledge and the tools and the resources to 444 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:40,040 Speaker 1: make the best decisions. 445 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 2: This is a really important part of adulting. So I mean, yeah, 446 00:21:43,800 --> 00:21:47,240 Speaker 2: health insurance saving for retirement thinks that we're a lot 447 00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:49,880 Speaker 2: cheaper when I was a young adult, are a lot 448 00:21:49,920 --> 00:21:53,120 Speaker 2: more expensive now and you're a lot more on your own. 449 00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:58,399 Speaker 1: We'll be right back with more grown up stuff how 450 00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 1: to adult. After a quick break, and we're back with 451 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:14,600 Speaker 1: more grown up stuff how to adults. Let's go into 452 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: you know, the major health insurance plan options. For those 453 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:23,719 Speaker 1: of us who you know are employed, we know there's HMO, 454 00:22:24,040 --> 00:22:30,120 Speaker 1: p PO, E PO POS, hgh HP, which we're gonna 455 00:22:30,119 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 1: so yeah, so let's start with the top. HMO. What 456 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:33,800 Speaker 1: does it stand for? 457 00:22:34,320 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 2: So, an HMO stands for Health Maintenance Organization. It was 458 00:22:37,400 --> 00:22:42,680 Speaker 2: traditionally the most structured and limited way to get health insurance. 459 00:22:42,720 --> 00:22:45,119 Speaker 2: And basically what the HMO says is we're going to 460 00:22:45,119 --> 00:22:47,480 Speaker 2: get a certain amount of money a month for each 461 00:22:47,520 --> 00:22:49,640 Speaker 2: patient and work that's going to cover all their care. 462 00:22:49,880 --> 00:22:52,320 Speaker 2: So in theory, you should never get a bill or 463 00:22:52,560 --> 00:22:54,960 Speaker 2: rarely get a bill if you're in an HMO and 464 00:22:55,240 --> 00:22:57,879 Speaker 2: you basically have to go to all of their providers. 465 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:02,200 Speaker 2: Traditional HMO like Kaiser per Empty, has their own hospitals 466 00:23:02,200 --> 00:23:04,680 Speaker 2: in many states, they don't in the eastern part of 467 00:23:04,720 --> 00:23:06,719 Speaker 2: the country where they offer insurance, so they will have 468 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:09,879 Speaker 2: deals with other hospitals. But generally you have to stay 469 00:23:09,920 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 2: within the network, so it's the most restrictive. It's the 470 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:16,359 Speaker 2: hardest to go out and see other specialists or go 471 00:23:16,560 --> 00:23:20,600 Speaker 2: other places. And generally it has had traditionally the lowest 472 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:23,600 Speaker 2: premiums because it's the most restrictive. And then as you 473 00:23:23,680 --> 00:23:26,520 Speaker 2: go further out, every time it gets easier for you 474 00:23:26,600 --> 00:23:29,720 Speaker 2: to go outside of the network and get care from 475 00:23:29,960 --> 00:23:32,960 Speaker 2: other places, your premium goes up because it's likely that 476 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:35,200 Speaker 2: the cost of the insurer is going to go up. 477 00:23:35,520 --> 00:23:40,919 Speaker 2: So you're generally trading off restrictions in providers versus amount 478 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:41,719 Speaker 2: of premium. 479 00:23:42,320 --> 00:23:46,480 Speaker 1: Interesting. So this then I feel like, and maybe I'm wrong, 480 00:23:46,480 --> 00:23:48,480 Speaker 1: but I feel like PPO and EPO kind of go 481 00:23:48,640 --> 00:23:49,880 Speaker 1: hand in hand, right. 482 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:53,159 Speaker 2: They do, And an EPO is sort of a cross 483 00:23:53,240 --> 00:23:57,240 Speaker 2: between a POPPO is a preferred provider organization. I'm in 484 00:23:57,280 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 2: a preferred provider organization where I don't have to go 485 00:24:00,119 --> 00:24:02,240 Speaker 2: to the preferred providers, but if I do, it's a 486 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,720 Speaker 2: whole lot cheaper. So you're encouraged to stay in the 487 00:24:05,760 --> 00:24:08,679 Speaker 2: network as opposed to being required to stay in the 488 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:13,639 Speaker 2: network EPO, which I think is exclusive provider organization. The 489 00:24:13,720 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 2: acronyms don't mean as much as they used to, which 490 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:18,720 Speaker 2: is what gets a little bit frustrating to people. And 491 00:24:18,800 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 2: of course, the other thing that it's really important to 492 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:23,280 Speaker 2: trade off, and I guess we'll get to this, is 493 00:24:23,320 --> 00:24:26,080 Speaker 2: it your premium, you're deductible are going to be directly linked. 494 00:24:26,080 --> 00:24:28,800 Speaker 2: And that's really true in the Affordable Care Act plant 495 00:24:28,840 --> 00:24:32,119 Speaker 2: it's like the lower your premium, the higher you're deductible, 496 00:24:32,119 --> 00:24:33,600 Speaker 2: the most you're going to have to pay out of 497 00:24:33,680 --> 00:24:36,439 Speaker 2: pocket before the insurance kicks in, you know. And if 498 00:24:36,480 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 2: you pay a higher premium, you'll have a lower deductible. 