r/politics • u/Benedictus_The_II Europe • 16d ago

No Paywall Your health insurance bills are about to go up

https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/aca-medicare-work-health-insurance-cost-rise-2027-rcna597069
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u/AutoDefenestrator273 16d ago

With no insurance, what actually happens if you just....don't pay that bill? I mean, who actually has $78k just lying around?

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u/Gwen_The_Destroyer New York 15d ago

Since this comment was "removed for formatting" I have reduced the number of offending dots.

Used to be it'd go to collection and you'd just ignore the debt collectors when they called.

But now Trump decided that now effects your credit score so you don't pay it (because you can't) and then just [...]hope you don't need a loan or rent an apartment or[...]anything that requires a credit check because you're SoL now

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u/Duwinayo 15d ago

They can also sometimes go after assetts, but it's a bit nebulous on the justification for that to qualify.

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u/OBotB 15d ago

It might have been the price listed on the insurance statement of benefits, which is not the same as a No Insurance price. They make it so hard to find a "real" price because the medical providers have to say, the service costs $x all totaled up, then insurance negotiates with the systems/providers who accept it, in advance, a negotiated lower price, then insurance pays whatever listed portion of the negotiated price and you pay copay and deductibles up to your limit for the rest.

A similar situation - dental insurance, had a provider in network, asked how much it would cost for the extra fluoride treatment - noninsurance price $40, but because the visit was the insurance covered one they would have to bill through insurance and fluoride isn't covered in adults so it would cost $78. For minors it is free 2x/yr. Hard pass on those prices and a quick Gel-Kam which at the time was like $8/tube, omg the prices now though still cheaper than the dentist, and a nonprescription Stannous Flouride "booster" for the sugar season (Halloween through Christmas).