The semi-satisfied unsubsidized

I have a post up on healthinsurance.org delving into the experience of four unsubsidized enrollees in the ACA marketplace who have pre-existing conditions, or children with pre-existing conditions.

None of them regarded their coverage as perfect. All were glad to have it – and confident that they would have fared worse if the ACA had not become law. Yet the piece does highlight that the status quo is unsatisfactory -- and deteriorating -- for a likely majority of the 8-10 million unsubsidized buyers in the individual market.

Here is a sliver of one person's experience:

Although Kara earned too much to qualify for a subsidy, her pre-ACA experience made the marketplace offerings seem like a great deal. “I signed up for the best plan I could" – Platinum, with a $1,000 deductible, for about $200 a month.

Offerings deteriorated as the years went on, though. In 2016, Humana canceled the plan Kara was enrolled in, and Kara paid about $342 a month for a Gold plan from Aetna Coventry. This year, after Aetna exited the Georgia market, her choices were limited to two insurers, and she is paying $305 per month for Blue Cross/Blue Shield Silver – with a $5,300 deductible (though Silver plans with lower deductibles were available). As it turned out, this would have been a good year to go higher on premium and lower on out-of-pocket expenses....

To find out why, read on... (clickbait! clickbait!)