499 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:43,480 Speaker 2: So unfortunately, there is sometimes arithmetic involved. It's not higher math. 500 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:46,280 Speaker 1: But it's math fair. As we always say, it never 501 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:48,399 Speaker 1: hurts to do your homework or do the math for 502 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:53,199 Speaker 1: that matter. Okay, now, pos I've seen this and it 503 00:24:53,240 --> 00:24:54,520 Speaker 1: does not mean piece of shit. 504 00:24:56,200 --> 00:24:58,639 Speaker 2: It means a point of service, and that's basically the 505 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:01,880 Speaker 2: PPO plan where you can go out of network and 506 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:05,560 Speaker 2: they will pay a certain share. So typically, if you 507 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:08,040 Speaker 2: stay in network, you'll only have to have a copey. 508 00:25:08,080 --> 00:25:10,399 Speaker 2: I think my cope is fifteen dollars, which is pretty 509 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:14,200 Speaker 2: good for you know providers in network. It's really good. Yeah, 510 00:25:14,240 --> 00:25:16,440 Speaker 2: it's very good. If I go out of network after 511 00:25:16,480 --> 00:25:19,760 Speaker 2: I've hit my deductible, they'll pay seventy percent and I'll 512 00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:21,080 Speaker 2: pay the other thirty percent. 513 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:24,359 Speaker 1: Now, HDHP, I actually know at this dance or a 514 00:25:24,440 --> 00:25:27,639 Speaker 1: high deductible health plan right now, this is different. 515 00:25:28,200 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 2: It is, and it's confusing because there are a lot 516 00:25:30,800 --> 00:25:34,439 Speaker 2: of sort of regular health plans, particularly the bronze plants 517 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,280 Speaker 2: in the affordable character, that have high deductibles. That it 518 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:41,640 Speaker 2: used to be when they started these the early two thousands, 519 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:45,760 Speaker 2: people's deductibles tended to be in the you know, one hundred, 520 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:48,520 Speaker 2: two hundred, three hundred dollars range, which I know sounds 521 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:53,040 Speaker 2: like quaint today. Right the HDHP plans, the idea was 522 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:55,240 Speaker 2: you would have a deductible of one thousand dollars or 523 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:59,080 Speaker 2: fifteen hundred dollars, which is pretty standard right now. But 524 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:02,280 Speaker 2: the catch you weren't going to have to necessarily pay 525 00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:04,760 Speaker 2: that whole deductible because you were also going to have 526 00:26:04,800 --> 00:26:08,119 Speaker 2: something called an HSA, a health savings account, and the 527 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:11,440 Speaker 2: idea is that you and probably your employer would put 528 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 2: money away and save it and it would grow tax free, 529 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:18,280 Speaker 2: and you could use that for medical expenses, either things 530 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,520 Speaker 2: that weren't covered by your insurance or things that would 531 00:26:21,520 --> 00:26:25,119 Speaker 2: eventually be covered by your insurance once you hit your deductible. 532 00:26:25,240 --> 00:26:27,960 Speaker 2: It's a kind of catastrophic insurance. It says you're going 533 00:26:28,040 --> 00:26:31,119 Speaker 2: to pay this chunk up front, and if you really 534 00:26:31,200 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 2: need a lot of medical care, then your insurance will 535 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,359 Speaker 2: kick in. The problem with this is that a lot 536 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 2: of people have HDHP plans and they don't have the 537 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:41,679 Speaker 2: hsas that go with them, so they just have a 538 00:26:41,720 --> 00:26:45,480 Speaker 2: really high deductive health plan. That's an issue. The idea 539 00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 2: is that they're supposed to be coupled with the health 540 00:26:47,840 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 2: savings accounts. Now. Health savings accounts were criticized a lot 541 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 2: when they were first started by people who were all for, 542 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:56,880 Speaker 2: you know, universal coverage, but they said they mostly help 543 00:26:56,960 --> 00:26:59,520 Speaker 2: the rich. They help people who earn enough or to 544 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:02,439 Speaker 2: take it saves money, yeah, to put money away that 545 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 2: they might need for health care. On the other hand, 546 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,120 Speaker 2: if you're young, it's pretty good savings vehicle. 547 00:27:07,840 --> 00:27:10,600 Speaker 4: So we talked about how like an HSA can come 548 00:27:10,720 --> 00:27:12,960 Speaker 4: with a high deductible health plan. But there's also this 549 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:15,760 Speaker 4: account called the FSA. So where exactly does that come 550 00:27:15,760 --> 00:27:18,600 Speaker 4: into play, and what is the difference between these two accounts? 551 00:27:18,640 --> 00:27:20,280 Speaker 3: Is one like better than another? 