Health insurance?

MSI Magus

MSI Magus

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My fiancees health insurance is getting ready to drop her since shes graduating from college and we are in the market for a new provider. I was wondering what were some health insurance providers you guys use and are happy with? We have been looking around and have found a few potential providers, but I figured it wouldnt hurt to have word of mouth from happy users here.

We are looking for an indivdiual plan and probally short term though we are happy to look into long term.
 
Try www.ehealthinsurance.com

My girlfriend and I were looking a short-term policies for a trip to Seattle.
As a 24 year old male, mine, with a $500 deductible and 20% co-pay was about $30 a month. Jenn, who is 24, for the same policy was about $50. Both through Anthem.
 
[quote name='TurkeyOnRye']Try www.ehealthinsurance.com

My girlfriend and I were looking a short-term policies for a trip to Seattle.
As a 24 year old male, mine, with a $500 deductible and 20% co-pay was about $30 a month. Jenn, who is 24, for the same policy was about $50. Both through Anthem.[/QUOTE]

Wow very reasonable. Ill look into it. Did you guys experience any problems? Or did you ever have to pay for something you didnt expect to?
 
To tell the truth, I think that health insurance is a large waste of money. If you raise your family well enough, they shouldn't have to rely on your "death money" to survive. I see it as gambling: spend money for a possible benefit in the end. I wouldn't buy insurance for myself.
 
[quote name='Full_Throttle']To tell the truth, I think that health insurance is a large waste of money. If you raise your family well enough, they shouldn't have to rely on your "death money" to survive. I see it as gambling: spend money for a possible benefit in the end. I wouldn't buy insurance for myself.[/QUOTE]


are you retarded? If you end up in the hospital without insurance its over, just a visit to the ER could be over 500 bucks and forget about it if you have to stay over night. Though u might be thinking of life insurance which is still good to pay for the costs of a funeral.


edit: spanky mc'spankter should give no advice, cept maybe how many times not to masturbate in a day
 
[quote name='Full_Throttle']To tell the truth, I think that health insurance is a large waste of money. If you raise your family well enough, they shouldn't have to rely on your "death money" to survive. I see it as gambling: spend money for a possible benefit in the end. I wouldn't buy insurance for myself.[/quote]
You're obviously not an adult are you? (and I dont mean that as an insult)
 
Damn, you guys should learn how to be nice. No, I am not a "full-blown" adult. But seriously, people have lived without insurance. I, thankfully, was born into a family with enough money. The insurance covers everything, but we would have enough money for at least one ER operation. I dunno. Just my opinion. Doesn't mean you have to acknowledge it.
 
On a similar note, my wife is 25, has had open heart surgery (for pulmonary embolism) and recently had a minor stroke. She's on blood thinning medication for a genetic clotting condition but is otherwise healthy. We're finding it impossible to find any decent coverage for her and we don't qualify for medicaid. We pay about $200 a month for medication and blood tests and now have to shell out $30,000 for her recent hospital stay and barrage of tests. Anyway, can anyone give a good recommendation for a higher risk insurance carrier? Thanks.
 
Personally I always tried to stay with blue cross/blue shield. They are probably on the high end of premiums, but in the long run its worth it. Truthfully health insurance costs is one of the main reasons I am putting my consulting company on the back burner and going back to work for the man (the other reason being a baby on the way). After looking at coverage costs for the entire family through my company I found the costs were going to range over $1000 for a really good plan and with a newborn you just want the best coverage.

Other companies I have used through companies I worked for include Cigna and Aetna with no major complaints. United Healthcare is the only company I know I would personally stay away from.

Don't be cheap on healthcare is the best advice I think anyone could give. For a single young healthy person a great plan is going to run $200/month. There are good plans out there with higher deductibles for $130-150/month. Lets put it this way my wife was hospitalize recently for one night and the bill ran close $4,000 without many tests being done.
 
[quote name='MSI Magus']Wow very reasonable. Ill look into it. Did you guys experience any problems? Or did you ever have to pay for something you didnt expect to?[/QUOTE]

Well, she's going to Seattle and I'm not. I don't think she has decided if she wants to do this or let her current insurance continue through COBRA.

I'm sure there's a number on there for you to call and talk to someone. Make a list of any question you might possibly have before you call.
 
[quote name='Full_Throttle']Damn, you guys should learn how to be nice. No, I am not a "full-blown" adult. But seriously, people have lived without insurance. I, thankfully, was born into a family with enough money. [/QUOTE]

And you should learn how to empathize with those of us who have been through the hell of not being able to have insurance. You said yourself you've been born into a family with enough money to afford it, so you clearly haven't been through the specific hell that is living without insurance. You clearly aren't thinking the whole thing through-- Understandable at your age, but still.

