Posted: 1/25/2006 3:54:11 AM EDT
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Looking to get (affordable) health insurance for myself, Any input on who is good and affordable? Thanks! |
I am this close to thinking that 99% of all the people in the insurance and healthcare industry (the admin/business office end of healthcare) are lying, scum-sucking, ass-licking, toe-stubbing, crank-yanking assholes who need a thorough ass-kicking. |
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Carol - "Fucking HMO bastard pieces of shit!" Mom - "Carol!" Dr. Bettes - "That's okay. Actually, I think that's their technical name." My insurance company seems to view any charges above my deductable as "unreasonable" and won't pay it. I had to take my wife to the ER for breathing problems, and we wound up having to pay 90% of the bill out of pocket. Why do I even pay for insurance? 
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You should look into getting a very high deductible HSA plan. This would let you depost money tax free into a savings account for health costs. You can get some quotes on HSAs here www.ehealthinsurance.com/ehi/index.html |
It's getting pretty bad on my end, too. Damn insurance contract specifically states they cover "XXXX," but they are refusing to cover treatment for "XXXX." If that isn't totally, 100%, grade-A bullshit, I don't know what is. |
SUE and/or get your state department of insurance involved. www.ct.gov/cid/site/default.asp |
I am currently uninsured (between jobs). If I were to elect COBRA, it would be $935 for myself and my two little ones PER MONTH, BEFORE any qualifying questions have even been asked.  Should have been more clear. Sorry. 
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Letters already sent. Maybe a week or two ago. This is indirectly related to what happened a year ago, btw (our son). |
Is there some reason other than your disgust with health insurance companies that you haven't bought a plan? COBRA is usually taken be people when because of health reasons private insurers won't take them on as a customer. Even a 50 year old smoker with kids (not saying that's you, just an example) should be able to find a decent (yeah I know, bad word in this context) plan for well under $1000 a month. |
My coverage expired on Friday. I haven't elected COBRA in the hopes of landing work very soon, thus saving the dollars. A gamble, to be sure. That said, I remember looking for insurance 18 months ago when I was self-employed, and no matter where you turned, it was the same bullshit. Rediculous rates for pathetic coverage, and customer service not even a consideration. The other thing is that if I begin applying now, I will most likely (hopefully?) be employed and insured before the insurance company I'd be applying to is done doing their song and dance. |
... On the contrary! ... Way too many school kids these days eat pure junk food, lounge around lazily in front of the TV and ignore all fundamental hygiene basics. ... Sure, if you have chosen to have and raise children, you should be prepare the best you can for unforeseen medical conditions that may arise in their youth. But nothing can replace a strict, live-healthy life-program. ... Raise your kids properly, assume a larger deductible, pay larger co-payments for office visits and prescriptions, start a health-oriented rainy-day savings-fund for these and shop for one of the many well-rounded group-insurance circles - there are a lot out there that accept new members that base their health principles along these guidelines. |
I'm sorry to hear about your circumstances. USAA has been nothing but good to us. To the original poster: I'm not sure if this would apply to you or not, but between my wife and I, I make the majority of our income, and my wife works 20+ hours at Starbucks to provide for us full insurance. She works freelance with the rest of her time. |
Don't get me wrong! USAA is utterly FANTASTIC for everything else. They have almost everything of mine that is financial, and I couldn't be happier. Unfortunately, they outsource the medical coverage to an industry "partner". The one they had in 2004 SUCKED BALLS, and I made sure to tell USAA in no uncertain terms. Maybe they ditched them and got someone else. I should call and ask, just for giggles. |
CIGNA doesn't offer individual coverage in FL. Neither does AIG. There are a few regional companies that offer HMO style plans, but I don't represent any of them (mainly in S. Florida). IM sent. |
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I pay about $1400/year with Assurant health, for INSURANCE, not something that provides first dollar coverage. I don't know why people wonder why health insurance is so expensive for insurance they want to cover virtually all of their cost. If people would just pay for normal healthcare and use insurance as something for extraordinary circumstances we wouldn't have this problem. |
Now you know what the actual cost are for the health insurance plans you get with your employer. Normally, they pay all (or part, these days) of their cost to insure you and yours. It only *feels* like extortion, until you need it for that $50,000 hospital stay for knee surgery, or until you get a $200,000 bill for heart surgery or cancer treatment. |
Not surprised they dumped them, but sad they won't offer any at all. 
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The employers pay much less because they have the power of group purchasing (which isn't to say they don't get screwed, too, mind you). As for the rest, all true, but I don't need that now. Hopefully never will.
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Having been a health agent specializing in Employee Benefits for the last 11 years, I can say that you are completely incorrect about this. Employers pay more for insurance than individuals. Group insurance isn't (in most states) individually underwritten. Individual policies are. With indiv. coverage, if you aren't healthy, the insurance company is under no obligation to take you... i.e...you are SOL. With group policies, the insurance must take all people in the group, regardless of health. Some states allow for people who haven't had prior coverage in the previous year or 18 months to have pre-existing conditions. Because they take all risks, they price it much higher than individual coverage. |