Health Insurance for $134 per month, $750 Annual Deductible

“Brace for turbulence” is the headline in the Minneapolis Star Tribune as open enrollment gets underway today  for people who buy their own health insurance.  “Shopping promises to be stressful given big premium hikes and tight rules on the doctors and hospitals that subscribers can visit. Most insurers have capped enrollment on plans to control costs, meaning policies could sell out quickly.” 

I know people who are self-employed or working part-time jobs who are scrambling to find affordable options.  Their stress is real. Under the Affordable Care Act, everyone is required by law to have health insurance. The enrollment deadline is December 15th for coverage beginning January 1st, 2017. A map published by the Department of Health and Human Services shows that the cost increase for health insurance in Minnesota is among the highest in the nation, with an average increase of 59%. The Affordable Care Act requires that you must have qualifying health coverage or pay a penalty, the fee for which has not been set but which the Health and Human Services website promises will be “higher than ever” in 2017. Luckily, the vast majority of Minnesotans can take advantage of group coverage through their employers.

$134 per month with a $750 deductible

ACR Homes offers benefits for full-time employees which include a group medical insurance plan with PreferredOne.  ACR employees who participate in the plan pay a premium contribution of just $134 per month and a $750 annual deductible–no increase over last year.  Check it out. Pass it on!

—Kristin Pitchford,  Director of HR Policy & Compliance