FedSmith.com Users Facing Higher Health Care Costs in 2014

According to the results of our latest survey, the overwhelming majority of FedSmith.com users are facing higher costs for their health care plans next year.

According to the results of our latest survey, the overwhelming majority of FedSmith.com users are facing higher costs for their health care plans next year.

93% of respondents said that their costs will be higher next year, and 62% said that the 2014 costs are higher than they were expecting. Only 5% said their costs for the coming year were lower, and 33% said the costs were about the same as what they were expecting to pay.

As to the total increases respondents are facing, the responses break down as follows:

Total Increase Percentage of Responses
1-5% 51%
6-10% 21%
11-15% 8%
16-25% 6%
Over 26% 7%
My costs have not increased 6%

The majority of respondents also said that the Affordable Care Act hasn’t had any direct impact on them. Only 10% of respondents said that it had benefitted them personally in some way.

Comments on the subject were varied. Below is a sampling of some of the comments shared by respondents:

  • I could never have predicted that I would pay such high costs just 4 yrs into retirement and for a lower coverage for health insurance. Between the continued cost of high health insurance and then life insurance increases, I will be near poverty.
  • My daughter remains on my plan until she is 26. I am very grateful for that enhancement.
  • My biweekly insurance cost is going up 54%. Repeat 54%!
  • Affordable Care Act is the only root cause of the increasing of my 2014 heath care plan cost.
  • Having ANY health insurance will be better than the past 13 years, having none… when I could only justify seeking medical care in an emergency… taking over a year to pay off a doctor’s visit (when lucky enough to find a doctor than would accept a patient without insurance) & relying on “charity care” or being hounded by collection agencies when a hospital visit was needed. No preventive care, no ob/gyn visits at all during this time… at 56 I am relieved that I don’t have to wait for Medicare.
  • The Affordable Care Act may benefit me personally as I now need to find individual health insurance for my son who aged out of my family coverage. But due to the problems with healthcare.gov I have not yet been able to review plans and costs. If I can get on and find good coverage that will be less expensive due to the subsidy he is eligible for it will benefit me.
  • Obama said the costs would be lowered by an average of $2500 per family. Why are mine 18% higher???
  • Since I have health care, I don’t need the Affordable Care Act but if I did not have health care, I definitely would need it and would apply for it considering I have pre-existing conditions
  • As usual, health insurance goes up. If my annuity amount goes up, it won’t matter because it won’t equal the rise in health insurance costs, so I again will lose money in the end.
  • My health care premiums have gone up every year for 32+ years. No different this year. Business as usual.
  • For 2014, I am switching to a cheaper, though comparable, FEHB plan. For 2015, I am hoping that, for purposes of trying to bail it out, the Feds are not dragged into the ACA debacle.
  • My insurance went up only 0.4% – My plan added additional benefits
  • ACA will continue to cause all premiums to increase as government mandates are always expensive and there won’t be a large enough “healthy” pool to help spread the costs of all the bells and whistles that are now to be considered standard coverage. When will the politicians realize these benefits aren’t free just because they’ve made them manditory; someone has to pay for them??
  • The cost increase was neglible. I think the Affordable Care Act will benefit everyone – fewer people without insurance is better for everyone in the long run. Yes, there have been significant hiccups, and business entities opposed to the law are taking draconian actions to create bad publicity for the law in order to support their case for repeal, but once those are flushed out I think it will be better for everyone.
  • My worst fear is that Congress will pass legislation making federal employees enroll in Obamacare as it appears not enough healthy, middle-class folks are enrolling to pay for unhealthy folks or folks who get free medical care (Medicaid). Also I am close to having to enroll in Medicare & Obamacare CUTS Medicare payments. Please tell Congress to let federal employees keep FEHB. With no pay raises, furlough, and shut-down, we need something to smile about!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their feedback in this survey.

About the Author

Ian Smith is one of the co-founders of FedSmith.com. He has over 20 years of combined experience in media and government services, having worked at two government contracting firms and an online news and web development company prior to his current role at FedSmith.