I'm selfemployed. Been without health insurance for over 10 years. Between me, 2 kids and wife, we've made a few trips to emerg. room this year alone. Looking to spend 200-300 dollars per month. I'm 43 and think its time to pickup some health insurance. Any ideas?
Help! I need health insurance
efg
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where health ins. came from
during ww two there was a labor shortage for skilled trades people. most were in the service. manuf. starting luring people away from other plants with higher wages. this disrupted the flow of war supplies. so ,new law to freeze wages. way around it ,ofer health plan for employees. was cheap then for employers ,then.
no big law suits ,cat scans , tests. is health care a god given right?
i think not. here in ca. when after 40 years of playing chicken with my table saw, i ripped my thumb down the middle.i waited 11/2 hrs
in the emergancy room before treatment. illegals getting free health care! we're not going back to the old days for sure. it's a mess what's right ,wrong i don,t know.
i'm just a dumb carpenter with 3 thumbs
PS don't ever let a machine know you're in a hurry!
during ww two there was a labor shortage for skilled trades people. most were in the service. manuf. starting luring people away from other plants with higher wages. this disrupted the flow of war supplies. so ,new law to freeze wages. way around it ,ofer health plan for employees. was cheap then for employers ,then.
no big law suits ,cat scans , tests. is health care a god given right?
i think not. here in ca. when after 40 years of playing chicken with my table saw, i ripped my thumb down the middle.i waited 11/2 hrs
in the emergancy room before treatment. illegals getting free health care! we're not going back to the old days for sure. it's a mess what's right ,wrong i don,t know.
i'm just a dumb carpenter with 3 thumbs
PS don't ever let a machine know you're in a hurry!
Tax benifits as income. It is after all.
Why are employer's still pay for health insurance. Even the playing feild. Let market forces dictate insurance and doctor's prices. These prices will stay high as long as someone else pays the bills.
If I wasn't living it I would of never believed in America someone working can't afford health insurance.
Why are employer's still pay for health insurance. Even the playing feild. Let market forces dictate insurance and doctor's prices. These prices will stay high as long as someone else pays the bills.
If I wasn't living it I would of never believed in America someone working can't afford health insurance.
ya its crazy , I pay about $210 a month for insurance on myself. It doesnt have any dental or eyeglass coverage, now that is at a $5000 deductable. In 30 years I have not had one claim that the insurance company would pay out a dime. In fact the insurance company pulled out of the state 2 years back and I had to get a differant one. As the states start requiring differant coverages such as maternity, Insurance companies will start pulling out of differant states.
Besides medical I would like someone to explain why it seems like vehical insurance has changed . You use to be able to get libility insurance at a good price. now its sky high and very little more to have full coverage. It use to be sky high for full coverage but not that high for libility. Hummmmmm .... just cant win anymore on anything.
Besides medical I would like someone to explain why it seems like vehical insurance has changed . You use to be able to get libility insurance at a good price. now its sky high and very little more to have full coverage. It use to be sky high for full coverage but not that high for libility. Hummmmmm .... just cant win anymore on anything.
I'm shopping health insurance too. I've learned to listen well and ask a ton of questions for understanding. These insurance guys are a slippery bunch of thieves and will tell you anything to get you to sign on the line. I changed the major med policy to $2000.00 deductable to save on the monthly payment untill I find what I feel comfortable with. The Heath Savings Account ( HSA ) looks good so far. Basiclly you buy a high deductable policy and set up an an escrow account to be used for health costs only. There are predetermined dollar amounts allowed for the escrow acct and some other regs but the sweet part is that what ever you don't spend on medical is deposited into a IRA account for retirement investment. I believe that if some serious health arises you are allowed to dip into that IRA to help defray costs. Maybe someone else can fill in on that.
You need to watch the deductable thing. I have found that you have to question the agent on how deductable is applied. Some companies allowed all policy members to apply to the deductable as a group and with some cos each member had to meet their own deductable. The policies with the best prices seemed to be the ones that required individual deductables. That didn't sound bad to me but, as it was explained to me, what about when I'm injured in January and shell out 5K for deductable and then in June my kid gets hurt and then I have to shell out another 5K. All of a sudden my cheap ins costs a lot more. That was an insurance man that told me that. Go figure.
So I'm still looking but am getting closer.
BTW. I used to get VERY fustrated with slow typing but with time and a lot of practice I've worked my way up to three fingers. Left index, right index, thumb.
Wally
You need to watch the deductable thing. I have found that you have to question the agent on how deductable is applied. Some companies allowed all policy members to apply to the deductable as a group and with some cos each member had to meet their own deductable. The policies with the best prices seemed to be the ones that required individual deductables. That didn't sound bad to me but, as it was explained to me, what about when I'm injured in January and shell out 5K for deductable and then in June my kid gets hurt and then I have to shell out another 5K. All of a sudden my cheap ins costs a lot more. That was an insurance man that told me that. Go figure.
So I'm still looking but am getting closer.
