Santa Cruz County residents with health insurance find rate prices stunning

10/02/13

SANTA CRUZ -- Chuck Griffen, a commercial real estate agent in Aptos, said he was stunned to hear how much his health insurance would cost next year.

He is looking at paying $1,150 a month, $13,800 a year, for a no-frills "bronze" plan with out-of-pocket expenses of $12,000 covering himself, his wife and his son, a student at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.

"Half my income could go toward health care," he said. "Anyone making over $60,000 is screwed. You're penalizing middle-class people. I think there will be a huge outrage."

Twice since the Affordable Care Act became law, Griffen changed his health insurance to keep it affordable.

Eighteen months ago, he paid $512 a month for a HealthNet policy with prescription coverage, two office visits and a $6,000 deductible for himself, his wife, his son and his daughter.

When HealthNet's price jumped to $630 a month, Griffen switched to Blue Shield, raised the deductible to $9,600, and his daughter, who got a job after college graduation, left the policy, bringing his cost back to $512 a month. That policy will no longer be available as of Jan. 1.

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