Medical Insurance in the US
-
@scottalanmiller said:
That's not horrible, but it is really high considering it would provide zero coverage for us. It doesn't even remotely offset the tax penalty. And Texas offerings are not as good as many states. We put in a lot of time on this, I don't think we found anything even that good, and that's not good enough to consider at all.
Actually I put in an Austin, TX, ZIP code and it was significantly cheaper.
$1394 a month was the highest plan they offered. But on that plan you have a $30 co-pay for doctor visits.
This is through the web, though. But the prices are similar to others I have seen.
-
@Dashrender said:
Definitely not the same as uninsurable.
So we can choose to define this one of two ways then....
- My way is calling it uninsured because 90% of the time they wont' provide coverage. So essentially I am not covered.
- Saying that I am covered but that I have to pay $5K per week or something to be covered.
One of the other. Both are insane and ridiculous.
-
@BRRABill said:
@Minion-Queen said:
This is only me using the insurance. If husband or son ever need to use it well the costs go up from there.
Also assuming nothing serious happens, which is kind of the definition of insurance.
that's true. However my deductibles for visits, surgery etc. is still crazy. It's just not worth having.
-
@BRRABill said:
$1394 a month was the highest plan they offered. But on that plan you have a $30 co-pay for doctor visits.
What service did you use?
-
@Minion-Queen said:
that's true. However my deductibles for visits, surgery etc. is still crazy. It's just not worth having.
If my company wasn't paying for the cost, I'd definitely consider.
Well, I wouldn't, because I know my family has conditions that require medical care.
But, I at least would get the argument.
-
@scottalanmiller said:
What service did you use?
I just went to
https://www.ehealthinsurance.com
Could be a total scam. But I have priced out plans near me before, and these are about spot on for my area.
-
@Minion-Queen said:
@BRRABill said:
@Minion-Queen said:
This is only me using the insurance. If husband or son ever need to use it well the costs go up from there.
Also assuming nothing serious happens, which is kind of the definition of insurance.
that's true. However my deductibles for visits, surgery etc. is still crazy. It's just not worth having.
How is your deductible so high? Max out of pocket is $6850 for individual per year, including deductible. Your insurance is screwing you and most likely breaking the law.
-
If you look here:
http://www.aetna.com/individuals-families/document-library/rates/2016/TX_Rates_2016.pdf
That's direct from the horse's mouth. About the same cost as the website I gave for the BEST plan.
-
@marcinozga said:
How is your deductible so high? Max out of pocket is $6850 for individual per year, including deductible. Your insurance is screwing you and most likely breaking the law.
Pretty much all health insurance breaks the law. The problem is that it is very hard to prove and nearly impossible to prosecute and way beyond the means of normal people. They know this and they regularly leverage it. I know of hospitals that use HIPAA violations to try to extort family members for money. Who sues them? No one, they are a nearly untouchable entity with deep pockets and they control your personal data, the ability to bill you anytime for anything and all kinds of government protections. Health care in the US operates like organized crime and has nearly total impunity.
If you know anyone successfully suing health care, let me know. Because I never see it work.
-
@marcinozga said:
How is your deductible so high? Max out of pocket is $6850 for individual per year, including deductible. Your insurance is screwing you and most likely breaking the law.
A lot of plans have super high deductibles.
-
Yeah insurance companies do that. Now as of next year my Deductible will be less. But the coverage is even worse (I keep checking to see what my options are), copays are out of this world and no point. My meds will no longer be covered but of course if I have the insurance I pay more than I do without. Now to be clear this is coverage that will allow me to keep my awesome Dr.
-
@BRRABill said:
If you look here:
http://www.aetna.com/individuals-families/document-library/rates/2016/TX_Rates_2016.pdf
That's direct from the horse's mouth. About the same cost as the website I gave for the BEST plan.
Not as bad as when we were looking in October.
-
@scottalanmiller said:
Not as bad as when we were looking in October.
Again, I'm not saying it is cheap, not even remotely.
