Can Group Health Insurance Discriminate Based On Health of Group?

First let me say that I am a supporter of the ACA. At the very least its something. But I am facing a problem with regards to my employer’s coverage being too expensive for me to afford. I make less than 30000 per year and work full time. I would like to obtain Group Health coverage as offered by my employer, however, the premiums are around 400 per month. Obviously I can’t afford it. Group Health has told my employer that our rates are sky high because we are as a pool of subscribers a “high risk” group. I gather we have historically had more employees that are sick/debilitated for whatever reason.

My question is this: Since the ACA mandates coverage for everyone why are insurance companies still able to gouge with high premiums certain groups of people? They have just been given a multitude of young, healthy individuals to offset these costs by way of the mandate. We are all now no matter where you work required by law to obtain insurance.

For now, my employer (without so much as an inservice) gave us all a form from Group Health waiving our interest in employer provided insurance. They stamped a date on the form that was wrong so I refused to fill it out. I wrote on the form that I would not decline the insurance were the premiums affordable. I have obtained basic insurance of very low quality by comparison through the exchange.

I feel something isn’t right.