552 00:27:21,080 --> 00:27:24,320 Speaker 2: There's a big difference. An FSA flexible spending account is 553 00:27:24,600 --> 00:27:27,760 Speaker 2: generally offered by an employer, and it says we will 554 00:27:27,760 --> 00:27:30,440 Speaker 2: take money out of your paycheck and we will put 555 00:27:30,440 --> 00:27:33,399 Speaker 2: it away and you can use it for medical expenses 556 00:27:33,560 --> 00:27:37,080 Speaker 2: tax free, which is very handy. So I would I 557 00:27:37,119 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 2: go to the doctor it costs three hundred dollars. I 558 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:42,840 Speaker 2: haven't hit my deductible, so I now have three hundred 559 00:27:42,880 --> 00:27:45,320 Speaker 2: dollars bill that I've paid. I send it off and 560 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:48,159 Speaker 2: it comes out of my get it back through my 561 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:51,320 Speaker 2: flexible spending account, and I haven't paid taxes on the 562 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:54,760 Speaker 2: income that's gone to finance that. There's some catches. If 563 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:58,080 Speaker 2: you don't use up all the money within a certain time, 564 00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:00,520 Speaker 2: you can lose it. If you leave your within a 565 00:28:00,520 --> 00:28:02,480 Speaker 2: certain time, you can lose it. These rules have been 566 00:28:02,560 --> 00:28:04,600 Speaker 2: expanded a little bit, so it's a little bit more 567 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 2: flexible than it used to be. There's also some things 568 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:09,159 Speaker 2: that you can spend it on and some things that 569 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:11,960 Speaker 2: you can't. There's certain amounts of I believe you can 570 00:28:12,280 --> 00:28:15,639 Speaker 2: once again use it for over the counter products. You 571 00:28:15,640 --> 00:28:17,720 Speaker 2: could for a while and then you couldn't, and I 572 00:28:17,880 --> 00:28:20,639 Speaker 2: believe you now can again. So it's worth it to check. 573 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:23,719 Speaker 2: But it's also a good way, you know, depending on 574 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:27,399 Speaker 2: your tax bracket, it's a handy way to use tax 575 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:30,159 Speaker 2: free money for medical expenses. Again, it's a way of 576 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:33,880 Speaker 2: encouraging people to put money away to pay medical expenses 577 00:28:33,920 --> 00:28:34,959 Speaker 2: that insurance doesn't. 578 00:28:35,600 --> 00:28:39,120 Speaker 1: But Julie FSA, though, does not increue interest the same 579 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:40,400 Speaker 1: way an HSA does. 580 00:28:41,080 --> 00:28:43,560 Speaker 2: No, that's correct. It just sits in an account and 581 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 2: there's an administrator and sometimes I mean, in my case, 582 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:49,200 Speaker 2: you know my RFSA, I have a little credit card. 583 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 2: So when I go to the pharmacy and I need 584 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 2: to pay my thirty dollars, cope, I just hand them 585 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,120 Speaker 2: the FSA credit card and then it goes through them. 586 00:28:56,320 --> 00:29:00,720 Speaker 2: But no, an HSA is an actual savings ACCOUNTESSA is 587 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 2: just sort of a place to kind of park money 588 00:29:03,120 --> 00:29:03,600 Speaker 2: for a year. 589 00:29:04,320 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 1: What kind of yield interest yield are we talking here 590 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:07,560 Speaker 1: with these hsas. 591 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's actually very similar to a retirement account where 592 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 4: you could invest in an innexx s and P five 593 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:14,160 Speaker 4: hundred sort of a fund. 594 00:29:14,160 --> 00:29:16,800 Speaker 2: Exactly is a retirement account for medical expenses. 595 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:24,720 Speaker 1: There are a number of different things you can pay 596 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:28,280 Speaker 1: for using an HSA or an FSA, including menstrual care 597 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:32,480 Speaker 1: products and sometimes even acupuncture. The biggest difference between the 598 00:29:32,520 --> 00:29:36,240 Speaker 1: two options. An HSA accrues interest and can be rolled 599 00:29:36,240 --> 00:29:39,280 Speaker 1: over from year to year, whereas an FSA you have 600 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:40,800 Speaker 1: to use everything you have by the end of the 601 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:43,880 Speaker 1: year or you lose it. However, your eligibility for an 602 00:29:44,040 --> 00:29:47,640 Speaker 1: HSA is dependent upon which health insurance plan you choose, 603 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,840 Speaker 1: and often hsas are not offered when you have a 604 00:29:50,840 --> 00:29:54,520 Speaker 1: low deductible plan and you can no longer contribute to 605 00:29:54,560 --> 00:29:57,960 Speaker 1: an HSA. Once you enroll in Medicare, you can still 606 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:00,480 Speaker 1: use what you have in an HSA, but you won't 607 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 1: be able to keep putting money into it, which leads 608 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:06,040 Speaker 1: me to a very important point. And don't trudge me 609 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:08,479 Speaker 1: for not knowing this, because I know I'm not the 610 00:30:08,480 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: only one. But what is medicare and what is the 611 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,600 Speaker 1: difference between Medicare and Medicaid. 