In Pittsburgh, ACA insurance is better than the useless, overpriced "Individual Plans"...

[Junkdrawer]

and way less than the average "Employer Provided Plan". We have two insurance giants and only their plans are on the exchange.

One of the two giants is also a health provider monopoly currently trying to force the other insurance giant out of the market by restricting access to "their" doctors. They might succeed, and their rival's insurance plans are discounted to reflect this possibility.

Neither wants to absorb the latent market of patients with pre-existing conditions that require expensive medications. Thus.

See now why The Public Option isn't, well, optional?

Oh, this is just the first shot in a war that won't end until "health insurance profits" are seen as the obscenity they are.

[babydollhead]

1. pittsburgher here

are you signed up?
Highmark is less, but I am not sure they will be accepted at UPMC hospitals, which are most hospitals in Pittsburgh

[Junkdrawer]

2. If you check the link in the OP, you'll see why I can't. Wife has MS.

Seems you're seeing what I'm seeing in the exchanges. The closest UPMC plan to what I had for $400/month as an employee, $1,400/month Cobra was their middle Gold Plan. Almost matched EXCEPT for the 50% co-pays for specialty drugs. Taking other current co-pays into account, I'd pay $5,000 more/yr this year and $4,000 more/yr next year.

For ME (and those in my boat), going to an ACA plan would represent a significant increase in yearly health costs. But your circumstances may be different.

[babydollhead]

3. no ACA for me.

we can't afford it. husband is covered thru work (UPMC) not a family option. I was on Adult Basic until our governor decided to "save the money for a rainy day" (it was tobacco money ).