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Thread: Finding the Best Health Insurance

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    Veteran Member Gerina's Avatar
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    Default Finding the Best Health Insurance

    I've spent the last year without health insurance, since I was waiting for my fiancee's companies to come through for us with benefits. With my profession and pre-existing conditions (asthma, allergies), I'm realizing I cannot wait any longer. I'm otherwise in perfect health and exercise regularly.

    Does anyone know a good, cheap broker who can actually help me? How did you girls pick an insurance company?

    I'm lucky that my dr. is really sympathetic to my situation and has been allowing me to pay for discounted visits and gives tons of free samples for prescriptions. Obviously, this doesn't work well if I get hurt or need a hospital visit. My dr. recommended anyone but kaiser or to try costco's pilot program. I talked to a broker who finally recommended kaiser - argh. I've heard horror stories from some that use them, too. I'd have to pay twice as much for month than I am paying out of pocket for drugs and visits each month. Did anyone with similar conditions find a good company?
    ...and the day came, when the risk it took to remain closed in a bud became worse than the risk it took to blossom.

  2. #2
    Pamela
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Humana has alot of different plans! Even ones with pre-existing conditions. At least to me i think the prices are good.

    Check online. Google health insurance companies.

    Good luck,

    Pamela

  3. #3
    Crissychan
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Unicare has some good ones for short-term like 6-12 months if your just waiting for your new insurance to kick in.

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    Senior Member Underestimated's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    I was paying $500 a month in health costs, and a couple insurance companies quoted me $500 a month. I decided screw it, and waited for my partner's to kick in. As soon as they did, I racked up 30k. I have very complicated problems though. The doctors are very nice when they know you don't have insurance.
    How much longer do you have to wait? Also, if you had insurance before, did you check into Cobra? Have you checked with the county you live in? I was told, too late, after an emergency room visit that my county covers people without insurance for emergency rooms. And, that they also cover for three months following.

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    God/dess Bella21's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    I've never had to get medical insurance myself... yet... But if you're only worried about emergencies, isn't there some insurance plan that only covers those situations? That may be cheaper. Doctors are SUPPOSED to take care of people without insurance who come in with some emergency, but I've heard from different sources (that I forgot, though) that they'll make u wait longer and do a cheap crappy job if they can... Like, oh, a dog bit you? Here's a band-aid, I'm sure you don't have rabies. Go away.

    As for Keiser, I've heard they're super expensive.
    If you think school is hard, try being stupid.

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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    I would recommend an affordable self-pay PPO plan like Blue Cross's Tonik program.


    I have always had Blue Cross PPO except for this year.... I am currently a Kaiser member. There's nothing wrong with Kaiser. It is a very successful health care delivery model.

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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Oh, and another thing about Kaiser....... you pay A LOT less for Kaiser copays than for PPO plans. A LOT less.

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    God/dess VenusGoddess's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    I just have to say one thing...if you are not married, yet...how do you plan that your boyfriend/fiance's insurance is going to help you? NO insurance company will cover a non-spouse/family member. Scorpio has insurance and has our daughter on it...but the only time I can get covered on his insurance is after I marry him. Not one time before.

    You should just check out a whole slew of insurance companies. Everyone has a cheaper version and prices vary dramatically. With pre-existing conditions that most likely will require hospitalizations...you can expect to pay a bit more for the insurance. I had BCBS when I had my daughter (3 years ago) and after my insurance ran out (from not going back to the day job) BCBS quoted me over $900/month for JUST MYSELF because I was quoted as "most likely to conceive and deliver again".

    But, there are loads of different insurances out there...and if you are getting married soon, then you'll only need to find one that has more emergency care...or hospital care...just in case you need to hit the hospital.

    Good luck!

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    Veteran Member leebay88's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance


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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Quote Originally Posted by VenusGoddess
    I just have to say one thing...if you are not married, yet...how do you plan that your boyfriend/fiance's insurance is going to help you? NO insurance company will cover a non-spouse/family member. Scorpio has insurance and has our daughter on it...but the only time I can get covered on his insurance is after I marry him. Not one time before.

    You should just check out a whole slew of insurance companies. Everyone has a cheaper version and prices vary dramatically. With pre-existing conditions that most likely will require hospitalizations...you can expect to pay a bit more for the insurance. I had BCBS when I had my daughter (3 years ago) and after my insurance ran out (from not going back to the day job) BCBS quoted me over $900/month for JUST MYSELF because I was quoted as "most likely to conceive and deliver again".

    But, there are loads of different insurances out there...and if you are getting married soon, then you'll only need to find one that has more emergency care...or hospital care...just in case you need to hit the hospital.

    Good luck!
    Almost all insurance companies will cover a "co-habitating partner".

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    Featured Member MinahSky's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Keiser was wonderful to my son. Not one moneth after we joined with them, he hit his head on a nightstand in the middle of the night. When we got the the hospital, we were in and out in less than 20 minutes and I paid the $15 co-pay while leaving...

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    God/dess Bunny's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    I was rejected by Humana for a policy with a $2600 deductible because I have hormone problems. I found out August is open enrollment month in FL if you apply here as a group of one. My cheapest rate would be $450/month. Hell fucking no! I just reapplied with another company and conviently forgot my pre-existing conditions when they asked me about them. Hell, I don't go to the doctor unless I'm sick as a dog or I get my pap so it's not like I want the insurance except for emergencies. We'll see if they find out I stretched the truth a little or give me the damned policy. If you get an HSA compatible policy it's really cool because you can get tax breaks for buying things out of the money you put into the health savings account. That's what I'm trying to get right now. Maybe California's laws are different and they are a guarantee issue state but if that is the case I jsut hope your rates aren't sky high. Good luck! Trying to get insurance as an independent contractor SUCKS unless you are in PERFECT health and by that I mean PERFECT! Having pre-existing conditions is worse than having a criminal record when it comes to health insurance, at least in Florida.