612 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:21,280 Speaker 2: Medicare is the federal health program for people who are elderly, 613 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:25,960 Speaker 2: over sixty five and people with disabilities who qualify because 614 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:28,640 Speaker 2: they have worked long enough to be eligible for Social 615 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:31,960 Speaker 2: Security disability. So if you're over sixty five or you're 616 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:36,680 Speaker 2: on Social Security disability, you are eligible for Medicare. Medicare 617 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:40,240 Speaker 2: has a number of parts. The hospital part comes for free, 618 00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 2: that's what you pay your payroll taxes. For the optional 619 00:30:43,600 --> 00:30:47,560 Speaker 2: part B you pay premiums for it. And now as 620 00:30:47,600 --> 00:30:50,720 Speaker 2: of two thousand and three, you can buy prescription drug 621 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:53,320 Speaker 2: coverage because, believe it or not, until then, Medicare didn't 622 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:57,240 Speaker 2: cover prescription drugs really, yeah, which was really bizarre. 623 00:30:57,640 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, especially since the older you get there or medications 624 00:31:00,680 --> 00:31:01,600 Speaker 1: I feel like you need. 625 00:31:02,400 --> 00:31:04,560 Speaker 2: That's why they didn't cover it because it would have 626 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:08,920 Speaker 2: been really expensive, so nobody had wanted to add it. Anyway. 627 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:12,320 Speaker 2: That is Medicare, So that is all federal program. There's 628 00:31:12,480 --> 00:31:14,920 Speaker 2: obviously a lot of private insurance involved in it now 629 00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:17,360 Speaker 2: for people who are older and who are on Social 630 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:22,480 Speaker 2: Security disability. Medicaid is for people with low incomes, and 631 00:31:22,560 --> 00:31:24,479 Speaker 2: it used to be you had to fit into a 632 00:31:24,640 --> 00:31:27,280 Speaker 2: category to get Medicaid. You had to be low income, 633 00:31:27,320 --> 00:31:30,320 Speaker 2: and a child low income, and a pregnant woman, low 634 00:31:30,360 --> 00:31:33,200 Speaker 2: income and elderly. There's many people who are on both 635 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:37,360 Speaker 2: Medicare and Medicaid low income with a disability. As of 636 00:31:37,440 --> 00:31:39,720 Speaker 2: the Affordable Care Act, you no longer had to be 637 00:31:39,760 --> 00:31:42,720 Speaker 2: low income and something else. You only had to be 638 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:45,960 Speaker 2: low income. This was a huge change because there were 639 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:49,480 Speaker 2: a lot of adult and many young people who had 640 00:31:49,520 --> 00:31:52,280 Speaker 2: low incomes but were not a child or a pregnant 641 00:31:52,280 --> 00:31:56,200 Speaker 2: woman or somebody with a disability, so they were suddenly 642 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:59,920 Speaker 2: eligible for Medicaid. The trick was that the federal government 643 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,440 Speaker 2: made this an option for the states, so they didn't 644 00:32:02,480 --> 00:32:04,680 Speaker 2: have to do it under the Affordable Care It was 645 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,880 Speaker 2: a very attractive option. The federal government paid one hundred 646 00:32:07,960 --> 00:32:11,240 Speaker 2: percent of the state share for the first three years 647 00:32:11,480 --> 00:32:15,479 Speaker 2: and still pays ninety percent. Now Medicaid is a joint 648 00:32:15,520 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 2: federal state program. Wealthier states have to pay half of 649 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:21,800 Speaker 2: the Medicaid costs. So for the federal government to say 650 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:23,360 Speaker 2: we're going to pay the whole thing for three years 651 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 2: and then we're going to pay ninety percent was a 652 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 2: gigantic incentive. Hospitals were dying to have states do this 653 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 2: because all of those people who didn't have any insurance 654 00:32:33,080 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 2: would show up at the hospital, a hospital would take 655 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:38,440 Speaker 2: care of them, hospital would have nobody to bill. So 656 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:42,160 Speaker 2: at this point most of the states have taken advantage 657 00:32:42,160 --> 00:32:44,640 Speaker 2: of it, but there are still I believe it's ten 658 00:32:44,760 --> 00:32:48,920 Speaker 2: hold out states that have not expanded Medicaid. And those 659 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:52,560 Speaker 2: do include some really big states like Texas and Florida 660 00:32:52,680 --> 00:32:56,520 Speaker 2: and Georgia, and then other states in the South and 661 00:32:57,360 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 2: some of the Great Plain states. But the vast majority 662 00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:03,800 Speaker 2: of state now have expanded Medicaid. And so basically, if 663 00:33:03,840 --> 00:33:06,160 Speaker 2: you have a low enough income, you can get health 664 00:33:06,160 --> 00:33:09,000 Speaker 2: insurance through this joint federal state program. 665 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:12,000 Speaker 4: And so for the people who maybe listening that would 666 00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:14,240 Speaker 4: qualify as being low income, how might they go about 667 00:33:14,280 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 4: taking advantage of Medicaid. 