They have announced that starting next year they will no longer cover family members. We have insurance through blue cross blue shield. Would it be possible to switch to individual coverage? My husband has several health problems and I would want to try to avoid the "pre existing condition" wait period. What are our options? Thanks for your help!
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Well, if your husband has an employer that offers a group plan, you can switch over to their policy during open enrollment. You're probably not going to have a pre-existing conditon issue if you buy a private policy. That's because either they'll flat out refuse to cover him, or they won't cover the pre-existing conditions, PERIOD. That wait time, is only for a GROUP policy through an employer. You need to get some quotes. I think when you see what the individual policies will cost, you'll find out that it's going to be less expensive, to pay for him, AND GET COVERAGE, through your employer's plan.
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Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Uninsured people, will you buy health insurance or pay the fine in 2014?
I am assuming this issue is very important to you and you have researched the bill.
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None of the above. I'll let my current insurance lapse and let them try to seize me and my property. If they think they can intimidate us like the thugs they are, let them prove it.
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None of the above. I'll let my current insurance lapse and let them try to seize me and my property. If they think they can intimidate us like the thugs they are, let them prove it.
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For health insurance & health care experts: How did the health insurance mess in the U.S. start,where,and why?
Once again,this seems to be a big topic with the presidential candidates,but,it's also an old issue. When,where,how,and why did it get to be so out of hand?
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Health insurance has been around for a long time. Used to be, people paid their own doctor bills and got health insurance only to cover catastrophic events (skiing accidents, cancer, the stuff that generated lots of big medical bills). They paid for it themselves. After WWII, employers looked for ways to get the best employees, and since health insurance was cheap back then (!), decided to offer it as a benefit. To entice and keep good employees, they bought insurance that covered more health care costs, including the routine ones. Now that people didn't have to pay for their own medical costs any more, doctors and hospitals felt free to charge more. After all, insurance was paying, right? Meanwhile, medical science and technology have progressed. We have much more sophisticated tools for diagnosing disease and treating it - but they cost a lot to research, develop, manufacture, etc. People want the best they can get, so now insurance is paying thousands for a knee MRI instead of $100 for a knee x-ray. So they need more money, and premiums go up. Also meanwhile, people are suing frequently for medical malpractice, and they get huge awards. This means the doctors and hospitals must insure themselves in case they're sued, and the costs are $100,000 - $200,000/year for every doctor. To cover that, they up their fees, and insurance must pay more, and the cost ultimately is passed on to us. In response to this, doctors and hospitals are legally required to bend over backward to ensure that nothing goes wrong. This means lots of disposable equipment, from face masks and gloves to paper liners for the examining table, to being unable to reuse an opened bag of something. Also, they will request every conceivable test to make sure they don't miss a diagnosis (to avoid being sued). This drives costs way up. The attempts to control costs have both helped and added to the problem. Managed care (getting surgery, diagnostic tests, procedures, expensive drugs and visits to specialists pre-approved) was intended to limit unnecessary care, but often it prevents patients from getting care they need. Negotiating payment rates for a preferred provider plan means people using the plan have lower medical bills - but those costs are just shifted to people outside the plan, especially to those without any insurance. Here's more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_insu…
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Health insurance has been around for a long time. Used to be, people paid their own doctor bills and got health insurance only to cover catastrophic events (skiing accidents, cancer, the stuff that generated lots of big medical bills). They paid for it themselves. After WWII, employers looked for ways to get the best employees, and since health insurance was cheap back then (!), decided to offer it as a benefit. To entice and keep good employees, they bought insurance that covered more health care costs, including the routine ones. Now that people didn't have to pay for their own medical costs any more, doctors and hospitals felt free to charge more. After all, insurance was paying, right? Meanwhile, medical science and technology have progressed. We have much more sophisticated tools for diagnosing disease and treating it - but they cost a lot to research, develop, manufacture, etc. People want the best they can get, so now insurance is paying thousands for a knee MRI instead of $100 for a knee x-ray. So they need more money, and premiums go up. Also meanwhile, people are suing frequently for medical malpractice, and they get huge awards. This means the doctors and hospitals must insure themselves in case they're sued, and the costs are $100,000 - $200,000/year for every doctor. To cover that, they up their fees, and insurance must pay more, and the cost ultimately is passed on to us. In response to this, doctors and hospitals are legally required to bend over backward to ensure that nothing goes wrong. This means lots of disposable equipment, from face masks and gloves to paper liners for the examining table, to being unable to reuse an opened bag of something. Also, they will request every conceivable test to make sure they don't miss a diagnosis (to avoid being sued). This drives costs way up. The attempts to control costs have both helped and added to the problem. Managed care (getting surgery, diagnostic tests, procedures, expensive drugs and visits to specialists pre-approved) was intended to limit unnecessary care, but often it prevents patients from getting care they need. Negotiating payment rates for a preferred provider plan means people using the plan have lower medical bills - but those costs are just shifted to people outside the plan, especially to those without any insurance. Here's more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_insu…
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Please help me understanding my health insurance policy?
