Do you have health insurance?

[luvsJack]

Your comment makes no sense???

Read back a few pages for my solution.

The only solution I saw was to offer federal employee insurance at the employee rate. I asked you what is the rate and you said you did not know. How can you offer something up as a solution and not know what it is going to cost? How can you say that will solve the problem of people not being able to afford insurance? Like I told you already, you seem to be missing the point that its not about insurance being available it is about it being affordable

 

[Feralpeg]

I have one of those high deductible plans for my daughter and myself. I did a lot of research before ending up with BC/BS of Florida. Since I am retired, I am not part of any type of group plan.

When I first took out the policy, it was $550 a month to cover the two of us with a $1000 deductible for each of us. We still have a $20 co-pay for any doctor visits and our prescription plan only covers ten percent of the prescription cost.

Since I took out the plan, the cost has gone up each year. By the end of last year, it was up to $1000 a month (it almost doubled in a five year period). I chose to change my deductible to $5000 for each of us to lower the cost back to $500 a month. In less than a year, it has gone back to $648 a month. That is with the $5000 deductible.

I realize that the purpose of the insurance is to protect me in case of something catastrophic, but it just seems crazy. Here, I am putting out almost $8000 a year for insurance and I am still paying everything out of my own pocket. I know...it's for the peace of mind. It is still frustrating.

To say that people do not know how to use high deductible plans, seems wrong. I don't know what else I could be doing to use my plan more effectively. I pay my premiums. I pay my co-pays. I still get a bill for twenty percent of the cost of everything I've had done IF I meet the $5000 deductible. Most of the time that does not happen and I pay all of it out of my pocket. Only one year, have we met our deductible and that is when I had to have major surgery.

I think many who are happy with the current state of health care in the country have no idea what will happen to them once they reach retirement age. I was happy as a clam with my coverage while I was working. My employer had a great plan and I paid very little for great coverage. Talk about sticker shock. Once you retire, especially if you've ever had any major medical issues, finding good, affordable coverage is very difficult. I am not old enough to qualify for medicare. I guess it was my choice to retire before reaching the qualifying age limit, so I pay what is required. I don't like it.

My last comment on this thread...there for but the grace of God. Most people are very lucky in that they have not faced a debilitating medical issue. It only takes one illness or one accident to destroy a family financially even with insurance. Most plans have a lifetime maximum payout amount. At the price of today's care, you can hit that maximum very quickly. For a two night stay in the hospital and a few tests, the cost was $26,000. Think of what a person confined to a critical care unit for any extended period would owe. I never dreamed I'd have cancer at age 31. The unexpected can happen to anyone. Then, try to find that affordable care.

 

[gonzo76]

Having a plan in place is NOT the same as having a law about keeping health costs alone. I do know about this state plan and have posted about it several times on this thread already. Yes, we are LUCKY to have a good BACK UP plan in place but it has nothing to do with private carrier costs in our state.

Actually MN is Nonprofit insurance only. Isn't that a law? Isn't it mandated that 91 cents go to paying medical bills? 92% of the people in MN are covered. It is probably because of the affordable Health Care!!

Like a said before you are extremely lucky. It is AFFORDABLE in your state. Can we now talk about how it isn't in the others?

 

[MerMom60_94]

I have a really good health insurance plan. I think I pay about $350/ month for the family plan. My DH has the same plan offered through his employer but at a higher cost. I also have separate dental insurance and vision insurance. I do have to say, for whatever faults my employer has, we do have good benefits available to us and for that I am grateful.

 

[C.Ann]

I still disagree that there is not affordable health insurance out there. There are plans, they are not perfect, but they are there. Not knowing about them is not an excuse to not have one.

I bet if everyone on here whining about their health insurance spent a day looking at health plans in there are they could find one that is affordable.

Do you honestly believe that people who are without health insurance have not spent countless hours, days, weeks, and months searching high and low for some kind of coverage? ANY kind of coverage? To accuse those people of "whining" - while you're living in a state that obviously offers many more options than other states is insulting to those who are in dire need.. You have yet to provide any useful information (links) that back up your assumptions, yet still you insist that what you have available is available to everyone..

you know what I am getting sick of your spewing that there is affordable health insurance out there. You are wrong.

I have spent more than 1 day looking for an affordable health insurance plan.

