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| No. 20 | 
May 21, 2009, 11:42 AM
 Re: Talk of insurance mandate growing Originally Posted by DrugReptoNurse  I pay $47 a month through BCBS of Florida. Yes, it is only for major hospitalization with a $2500 deductible but it is what I need.
My stats, 40 years old, single father, history of HTN...I take a generic ACE and prior history of cancer....skin cancer removed. My son who is 7 gets the same level of coverage for another $47 month.
If I need immediate health services I visit a minute clinic, see an NP and pay $75 for the visit.
Check it out before you claim you NEED government socialized health care.
For less than the cost of a cell phone bill you can get major hospitalization and surgical insurance.
Don't believe me....bcbs.com and find your own quote
Do you realize that 50% of American file for bankruptcy do so because of medical bills, and 75% of these people HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE, a policy just like what you have described! And friend of mine had a quad bypass with complications, and after her insurance paid "usual and customary" plus the 20%, she owed almost $40,000. So those policies work...but only if you don't get really sick!
 | | Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 21 |
May 21, 2009, 11:53 AM
Re: Talk of insurance mandate growing Originally Posted by awsmom8 Trust me! You can't get HEALTH INSURANCE for $100 a mtn! If so--let me know where and I'll sign up!
Yeah, me too! As long as it is actually good health insurance. Not the kind that multicollinearity described. I don't mind paying for health insurance, and do not believe it should be free, but to pay that much to a FOR PROFIT company is criminal. Mandated health insurance--yes but only if they make it affordable to everyone. Granted, you have to pay for auto insurance if you have a car, but you can always take the bus or "public" transportation. Currently there is no "public" insurance. Mandatory health insurance cannot be required unless "public" health insurance is an option.
I couldn't agree more!  Mandated health insurance would be a terrible idea unless the government gets into the action and acts as competition to the insurance companies to keep costs down. The insurance companies HATE this idea. Gee, I wonder why. Secondly, if there is a mandate, then discriminating against people with pre-existing conditions must be banned, and I refer to either outright denial of insurance, or offering it with ridiculously expensive premiums and conditions (low annual cap, etc.). Insurance companies should not be able to cherry pick the youngest/healthiest people to offer insurance too.
| | No. 22 |
May 21, 2009, 12:50 PM
Re: Talk of insurance mandate growing
It's 395.00 per month for my husband and me; 100.00??? Are you kidding?
| | No. 23 |
May 21, 2009, 01:55 PM
Re: Talk of insurance mandate growing
Okay, after my husband lost his union job, we lost our health insurance coverage. It used to be taken out of his benefit package. We figured it out and it was over $800/month for a family of 5. Heck, it was the same amount for a single man with no children. So, on to present day...husband is not working union because there are currently no jobs. He took a nonunion job for 2/3 less than what he used to make. Okay, so we can live with that because it's putting food on the table and blah, blah, blah. We got an insurance quote from the company. They would pay for husband but our 3 children would cost us over $820 a month and that's not even getting a quote for me. Absolutely no way we can pay this amount when that's a heck of alot more than what he makes in a week. So here my children are uninsured and I pray daily that nothing happens to any of us. And yes, I have searched and searched for reasonable prices with no avail. We don't even qualify for state assistance because we supposedly make too much. Like to know how they figure that one but...so yeah, show me some cheap insurance quotes so I can quit praying daily for this and I can move my prayers on to something more important with the world.
| | No. 24 |
May 21, 2009, 03:38 PM
Updated
May 21, 2009 at 03:44 PM by multicollinearity
Re: Talk of insurance mandate growing Originally Posted by FairyCari Because I have asthma and have a history of several surgeries, my monthly premium would be $1210. (34 year old female)
This is not unusual. Ask anyone with a history of health problems who has tried to get individual health insurance.
YOU HAVE BUY IT YOUNG..
I have asthma, depression crohns disease, and high blood pressure.
I am 27 126 pounds, 5'6.
I pay 279$ a month for BCBSNC. I am considered a 'standard' on their pay scale.
When I FIRST bought insurance, I was 18, with only asthma and depression. THEY COVERED IT, no problem. I do 120$ more than a 'preferred member', but that is what asthma and depression does.
IF you go out at 40, 35, 50. ETC.. And try to get health problems covered, you are screwed!
You have to buy coverage when you are young, and BEFORE you need it.
I developed crohns disease and Blood pressure problems after I bought the insurance.
Crohns was diagnosed in 2004, BP in 2007. My rates were not jacked up, and none of my claims have been denied. In fact, when I was going through a health care crisis, they had a nurse call me and make sure I was doing well, and she made sure I got a free BP cuff to take my BP at home.
People are waiting until they are sick to try and buy ins, and you cannot do that if you want a good rate.