I have 500 deductible and my office visits to the non-specialists is 20 copay and deductible waived.. what does this mean... I have asked a question similar to this one.
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Co-pays are co-pays - they are never subject to your deductible/co-insurance nor do they go toward your maximum out of pocket. Traditionally - co-pays are your cost of that particular covered benefit. The insurance picks up the difference between your co-pay and the contracted rate, between the carrier and the provider. Co-pays are normally used for standard and specialist office visits. You enter into your deductible when ever you are utilizing services that are not covered under a co-payment - Labs, X-ray, in office procedures and hospitalizations etc. Also, keep in mind with most PPO plans, after you have satisfied your deductible you enter into co-insurance - typically 80/20 - meaning the insurance pays 80% of the bills and you pay 20% of the bills until you hit your maximum out of pocket - see your policy for these limits. You will also notice that you may have co-pays for Rx Drugs - this works the same way - the insurance picks up the difference between your co-pay and the contracted rate of the Rx Drug. Hope this helps!
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Co-pays are co-pays - they are never subject to your deductible/co-insurance nor do they go toward your maximum out of pocket. Traditionally - co-pays are your cost of that particular covered benefit. The insurance picks up the difference between your co-pay and the contracted rate, between the carrier and the provider. Co-pays are normally used for standard and specialist office visits. You enter into your deductible when ever you are utilizing services that are not covered under a co-payment - Labs, X-ray, in office procedures and hospitalizations etc. Also, keep in mind with most PPO plans, after you have satisfied your deductible you enter into co-insurance - typically 80/20 - meaning the insurance pays 80% of the bills and you pay 20% of the bills until you hit your maximum out of pocket - see your policy for these limits. You will also notice that you may have co-pays for Rx Drugs - this works the same way - the insurance picks up the difference between your co-pay and the contracted rate of the Rx Drug. Hope this helps!
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Who offers the best pet health insurance for older dogs?
Is there a waiting period for the plan to be effective? any other additional info will be helpful.
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There are many great pet insurance plans out there. You should think about how comprehensive you want your plan because some include routine care and dental. Of course, that makes the premiums more expensive and I personally would recommend against it because you don't really get your money's worth. A good company to look into is Trupanion. I have it for my dog, who is a younger dog, but I really like them. I chose them because they don't have annual limits which means you can't max out for one year. Also, you can enroll up to age 14 which is one of the highest (there are many companies that cap out at age 10 or less). Waiting period: typically most companies do have a waiting period, usually one for accidents and one for illnesses. They are a few days up to a few weeks, and this is to keep people from signing up just to make claims and it makes it fair to those who have already enrolled. Check around at some reviews and get free quotes from the companies. Here's a great site to get a quote and look at quotes from other companies side-by-side: http://www.trupanionpetinsurance.com/why…
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There are many great pet insurance plans out there. You should think about how comprehensive you want your plan because some include routine care and dental. Of course, that makes the premiums more expensive and I personally would recommend against it because you don't really get your money's worth. A good company to look into is Trupanion. I have it for my dog, who is a younger dog, but I really like them. I chose them because they don't have annual limits which means you can't max out for one year. Also, you can enroll up to age 14 which is one of the highest (there are many companies that cap out at age 10 or less). Waiting period: typically most companies do have a waiting period, usually one for accidents and one for illnesses. They are a few days up to a few weeks, and this is to keep people from signing up just to make claims and it makes it fair to those who have already enrolled. Check around at some reviews and get free quotes from the companies. Here's a great site to get a quote and look at quotes from other companies side-by-side: http://www.trupanionpetinsurance.com/why…
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Pregnant and currently dont have health insurance ?