Again you happen to live in a state with great insurance laws to protect it's citizens not all of us do and for that you should be thankful not telling others what bums we are.

I was once in your position and for anyone to imply that you have not made a concentrated effort to find health insurance is ridiculous.. If a person has never had to go through that type of search the nicest thing I can say about them is that they are grossly misinformed..

I do hope that you are able to find something soon..

Here's the problem you are not understanding. In MN it seems to be affordable because your state has laid out laws for affordable coverage. It is totally different in other states. You are comparing apples to oranges. It is not the same. So you saying get another job is being a little naive.

You should feel lucky that it is affordable in your state.

And you dear, are DELUSIONAL!

Do you really think so damn many people are ignorant and you are so brilliant that they do not read their plans? Or that if there were affordable healthplans for them that everyone who does not is just ignorant unlike you (sarcasm)? Affordable healthcare is lacking in this country and for you to deny it is dysfunctional and asnine on your part.

And you seem to want to constantly overlook the fact of pre-existing conditions. Many self insurances REFUSE to cover people and many charge outrageous prices for minimal care.

You can disagree all you want about there not being affordable health care, but this is not a matter of your very asnine opinion. It is a FACT that many people can not obtain affordable health insurance.

I may not agree with your wording, but I think you have pretty much hit the nail on the head..

Federal portability laws do govern covering preexisting conditions. The problem comes in when people have a break in coverage. Again, a choice someone make to not continue health insurance. There IS affordable insurance out there, people CHOOSE not to pay for it.
.

Is it really so difficult to admit that you are wrong - on so may different levels? The situation in your state does not apply nationwide.. Why is that so difficult to understand?

And yes - people do have breaks in coverage that result in pre-existing exclusions.. But again - it's not always due to a "choice".. If you truly believe that situations don't arise in life where your "choices" are taken away, you still have an awful lot to learn..

2/3 of those that file bankruptcy due to medical bills HAVE insurance. Health insurance does not protect you from bankruptcy.

Another popular misconception that people have.. Unless they have been hit with massive medical bills that far exceed the lifetime max on their health insurance, you will never be able to convince them otherwise.. One catastrophic illness - even WITH health insurance - can easily result in a family having to declare bankruptcy..

 

[apirateslifeforme]

2/3 of those that file bankruptcy due to medical bills HAVE insurance. Health insurance does not protect you from bankruptcy.

Another popular misconception that people have.. Unless they have been hit with massive medical bills that far exceed the lifetime max on their health insurance, you will never be able to convince them otherwise.. One catastrophic illness - even WITH health insurance - can easily result in a family having to declare bankruptcy..

I'm glad someone else mentioned this! As I am searching for my own medical insurance (I currently have COBRA, but my subsidy is about to end), I'm floored...$450/month for me alone, $45 copay for preventative visits, no coverage for sick visits, $5000 deductible, then 50% of the bills once you hit that deductible, no prescription coverage, no coverage for, say, maternity/prenatal care or cancer treatments...Count me as one of those people who would have to file bankruptcy if I ever need surgery again!

 

[gonzo76]

Do you honestly believe that people who are without health insurance have not spent countless hours, days, weeks, and months searching high and low for some kind of coverage? ANY kind of coverage? To accuse those people of "whining" - while you're living in a state that obviously offers many more options than other states is insulting to those who are in dire need.. You have yet to provide any useful information (links) that back up your assumptions, yet still you insist that what you have available is available to everyone..


I just looked it up and MN is 3rd in how many people are insured. Massachusetts and Hawaii are higher but not by much. For goodness sake, in MA you are mandated to have health insurance. It just goes to show if you can make it affordable people will buy it.

 

[golfgal]

I have one of those high deductible plans for my daughter and myself. I did a lot of research before ending up with BC/BS of Florida. Since I am retired, I am not part of any type of group plan.

When I first took out the policy, it was $550 a month to cover the two of us with a $1000 deductible for each of us. We still have a $20 co-pay for any doctor visits and our prescription plan only covers ten percent of the prescription cost.

Since I took out the plan, the cost has gone up each year. By the end of last year, it was up to $1000 a month (it almost doubled in a five year period). I chose to change my deductible to $5000 for each of us to lower the cost back to $500 a month. In less than a year, it has gone back to $648 a month. That is with the $5000 deductible.

