Health Insurance

I need to get my own health insurance policy in the next week or two. I am currently on my dad's plan, but I will be dropped because I will no longer be a full-time student.

Now, I don't go to the doctor very frequently, so I was thinking that a high deductible plan would be more reasonable; basically saving insurance coverage for catastrophic events, like falling off a cliff and managing to survive.

A plan that I found through ehealthinsurance.com with a $2500 deductible and 100% coverage after meeting it is $117 a month. Does this figure sound about right? Best case scenario, I will be spending about $1400 a year with no financial assistance from the provider, and worst case, up to an additional $2500 annually in medical expenses before any coverage.

Buying your own health insurance is a bitch. The deductible is the main problem, if you did fall off a cliff, could you afford to shell out up to $2500 at any given time? Or pay out of pocket completely for small stuff?

That being said, I know a $500 deductible plan for me is 2 or 3 times what you are paying. Perhaps a high deductible along with setting aside some rainy day cash would be a good combination.

Where are you Obamacare?

Insurance is a scam.

Hmm.

Does your work offer any sort of health plan? I'm not too familiar with your situation, so it's hard to say "do this or that." But I have had several friends--some college students, some with part-time work that didn't offer a health plan--who take up part-time work at a place that does offer it (i.e., Starbucks) for that express purpose. If you can find any way to get it from an employer, jump all over that shit. As you've seen, going out of pocket can be a bitch. Doable, but a bitch.

Your mom is doable, but a bitch.

Sir, you have gone too far.

edit: Shit. That's just as exploitable.

I haven't had health insurence for about eight years, my mom didn't want to pay for it. Hmmm I should look into getting myself covered....

Tones, I suggest you go without until you find a decent employer that cares enough about their employees to offer full coverage or at least a discounted rate. Otherwise you are going to be married to the job you have just to pay for your insurance. I fucking despise greedy businesses that shaft people on benefits. On that note, I love my job.

Insurance is a scam, everyone should have national health care, if you did you'd be paying maybe about the same amount you're looking at Tones and getting significantly better coverage.

And everyone should have a pet unicorn and a free daily blowjob coupon. But that sort of wishing isn't going to help Tones with his current situation, either.

Hub offers good advice. Most respectable employers will offer you benefits if you work full-time for a very small fee if they offer a regular HMO plan. My job only offers a PPO plan (which is higher level insurance) and even with the employer contributions I still pay nearly $200/mo but with nearly no deductable.

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Originally Posted by squall_vb

And everyone should have a pet unicorn and a free daily blowjob coupon. But that sort of wishing isn't going to help Tones with his current situation, either.

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I don't know about you, but I have a unicorn and a free daily blowjob coupons.

My unicorn is green and has special magic to make chocolate.

You get a blowjob from a unicorn every day? Is that what you're implying?

Your mother is a unicorn.

I payed 30 dollars for a walking cast when I broke my leg. That's the only medical care I've ever payed for. I could have just gotten a plaster cast for free, though. But I demanded a walking cast so I could go around and gloat in the face of the other fracture clinic patients afterward.

If you think paying 117 a month for yourself is alot, wait till a family comes along.

Ugh insurance is one of those things that is completely worthless till you actually get sick that isn't fatal but gets progressively expensive or strikes in some spectacularly bad and expensive way.

I'm in the same position right now. As of now I have no insurance, haven't since August. If things go according to plan, I will have a decent job that offers at least some sort of health care, but that wouldn't be until April-May. Dealing with this shit sucks.

No reform necessary though! Socialism!

NPO's would help save your country AND capitalism at the same time!

The worst is when you actually HAVE assets to lose, if you're an idiot like me with assets totally below $30k consisting mostly of personal property, professional items (laptop, books) a single car and one home, the WORST that can happen is you take on massive amounts of debt, declare bankruptcy, lose virtually nothing, get on a payment schedule for 3-5 years which will be a completely joke in terms of actual repayment and come out pretty much the same except ruined credit for 10 years, and tolling interest on your student loans (which cannot be wiped out).