So we had insurance, was seeing my doc.My husband got out of the navy and the next day no more insurance. He just started his new job and will get insurance in 3 months is it healthy for me not to see a doc till then?
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How far along are you? If you are healthy and are not at risk, doctors often do not see you for the first time until around 10 weeks in the pregnancy. So if you are really early, it might be ok. If you are in the second or third trimester, I would look at other insurance options and see the doctor. Discuss this with your doctor - they may have options for you. Was he not offered any sort of COBRA plan that he could pay out-of-pocket for until he had coverage at the new employer? Another factor to consider is what is 90 days? At my employer it is 90 days after the first of the month so if today was my first day of work it would be 90 days from January 1 not from today. Best wishes!
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How far along are you? If you are healthy and are not at risk, doctors often do not see you for the first time until around 10 weeks in the pregnancy. So if you are really early, it might be ok. If you are in the second or third trimester, I would look at other insurance options and see the doctor. Discuss this with your doctor - they may have options for you. Was he not offered any sort of COBRA plan that he could pay out-of-pocket for until he had coverage at the new employer? Another factor to consider is what is 90 days? At my employer it is 90 days after the first of the month so if today was my first day of work it would be 90 days from January 1 not from today. Best wishes!
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Im 170 pounds if I lose 30 to 40 pounds will my health insurance premium be lowered? I pay $500 a month now?
I have blue cross blue shield and when I turn 25 it will go up to $700 or $800 dollars.
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You can easily check your minimal health care rates in internet, for example here - healthplans.my-age.net
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You can easily check your minimal health care rates in internet, for example here - healthplans.my-age.net
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Why do I need a Health Insurance agent since I can see all providers' plans on the web and apply online ?
There are web sites where you can input your age, zip code etc. and select from a very comprehensive list of medical plans from almost all providers with the monthly premium shown. You can then select a short list for side by side comparison and apply directly to the health care provider.
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A good independent agent is the best thing you can have and its FREE. The plan premiums are the same whether you work thru an agent of you buy direct. So whats so good about an agent? #1) All plans have good points and bad points. There are tradeoffs. I can assure you that the customer service dept of XYZ company is not going to go out of theirway to point these things out. For example one plan has unlimited $25 doctor copays...sound great but the fine print on page 13 says only for "family physicians. A good agent gets paid from all companies. He is free to work for you!! He/she understands the big picture with all the products. When you say maternity is important he know exactly what the issues are with all the plans and is not afraid to tell you.
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A good independent agent is the best thing you can have and its FREE. The plan premiums are the same whether you work thru an agent of you buy direct. So whats so good about an agent? #1) All plans have good points and bad points. There are tradeoffs. I can assure you that the customer service dept of XYZ company is not going to go out of theirway to point these things out. For example one plan has unlimited $25 doctor copays...sound great but the fine print on page 13 says only for "family physicians. A good agent gets paid from all companies. He is free to work for you!! He/she understands the big picture with all the products. When you say maternity is important he know exactly what the issues are with all the plans and is not afraid to tell you.
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Do you have health insurance from your employer?
If so, is it enough and do you feel you over pay? If not- what are your concerns about your families health? My hubby is covered @ 1,000 ded...and me and kiddos hav ziltz...I remember when everyone was given great insurance as a perk of the job. Too bad-
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I have insurance and I feel like I pay through the nose... It's very expensive and my check is pitfully small because of it. I wish that companies would still cover the cost of insurance... My insurance is fine, though I wish there wasn't such a thing as a "deductible" or "out-of-pocket expense"- I think that's crap. My insurance covers myself and my husband and any future children we may have can be added... My husband has a similar insurance benefit which costs only slightly less than mine.
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I have insurance and I feel like I pay through the nose... It's very expensive and my check is pitfully small because of it. I wish that companies would still cover the cost of insurance... My insurance is fine, though I wish there wasn't such a thing as a "deductible" or "out-of-pocket expense"- I think that's crap. My insurance covers myself and my husband and any future children we may have can be added... My husband has a similar insurance benefit which costs only slightly less than mine.
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Any suggestions for health insurance for preexisting condition?
I was pregnant and applied for insurance through the state. About two week after I applied, I has a miscarriage. I now have the medical bills from the prenatal care I received and the ER visit from the miscarriage however was denied insurance because my income is to high. Does anyone know where I could go to try and get help in paying for the bills that I received?