But it's not 40K with terrible coverage and caps.
And all tax deductible, of course.
-
@BRRABill said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Not as bad as when we were looking in October.
Again, I'm not saying it is cheap, not even remotely.
But it's not 40K with terrible coverage and caps.
And all tax deductible, of course.
Yes, when we were paying $40K/year, Aetna (which who would trust an insurance provider that mispronounces their own name) wouldn't even talk to us.
-
@scottalanmiller said:
Aetna (which who would trust an insurance provider that mispronounces their own name)
Boy you don't let anyone slide for ANYTHING!
-
@scottalanmiller said:
@Dashrender said:
Let's say you get US coverage insurance by a US company only for use while in the US - Let's say it costs $15k/yr and you get insurance for world traveler, non-US. How much is that? I'm betting that adding those two together come to way less than $40K.
US insurance is not available like that. You pay for the full year or else you pay the tax penalty. Trust me, we've checked. There is no "temporary" option like that. But it is a good idea and everyone wonders why there isn't that option.
So your plan would end up being the full cost of US and full cost of traveller insurance all at once.
I'm not suggesting a temporary plan - I'm suggesting a full out year of coverage plan - where you will waste 90% of it because you won't be in the US.
-
@BRRABill said:
@scottalanmiller said:
Aetna (which who would trust an insurance provider that mispronounces their own name)
Boy you don't let anyone slide for ANYTHING!
I'm passionate, as is @rob, about the correct use the ash tree ligature. Using it when you don't know what it is is ridiculous.
-
@Dashrender said:
@scottalanmiller said:
@Dashrender said:
Let's say you get US coverage insurance by a US company only for use while in the US - Let's say it costs $15k/yr and you get insurance for world traveler, non-US. How much is that? I'm betting that adding those two together come to way less than $40K.
US insurance is not available like that. You pay for the full year or else you pay the tax penalty. Trust me, we've checked. There is no "temporary" option like that. But it is a good idea and everyone wonders why there isn't that option.
So your plan would end up being the full cost of US and full cost of traveller insurance all at once.
I'm not suggesting a temporary plan - I'm suggesting a full out year of coverage plan - where you will waste 90% of it because you won't be in the US.
So $5K a week
-
@scottalanmiller said:
@Dashrender said:
You're not uninsurable though - you've already said you could get a US only plan and you could get an international traveler's plan - so you're not uninsurable, not even uninsurable in the USA - you Choose to not have insurance in the US because the cost outweights the benefits in your mind for the dozen or less weeks a year you spend in the US. Definitely not the same as uninsurable.
Sorry, I'm uninsurable under Obamacare. I can buy insurance that does not qualify for Obamacare that would cover me.
I choose not to be covered in the US because I am NOT covered by US insurance. I'm allowed to pay for it, but it doesn't provide healthcare coverage. If that's what you call insurance I think we found where the confusion is. I define insurance by it providing insurance against bills. You seem to be defining it as the ability to take my money.
Way to play both sides! You're ability to use something you pay for has nothing to do with your' ability to purchase something.
and you said it again, you're uninsurable under Obamacare, but really you are not. You, and your family can get qualifying insurance (granted it will be near useless for you) and would cost more than the penalty tax, but you can get it.
-
@Minion-Queen said:
@BRRABill said:
@Minion-Queen said:
This is only me using the insurance. If husband or son ever need to use it well the costs go up from there.
Also assuming nothing serious happens, which is kind of the definition of insurance.
that's true. However my deductibles for visits, surgery etc. is still crazy. It's just not worth having.
The fact that your meds are more expensive on insurance than off - that's a total screw job, and that is completely to blame on the pharmacies. They could allow their contracts to sell a high deductible plan member to get the cash rate, not the contracted insurance rate. This actually helps the insurance company, but hurts the pharmacy. The insurance company would be applying less toward your deductible, and the pharmacy would be getting less money. But IF you are over you deductible, the pharmacy could then get the contracted amount from the insurance company.
