Good Morning all,
What as been the health insurance options for those of you who have gone full time? How have you managed your policy and or changes you have needed to make. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR CURRENT POLITICAL FEELINGS. I'm looking for full timer health options.
Thanks
--Mike
Quote from: FolkBus on November 08, 2013, 07:29:07 AM
Good Morning all,
What as been the health insurance options for those of you who have gone full time? How have you managed your policy and or changes you have needed to make. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR CURRENT POLITICAL FEELINGS. I'm looking for full timer health options.
Thanks
--Mike
What's your age and current insurance status, Mike? These conditions will make a difference for you. (No political axe to grind here.)
What difference would it make being full time or not ?
Mike,
We are fulltiming and currently un-insured. We have looked at health insurance every year and it never makes any sense to us to pay 800/month when our health care expenses with regular doctors visits, chiropractic care and sick kid visits to the clinics never add up to more than 1200.00 a year without insurance. We have also contemplated doing catostrophic health coverage which would be a deductable of like 3k but those plans are also about 400/month and with both of these plans we would still pay a good chunk of money for doctors visits.
In the first case we would pay a 25$ co pay each visit when our uninsured visits now range from 50-75$. This varies depending on where the office is located, any tests they deem necessary when we visit. And neither insurance plan covers 100% of any medication...always a co-pay. the first is 10$ co-pay with everything the second covers nothing until you break your deduct but they only cover a percentage at that point.
We did the math and if we put the 800/month away in an interest bearing account within 12 years we would have a nice bankroll that would cover over 2 years of cancer to end of life treatment in a hospital. (This is based on a little research that most people with cancer in end of life treatment spend an average of 100k over the last 2 years of treatment) And this year we were planning on doing just that (banking away our insurance money) until our govt decided on being a dictatorship...(sorry couldnt resist)
For comparison my wife and I are right around our 40's with good health and have 4 kids. I have type 2 diabetes that is manageable without medication.
Good luck. If you find some super deal on insurance let us know.
-Sean
www.herdofturtles.org (http://www.herdofturtles.org)
It is really a no brainier just be broke,rent a section 8 with no job then it is easy to get,I am a little pissed I just got the bill for my supplemental insurance for Medicare we lost benefits and the price went way up but surely there is way Sean 800 bucks a month for 12 years won't cover heart surgery or the cancer treatment for 2 years I don't know where that study came from, it wasn't from the Mayo they ate up 50 to 60 grand a month from me in 2000
Quote from: luvrbus on November 08, 2013, 08:52:57 AM
It is really a no brainier just be broke,rent a section 8 with no job then it is easy to get,I am a little pissed I just got the bill for my supplemental insurance for Medicare we lost benefits and the price went way up but surely there is way Sean 800 bucks a month for 12 years won't cover heart surgery or the cancer treatment for 2 years I don't know where that study came from, it wasn't from the Mayo they ate up 50 to 60 grand a month from me in 2000
Cliff- I might have been looking at a report that showed what insurance company costs are for 2 year end of life... not what we pay. I did have appendicitis with no insurance and out of pocket costs for everything including the doctors bills were somewhere in the range of 20k (12k for the hospital and 8k for doctors bills)
I did find out later that most doctors and the hospital will give you a big discount up front if you dont have insurance and are willing to pay cash.
If I ever need an operation I'll probably just head south of the border or maybe over to Asia for a few months :) They are happy to take pennies on the dollar for what we pay here and give first class service for anyone with cash.
-Sean
Yea at one time we had the best medical system in the world not any longer you are just as well off in a 3rd world country IMO, 2 days in the hospital last month they did nothing and the doctors could not speak English over 8 grand for 2 days
Here's an article we wrote a while back about healthcare on the road for full-timers of pre-Medicare age.
http://www.technomadia.com/healthcare (http://www.technomadia.com/healthcare)
I've not updated it yet to reflect the ACA changes now that the exchanges are open, as I'm still gathering information on it as folks navigate the new options. But initial findings are that there are not many, if any, nationwide provider networks available in the exchanges of the typical full-timer friendly domicile states (TX, SD and FL). So if you qualify for subsidies, you may be choosing between 'affordable' healthcare that is only good in your region of domicile, or paying higher premiums to get a nationwide network that will cover you for non-emergency services as you travel.
We have high-deductible individual PPO plans with a fairly extensive nationwide network, linked to a HSA account.
Best wishes,
- Cherie
Many health insurance plans have a network that is usually fairly local. Coverage out of the network is often more expensive and can have limits. Full timers are likely to need most care out of network.
A co-worker of mine has been battling cancer for a year and his medical care has cost over $100,000 and his treatment is ongoing.
http://www.escapees.com/ (http://www.escapees.com/) is a great resource for full timers.
I have a doctor friend that has advised me that by federal law he cannot charge me any less than he charges the government for a procedure, cash or no, period. That says a lot about how much power your uncle has over every part of our lives.>>>Dan
As a full timer who travels a reasonable lot.
Cancer treatment is very expensive...having said that, health insurance at any price is cheap. I gladly pay and have for 30 years.
My insurance provider uses a group called beechstreet.com, I can go anywhere in the US, if there is a doctor on the list I can use them. My wife's urologist is the premier kidney transplant surgeon in this area, her hand surgeon is a highly regarded micro surgeon and my ortho doc was the same one that worked for Pittsburgh Steelers and Pirates They give a contracted discount to my provider.
I know this doesn't provide the OP with a solution, (it is what I do though) but one really must consider ones FAMILIES future when considering not providing themselves health insurance.
PS I pay more than 9.5% of my net for health insurance, I can keep my plan, and probably will. (The Affordable Care Act says I can opt out of it and probably get a 90% plan for less money)
Even after I turn 65.
