My company still provides health insurance

...although they just announced that the premium for the level of care I choose is rising over 13%. And deductibles have risen; co-pays have risen. I think they are blaming it on the ACA. Could be that this is the last year they can raise them so much, and they may be taking advantage while they still can. The provider is UnitedHealthcare. Is this happening because of "Obamacare"? Hard to say.

My health plan (covering only me and my spouse) will now run $340/mo., up from $300/mo. And that is 20% of the entire cost.

Here is the communication we got:

ANNUAL ENROLLMENT BEGINS OCTOBER 16 AND RUNS THROUGH OCTOBER 30

HEALTH CARE UPDATE
With implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) fully underway, many people have questions about how the law may impact their current employer provided health care coverage. Please be assured that MEGACORP continues to sponsor and subsidize a health care program that offers employees high value, affordable health care coverage. For this reason, we believe that the ACA Health Insurance Marketplace coverage is unlikely to be an attractive option for MEGACORP employees.

To date, implementation of the Affordable Care Act has had modest impact on our health care program. Because our benefits coverage has always been comprehensive, only minor adjustments to eligibility and coverage provisions have been necessary. Moving forward, the ACA will require additional recordkeeping and reporting obligations and impose additional fees that will increase our plan's operating expenses. These additional monies, coupled with our increasing health care claims, have an impact on the premiums needed to sufficiently fund our program. Now more than ever, we need to work together to manage our health care resources to maintain our plan's stability and viability into the future.

So for 2014, it's a balance between benefit and premium adjustments, coupled with increased MEGACORP IN-HOUSE HEALTH support.

Annual Enrollment materials will reflect:

**competitive increases to HSM deductible, copays and out-of-pocket limits

**an increase to HSM premiums which equate to an additional $18 per month for single coverage and additional $48 per month for family

**expanded access to wellness checks, including onsite activity at most major locations, to promote and reward health improvement

Implications and long term impact of the ACA will emerge over time as the provisions of the law stabilize. We will continue to monitor this evolution and keep employees updated on how our health care program needs to adapt so that we can maintain contemporary and competitive value for MEGACORP employees.