Health Insurance

[SPBendersky]

Since Health Insurance can be bought across State lines at this time, does anybody have a handle on good health insurance without a killer deductable and reasonably priced? I am not looking for a miracle nor want a lack of coverage, just fair numbers for good coverage. Its out of control.

Regards,
Scot

 

[jeffmilw]

Many insurers still require that you reside in a particular state when you get the insurance.

Also, I believe an agent needs to be liscensed in your state of residency.

 

[Miffy]

I see by your sig that you live in NY. If you have a job, you have access to Healthy New York, which has not-so-bad rates. If you do freelance work, check out Freelancers Union. AFAIK, health insurance is tied to your state of residence because of different state laws regarding it.

HTH

 

[rvchat]

if i'm not mistaken, you can't visit any doctors or hospitals out of state. You would be only insured in NY> right?


HTH[/QUOTE]

 

[BSil]

If you could buy across state lines, that would probably make insurance cheaper. Clearly, insurance isn't getting cheaper. Good idea though, opening insurance up across state lines would be a good start to reducing prices. I save a bunch on auto insurance now thanks to that.

 

[indimom]

if i'm not mistaken, you can't visit any doctors or hospitals out of state. You would be only insured in NY> right?


HTH

[/QUOTE]

Maybe different states have different rules about these things? We have always seen specialists in Cincinnati Ohio (covered by our plan) and live/work in Southeastern Indiana.
ETA: Oops, maybe you meant private plans? I don't know about those, we've always been insured through work.

 

[Marionnette]

Maybe different states have different rules about these things? We have always seen specialists in Cincinnati Ohio (covered by our plan) and live/work in Southeastern Indiana.
ETA: Oops, maybe you meant private plans? I don't know about those, we've always been insured through work.[/QUOTE]
I know that in PA you can't go across state lines to purchase health insurance. And we pay for our own OOP. Not sure about NY, where the OP lives.

 

[Miffy]

if i'm not mistaken, you can't visit any doctors or hospitals out of state. You would be only insured in NY> right?


HTH

[/QUOTE]

I'm not sure how this works, but my impression is that you have to buy insurance that's NY-specific if your residence is NY. I'm sure it would still work if you were traveling, for example, but not if you really resided somewhere out of state. But, believe me, no one would cross state lines to buy NY health insurance. It's extremely expensive.

 

[rvchat]

I'm not sure how this works, but my impression is that you have to buy insurance that's NY-specific if your residence is NY. I'm sure it would still work if you were traveling, for example, but not if you really resided somewhere out of state. But, believe me, no one would cross state lines to buy NY health insurance. It's extremely expensive.[/QUOTE]


I don't think NY insurance (priced for ny residents) covers you at all if you are out of state. Possible for emergency/ hospital but can you visit a doctor in Iowa? no

 

[SPBendersky]

Thank you all that have rplied. It is appreciated.

 

[bettymae1121]

I've heard talk about how opening up health insurance so you can buy across state lines will lower rates, but I don't see it.

One of the reasons health insurance in NY (for expample) is so expensive is because COL in NY is expensive. An MRI in NY may be $8k but a MRI in IA could be only $3k. So the rates in IA look better than NY, but it's because insurance companies in IA have lower claims costs, just because the cost of health care is cheaper.

If things were to open up and a person in NY could purchase a policy in IA, the IA company would look at actual costs in NY and say "Um, yeah we sell policies for $200 to IA residents but for someone living in NY it will be $800, because our projected claims costs will be higher".

It may help with prices a bit, more competition is always better, but I don't think it's the silver bullet solution some make it out to be.

 

[rvchat]

I've heard talk about how opening up health insurance so you can buy across state lines will lower rates, but I don't see it.

One of the reasons health insurance in NY (for expample) is so expensive is because COL in NY is expensive. An MRI in NY may be $8k but a MRI in IA could be only $3k. So the rates in IA look better than NY, but it's because insurance companies in IA have lower claims costs, just because the cost of health care is cheaper.

If things were to open up and a person in NY could purchase a policy in IA, the IA company would look at actual costs in NY and say "Um, yeah we sell policies for $200 to IA residents but for someone living in NY it will be $800, because our projected claims costs will be higher".

It may help with prices a bit, more competition is always better, but I don't think it's the silver bullet solution some make it out to be.

Right. Not to mention the cost of rent / real estate. A physician in NY would be paying A HUGE amount of rent + taxes but one in Iowa would not. so.... big problem.

 

[MolonLabe]

If you could buy across state lines, that would probably make insurance cheaper. Clearly, insurance isn't getting cheaper. Good idea though, opening insurance up across state lines would be a good start to reducing prices. I save a bunch on auto insurance now thanks to that.

Like most things, regulation drives up prices.

Government has created a monopoly on health care and insurance and people wonder why costs sky rocket? Lol, it isn't rocket science. Monopolies are bad.

Anyway, for the OP, consider how much you visit.

Do you really need lots of coverage and low deductibles if you only go once a year?

For example, in Indiana for a family of 5 it was $1,400~ a month for full coverage and fairly low deductibles and copays.

By comparison it was $390~ a month for a plan with no maternity, no copays, no Rx plan, besides discounts and when you reach deductible/coins.

You save $1,000 a month. Deductible is $5,000 and then $3,500 coinsurance )max of 2 people) and 100% coverage after that. So over one year, you save $12,000 even if you had one severe injury/surgery/illness for one person you still pocket $3,500 a year in savings.

The catch there is to SAVE those premiums for at least that $8,500 max OOP as a buffer 'just in case'. Some people don't have the fiscal discipline to do that.

That plan also included one yearly wellness visit per person and standard yearly wellness tests.

For people who live in the ER and MD for every sniffle and cough, that plan isn't for you, but you should ask yourself why do you waste valuable time, money and more importantly health care resources on needless visits if that is the case.

Good luck to you.

I'd suggest calling and or writing your congress people to ask for deregulation of the health care and insurance industries. It's the only way to lower costs.

I'd also say tort reform but there is no way the current congress (on both sides of the aisle) are going to kill their golden goose, most are/were lawyers or their family members are. Lawyers are getting rich off of sick people. It's a crying shame... and another reason why health care costs so much.

 

[crisi]

I'm sorry?, in what country do you live in that there is a monopoly on health insurance. Because there are many, but if you live in the U.S. there is no monopoly on health care or health insurance. Even if we had managed to get through UHC, it still wouldn't have been a monopoly.

My EMPLOYER offers three plans. My family goes to four different private practice doctors.

I don't think that word means what you think it means. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/monopoly

Insurance may be over regulated (I think its under regulated myself, I used to work for a health insurance company and worked really closely with the government affairs group - the amount of money insurance companies spend so they won't be regulated - and the stuff I worked on that said that regulations would cut into their profits and lower costs - was pretty compelling), but that has nothing to do with the word monopoly.