See if your doctor is on this list:
http://www.beechstreet.com/beechplus/IPLU/Control?hJSPName=splash.jsp&hButtonMode=Search (http://www.beechstreet.com/beechplus/IPLU/Control?hJSPName=splash.jsp&hButtonMode=Search)
Beech Street Patients
More than 560,000 practitioners, 5,000 hospitals, and 85,000 specialty care facilities participate in the Beech Street Network, so it's not difficult to find a participating provider in any area of the country. We offer our online search capabilities so that you can locate the care you need twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.
Another PS:
The point of cancer treatment is to make it past two years....if that's all you get I would consider not being treated, as in my wife and kids would get more benefit from that $115,200.00 @ 2.0% interest....$15365.49. < that # won't pay a bankruptcy attorney.
My Dad's end of life care, is costing more than $12,000.00 a month, since February 2013...
Thank you all for the input. I'm 61 and uninsured so I'm looking.
--Mike
We did the math and if we put the 800/month away in an interest bearing account within 12 years we would have a nice bankroll that would cover over 2 years of cancer to end of life treatment in a hospital. (This is based on a little research that most people with cancer in end of life treatment spend an average of 100k over the last 2 years of treatment) And this year we were planning on doing just that (banking away our insurance money) until our govt decided on being a dictatorship...(sorry couldnt resist)
I have a friend that retired with over a million dollar portfolio, and an expensive condo in Chicago and a nice piece of land in Costa Rica to build a retirement home. Plus a premium Health insurance plan from his company.
He came down with some odd infection. After reaching the life time limits of his health insurance he had to start tapping his funds. He is now 70 and every thing is gone, he lives in Illinois on Social Security. Pretty sad.
I had one visit to the ER, 4 hour $15,000!! $100,000 Is nothing in today's medical industry.
Full timing in Canada or Europe is your best option. JIm
In Ontario ohip ( Ontario health insurance plan ) is free ( we pay for it in taxes ) but its snowing as we speak dave
Humana One - HTH
QuoteMy Dad's end of life care, is costing more than $12,000.00 a month, since February 2013
Don - Curious if your Dad's healthcare costs are 12k a month with insurance or without? And my condolences to your dad. No matter how prepared we are, when the time comes its never easy.
-Sean
Quote from: Seangie on November 09, 2013, 09:21:38 AM
Don - Curious if your Dad's healthcare costs are 12k a month with insurance or without? And my condolences to your dad. No matter how prepared we are, when the time comes its never easy.
-Sean
I only use my personal experience to illustrate the costs. Fortunately for his estate and wish to provide for his grand children he has a benefactor who provides the funding for his care, he is a disabled WWII navy vet.
My personal ethic says that if you are not eligible for Medicaid or Medicare then you should pay something towards your future needs. I was invincible once upon a time, and now I live (by the grace of God) with a cancer that is (thus far) untreatable. Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma. Everyday is a gift, and my wife will never be encumbered by astronomical medical care costs.
A hospital usually will willingly write off co-pays. BUT if you don't have insurance.....they may send you away with minimal treatment. My cancer was discovered in an emergency room. They did not send me away.
I am just a poor slob like most average guys....but with my health insurance I am treated like a millionaire.
PS You can review the ACA offerings here in detail w/o giving up your personal info. You can find policies that cover you nationwide that meet ACA standards.
http://www.thehealthsherpa.com/ (http://www.thehealthsherpa.com/)
http://www.valuepenguin.com/ (http://www.valuepenguin.com/)
Sean,you should look into some type policy I got my final bill today for 2 days in the hospital the grand total came to $17,571.60 plus the $376.58 the insurance didn't pay that I have to pay, geez no wonder these doctors can buy new a Prevost every 2 years @ that rate it would be over $35,000 a week
Quote from: eagle19952 on November 08, 2013, 07:03:28 PM... health insurance at any price is cheap. I gladly pay and have for 30 years. ...
My daddy always sed "if you can't afford to lose it, you can't afford not to insure it". Insurance is *coverage* - if you buy the right stuff, you're covered by protection from things that you don't know are coming. I hate surprises ...
Quote from: jjrbus on November 09, 2013, 01:46:58 AM
Full timing in Canada or Europe is your best option. JIm
Or if you're close to our southern neighbour you can hop across the border and get surprisingly good healthcare for not too many pesos. On my last two trips to MX I had to see a doctor there each time (nothing serious, just travel-related lurgs), and I was impressed at the quality of personal attention and care, and the selection of medications available for a reasonable cost. Cuban-trained doctors are some of the world's best, and there are plenty of them in MX.
Here's what Mobile Kodger has to say about his experiences there: http://mobilecodgers.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-birth-of-dental-empire-at-algodones.html (http://mobilecodgers.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-birth-of-dental-empire-at-algodones.html) (All his blogs are a good read anyway.)
Just an idea.
John
Quote from: Iceni John on November 09, 2013, 05:55:38 PM
.... you can hop across the border and get surprisingly good healthcare for not too many pesos.
That's all well and good, (and I have sought medical and dental care there)...But it's worthless if you can't get there, by morning or "in the golden hour"
PS My Mexican dentist was trained/educated in Tokyo, Japan
I DO NOT pay for dental insurance...that is out of pocket :(
Here's what Mobile Kodger has to say about his experiences there: http://mobilecodgers.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-birth-of-dental-empire-at-algodones.html (http://mobilecodgers.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-birth-of-dental-empire-at-algodones.html) (All his blogs are a good read anyway.)
Just an idea.
John
We have united health one (golden rule). $5,000 ded, 100% coverage after meeting ded. Never had issues with them and so far have had around $17,000 worth of claims in the past 4 years of our marriage. Love them. Highly recommended. 1
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$1,000,000 cap per person per year btw
And $265/mo
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