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    God/dess Bunny's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Doctors are SUPPOSED to take care of people without insurance who come in with some emergency, but I've heard from different sources (that I forgot, though) that they'll make u wait longer and do a cheap crappy job if they can

    exactly. I have a friend who is in his 20's. He had a bad headache for 3 days and finally went to the ER. They did an MRI or CAT scan and found out he had an aneurism. his family had to come up with $20,000 for him to have brain surgery. Luckily he is alive and okay now. I would be dead if this happened to me becuase I wouldn't have gone to the ER in the first place.

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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Don't skimp on health insurance. There is a BIG difference in quality as the price goes up. There are good doctors and bad doctors out there.... the good ones don't work for cheap.

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    God/dess VenusGoddess's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Quote Originally Posted by Adrenaline
    Almost all insurance companies will cover a "co-habitating partner".
    Well, pray tell...which insurance companies do that? Every insurance company that I've ever had (about 5 or 6) would only cover another person if they were "legal" to you (birth, adoption, marriage, guardianship). Other than that...they pretty much said, "too bad".

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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Quote Originally Posted by VenusGoddess
    Well, pray tell...which insurance companies do that? Every insurance company that I've ever had (about 5 or 6) would only cover another person if they were "legal" to you (birth, adoption, marriage, guardianship). Other than that...they pretty much said, "too bad".
    I know for sure that United Healthcare and Blue Cross allow co-habitating partners to jump onto the healthcare plan. I have used that provision with both companies in the past.

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    God/dess VenusGoddess's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    How long ago was it that this happened? I mean, I just tried it a few years ago and they said no...(BCBS)

  18. #18
    Crissychan
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Quote Originally Posted by Bella21
    I've never had to get medical insurance myself... yet... But if you're only worried about emergencies, isn't there some insurance plan that only covers those situations? That may be cheaper. Doctors are SUPPOSED to take care of people without insurance who come in with some emergency, but I've heard from different sources (that I forgot, though) that they'll make u wait longer and do a cheap crappy job if they can... Like, oh, a dog bit you? Here's a band-aid, I'm sure you don't have rabies. Go away.

    As for Keiser, I've heard they're super expensive.

    In the United States it is illegal for an emergency room to base your care on your insurance, I work in an ER and at no time does the nurse/doctor know anything about your insurance, registration handles all of that. They also can't refuse you if its a real emergency. We have patients everyday that come in for heart attacks and such that have no insurance. They get treated like every other patient, we're not even a county hospital, we're private.

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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Quote Originally Posted by VenusGoddess
    How long ago was it that this happened? I mean, I just tried it a few years ago and they said no...(BCBS)
    It was 3 years ago.

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    Senior Member Underestimated's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    1) No doctor, emergency room, health facility can turn you away based on health insurance. It's illegal. They have to treat you if you need treatment.
    2) I'm not married and am covered right now with United Healthcare. Granted, we live together, but we're not married. My insurance only stipulates that we can not plan to live apart. Nice gray area! We break up, I move to the other side of the house to keep the insurance =)

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    God/dess VenusGoddess's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Hmmmm...I'm going to have to look into the fine print on the insurance. I'm almost positive that they said they won't cover me if we're not married. Thanks...I'm going to look right now!!

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    Senior Member Underestimated's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Tell your boyfriend to claim you as a dependant. Which you are, depending on him for health insurance =)

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    God/dess Bunny's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    My boyfriend checked and couldn't add me on his insurance. At least not last year he couldn't when he asked his personnel people at work. I think it might vary by state.

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    Veteran Member Gerina's Avatar
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Quote Originally Posted by Adrenaline
    Almost all insurance companies will cover a "co-habitating partner".
    Yup, but only in California. CA has domestic partnership laws that the companies have to adhere to. I'm originally from Chi, too, so I understand your confusion, VGoddess.

    In Illinois, it is legal for a private hospital to refuse emergency care if it isn't a code red or blue. My ex didn't have insurance, and the ambulance drove him to the nearest hospital, learned that, and then drove him to the county hospital. He had been running a high fever (106!) for two days but was otherwise conscious and able to speak.

    In Ca, I have not been refused for emergency care, and they gave a "self-pay" discount of over $400 for turning the payment in ontime. It came out to be much cheaper than being w/o insurance in NY state, but the original bill was much higher than I was used to for an asthma attack.

    I'm looking into Blue Cross for their temporary program (PPO), now for the both of us, but I'm afraid my beau's company may not come through for us. I'm more concerned for a work accident, car accident, or something that would bankrupt us. With our dr. giving us a slight break, it is cheaper than the insurance per month for visiting. I wouldn't even want a copay because I fear paying more in the long run for reporting all the office visits. Prescription drug breaks would help a great deal, but with me it's hard to reasonably cover my common conditions these days.
    Last edited by Gerina; 08-09-2005 at 08:24 PM.
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    Default Re: Finding the Best Health Insurance

    Bump!!

    I think this thread is very important. In this industry, there are to many of us who are walking around without health insurance.







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