I was lucky enough to be insured until I was about 20, and haven't had insurance for two years now. I can't afford to go to the doctor unless I'm practically dying (Earaches, strep throat, sinus infections, and chronic bronchitus are things I typically have to just 'live through' without nothing more than OTC medications), it's very rare I can actually afford the daily medications I need (My doctor, thankfully, gives me as many samples as she can, and discounts my visits when I do have to go-- However, I haven't been on about 4 daily medications I'm meant to be on because I simply can't afford it). The one time I had to go to the ER, I thankfully found a program that helped me qualify for a discount, but I still had to pay a crapload for something that ended up being nothing more than a kidney stone. If it had been something major that actually required surgery, I wouldn't have been able to do it. I also have a skin condition that has gone untreated for well over 3 years. I haven't even gotten it checked out, because I already know what it is and know the only treatment happens to be a skin graft or radiation therapy.

I may be alive, but it's certainly not the 'no big deal' that you're making it out to be.
 
[quote name='Full_Throttle']Damn, you guys should learn how to be nice. No, I am not a "full-blown" adult. But seriously, people have lived without insurance. I, thankfully, was born into a family with enough money. The insurance covers everything, but we would have enough money for at least one ER operation. I dunno. Just my opinion. Doesn't mean you have to acknowledge it.[/QUOTE]


The reason there is such a backlash to you post is because it is such incredibly bad advice. Saying that people don't need health insurance is like saying that people should play Russian Roullette for shits and giggles.

The reality of the situation for people without insurance is if a single income adult where to get hurt (ie broken arm, leg etc) the costs of getting medical attention would DESTROY his/her financial future because of medical bills and the inability to continue working. The costs then would be paid by one of two sources the individual or the state.

In short health insurance is a good thing.

And I appluade you for making your post. This is an important topic that many 20 something males do not think about. Hopefully this topic will get some people out of our generation to reorder their priorities so that they get some BCBS instead of bling.
 
[quote name='briansraregames']On a similar note, my wife is 25, has had open heart surgery (for pulmonary embolism) and recently had a minor stroke. She's on blood thinning medication for a genetic clotting condition but is otherwise healthy. We're finding it impossible to find any decent coverage for her and we don't qualify for medicaid. We pay about $200 a month for medication and blood tests and now have to shell out $30,000 for her recent hospital stay and barrage of tests. Anyway, can anyone give a good recommendation for a higher risk insurance carrier? Thanks.[/quote]

The best advice I can give is to get a job at a company that has a great insurance plan. Individual plans are going to be 1 of 2 things.

1. The plan that suits you will be too expensive a month
or
2. the plans you can afford wont cover everything you need it to or will have very stricti limits on it.

I have had a few years of prior experince in this field and used to see situations like yours all the time. Prior to my current job I worked at BCBS of FL for over 4 years, the first year I worked as a regular CSR for members of BCBS through out FL, then I was promoted to their memebership and billing side and worked directly with small groups and individual or private plans( meaning the type of insurance coverage you are looking for, a private person looking to get insurance but not going through a business/company). I was basically the guy that the sales reps/ agents for BCBS would call when they had questions about what was and wasnt covered on the plans they were selling to individuals and small groups. Those plans are murder. The monthly preimum is insane and since your wife is as you said High risk already due to heart problems, most plans they would even offer her wont cover everything, you will be lucky to find one with rx benefits but then even if you do get rx's, Im sure there will be a cap on it and you will end up using that up in no time. The plans that you do find that will help you out are going to be outrageous as far as a monthly premium is concerned.

I am currently under a small group program through BCBS at my current job, the company I work for is very small, we only have 5 employees but our monthly preimums alone cost the company well over $3000 a month and he have a standard HMO, not a PPO. We have looked at trying to get individual plans to try and cut costs but we found out after researching several different companies and venues that we would still be paying the same preimums but would have less than half of the benefits we have under our current group program. The day of affordable "GOOD" healthcare coverage for individuals is gone.
 
[quote name='Full_Throttle']To tell the truth, I think that health insurance is a large waste of money. If you raise your family well enough, they shouldn't have to rely on your "death money" to survive. I see it as gambling: spend money for a possible benefit in the end. I wouldn't buy insurance for myself.[/QUOTE]

My fiancee seems to get sick alot and need to go to the doctor. Prescription fees alone are reason enough to have decent insurance. But when you add in emergencies like 2 years ago when she had to have tubes put in her ear its a MUST have. Even with insurance her bill was like $3,000. Without it she would have had to out of pocket pay like $15,000-$20,000.