BTW. I used to get VERY fustrated with slow typing but with time and a lot of practice I've worked my way up to three fingers. Left index, right index, thumb.
Wally
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5,862 Posts
BC med coverage for a family of four 108.00 per month no deductable compulsory for everyone (govt - pays welfare bums coverage)
we all pay the same amount regardless.
extended coverage for dental physio massarge chiropractor prescription etc around 400.00 month some employers pay some pay 1/2 some pay an allowance and you choose your coverage
you know for profit medical only brings out the worst in people
I hope that our govts fight the for profit medical system it only brings higher prices for less coverage and thus allows some people to get the best and screw all the rest.
I pray we don't see an american style of medical system take over here I hope the govts have the real will power to stop them -they exist only to make money nothing more.
we all pay the same amount regardless.
extended coverage for dental physio massarge chiropractor prescription etc around 400.00 month some employers pay some pay 1/2 some pay an allowance and you choose your coverage
you know for profit medical only brings out the worst in people
I hope that our govts fight the for profit medical system it only brings higher prices for less coverage and thus allows some people to get the best and screw all the rest.
I pray we don't see an american style of medical system take over here I hope the govts have the real will power to stop them -they exist only to make money nothing more.
Penguin, Why dont you fill us in. Here we are informed that you cant really get that good of health care in Canada, that you have long waiting lists to get any major operations and that you get turned down on a lot of medical problems being the government doesnt pay for it. We hear all the time that your health care system sucks and that if you need good health care a lot of Canadians with money come to the USA.
So tell us, are we being fed a bunch of BULL. Just like people in the USA having to subsidize drugs and medications for other countries???????????
So tell us, are we being fed a bunch of BULL. Just like people in the USA having to subsidize drugs and medications for other countries???????????
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I believe it was newt and the good ol boys who shot her down.Milk man said:
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328 Posts
Lighten up, I was trying to make a funny. But, I didn't vote for him.
A few others have said it already, but I recommend getting an HSA. It is basically a super high deductible (I think $7500) plan, and everything else is 100% out of pocket. Maximum out of pocket is 7500 for the whole family. Maximum coverage is something super high, $2-3 million.
It is $273/month. It kind of sucks paying $273/month and still have to pay 100%, but it was really the best deal out there. I was paying $675/month on my old COBRA deal from my previous employer. I hardly went to the doctor, nor did my wife and kids.
As long as we stay healthy I am at least money ahead, and if I get in a car wreck or cancer of something, my family won't go into bankruptcy.
I recommended having at least the deductible amount saved up.
Everything dollar you spend for health care is tax deductible (acutally you fill the account with pre tax dollars). It is kind of refreshing to just pay you bill from the doctor and be done with it. Dealing with HMO's sucks.
Try to find a doctor group that works with you plan, they often offer discounts even if you pay 100%. If you are paying 100% out of pocket but aren't on a plan, then you generally don't get the discounts.
Makes you think about preventive care more. $100/year to get your teeth cleaned is a lot less expensive (and less painless) than a root canal.
Good luck and stay healthy.
It is $273/month. It kind of sucks paying $273/month and still have to pay 100%, but it was really the best deal out there. I was paying $675/month on my old COBRA deal from my previous employer. I hardly went to the doctor, nor did my wife and kids.
As long as we stay healthy I am at least money ahead, and if I get in a car wreck or cancer of something, my family won't go into bankruptcy.
I recommended having at least the deductible amount saved up.
Everything dollar you spend for health care is tax deductible (acutally you fill the account with pre tax dollars). It is kind of refreshing to just pay you bill from the doctor and be done with it. Dealing with HMO's sucks.
Try to find a doctor group that works with you plan, they often offer discounts even if you pay 100%. If you are paying 100% out of pocket but aren't on a plan, then you generally don't get the discounts.
Makes you think about preventive care more. $100/year to get your teeth cleaned is a lot less expensive (and less painless) than a root canal.
Good luck and stay healthy.
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2,906 Posts
Just don't get sick.
Also try reading, "DIY Health Care for Dummies."
pg 33 - For broken bones try using a wooded spoon and toilet paper to hold the fractured bone in place, once it is set.
pg 87 - Got diabetes, don't sweat it, try chewing the bark of an elm tree at high noon.
pg 165 - Need your tonsilles removed? Sterilize garden clippers over the stove and start clipping.
[Edited by refrigeration mafia on 04-11-2006 at 01:44 AM]
Also try reading, "DIY Health Care for Dummies."
pg 33 - For broken bones try using a wooded spoon and toilet paper to hold the fractured bone in place, once it is set.
pg 87 - Got diabetes, don't sweat it, try chewing the bark of an elm tree at high noon.
pg 165 - Need your tonsilles removed? Sterilize garden clippers over the stove and start clipping.
[Edited by refrigeration mafia on 04-11-2006 at 01:44 AM]
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328 Posts
We as a nation are way overdue for some sort of national health care plan!
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