I realize that the purpose of the insurance is to protect me in case of something catastrophic, but it just seems crazy. Here, I am putting out almost $8000 a year for insurance and I am still paying everything out of my own pocket. I know...it's for the peace of mind. It is still frustrating.

To say that people do not know how to use high deductible plans, seems wrong. I don't know what else I could be doing to use my plan more effectively. I pay my premiums. I pay my co-pays. I still get a bill for twenty percent of the cost of everything I've had done IF I meet the $5000 deductible. Most of the time that does not happen and I pay all of it out of my pocket. Only one year, have we met our deductible and that is when I had to have major surgery.

I think many who are happy with the current state of health care in the country have no idea what will happen to them once they reach retirement age. I was happy as a clam with my coverage while I was working. My employer had a great plan and I paid very little for great coverage. Talk about sticker shock. Once you retire, especially if you've ever had any major medical issues, finding good, affordable coverage is very difficult. I am not old enough to qualify for medicare. I guess it was my choice to retire before reaching the qualifying age limit, so I pay what is required. I don't like it.

My last comment on this thread...there for but the grace of God. Most people are very lucky in that they have not faced a debilitating medical issue. It only takes one illness or one accident to destroy a family financially even with insurance. Most plans have a lifetime maximum payout amount. At the price of today's care, you can hit that maximum very quickly. For a two night stay in the hospital and a few tests, the cost was $26,000. Think of what a person confined to a critical care unit for any extended period would owe. I never dreamed I'd have cancer at age 31. The unexpected can happen to anyone. Then, try to find that affordable care.

There are differences between a plan that has a high deductible and a qualifying High Deductible health plan. With a qualifying high deductible health plan you can use a Health Savings Account (HSA) to bank money for health insurance costs-deductibles, co-pays and a whole list of qualified medical expenses. That money can go into that account, can be written off on your taxes, grows tax differed AND can be used tax free. When you reach age 65 this money can then be used to pay premiums for medicare supplement plans. If you have a company that funds your HSA, partially or wholly, bank that money to use to pay for insurance when you retire. I know that doesn't apply to you but if you have a qualified high deductible plan you at least take advantage of the immediate tax savings. At bare minimum, bank the $5000 in your HSA so you have the money there if you need it.

Actually the high deductible health plan name is a misnomer--deductibles can be as low as $1200. Not all plans with a high deductible qualify for an HSA either--it is very confusing. Peg, some of your cost increases are due to your age. I am 15 years younger then you so my costs are not going to be the same as your costs.

 

[golfgal]

Is it really so difficult to admit that you are wrong - on so may different levels? The situation in your state does not apply nationwide.. Why is that so difficult to understand?

And yes - people do have breaks in coverage that result in pre-existing exclusions.. But again - it's not always due to a "choice".. If you truly believe that situations don't arise in life where your "choices" are taken away, you still have an awful lot to learn..



:

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_hipaa.html

 

[DVC Sadie]

After reading all these posts and looking at the results of this poll I am surprised at the numbers. I didn't think that % of insured would be as high as it seems to be.

 

[Hmk012]

Yes, but we pay alot for our monthly premium! We've had our family plan (we choose not to get it through my husbands work because it will cost double what we are paying now) for 3 years. We started paying $365/monthly and the end of our 1st year they raised it to $565/monthly, by the end of our 2 year they raised it to $750/monthly. Luckly we can afford to pay this and think it's worth it(since I have past heart issues we can't go without it), but I know people in the past who would not be able to pay this kind of money. I know people who had to choose between health insurance or putting food on the table! It was too much to get it through work and they made too much $ to get any kind of help. I do feel like something needs to change..I don't understand why our insurance company continues to raise our premiums like this!

 

[jodifla]

Actually you do. I find it funny that you don't know that since you live in the State.

The nonprofit Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association offers an insurance for people denied private coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
Individuals who exhaust COBRA benefits.
Individuals working for employers who do not offer health insurance.
Individuals who have exceeded lifetime maximum limits, or their previous coverage.
Former employees of bankrupt companies

Mn also seems to use nonprofit insurance to keep costs down.

You seem to have one of the best states for Health Care coverage.

Compared with the rest of the US, Minnesota has unparalled services for the most part. Few states match it.