Insurance SHOULDNT be a must...but sadly in todays society it is.

And thanks to those who have actually given me info on their provdiers.
 
[quote name='battleroyal33']The best advice I can give is to get a job at a company that has a great insurance plan. Individual plans are going to be 1 of 2 things.

1. The plan that suits you will be too expensive a month
or
2. the plans you can afford wont cover everything you need it to or will have very stricti limits on it.

I have had a few years of prior experince in this field and used to see situations like yours all the time. Prior to my current job I worked at BCBS of FL for over 4 years, the first year I worked as a regular CSR for members of BCBS through out FL, then I was promoted to their memebership and billing side and worked directly with small groups and individual or private plans( meaning the type of insurance coverage you are looking for, a private person looking to get insurance but not going through a business/company). I was basically the guy that the sales reps/ agents for BCBS would call when they had questions about what was and wasnt covered on the plans they were selling to individuals and small groups. Those plans are murder. The monthly preimum is insane and since your wife is as you said High risk already due to heart problems, most plans they would even offer her wont cover everything, you will be lucky to find one with rx benefits but then even if you do get rx's, Im sure there will be a cap on it and you will end up using that up in no time. The plans that you do find that will help you out are going to be outrageous as far as a monthly premium is concerned.

I am currently under a small group program through BCBS at my current job, the company I work for is very small, we only have 5 employees but our monthly preimums alone cost the company well over $3000 a month and he have a standard HMO, not a PPO. We have looked at trying to get individual plans to try and cut costs but we found out after researching several different companies and venues that we would still be paying the same preimums but would have less than half of the benefits we have under our current group program. The day of affordable "GOOD" healthcare coverage for individuals is gone.[/QUOTE]

Well we know that tends to be the case but you have to work with what you have. My fiancee recently finished getting her Certificate for medical billing and coding and hopefully will get a job with health insurance....but we live in a horrible job market currently...ESPECIALLY in Michigan. It could and probally will be several months before she can find such a job. In the mean time we really dont want to be without health insurance.
 
OP, you didn't mention, unless I missed it, if you have insurance or not. If you have insurance through your employer and if you have lived with your fiancee at least a year, you could see if she could be added to your plan.
 
You guys all have to realize a few things. I figures since I make a living selling health and life insurance that I would chime in here.

First it varies on rules and pricing from state to state. Pricing varies on these conditions. Age, health condition, tobacco use, as well as even zip code.

So if you take someones advice remember that it might be valid in their state but not your own.

Best bet is to call a few agents and get their advice and quotes. There is a lot to learn and even if you get the basics down. Normally you pay the same price if you go through an agent or not. If you go direct you still pay commission but its internal to their housed agent... I prefer an outside agent that is obligated to go to bat for you:

Deductible (but is that per person or family and is a family 2 or 3 times the single deductible)

Coinsurance (say your coinsurance is 20%. The real question is 20% of what? 5k,10k, 20k? Obviously that is a huge difference.)

Some insurance's talk about a "Stop loss or "out of pocket" well does that include the deductible or not? its a mixed ratio on companies descriptions again a potential huge difference.

Then you get into networks. They are all going to vary from state to state. The network is the doctors and hospitals that accept your insurance HOWEVER normally a network is not owned by any particular company. So here in Michigan a popular network is PPOM but I work with over 20 carriers that offer that network. Keep this in mind. Normally you can run a search on the networks website to see if you preferred hospital and doctor is in it.

BCBS is typically more expensive however I believe in most states they don't look at your current health or your previous health history. The disadvantage is that this causes adverse selection and therefore the rates are higher... why? Well anyone thats sick and CANT get it elsewhere goes to the Blues. Anyone that is healthy and likes to save money jumps ship to another carrier... Issue #2 most individual Blues plans dont have prescription coverage or very limited prescription coverage.

Other things to consider. Is the rate guaranteed and for how long? Typically its at least 12 months. Is it an HMO or PPO? I prefer PPO as you have more freedom but thats a personal choice.

Next thing to consider... if you do have to choose a higher deductible plan or even an Health Savings Account (HSA) you would potentially still get a prescription discount card which could potentially save you money...

Lastly look for generic drugs if have medical coverage or not... ALSO the generic drug price is not set at a standard... this means that your local drug store (walgreens, Rite Aid etc) could mark it up as much as they want.. call around it will vary from pharmacy to pharmacy... I have reports here that are good from last year and the lowest MARKUP on generics where at both Sams Club and Costco. Everyone else marked up generics more. Food for thought.

There is so much to learn and the rules change a lot so take the above info for what its worth.
 
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