Does anyone here have an individual health insurance plan?

[billyfsu76]

I'm shopping around for them and there seem to be no good options for an individual plan.

I'm paying approx. $450 / monthly for the plan I have now. I almost never use this thing and just have it in case of an emergency or something unforeseen happens with my health. I'm 40 / never smoked / have a physical and lab work once a year and that's it.

Anyone in this same boat?

 

[mcgrawfsu]

There aren’t any great plans. Premiums and deductibles have been going up for years. If you think you may be sick, find an unlimited plan. Otherwise find a plan you. Can afford and know you’re getting screwed

 

[billyfsu76]

There aren’t any great plans. Premiums and deductibles have been going up for years. find a plan you can afford and know you’re getting screwed

Yea, that seems to be the reality for me. I don't know how other people afford this crap. I'm in a fortunate position where I can (not that I don't feel it or anything) but I'm sure there are a lot of folks who elect simply not to have any coverage at all, and hope for the best.

 

[Fijimn]

I'm shopping around for them and there seem to be no good options for an individual plan.

I'm paying approx. $450 / monthly for the plan I have now. I almost never use this thing and just have it in case of an emergency or something unforeseen happens with my health. I'm 40 / never smoked / have a physical and lab work once a year and that's it.

Anyone in this same boat?

Have you looked at a High deductible plan with a health savings account rather than a traditional PPO or HMO.

 

[billyfsu76]

Have you looked at a High deductible plan with a health savings account rather than a traditional PPO or HMO.

From what I've found, any plan that's going to be offered seems like a high deductible to me. I have a deductible of $7,000 right now and my premium is $450 a month. I'd be willing to raise it even higher since the only way I'm meeting any deductible is if something unexpected happens and I'm in the hospital which I'd imagine is going to be crazy expensive any way you slice it.

 

[bryanscho]

You can get short term medical policies and that you can usually extend for 18 months. Much cheaper and basic, catastrophic coverage. May be a stop gap until hopefully something better comes out.

 

[Bill From Tampa]

Just a thought .... a medical sharing plan. There are pluses and minuses. Maybe a high deductible catastrophic plan in conjunction.

 

[RangerNole]

I feel for you guys that have to go and find plans etc. I know the cost is staggering, the coverage is really not that good and the deductible is insane. Healthcare was a major factor for staying in the Army Reserve when I left active duty and one of the reasons I plan on staying in till I am 60 and because I like what I do. When I retire at 60 free coverage for my wife and I kicks in for life. I pay $210 a month for my whole family and I don't know what our deductible is, but it is low enough that we don't worry about it; same for prescriptions. I tell so many young people that they should think about some type of reserve service as a secondary job. The benefits are so numerous, healthcare, VA assistance for home purchase, education, retirement money, if you choose a job that is in the career field you plan on going into they will pay for additional certifications, healthcare, and they give you a fair amount of free health/dental care just to say current or the reserves.
I am an outlier since I served so long on active duty; but with my own retirement plan an the Army Reserve retirement I should make around 6k a month for just getting out of bed in the morning the day I turn 60 and that doesn't include SS; which I am likely just giving to my kids to help them if they need it. Don't get me wrong there are some draw backs; but that is mainly time and missing family events over the years; but when you weigh the long term benefits it is a no brainer to me. Of course getting a 20 something y/o to see that is hard and I get it I would have been the same way had I not started out on active duty or so long.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

OP my plan is basically the same you describe -- $450/mo + $7000 deductible.

Hate paying it but sadly until we have a public or single payer option, which I do think is inevitable, this is what I'm gonna have to roll with. Like you said, it's really just for the "holy crap" scenario, else I'm never hitting that deductible. Such is nature of the concept of for-profit insurance.

 

[billyfsu76]

You can get short term medical policies and that you can usually extend for 18 months. Much cheaper and basic, catastrophic coverage. May be a stop gap until hopefully something better comes out.

Do you know where to find those ?

 

[bryanscho]

Do you know where to find those ?

Most major carriers have them they just don't push them. They are not subject to ACA requirements so you don't have preexisting condition coverage, etc. UHC has a pretty good one. Golden Rule, who they acquired, has been writing these for a long time. Even state farm offers a decent one. Unlike major medical, there are several options.

