Health Insurance

When my wife gave birth to our daughter, the daughter stayed in NICU for 2 weeks. (She wasn't sure she wanted to stay on this planet!) Anyhoo...the medical bills for my wife's C-section and stay, and the NICU bill came out to around $100,000.

No insurance? We would have been bankrupt for sure. And the other thing is this: the same procedure costs more if you have no insurance. A hospital official told me that the uninsured bill would have been closer to $150,000.

Think I'll take the insurance.

 

That's right, brother rbell. Insurance companies automatically get a discount, ususally around 20%, if they agree to send all their patients to cetain doctors. Medicare pays even less, and won't pay for some procedures (usually maternity stuff, which makes sense!), and Medicaid pays less than that. Patients paying out of pocket pay full price, and there is no one to check if they are paying for things they didn't get or need.

love,

Sopranette

 

I praise God that I can have a job that has health insurance.

 

Insure companies also pre-negotiate rates with doctors who accept their insurance.


We have United Health Care through my wifes job. We pay 20% and a $20 copay for doctors visits and $50 for emergency. My daughter had rods put in her back two years ago and it seems like we're still getting bills for our 20%. We don't remember seeing half the doctors that are billing us.

 

You are correct, $2000 per person.

 

We have a personal policy for our family that i think we pay way too much for...but it is better than the last policy we had which had rates going up each year with declining coverage.
Anyone using SBC annuity board/guidestone insurance? I tried to get on their policy back in seminary and was turned down without a question due to having HBP issues in the past. Not sure if they are still that way or not.

 

Annuity Board insurance was IMO without question the worst healthcare insurance I ever owned.

Problems:

• Ridiculously expensive. when I switched to Blue Cross (individual policy, mind you), my premiums went down by half. 5 1/2 years later...I'm only now coming close to what I paid then.
• Stupid policies: For instance: well-child checkups were not covered for a while; and they did not cover immunizations at all...so, if my son got polio, they'd pay to treat him...but they wouldn't pay to immunize him.
• Numerous paperwork errors.
• BCBS has been more customer-service friendly (!) to me than the Annuity Board.

I've heard some things (particularly rates) have improved a bit. But the only way I would ever do the Annuity Board insurance plan would be if absolutely nothing else could be had.


Caveat: I do use the Annuity Board's retirement plan, and that has been fine. Their health insurance was another story.

 

Bump. Good thread...

 

I have this, too. It means that because of my deductible, and because I don't have money for doctors, I don't go to doctors at all. My last visit was Aug. 2004 and it was only because the dentist wanted my doctor to confirm I should take antibiotics before teeth cleaning.

 

We do too because we're self employed, but we owe a fortune in medical costs that the insurance wouldn't pay, not to mention a huge monthly premium.


When I hear the president saying he wants to provide affordable health ins. to everyone, I think yea, that's great, but what about all the enormous costs that ins. won't cover?

 

Got none here in EnZed but have some coverage in Oz:type:

 

I am currently on COBRA coverage. I am the only one with health insurance in my household (wife, mother-in-law). The only reason I have it is because I needed surgery and had to have insurance for it. The only reason I can keep it is because my folks (both retired) are paying for it.

 

Wow, sorry to hear Trotter... Cobra is why we need reform. They are outrageous.

 

For sure, Lebuick.

 

Just received information from Medi-Share and Christian Healthcare Ministries. Anyone have either, and what are the pros and cons? Is it even worth considering?

 

Health "insurance" is the reason that medical costs are high. It is NOT INSURANCE. It does not conform to traditional insurance principles. It is a pre paid medical billing service!!!!!!!!!!

Before WW2 no one had medical plans yet people had access to doctors. Medical "insurance" began as group company benefits to get around a wage and price freeze. They met insurance principles because:

1. company employees were statistically healthier than the general population
2. only emergancies, over night hospital stays, and the "seven dread diseases" were covered
3. pre-existing conditions including pregnancy were not covered.

If medical insurance is such a wonderful thing . . . no point to being healthy if one has no food. How about a pre-paid food payment plan? Take prescription from doctor, go to grocery store . . . .