NOTE: Although this news story is not about Vermont, it also helps to show one of the consistent problems with private insurance plans.  Many people have high deductible plans and have to pay so much money before the plan actually kicks in that costs are still a barrier to care, and many people delay or put off treatment altogether because of the costs. In Vermont, about 1/3 of the population is  underinsured in this way due to high deductible plans.

Washington Post

By Associated Press October 13
WASHINGTON — They have health insurance, but still no peace of mind. Overall, 1 in 4 privately insured adults say they doubt they could pay for a major unexpected illness or injury.

A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research may help explain why President Barack Obama faces such strong headwinds in trying to persuade the public that his health care law is holding down costs.

The survey found the biggest financial worries among people with so-called high-deductible plans that require patients to pay a big chunk of their medical bills each year before insurance kicks in.

Such plans already represented a growing share of employer-sponsored coverage. Now, they’re also the mainstay of the new health insurance exchanges created by Obama’s law.

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