 

[Fijimn]

From what I've found, any plan that's going to be offered seems like a high deductible to me. I have a deductible of $7,000 right now and my premium is $450 a month. I'd be willing to raise it even higher since the only way I'm meeting any deductible is if something unexpected happens and I'm in the hospital which I'd imagine is going to be crazy expensive any way you slice it.

It's the HSA that's the benefit. Not only is it pretax but once you Get to a comfortable level you can invest it (of course paying a tax on gains).

 

[seminole97]

Such is nature of the concept of for-profit insurance.

Actually, such is the nature of insurance under coverage mandates.
Board probably can’t discuss this without it going out of bounds, but the distinction is important.

 

[SeaPA]

The high deductible type plan is exactly what insurance is supposed to be, under the true concept of insurance. A bunch of people pool smaller sums of money, and agree to use some of that pool to pay should one of them have a cost that they cannot cover on their own. It isn’t supposed to pay if you run to the doctor fo a hangnail, just like your homeowners insurance isn’t intended to pay if you have a dripping faucet.

I like the high deductible plan that I have, I certainly don’t want to pay higher premiums to lower it. High premium, low deductible is great if you are sickly and go to the doctor frequently. If you are healthy and rarely go, HDHP is clearly your best choice

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Actually, such is the nature of insurance under coverage mandates.
Board probably can’t discuss this without it going out of bounds, but the distinction is important.

I don't need to explain concept of insurance to you, also don't need to explain that if not for-profit you could reduce cost to consumers. Mandates are a separate topic, out of bounds as you said

 

[OrlandNole]

I guess I have it pretty good. I have a high deductible plan, but the company covers the premium. I take what I normally would spend on a premium - about $500 a month - and put it in my HSA, which covers not just my deductible but my out of pocket maximum. I essentially get free health care.

 

[seminole97]

I don't need to explain concept of insurance to you, also don't need to explain that if not for-profit you could reduce cost to consumers. Mandates are a separate topic, out of bounds as you said

If I wanted to buy insurance just for what I wanted to buy insurance for, I'm not allowed. My costs aren't higher because of profits, my costs are higher to provide coverage for things I don't necessarily want.

Trying to eliminate profits to reduce costs demonstrates a failure to grasp the role of profits in driving productivity and cost reduction, and ultimately overall resource allocation in the economy.

Most of our disappointments in the healthcare industry boil down trying to evade consumer driven pricing and maintaining a host of monopolistic practices under the guise of protecting the consumer.

 

[RangerNole]

If I wanted to buy insurance just for what I wanted to buy insurance for, I'm not allowed. My costs aren't higher because of profits, my costs are higher to provide coverage for things I don't necessarily want.

Trying to eliminate profits to reduce costs demonstrates a failure to grasp the role of profits in driving productivity and cost reduction, and ultimately overall resource allocation in the economy.

Most of our disappointments in the healthcare industry boil down trying to evade consumer driven pricing and maintaining a host of monopolistic practices under the guise of protecting the consumer.

I would also say much of our healthcare costs are self inflicted. America is a frighteningly unhealthy nation; in part because we assume that a pill, procedure etc. can fix anything. There is also the fact that we don't cover very many holistic type approaches; which work for many people that traditional medicine doesn't. Next time you take a walk or for even more proof go to say Disney and look around. America is not in good shape makes terrible health, diet etc. choices. Here is a fact for you, of all Americans of age to serve in the military barely 20% are capable of actually joining the military. This does include criminal stuff, financial stuff, but the largest percent is health, weight etc.

 

[ncnole1975]

I'm shopping around for them and there seem to be no good options for an individual plan.

I'm paying approx. $450 / monthly for the plan I have now. I almost never use this thing and just have it in case of an emergency or something unforeseen happens with my health. I'm 40 / never smoked / have a physical and lab work once a year and that's it.

Anyone in this same boat?

Check out www.bcgoe.com.

This is my company website and we sell individual medical plans. As previously stated, ACA has made getting "great plans" next to impossible but I feel like we offer some legit options.

 

[ncnole1975]

From what I've found, any plan that's going to be offered seems like a high deductible to me. I have a deductible of $7,000 right now and my premium is $450 a month. I'd be willing to raise it even higher since the only way I'm meeting any deductible is if something unexpected happens and I'm in the hospital which I'd imagine is going to be crazy expensive any way you slice it.

You can also fund the high deductible with Accident and Critical Illness insurance. These products generally run $20-25/mo and pay you cash direct in the event of a claim. Use that cash to pay your deductible.