I found a statistic that may help people to figure out whether to go with co-pays or co-insurance. While I am not a specialist, perhaps this diary will stimulate specialists to provide better data and sources.
The ACA has greatly simplified shopping for insurance. But one piece of missing data makes it difficult to figure out whether one plan is cheaper or more expensive than another, and that is the actual cost of a visit. Is a $30 co-pay more or less expensive for a routine office visit than 20% co-insurance?
The key piece of missing data is how much an office visit costs. Perhaps the physicians among Kossacks like McCamy Taylor, can give us more detail, but the basic office visit costs $50 (another source says $68; please note: I do not endorse debt.org). A very complicated problem (which typically would involve a specialist) can cost $225. For these data, one can estimate office visits with 30% co-insurance at $15-67.50. If the co-pay is $15 for the former and $50 for the latter, the co-pay may well be cheaper, even though the premium is higher.
The other important piece of information is the out-of-pocket maximum and how it is calculated. In my experience with the exchange, insurance companies obfuscate. There also seems to be massive inflation in the out-of-pocket maximum. One insurance plan I am familiar with has something like a 40% increase. So, definitely compare what you were paying with what you will be paying to see if the companies are gouging.
Again, this diary is not by a specialist in medical costs, and is just intended as possible assistance to fellow Kossacks trying to figure out the mess that is the health insurance industry.
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Added: What is really needed is a healthcare cost calculator to expose the hidden costs of plans. Are any Kossacks able to take this on?