668 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:18,960 Speaker 2: There should be a state Medicaid office. If you just 669 00:33:19,120 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 2: google your state's Medicaid program, it should come up. If 670 00:33:23,000 --> 00:33:25,680 Speaker 2: you go to the Affordable Care Act exchanges, the place 671 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:28,760 Speaker 2: where you buy private insurance. There's supposed to be something 672 00:33:28,800 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 2: called the no Wrong Door policy where if you type 673 00:33:31,640 --> 00:33:34,959 Speaker 2: in all of your statistics and your income qualified, you 674 00:33:35,040 --> 00:33:39,760 Speaker 2: automatically get sent to Medicaid enrollment. Also, if you end 675 00:33:39,840 --> 00:33:43,560 Speaker 2: up in a hospital or a community health center. A 676 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:47,320 Speaker 2: lot of places the providers themselves will help you enroll 677 00:33:47,360 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 2: in Medicaid because that's how they're going to get paid. 678 00:33:49,320 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 2: So there are a lot of people with incentives to 679 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:54,239 Speaker 2: get you medicaid if you're in fact eligible for it. 680 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:57,240 Speaker 1: Julie, Matt and I have been going back and forth 681 00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:00,160 Speaker 1: on this because we've both chosen very different plans for 682 00:34:00,200 --> 00:34:06,200 Speaker 1: various reasons. But between an high deductible health plan with 683 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:10,480 Speaker 1: a health savings account versus a PPO POS where you 684 00:34:10,520 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 1: have a broader network and a lower deductible, which one 685 00:34:14,640 --> 00:34:17,640 Speaker 1: do you think is a better plan to use? For 686 00:34:17,760 --> 00:34:19,799 Speaker 1: somebody like Matt and myself, I. 687 00:34:19,760 --> 00:34:22,640 Speaker 2: Think it's an absolute personal choice. It has to do 688 00:34:22,719 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 2: with what level of risk, how much do you worry 689 00:34:25,160 --> 00:34:28,640 Speaker 2: about using healthcare or not using healthcare or saving for 690 00:34:28,719 --> 00:34:32,360 Speaker 2: the future. I mean it is they both have their places, 691 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:34,920 Speaker 2: and it's the nice thing about having choices. It is 692 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:38,239 Speaker 2: an individual decision. I could not recommend one over the other. 693 00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:40,319 Speaker 1: That's right. You heard it here. My choice is right, 694 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:45,080 Speaker 1: so's mass. 695 00:34:45,440 --> 00:34:47,920 Speaker 2: So the question is, you know, it's a talk about 696 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:49,920 Speaker 2: you know, taking your amount of risk. Do you think 697 00:34:49,960 --> 00:34:52,480 Speaker 2: you're not going to use any healthcare during the year, 698 00:34:52,560 --> 00:34:54,760 Speaker 2: then you might want to go with the lowest premium 699 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:57,279 Speaker 2: plan you can find, and you might not have to 700 00:34:57,280 --> 00:34:59,160 Speaker 2: pay that deductible. If you don't use any care, you 701 00:34:59,160 --> 00:35:01,839 Speaker 2: don't have to pay a ductductible. So if you do 702 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:04,359 Speaker 2: think you might be using medical care during the year, 703 00:35:04,400 --> 00:35:07,080 Speaker 2: and hint, hint, people should use at least some medical 704 00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:10,239 Speaker 2: care during the year. They're preventive stuff that you should have. 705 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:12,759 Speaker 2: But if you think you can just you know, write 706 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:14,560 Speaker 2: a check for that, pay it yourself, put it on 707 00:35:14,600 --> 00:35:17,040 Speaker 2: your credit card, whatever, then you might want to go 708 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:19,799 Speaker 2: with some kind of a high deductible health plan. If 709 00:35:19,840 --> 00:35:22,520 Speaker 2: your employer offers to put money in an HSA, if 710 00:35:22,560 --> 00:35:25,400 Speaker 2: you take that high deductible health plan, all the better. 711 00:35:25,719 --> 00:35:27,399 Speaker 2: And if you can put a little bit of money 712 00:35:27,400 --> 00:35:30,160 Speaker 2: in that HSA, it shields it from taxes for you, 713 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:32,960 Speaker 2: and it's hields it and the employer sometimes will put 714 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:35,440 Speaker 2: in enough money to make up a good chunk of 715 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:38,320 Speaker 2: your deductible, so that can be that can be a 716 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:41,680 Speaker 2: good choice, particularly for younger workers who are less likely 717 00:35:41,760 --> 00:35:45,080 Speaker 2: to need medical care and more sensitive to the amount 718 00:35:45,080 --> 00:35:48,120 Speaker 2: of the premium. If you have doctor's health providers that 719 00:35:48,200 --> 00:35:50,880 Speaker 2: you are very attached to you should find a plan 720 00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:53,920 Speaker 2: that includes them. If you have certain prescription drugs that 721 00:35:53,960 --> 00:35:56,879 Speaker 2: you take, you should make sure that the plan includes them. 722 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:00,600 Speaker 2: So there's homework to be done, but only it's how 723 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:03,239 Speaker 2: much do you want to pay out of pocket? How 724 00:36:03,320 --> 00:36:05,759 Speaker 2: much do you think you might have to pay as 725 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:09,080 Speaker 2: a deductible, and who and what is covered. Those are 726 00:36:09,120 --> 00:36:11,680 Speaker 2: the things you need to sort of go through, either 727 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:14,200 Speaker 2: with an employer plan, and most employers offer you a 728 00:36:14,280 --> 00:36:16,440 Speaker 2: choice of at least a couple of plants, or with 729 00:36:16,520 --> 00:36:18,560 Speaker 2: an Affordable Care Act plan. No matter what I mean, 730 00:36:18,560 --> 00:36:20,400 Speaker 2: the good news is that you're going to have some choice. 