Question about private insurance.

DillsMommy wrote: Does anyone have private insurance? Dh just cancelled ours (through his work) we just can't afford it. We were paying $600 a month and the plan wasn't even that great. So I was just wondering how I would go about finding private insurance, what we need to do, and is it affordable?

MommyToAshley replied: Private insurance is usually more than what you would pay through your employer because they get a group discount and the employer usually pays a portion of the premium.

We are self-employed and have a Health Savings Account (HSA) and then just major medical. Even this is several hundred a month and we have a fairly high deductible. This doesn't really help with the normal doctor bills, except that the insurance company usually doesn't pay as much as you would self-pay and the bills go through the insurance first (even though we pay all of it). For example, I just had a bill come to me that was $450, we then sent it through insurance and their rate for the same procedure was $154. We had to pay the entire $154 (insurance didn't pay anything because we hadn't met our deductible) but their rate was better than $450.

I highly doubt that you will find private insurance that is cheaper than your husband's employers plan. Maybe you can elect for a higher deductibe or higher co-pay and lower your rates that way?

momofone replied: I'm in the same boat I've been typing in afforable health insurance on the web and clicking on the links pricing policies. Hope we both find something affordable.

Mommy2Isabella replied: Ugh ... dreaded insurance!!

Try Blue Cross Blue Shield, and Humana also does private insurance, I was quoted 600 something.

So like Dee Dee said, you probably won't have much luck finding something cheaper, but maybe you can find something better than his plan at work!

Our Lil' Family replied: We have private as well. We each have separate plans. DH and I have extremely high deductibles...almost $3K each I think. Thomas has an HMO because he sees a Dr. more regularly than DH and I do. We have Blue Cross and pay right at about $430/month for the 3 plans with Thomas' being the highest at $192.

DillsMommy replied: Hmm.. not exactly the news I was hoping for. For some reason I thought it would be alot cheaper.

grapfruit replied: What state are you in?

My best advise (unless you're in Ohio! Then call me! ) is to go to E Health Insurance.com

It can be surprising afforable actually. Remember every family and situation is different!

Kaitlin'smom replied: Who is your car insurance with? alot of the bigger companies also do health insurance. We do here but I am not licensed in it so I cant offer much help.

DillsMommy replied:
We live in kentucky, I'm originally from Ohio though.

And our car insurance is through Allstate...

luvmykids replied: Blue Cross Blue Shield has some newer plans that are less expensive....they aren't nearly as good as the more expensive ones but I was pleasantly suprised. I haven't purchased one yet but they also have temporary policies for 6 mos to get you throuh until you can find something else.

holley79 replied: I would be scared if I had to go out looking for insurance on my own. I'm glad it's taken care of through employers.

grapfruit replied:
Ah bummer! Well I GUESS Allstate's a good company (I'm teasing you Di! ). I agree, call your agent and see what kind of plans they carry.

I know we (American Family Insurance) carry a High Deductible Health Plan (not as scary as it sounds) that is awesome and the price is NOT that bad. I've talked to a couple people that ours is a better plan and cheaper.

ALSO, w/a HDHP you can open a Health Savings Account (HSA) to put money away to pay that first $2200 for the calendar year. Thing is you DON'T lose that money at the end of the year if you don't use it, it carries over forever! In fact, you can eventually use it to help pay for things Medicare doesn't cover!!

Call your agent and ask for an "Outline of Coverage". If you want, PM me and I'll send you mine. Granted, things change from company to company, but ours is laid out in a way that is REALLY easy to read.

luvmykids replied: Can someone explain coinsurance to me? I just pulled up the plans I was looking at and I'm not sure I understand it

PrairieMom replied:
um, no way.

Private insurance, to put it nicely, sucks.

Private plans can pick and choose what you are covered for. Where group plans have to cover you, even if it is after a waiting period.
For example, when we had private insurance they refused to cover me becuase I have asthma. They wouldn't pay for anyting asthma related, including Dr's visits, hospital visits, ER visits and meds. EVEN THO I hadn't been hospitalized for it in over 15 years, and hadn't had an ER visit in 10. They said I would have to be off my medications (which I need daily to maintain my level of health) for 2 YEARS before they would even consider covering me. Total BS. and that was BC/BS, and they are one of the better ones. I believe they are also the only ones that cover materiny stuff, but only if you get PG after you get the plan, other wise its considered "pre-existing" and they won't pay.

IMO group insurance is the safest way to go, and no insurance at all is completely a non-option esp with children. One ER visit can literally send you into bankruptcy.

grapfruit replied:
Let me give you an example to make it easier.

Let's pretend you went to the doctor and racked up a $100 bill. We'll further say that your insurance pays (80/20) in network.

You're insurance company will pay $80 and you're responsible for the other $20.00.

The HDHP (which is new) works a little different.

Lets pretend you just have a individual policy w/a ded of $1100/year.

You go to the doctor and rack up a $100 bill. You pay ALL of that out of pocket and it comes off of your $1100 ded for the year. Hopefully you've opened your HSA and had $100 in there. If so you just saved the taxes on that $100 (I believe it comes in the form of a refund in April).

Now lets say you've met your calander year ded. of $1100. You go to the doctor and it's $100 (lets pretend you're in network). Guess what, you pay NOTHING, it's 100% covered. On "typical" plans you may still have to pay 20%. (depends on the plan).

If you have more specific questions let me know.

Boo&BugsMom replied: We had private for awhile. Paid about $350 a month. I can not remember the group though. We went through our insurance agent, who then checks around to get the best deals. The plan was crap though, it was pretty much death insurance is all.

Kaitlin'smom replied:
call your agent, or I think my one guy here is licensed for KY, I can ask if you want.

Kaitlin'smom replied:
well at least I have yet to hear bad about AF....sure did hear an ear full of another co yesterday, one of my clients was about to call the insurance commissioner on them

mummy2girls replied: wow threads like this makes me be very grateful im in canada...LOL. WOW! being a single mom there is no way i could afford that kind of ins.

grapfruit replied:
Well that's good to hear! We are "reinventing claims" right now, so just wait.
My buddy's agency is on 202 between Taylorsville and Chambersburg. You guys close to him?

I have only had ONE bad Allstate experience and it was w/claims. But the agency (out of Arcanum I think) was really really nice. Ah, you get good adjusters and bad adjusters like anything else.

Kaitlin'smom replied:
I live close to that but I work in Kettering, yep normally its cliams that make people mad at a particular co

luvbug00 replied:

Oh YEAH!count your blessings because i'm the single mom going threw it!

lovemy2 replied: Sorry can't help my husband is a county employee - we are covered wonderfully for about $20 a month - thank god - but also check with your county - or your state in NY they have a program called Healthy NY - at least for the kids - it is based on your income - we had it for Olivia for awhile cause it was cheaper than our employer's family plan we paid the highest premium but had NO copays for just about everything and medicine was really cheap....maybe then a two person plan for your husband empolyer would be cheaper it may all end up costing the same a month but it would be better coverage - I agree private insurance is usually more expensive for not as much - Good luck

Cece00 replied:
Dont you qualify for state insurance for your child?

Generally a single mom doesnt have very much $$, and generally qualify for their state's children's health program.

DillsMommy replied: Insurance stuff gives me a headache. And I'm pretty clueless when it comes to stuff like this, I'll let Tom deal with it. Lol. Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll let him read the thread and he can decide what to do. If it's really not any cheaper and that much more of a hassel, I guess we'll just go back to what we had. As long as we still can after cancelling it.