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Ask your husband or boyfriend to help pay, or your friends and family. You should also ask the hospital, at the very least, to reprice the bills down to a cash price.
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Ask your husband or boyfriend to help pay, or your friends and family. You should also ask the hospital, at the very least, to reprice the bills down to a cash price.
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I just got pregnant and don't have health insurance. Does anyone know of any cheap insurance plans asap?
I would go to a clinic but I feel more comfortable having insurance for the baby and future use. Anyone know of anything cheap & fast?
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healthquotes.awardspace.info - try this one. My sister had no problem with her insurance coverage while being pregnant.
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healthquotes.awardspace.info - try this one. My sister had no problem with her insurance coverage while being pregnant.
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Can I get health insurance now because of Obama's health care reform bill?
I'm an unemployed young adult. Just graduated from college. So can I get free health care now? Like Kaiser, Blue Shields, or PacifiCare? Or do only certain health insurers apply?
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Don't know where you got the idea you can get free health insurance. The has been and will continue to be Medicaid for very low income people for which you may qualify. If you don't qualify, the health care bill will provide subsidies in the form of tax credits to help you pay for health insurance if you make less than 400% of the federal poverty level. This will start in 2014. The way a tax credit works is you pay the entire premium during the year and will receive the subsidy when you file your 2014 taxes. To answer your question - No, you cannot get free health insurance from the companies that you listed, nor from any other company.
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Don't know where you got the idea you can get free health insurance. The has been and will continue to be Medicaid for very low income people for which you may qualify. If you don't qualify, the health care bill will provide subsidies in the form of tax credits to help you pay for health insurance if you make less than 400% of the federal poverty level. This will start in 2014. The way a tax credit works is you pay the entire premium during the year and will receive the subsidy when you file your 2014 taxes. To answer your question - No, you cannot get free health insurance from the companies that you listed, nor from any other company.
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If we eventual have universal healthcare, Do you think most companies will not offer health insurance?
I mean they would lose money by offering healthcare through the company. Why would they offer it if there is no competition for recruiting new employees. The Government will have it taken care of.
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My opinion: If we have universal health care, then the companies offering health care now will drop employees. Health care is the number one expense of a corporation.
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My opinion: If we have universal health care, then the companies offering health care now will drop employees. Health care is the number one expense of a corporation.
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Isn't it wonderful how the health care reform is going? The same private insurance benefits that the?
congress has will be offered to all? And we all have the chance to pay health insurance premiums within that pool? What a great idea. Why would anyone be against this? I wonder? More entrepreneurship, more opportunities for small businesses to be able to buy insurance? Why didn't I think of this?
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For a small price(your soul). BTW, it won't be the same, lol.
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For a small price(your soul). BTW, it won't be the same, lol.
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Can you take the Life and Health Insurance Producer Exam Seperate?
I have failed the Missouri Life and Health Exam 5 times now for my internship. I need to pass asap! I noticed they have the life and health seperate on persons website. Can I take them seperatly and will they be the same credit as life and health producer exam? Helppppp!
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The state insurance department (probably on the website) will be able to tell you. I know that one cannot separate them in any of the 18 states I've been licensed in, but that doesn't include MO.
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The state insurance department (probably on the website) will be able to tell you. I know that one cannot separate them in any of the 18 states I've been licensed in, but that doesn't include MO.
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how much do health insurance agents make in florida?
And whats the difference in selling it in florida as opposed to NY?
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www.salary.com . . . it depends wildly on how long you've been in business. The biggest differences, are that in NY, an insurance company HAS to offer a policy - so prices are a lot higher. And in FL, the population 65 and older - and FL has the highest percentage of those - already have Medicare. Cheaper insurance prices in FL, smaller market.
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www.salary.com . . . it depends wildly on how long you've been in business. The biggest differences, are that in NY, an insurance company HAS to offer a policy - so prices are a lot higher. And in FL, the population 65 and older - and FL has the highest percentage of those - already have Medicare. Cheaper insurance prices in FL, smaller market.
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I am in the national guard, is there anyway i can get health insurance for my mom?
I am currently in the national guard, I was curious if anyone knew if there was a way i can get health insurance for my mom cheap? any info would be greatly appreciated
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If your Mom is your dependent in DEERs then yes, if not then no.