731 00:36:20,520 --> 00:36:22,040 Speaker 2: The bad news is you're going to have to figure 732 00:36:22,040 --> 00:36:24,240 Speaker 2: out which choice is best. 733 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:28,920 Speaker 1: While some coverage differs from plant to plan, the Affordable 734 00:36:28,920 --> 00:36:31,719 Speaker 1: Care Act has required that certain things are covered by 735 00:36:31,960 --> 00:36:36,320 Speaker 1: any plan, like well woman visits, birth control prescriptions, certain 736 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 1: vaccines like the flu shot, preventive care like mammograms and kolonoscopies, 737 00:36:40,320 --> 00:36:44,440 Speaker 1: and dental envision coverage for children. However, if you are 738 00:36:44,440 --> 00:36:48,000 Speaker 1: an adult, dental envision are not a requirement of your 739 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:50,120 Speaker 1: medical coverage. 740 00:36:51,239 --> 00:36:53,439 Speaker 4: So we've got a medical plan, but then we find 741 00:36:53,480 --> 00:36:55,799 Speaker 4: out dental envision are not included. 742 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:56,799 Speaker 3: Why is that? 743 00:36:57,880 --> 00:37:01,480 Speaker 2: Again, they're expensive, it's an add on. It's not something 744 00:37:01,480 --> 00:37:05,920 Speaker 2: that has traditionally been part of health insurance because. 745 00:37:05,920 --> 00:37:06,480 Speaker 3: La la la. 746 00:37:06,719 --> 00:37:08,960 Speaker 2: It didn't used to be that expensive. It wasn't an 747 00:37:08,960 --> 00:37:13,000 Speaker 2: insurable event. Now it's expensive. Low vision care still most 748 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:16,160 Speaker 2: vision care is still not that expensive, but dental care 749 00:37:16,200 --> 00:37:19,360 Speaker 2: really is expensive. And again, like mental health care, we 750 00:37:19,440 --> 00:37:22,520 Speaker 2: didn't used to think that it was really important medically, 751 00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:25,840 Speaker 2: but it turns out oral health care is really important medically. 752 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:29,480 Speaker 2: Uncared for teeth can cause heart disease, right in addition 753 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:33,160 Speaker 2: to other things. I mean, it is really important. Medicare 754 00:37:33,200 --> 00:37:37,200 Speaker 2: still doesn't cover either dental care or eye care or 755 00:37:37,280 --> 00:37:39,520 Speaker 2: hearing aids. You can see it in There are some 756 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:43,120 Speaker 2: private Medicare plans that do sort of as an enticement, 757 00:37:43,520 --> 00:37:46,960 Speaker 2: but standard Medicare does not. The health insurance business has 758 00:37:47,000 --> 00:37:50,920 Speaker 2: grown up slowly, shall we say, since the early nineteen hundreds. 759 00:37:51,600 --> 00:37:54,560 Speaker 2: At first it was just hospitals that you needed insurance for, 760 00:37:54,640 --> 00:37:58,480 Speaker 2: and then hospitals and doctors, and then hospitals and doctors 761 00:37:58,560 --> 00:38:02,560 Speaker 2: and prescription drugs, hospitals and doctors and prescription drugs, and 762 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:06,560 Speaker 2: vision care and dental care and mental health care and 763 00:38:06,600 --> 00:38:09,000 Speaker 2: substance abuse care. There's a lot of things that make 764 00:38:09,040 --> 00:38:12,120 Speaker 2: it expensive, and insurance basically is trying to spread the 765 00:38:12,239 --> 00:38:15,319 Speaker 2: risk to the people who are healthy and who are sick. 766 00:38:15,360 --> 00:38:17,520 Speaker 2: And if it's too expensive for the people who are healthy, 767 00:38:17,719 --> 00:38:19,480 Speaker 2: they won't buy it, and if they don't buy it, 768 00:38:19,520 --> 00:38:23,280 Speaker 2: we get into that insurance death spiral. I'm also curious. 769 00:38:23,400 --> 00:38:27,040 Speaker 1: You know, it's wonderful that well women's visits are included 770 00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:30,799 Speaker 1: in our standard care, but why isn't fertility included as 771 00:38:30,840 --> 00:38:33,920 Speaker 1: part of that kind of well women's coverage? 772 00:38:34,400 --> 00:38:38,200 Speaker 2: Because it's expensive. Almost whenever you ask, there's only two 773 00:38:38,239 --> 00:38:42,000 Speaker 2: reasons why things aren't covered. They're not sort of accepted 774 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:46,280 Speaker 2: as standard treatment. This is actually why obesity drugs aren't 775 00:38:46,320 --> 00:38:49,279 Speaker 2: covered for the most part, because until very recently, there 776 00:38:49,320 --> 00:38:52,320 Speaker 2: weren't any that worked. There just weren't any good obesity 777 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:54,040 Speaker 2: to drugs. It was easy to say we're not going 778 00:38:54,120 --> 00:38:56,520 Speaker 2: to pay for them because there wasn't anything that we 779 00:38:56,640 --> 00:38:59,960 Speaker 2: knew scientifically worked that you could pay for. The other 780 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:03,200 Speaker 2: thing is for things that were really expensive, and infertility 781 00:39:03,239 --> 00:39:06,840 Speaker 2: coverage is really expensive. And question is, you know, is 782 00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:10,440 Speaker 2: an inability to get pregnant? You know, a medical problem 783 00:39:10,920 --> 00:39:13,279 Speaker 2: and it varies, so I actually I'm read I now 784 00:39:13,320 --> 00:39:16,200 Speaker 2: found the statistics. So, as of September twenty twenty three, 785 00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:19,120 Speaker 2: twenty one states plus the District of Columbia have passed 786 00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:23,080 Speaker 2: fertility insurance coverage laws. Fifteen of those laws include IVF 787 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:27,319 Speaker 2: coverage and seventeen cover fertility preservation. For instance, if you 788 00:39:27,400 --> 00:39:31,000 Speaker 2: are a young woman diagnosed with breast cancer, you can 789 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:33,160 Speaker 2: have your eggs harvested so that you can get pregnant 790 00:39:33,200 --> 00:39:34,880 Speaker 2: after your treatment, if that's possible. 