“You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.”

– Ayn Rand (1905-1982)

Recently two different clients have called concerning issues with health care insurance coverage.  Both clients had lived in Massachusetts for many years and one had already moved and the other was in the process of moving.  One lives in Florida and the other plans to live in New York.

The client in Florida is struggling with large swathes of her medications and procedures either being denied totally or covered only partially.  Her health insurance premium is slightly less than what she paid in Massachusetts, but the medical procedures and medications covered are significantly less.  So much less that it is close to a 50% premium increase!

The other client discovered that even in relatively rural New York, far from the great metropolis, he thought his premium would be lower (because in New York the premium varies by county).  In realty, he found a comparable policy to the one he has in Massachusetts does not exist, at least with the same insurance company.  The closest inferior policy charges about $2,000 more per month.  The client was flabbergasted that his health insurance premiums, prior to being eligible to Medicare, could cost approximately $40,000 per year or $24,000 more than the superior coverage in Massachusetts.

We are always complaining about the cost of health insurance and the issues of universal health coverage in Massachusetts.   Despite the passage of the Affordable Healthcare Act in 2010, several provisions that affect near universal coverage and benefits to consumers will not go into effect until 2014 and later.  As a result, we continue to see insurance issues plaguing individuals, as represented by  these two client examples.