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If your Mom is your dependent in DEERs then yes, if not then no.
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Am i paying too much health Insurance? Am pregnant will it be wise to change?
We (me & my husband) are covered under Cigna insurance with 840/month premium (no deductible/no co-insurance) thro' employer. We are completely healthy. I wonder if we are paying too much. I am now pregnant and want to change to BCBS 650/m premium (no deductible/20% coinsurance/ max outof pocket 2500/person). Will it be wise to change?? Please advice.
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Being already pregnant you will be unable to change unless the BCBS is also a group plan through an employer and you have an open enrollment period which would allow a change. No individual insurance will accept anyone if anyone in the family is currently pregnant.
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Being already pregnant you will be unable to change unless the BCBS is also a group plan through an employer and you have an open enrollment period which would allow a change. No individual insurance will accept anyone if anyone in the family is currently pregnant.
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a reliable travel health insurance to Hong Kong and China?
I am traveling to Hong Kong and China for a total of 18 days, and would like to purchase travel insuranc, please recommend a reliable one.
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What country are you in? Unless you say that how do you expect people to advise you?
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What country are you in? Unless you say that how do you expect people to advise you?
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Does anyone know the typical percentage breakdowns for employer sponsored health insurance?
Like how much the employee typically pays and what the employer actually picks up?
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Varies by company. Average is employee 25%, employer 75%
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Varies by company. Average is employee 25%, employer 75%
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What kind of health insurance plan do the members of Congress have?
Anyone know that information or where I can find it?
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http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&clien…
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http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&clien…
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How does Kaiser health insurance work?
Do you have a personal doctor? Or do you have to go to the medical center every time? Can you make appointments? In Orange County area if anyone can help me out... Thank You.
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health-quotes.talk4fun.net - I switched to this health insurance from them, cause it gives much cheaper rates for m?.
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health-quotes.talk4fun.net - I switched to this health insurance from them, cause it gives much cheaper rates for m?.
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What is some options for state paid health insurance for lower income individuals in the state of New Jersey?
Looking for any type of state paid insurance for medical coverage in New Jersey.
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Here is a link to the New Jersey State Medicaid website: http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dma… There are phone numbers on the website to get more information about the income limitations and what's available. If you're not within the income limitations I'd suggest to visit a local independent agent to see what is available in your area. This person knows the market and can find the best plan for you; they don't charge anything for the service.
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Here is a link to the New Jersey State Medicaid website: http://www.state.nj.us/humanservices/dma… There are phone numbers on the website to get more information about the income limitations and what's available. If you're not within the income limitations I'd suggest to visit a local independent agent to see what is available in your area. This person knows the market and can find the best plan for you; they don't charge anything for the service.
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why should there be more health insurance?
If there was mandated insurance for buying milk, does anyone seriously think the price of milk wouldnt go up? If there was clothing insurance. It would cost about the thousand dollars for a shirt but on the bright side everyone would have a shirt.
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Finally, someone who understands !!! (besides Ron Paul) Consider this: I was born in 1960. My mother's very nice semi-private hospital room cost $35. Nowadays a night's stay in the hospital would run many hundreds of dollars. That room would, with all the sneaky things they throw in now, would cost at least $600. Now, this is just one example of how medical costs have risen not just dramatically, but horrendously. What is the main reason? HEALTH INSURANCE. Back in the 1970s, everyone started getting "free" health insurance through their employer. If you went to a doctor and did not have health insurance, a lot of doctors would charge you HALF PRICE. Why? Because their "normal" rate was just to get as much money as possible from insurance. So if health insurance was normally just catastrophic insurance, medical rates would plummet.
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Finally, someone who understands !!! (besides Ron Paul) Consider this: I was born in 1960. My mother's very nice semi-private hospital room cost $35. Nowadays a night's stay in the hospital would run many hundreds of dollars. That room would, with all the sneaky things they throw in now, would cost at least $600. Now, this is just one example of how medical costs have risen not just dramatically, but horrendously. What is the main reason? HEALTH INSURANCE. Back in the 1970s, everyone started getting "free" health insurance through their employer. If you went to a doctor and did not have health insurance, a lot of doctors would charge you HALF PRICE. Why? Because their "normal" rate was just to get as much money as possible from insurance. So if health insurance was normally just catastrophic insurance, medical rates would plummet.
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