791 00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:37,240 Speaker 4: Is there any sort of advice you can give someone 792 00:39:37,280 --> 00:39:39,080 Speaker 4: to going through this process for the first time? Is 793 00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:41,440 Speaker 4: there anything that we didn't cover? And then lastly, like, 794 00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:44,120 Speaker 4: do you have any like hope for the future that 795 00:39:44,160 --> 00:39:48,000 Speaker 4: this is going to get like less complex or easier 796 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:48,600 Speaker 4: to navigate? 797 00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:49,280 Speaker 3: Yeah? 798 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:51,200 Speaker 1: How do you see it changing and evolving too? 799 00:39:52,080 --> 00:39:53,560 Speaker 2: Well? One thing I will say is that there are 800 00:39:53,640 --> 00:39:57,279 Speaker 2: lots of sources of help. There are navigators for the 801 00:39:57,320 --> 00:39:59,759 Speaker 2: Affordable Care Act. If you look at your state CELTHIC 802 00:39:59,840 --> 00:40:03,080 Speaker 2: ch Sure into Exchange, there are various counselors. You can 803 00:40:03,239 --> 00:40:05,799 Speaker 2: talk to an agent who can help you sort of 804 00:40:05,800 --> 00:40:08,160 Speaker 2: sort through this. You can talk to a trusted adult 805 00:40:08,239 --> 00:40:11,040 Speaker 2: who's been through this who can help you sort through it. 806 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:14,120 Speaker 2: I mean, it's not easy, and you probably, certainly the 807 00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:16,839 Speaker 2: first or second or third time, should reach out and 808 00:40:16,880 --> 00:40:21,440 Speaker 2: get help. It's not intended to be easy. Am I optimistic? 809 00:40:22,480 --> 00:40:24,279 Speaker 2: You know? Twenty years ago I said things we're going 810 00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:27,120 Speaker 2: to have to really get bad before we really fix things. 811 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:29,440 Speaker 2: And things are really bad, and we really you know, 812 00:40:29,480 --> 00:40:32,680 Speaker 2: we fix things a tiny, tiny piece at a time. 813 00:40:33,600 --> 00:40:35,360 Speaker 2: Do I think it's going to get fixed? Yeah? Do 814 00:40:35,400 --> 00:40:37,799 Speaker 2: I think it's going to get fixed anytime soon? Not 815 00:40:37,960 --> 00:40:38,840 Speaker 2: so much anymore. 816 00:40:39,200 --> 00:40:40,719 Speaker 4: So the best thing you can do is really arm 817 00:40:40,760 --> 00:40:43,680 Speaker 4: yourself with information and figure out how it's going to 818 00:40:43,719 --> 00:40:44,279 Speaker 4: work best for you. 819 00:40:45,080 --> 00:40:48,799 Speaker 1: Julie, where can we find you and find more great 820 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:53,000 Speaker 1: advice about healthcare plans and insurance, et cetera. Where's the 821 00:40:53,000 --> 00:40:55,840 Speaker 1: best way to kind of continue to follow your work? 822 00:40:56,560 --> 00:40:59,839 Speaker 2: I am at KFF healthnews dot org. We have us 823 00:41:00,040 --> 00:41:02,759 Speaker 2: separate page for our podcast. KFF Health News is what 824 00:41:02,800 --> 00:41:05,440 Speaker 2: the Health. We come out every week. We cover health 825 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:09,040 Speaker 2: policy news and we have interviews with health policy newsmakers, 826 00:41:09,080 --> 00:41:12,719 Speaker 2: and we try to make it understandable for everybody. So 827 00:41:12,880 --> 00:41:16,840 Speaker 2: you can subscribe, as they say, wherever you get your podcasts. 828 00:41:16,280 --> 00:41:16,839 Speaker 3: I will say. 829 00:41:17,200 --> 00:41:18,920 Speaker 4: In doing a lot of the research for this episode, 830 00:41:19,080 --> 00:41:22,080 Speaker 4: I stumbled across a lot of KFF videos and before 831 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:23,960 Speaker 4: I even really put two and two together, they were very, 832 00:41:24,080 --> 00:41:24,560 Speaker 4: very helpful. 833 00:41:24,600 --> 00:41:27,040 Speaker 1: The work that you guys do is very, very cool, amazing. 834 00:41:27,160 --> 00:41:30,480 Speaker 1: I feel way more empowered with open enrollment coming up. 835 00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:32,760 Speaker 1: I seriously feel like I'm going to make some changes 836 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:35,680 Speaker 1: to my to my what I normally choose after having 837 00:41:35,719 --> 00:41:36,719 Speaker 1: this conversation with you. 838 00:41:36,960 --> 00:41:40,040 Speaker 4: Julie, thank you so much for sharing your time, your expertise, 839 00:41:40,120 --> 00:41:41,760 Speaker 4: everything we really appreciate. 840 00:41:41,800 --> 00:41:43,239 Speaker 3: Thank you for being with us this afternoon. 841 00:41:43,400 --> 00:41:45,560 Speaker 2: Oh sure this was fun. I mean, this is this 842 00:41:45,600 --> 00:41:46,279 Speaker 2: is what I do. 843 00:41:53,280 --> 00:41:56,480 Speaker 1: Wowow wow wow wow. Healthcare in the United States is 844 00:41:56,800 --> 00:41:59,759 Speaker 1: complicated and there are a lot of different options and 845 00:42:00,120 --> 00:42:02,799 Speaker 1: exceptions to consider. Here's what I'm going to take with 846 00:42:02,840 --> 00:42:06,520 Speaker 1: me from our conversation with Julie. The Affordable Care Act 847 00:42:06,560 --> 00:42:09,600 Speaker 1: was monumental in the way it changed the requirements for 848 00:42:09,719 --> 00:42:13,959 Speaker 1: medical coverage and overall accessibility of health insurance and care. 849 00:42:14,840 --> 00:42:18,640 Speaker 1: There's no one, singular, superior health plan option that fits 850 00:42:18,640 --> 00:42:21,879 Speaker 1: for everyone. It all depends on what level of risk 851 00:42:21,920 --> 00:42:24,120 Speaker 1: you're comfortable with and how much you want to pay 852 00:42:24,160 --> 00:42:28,120 Speaker 1: for your regular monthly cost or premium. If you don't 853 00:42:28,160 --> 00:42:29,799 Speaker 1: think you're going to go to the doctor that much 854 00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:32,680 Speaker 1: in a single year, then go with a higher deductible 855 00:42:32,719 --> 00:42:35,960 Speaker 1: plan that allows you to pay a lower premium. If 856 00:42:35,960 --> 00:42:38,279 Speaker 1: you're more risk averse and want to make sure you're 857 00:42:38,360 --> 00:42:40,680 Speaker 1: not going to pay a ton if something bad happens 858 00:42:41,320 --> 00:42:44,399 Speaker 1: and you can manage a higher premium payment, then find 859 00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:47,319 Speaker 1: yourself a plan with a lower deductible. Once you reach 860 00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:50,640 Speaker 1: your deductible, your plan begins to increase its coverage, but 861 00:42:51,320 --> 00:42:54,640 Speaker 1: once you reach your out of pocket maximum, they should 862 00:42:54,680 --> 00:42:59,200 Speaker 1: be covering pretty much everything until the end of the year. Sadly, 863 00:42:59,360 --> 00:43:02,160 Speaker 1: there are a lot of things that are not included 864 00:43:02,200 --> 00:43:04,920 Speaker 1: in the balance towards your deductible or the out of 865 00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:09,080 Speaker 1: pocket max, including copays and other medical expenses that your 866 00:43:09,080 --> 00:43:13,560 Speaker 1: health plan doesn't cover. Hsas versus fssays HSA is a 867 00:43:13,640 --> 00:43:16,560 Speaker 1: crew interest, but are only available with certain health insurance 868 00:43:16,600 --> 00:43:20,279 Speaker 1: plans and your total balance and an HSA rolls over 869 00:43:20,600 --> 00:43:24,680 Speaker 1: year over year. An FSA or flexible savings account is 870 00:43:24,719 --> 00:43:27,040 Speaker 1: a place to park your money and it's a user 871 00:43:27,120 --> 00:43:29,680 Speaker 1: or lose it policy without any rolling balances at the 872 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:33,760 Speaker 1: end of the year. However, Unlike an HSA, one hundred 873 00:43:33,760 --> 00:43:36,799 Speaker 1: percent of your elected amount is available on day one 874 00:43:36,880 --> 00:43:40,680 Speaker 1: with an FSA. Dental health is important. Don't forget to 875 00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:44,560 Speaker 1: floss well. Woman. Visits to your gynecologists are required by 876 00:43:44,560 --> 00:43:46,719 Speaker 1: a law to be covered in your health insurance plan. 877 00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:50,680 Speaker 1: Our current system is complex and figuring it out is 878 00:43:50,719 --> 00:43:53,600 Speaker 1: a lot to cover for just one episode, but there 879 00:43:53,680 --> 00:43:55,640 Speaker 1: are a lot of resources out there that can help 880 00:43:55,719 --> 00:43:58,680 Speaker 1: us better understand what our options are, and hopefully this 881 00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:01,160 Speaker 1: was a good starting point for you you. We may 882 00:44:01,239 --> 00:44:04,680 Speaker 1: revisit some of the more specifics around health insurance or 883 00:44:04,719 --> 00:44:08,360 Speaker 1: even just broader healthcare and upcoming episodes, but for now, 884 00:44:08,680 --> 00:44:11,319 Speaker 1: that's all for this episode. Matt, what is next on 885 00:44:11,400 --> 00:44:15,560 Speaker 1: this terrifying but rewarding road trip of grown up stuff? 886 00:44:15,840 --> 00:44:21,240 Speaker 4: Speaking of terrifying, our next episode is dropping on Halloween, which, 887 00:44:21,520 --> 00:44:24,000 Speaker 4: if you were a child, might be a festive holiday 888 00:44:24,040 --> 00:44:26,200 Speaker 4: that involves dressing up in scary costumes, But if you're 889 00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:28,319 Speaker 4: an adult and you listen to this podcast, it is 890 00:44:28,360 --> 00:44:30,239 Speaker 4: throwing on whatever is in your closet with some sort 891 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:31,840 Speaker 4: of animal ears and drinking alcohol. 892 00:44:32,239 --> 00:44:34,760 Speaker 3: So we will be learning how to drink like adults. 893 00:44:34,760 --> 00:44:36,960 Speaker 1: Oh thank god, because not only will it be Halloween. 894 00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:39,040 Speaker 1: But then right after that there's the holiday season, and 895 00:44:39,080 --> 00:44:41,800 Speaker 1: I have got a lot of friends givings and holiday 896 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:44,040 Speaker 1: parties to attend, and I really want to be the 897 00:44:44,320 --> 00:44:47,880 Speaker 1: Nigdoni spagliato type of adult, But right now I am 898 00:44:47,880 --> 00:44:50,600 Speaker 1: still the can you make a Shirley temple with alcohol 899 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:51,600 Speaker 1: in it? Type of adult? 900 00:44:51,760 --> 00:44:52,759 Speaker 3: Do you actually order that? 901 00:44:53,000 --> 00:44:54,800 Speaker 1: Yes, it's called a dirty Shirley and it's just a 902 00:44:54,840 --> 00:44:56,680 Speaker 1: Shirley temple with alcohol in it. 903 00:44:56,920 --> 00:44:58,960 Speaker 4: Well, look, we all can't be Emma Darcy in order 904 00:44:59,000 --> 00:45:02,279 Speaker 4: a Nigroni spucky prosecco, but we can all learn how 905 00:45:02,280 --> 00:45:05,640 Speaker 4: to become refined and sophisticated beverage shrinkers in two weeks 906 00:45:05,719 --> 00:45:07,680 Speaker 4: on grown up stuff, how to adult, and. 907 00:45:07,719 --> 00:45:10,600 Speaker 1: Remember you might not be graded in life, but it 908 00:45:10,680 --> 00:45:11,440 Speaker 1: never hurts to do. 909 00:45:11,400 --> 00:45:12,880 Speaker 3: Your homework or floss your teeth. 910 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:16,480 Speaker 1: This is a production from Ruby Studios from iHeartMedia. 911 00:45:16,520 --> 00:45:18,960 Speaker 3: Our executive producers are Malli Sosha. 912 00:45:18,840 --> 00:45:22,480 Speaker 1: And Matt Stillo. This episode was engineered by Matt Stillo. 913 00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:24,720 Speaker 3: And written by Molly Soosha. 914 00:45:25,320 --> 00:45:28,520 Speaker 1: This episode was fact checked by Kasby Bias. 915 00:45:28,120 --> 00:45:30,160 Speaker 3: With additional editing by Sierra Spreen. 916 00:45:30,480 --> 00:45:33,040 Speaker 1: We want to thank our teammates at Ruby Studios, including 917 00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:36,520 Speaker 1: Ethan Fixel, Rachel Swan, Krasnoff, Amber Smith, Deborah Garrett, and 918 00:45:36,520 --> 00:45:39,360 Speaker 1: Andy Kelly.