In Florida, if you are sick, you are out of luck. THere is NO alternative...every insurance company can turn you down.

The catastrophic state plan is Florida has not take on new patients more than A DECADE!

You get emergency room treatment, yes, but surgery to remove that malignant tumor? No.

 

[ZachnElli]

We don't have any insurance laws to protect people. What we mostly have his responsible business owners that provide good coverage. Insurance companies actually are wrongly blamed in most of this. For group plans it is up to the company that is buying the health coverage to select the plan so if your company had crappy insurance, don't blame the insurance company, take it up with the owners of your company.

Everyone that CHOOSES to afford health insurance can do so--yes it might mean taking on 3 jobs but again, it DOES come down to choice. When I was single and making $6/hour I HAD health insurance. It wasn't very good coverage but I knew if something major happened I wouldn't have to file bankruptcy. I am sorry, it is TOTALLY irresponsible NOT to have health insurance, PERIOD. Find a way to make it work.

Look at the poll, the VAST majority of the people here have health insurance and most of the people that don't do so by choice. You see all walks of life on this board-contrary to what others have said-we have a fairly representative population on this board. What I keep reading is that people don't want to PAY for what they have or expect EVERYTHING to be covered 100% so they think they have crappy insurance.

How are people going to find 3 jobs when they can't find even ONE job??? Have you lived in any other state than Minnesota? I have lived in Iowa, Nebraska, Minnesota, Texas and Idaho. It does vary greatly all over the country. In Texas we had to have our insurance for 2 years with the maternity option to have it covered. I didn't have that in any other state. That was with BC/BS btw. When dh lost his job in Idaho I looked up private plans with BC/BS and they were pretty darn cheap, heck of a lot better than cobra. Then we sold our house and moved back to Nebraska and I checked on plans here with BC/BS and they started at DOUBLE what it was in Idaho. But I'm sure I'm just another idiot to you, so even though I used the same website and just picked a different state and entered the exact same people, I'm sure you think I did it wrong.

 

[ccgirl]

I do have it. I haven't read all the posts but it is actually a law in MA that all residents are required to have health insurance. Those that say they can't get it, just need to look on the mass.gov website for the phone # and they can direct you to the right insurance you qualify for.

 

[disney1990]

We can sit and argue this until we are blue in the face. People either understand or they don't.

If you have health insurance, housing, food, a job, great. I am so happy for you.

I hope that in your lifetime you never lose your job or your health insurance. I hope that you never have to face a child or a spouse with cancer and wonder why you don't have the money for a doctor or to pay for their chemo.

Because, until that happens, you won't understand either. As somebody said, There but for the Grace of God go I.

Let me tell you a story. My SIL was one of the strictest parents that I have every known up until 2-1/2 years ago. His daughters at the time 6 and 8 couldn't be like their friends; they couldn't wear tops that might show a bit of their belly; they couldn't wear 2 piece bathing suits. They couldn't get their ears pierced.

Then, his 8 year old was diagnosed with cancer, non hodgkins lymphoma. It took almost 3 weeks at Children's Hospital for the diagnosis. By that time, the tumor in her belly was so big that it was extended. When they finally attempted surgery, to do a biopsy, the tumor came out and bled uncontrollable when they touched it. They had to fill her belly with drugs to stop try and stop the bleeding so that they could push the tumor back in and stitch her back up. The tumor couldn't be removed because it wrapped around virtually every one of her internal organs. To try and remove it, we were told, she would probably bleed to death -- we almost lost her on the operating table that day. They determined exactly what she had and then the chemo started. Watching an 8 year old sick from chemo is heart wrenching, to say the least. She developed an infection in her colon and again we almost lost her. She had to endure over 100 enemas over the course of several weeks to try and get the medication to stop the C-dif infection that she had developed. The chemo made her hair fall out, but not before it was dyed purple, which several of the nurses did also to help make her smile. My granddaughter is now in remission. My daughter and her husband were fortunate to have great health insurance, which is good because my granddaughter has to go back to the hospital every 4 months for a complete series of tests. She will have to be tested again and again for the rest of her life. Will she be able to get health insurance as an adult, if she works for a big company and they provide it; but never on her own.