I'm really glad your coverage is working for you. From my experience, you're in a minority as far as those who maintain long-term on an individual health insurance plan. You know, I did buy individual health insurance pretty young, when I was working as a health insurance agent. By the time I hit my 30's, my policy was about $450 per month. Then I went to work for a large employer and took the employer provided coverage. It's just realistic - I wasn't going to continue paying $450 per month PLUS my employer insurance which was better coverage. At a certain point, life would be just about paying for health insurance. It wouldn't be reasonable to continue paying $450-$500 per month for years when I could have employer insurance. Of course a few years later I lost the employer coverage...and so it goes.
It is also my experience that most people on individual policies don't get to stay on their plan for more than a few years because insurance carriers tend to have various 'tricks' that force people to apply for new coverage thereby extending non-coverage for pre-existing conditions, etc. They raise premiums or cancel their individual groups altogether, shedding the sick people on their coverage and taking the healthy ones back on a new plan. In the business it's called "churning." It's actually what the entire industry thrives on. But that's a subject for another thread in another forum.
Sometimes I wish I would have tape-recorded meetings where insurance executives would tout the plans with limited coverage saying things like, "If anything really bad happens to the insured, they'll end up on medicaid anyway, because this won't pay for what they need. But the plan maintains our profitability due to limited payment schedules."
| | No. 25 |
May 21, 2009, 03:40 PM
Re: Talk of insurance mandate growing
I answered the health insurance questions honestly.
No problem at all getting insurance with one prior cancer surgery, Mohs, and my hypertension.
| | No. 26 |
May 21, 2009, 03:46 PM
Re: Talk of insurance mandate growing
Massachusetts piloted this several years ago, where they mandate that you have health insurance, or you pay a fine.
Well, I don't have health insurance, and can't find it for less than $400 a month. I would even buy into one of those high deductible plans if they were allowed in NY, but their not. So, since I own a rental property in MA, I pay income taxes to them, and last year had to pay their fine... $200!! So, gee, there's a big decision for me: pay close to $5000 a year for insurance that does nothing, when I am a young, healthy woman who has no plans of having children, does not take any medications, and hasn't been to a doctor for anything other than a routine physical in over 5 years - OR - pay a $200 fine to the state. Guess which one I choose!
And now, try to guess which one other healthy americans will choose if mandated to:
A) buy health insurance from a for-profit corporation, or
B) pay nominal fine each year when they file their income taxes (if they file income taxes).
It's not working in Massachusetts, and it won't work for the country as a whole either!
| | No. 27 |
May 21, 2009, 05:01 PM
Re: Talk of insurance mandate growing My insurance DOES go up a few percentage points per year, but so do all other policies within the BCBSNC area.
I have kept my insurance INSTEAD of going to employer coverage for ONE reason, in the end if anything happens and I lose a job, I need to keep my insurance. My husband and I are fairly well off, no debt, etc.. So paying for it would not be an issue, should work become non existent.
I HAVE had really bad things happen to me on my insurance, RENAL FAILURE, anyone??
THAT SUCKED.. Luckily, I had my insurance, and everything was covered. 
My insurance covers organ transplants, etc.. You have to do research on your company, and know what you are getting into first.
My rates did not go up, and I was not told to get a 'new policy'.
I have had individual coverage for YEARS, and I love it because I take responsibility for my coverage.
| | No. 28 |
May 21, 2009, 05:03 PM
Re: Talk of insurance mandate growing
So, gee, there's a big decision for me: pay close to $5000 a year for insurance that does nothing, when I am a young, healthy woman who has no plans of having children, does not take any medications, and hasn't been to a doctor for anything other than a routine physical in over 5 years - OR - pay a $200 fine to the state. Guess which one I choose! THIS same woman, ...years later..... will then go on to Bit%$ later about how expensive insurance is, especially after she SUDDENLY has a severe illness or major health issue.
I see a lot of people do this.." I am healthy, I do not need coverage." YES, you do. Buy it when you are healthy, and then IF anything happens you are covered.
I think that more people NEED to consider health insurance, and health costs, when deciding how many children to have..etc..
I would not have 3 kids if I could really only afford to insure ONE.. But that is ME, I tend to think logically.. I only buy and own what I can afford without debt.
| | No. 29 |
May 21, 2009, 05:07 PM
Re: Talk of insurance mandate growing
The Massachusetts program is hardly a good comparison to a single payer program. The way a single payer program works is by everyone in the country, sick, healthy, young, old, pre-existing condition or not, pays into the system. That way, the risk is hedged by having such a large and balanced cohort.
Medicare isn't a good example either since everyone thats in the system is over 65, disabled, or both.
If you really want to compare apple to apples, look at every other modern westernized country's healthcare system. None are perfect, but they're a heck of a lot better than ours.
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