Griffin father searching for new Obamacare plan
GRIFFIN, Ga. - A Spalding County father is one of the many across the country who must find new health insurance coverage after a number of insurers decided to scale back their participation in the healthcare marketplace.
“The most important thing to us in our health,” said Mark Rosenthal. “So, this is real scary.”
Rosenthal's current insurance provider, Humana, sent him a letter in September to notify him that he would have to find a different provider.
“Your current Humana plan will no longer be available for 2017,” it read.
Rosenthal has multiple sclerosis and needs good health coverage. His current plan covers his primary care doctors as well as his neurologist and others. He worries that a different plan will force him to see other physicians.
“[I’m] devastated because I was just starting to love Humana and all of my doctors take it and love it,” he explained.
The Obama administration confirmed Monday that many consumers will only have one option for coverage on Healthcare.gov and at the same time, premiums will rise considerably for 2017. The average price hike is about 25 percent for a midlevel plan. Federal officials point out, however, that tax subsidies will also rise to help cover the increased premiums.
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Rosenthal just started reviewing his plan options and said Tuesday that there are only three companies offering coverage in Griffin. Of those, none of them are accepted by his primary care doctors.
“I don't know what I’m going to do,” Rosenthal said.
Open enrollment begins November 1.
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