While she was being treated for cancer, she turned 9 and had her ears pierced. This past summer, Daddy bought her a 2 piece bathing suit, which shows the 10 inch scar on her belly that saved her life -- her battle scar.

Yes, people change, but sometimes it takes a life altering experience for that to happen.

 

[Forevryoung]

Look up the laws in our state that say our health care premiums are affordable. Honestly, we pay MORE then a lot of people on this board are posting that they pay.

Again, you are self-employed. Your net cost for your health insurance will be ZERO when you deduct your premiums on your taxes. How is that NOT affordable???

I never said that all Blue Cross plans are available to everyone. I was pointing out to the poster that said she had the same Blue Cross plan as someone else in another state that she did not.

Actually, I AM a health care expert or at least I play one on tv. As for being closed minded-I certainly am not. I am trying to show people, like you, that there ARE options out there that they may not know about. Like the tax savings for self-employed people--which is a FEDERAL tax savings, not a MN one.

What are my options? I was the one you responded to with how my employer MUST pay 50% of my premium (not a law in NY!)

My health care costs me so much that I am lucky to live rent free in my parent's home or else I would be homeless. I pay all the other bills and expenses but my choice is either a free roof over my head or health care.

I figured it out- if I didn't pay my premiums, I would qualify for several sliding scale assistance programs (prescriptions etc) that would come out significantly cheaper EVERY MONTH than paying what I pay for my premium + co-pays.

I would never go without health insurance but it bugs me.

 

[Blue.Fairy2]

removed

 

[lillygator]

for Florida - there is Florida Kid Care for children if anyone is looking for alternatives or may not have their children covered.

 

[luvsJack]

We don't have any insurance laws to protect people. What we mostly have his responsible business owners that provide good coverage. Insurance companies actually are wrongly blamed in most of this. For group plans it is up to the company that is buying the health coverage to select the plan so if your company had crappy insurance, don't blame the insurance company, take it up with the owners of your company.

Everyone that CHOOSES to afford health insurance can do so--yes it might mean taking on 3 jobs but again, it DOES come down to choice. When I was single and making $6/hour I HAD health insurance. It wasn't very good coverage but I knew if something major happened I wouldn't have to file bankruptcy. I am sorry, it is TOTALLY irresponsible NOT to have health insurance, PERIOD. Find a way to make it work.

Look at the poll, the VAST majority of the people here have health insurance and most of the people that don't do so by choice. You see all walks of life on this board-contrary to what others have said-we have a fairly representative population on this board. What I keep reading is that people don't want to PAY for what they have or expect EVERYTHING to be covered 100% so they think they have crappy insurance.

Why is it so difficult for you to understand that parents with young children cannot always work 2 or 3 jobs to pay for insurance? If everything you can make (before paying for the premiums) is eaten up paying for child care, what is the point? Or if there is no child care to be found during the time necessary to work, what is the parent supposed to do? It is just not as simple for everyone as you are making it seem. When you were single and making $6 an hour you did not have children to feed or care for--so of course you could spend money on insurance. You cannot compare that to supporting a family and paying for insurance.

I am not saying that having insurance is not important, I don't think anyone is saying that it is not; but sometimes other things that are more important have to come first. Or maybe you think it would be less irresponsible to not provide shelter, food or clothing for your children than it is to not have insurance for all or part of your family?

 

[DarthKTrava]

Why is it so difficult for you to understand that parents with young children cannot always work 2 or 3 jobs to pay for insurance? If everything you can make (before paying for the premiums) is eaten up paying for child care, what is the point? Or if there is no child care to be found during the time necessary to work, what is the parent supposed to do? It is just not as simple for everyone as you are making it seem. When you were single and making $6 an hour you did not have children to feed or care for--so of course you could spend money on insurance. You cannot compare that to supporting a family and paying for insurance.

I am not saying that having insurance is not important, I don't think anyone is saying that it is not; but sometimes other things that are more important have to come first. Or maybe you think it would be less irresponsible to not provide shelter, food or clothing for your children than it is to not have insurance for all or part of your family?

@luvsjack

True. Why should anyone be forced to work more than 1 job just to have health insurance? It's the COST of it that makes people reticent to get it if it comes to either having a house and food on the table or having insurance.

And just 'cuz MN has great health plans doesn't mean the rest of us have that option. LAY OFF.