Assuming your survived. If you're in this sort of position, some states will actually provide for your coverage on the healthcare end of it, assuming you jump through the many and on going hoops.

Also: I hope no one cosigned with you.

I don't know what to do about insurance either. I lose it in May for a year when I'm not a student but before grad school (it will pick up again). My medication will be over $150 a month without insurance... But insurance is likely to cost more than that at any rate. Blah.

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Originally Posted by Nomi

I don't know what to do about insurance either. I lose it in May for a year when I'm not a student but before grad school (it will pick up again). My medication will be over $150 a month without insurance... But insurance is likely to cost more than that at any rate. Blah.

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You're not too far from Canada, I hear they have cheaper drugs up there.

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Originally Posted by MarsKitten

The worst is when you actually HAVE assets to lose, if you're an idiot like me with assets totally below $30k consisting mostly of personal property, professional items (laptop, books) a single car and one home, the WORST that can happen is you take on massive amounts of debt, declare bankruptcy, lose virtually nothing, get on a payment schedule for 3-5 years which will be a completely joke in terms of actual repayment and come out pretty much the same except ruined credit for 10 years, and tolling interest on your student loans (which cannot be wiped out).

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Or, you could look at it the other way: If you have a lot of assets, a really good insurance policy will either be provided by your employer or will constitute a smaller percentage of annual income. So, once actually in the hospital, there's a $500 deductible to worry about instead of the $2500 one that I'm anticipating.

I don't have insurance. I have not had it in like 2 years. I get sick, I go see my dad for free. Well, mildly free. I'll end up raking his yard or something.

I'm kind of hesitant to post this. I'll probably get hit by a car next week.

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Originally Posted by Tones

Or, you could look at it the other way: If you have a lot of assets, a really good insurance policy will either be provided by your employer or will constitute a smaller percentage of annual income. So, once actually in the hospital, there's a $500 deductible to worry about instead of the $2500 one that I'm anticipating.

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The X deductible isn't the problem. Its the $10k plus procedures that you should worry about. The kinda shit you will need a loan for that could debt you for years or decades. If I have to pay $800 dollars a year for medical services and not have insurance pay shit (b/c i'm taking the high deductible low rate plan) it means once things really go tits up: cancer, car wreck, organ failure what have you then you're good instead of fucked by disease then fucked by debt paying to get treated.

I see what you're saying.

I ended up getting a plan through BCBS for just under $100; $2500 deductible, and 70/30 until $6000. I like this plan more than the one I got a quote for online because physician visits are $35. Less than ideal, but it's better than nothing.

I've a similar plan, the problem is if I ever get off insurance it might be impossible for me to get back on due to my medical history.

Can you not find a firm that has an employee plan set up? I thought that they typically exclude prior health history.

i pay about 130/month for a pretty decent plan. i didnt have it for a good 3 years until this october. lo and behold 2 months after i got it i needed emergency stitches. lucky or jinx?

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Originally Posted by MarsKitten

I've a similar plan, the problem is if I ever get off insurance it might be impossible for me to get back on due to my medical history.

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Have you considered simply not being sick? Boom, medical history problems go bye bye.

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Originally Posted by MarsKitten

I've a similar plan, the problem is if I ever get off insurance it might be impossible for me to get back on due to my medical history.

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Shit I didn't think about that. All my garbage will be a pre-existing condition when I have to get a new plan.

I'm a diabetic and I don't have health insurance. I really don't care if I get sick or whatever. I'm going to die anyway ... why prolong it?

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Originally Posted by Advocate

I'm a diabetic and I don't have health insurance. I really don't care if I get sick or whatever. I'm going to die anyway ... why prolong it?

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How profound! In fact, go slit your wrists right now!

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Originally Posted by Dos Equis

He makes statements like ... How profound! In fact, go slit your wrists right now! So, stay thirsty my friends.

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He is ... the most interesting man in the world.