Health Insurance

[to_hope 0]

Since we are both students, my husband and I have to buy our health insurance (ie: we can't get it through his job since it is only part time). My husband is on a Blue Cross Blue Shield plan right now, but it is pretty expensive for us (I think about $2,500 per person per year). And I just spoke with my in-laws insurance company and there is no option to pay a little more and get me on his insurance as a spouse... I have to get it separately as an individual.

Anyways, in the fall we will both buy health insurance through our grad school- which is $912 a person for the year, Much more affordable! However I need something to cover me from April-August. The company my in-laws use is going to put together some quotes for me, but I thought I'd ask on here too. Anyone else have to buy health insurance?

[Emancipation 2]

We have Cigna Open Access Plus... It's okay.. seems to cover what we need.. and is costly for me (it's hubby's insurance through work), but it's coverage.

No experience for us having to purchase our own insurance, always had it through work.

[Frazell Thomas 0]

Hey to_hope!

We are currently going through the process of buying health insurance for me, I'll let you know what we end up doing

[Flames9_RN 358]

We have Federal Blue Cross/Blue shield! No clue on what it costs! Wife handles the bills,but I know her employer picks up most of the tab!. I'm a RN student,and other RN's have told me to stay away from kaiser Permanente, but I have heard others say it was fine!1

[to_hope 0]

Hey to_hope!

We are currently going through the process of buying health insurance for me, I'll let you know what we end up doing

That would be great- thanks! If I find something good I'll let you know too.

We have Federal Blue Cross/Blue shield! No clue on what it costs! Wife handles the bills,but I know her employer picks up most of the tab!. I'm a RN student,and other RN's have told me to stay away from kaiser Permanente, but I have heard others say it was fine!1

Ug that is what I find so hard- there are so many mixed reviews of what is good and what I should stay away from. I'm really hoping I just stay nice and healthy until DH gets a job with good coverage.

Edited February 23, 2009 by to_hope

[reeses16 8]

Unless you have a current medical condition that needs treatment, go for the plan that has the best price and would cover you in terms of an unexpected accident or major health problem. April-August is a relatively short period, something could go wrong...but if you're healthy, chances are you don't really need to spend more for great prescription/vision/dental coverage.

[Texanadian 10]

Hard to give exact health plans. When I do a search in Seattle, I get health care companies that I haven't heard of in Houston.

ehealthinsurance.com has a good list of plans. Make sure you check the tabs at the top for all plans and by cost. The cheapest I've seen is $41/month. But that's for a $10,000 deductible with no prescriptions, doctor's visits, outpatient, xrays etc. I don't really see the point in a plan that empty.

Write them down, compare them, print them out. Whatever you need to do to make sure you know what's covered and what isn't.

[MMW 2]

I have BCBS right now. I am keeping itt until my wife gets to the states because it has an international coverage for her. Once she gets here we will go to an HMO or PPO coverage, but for us having the international coverage is more important right now.

[Flames9_RN 358]

Each year, my wife comes home with the various Insurance plans offered by her employer, and man, its like an inch thick!! sooo many choices!!

[thetreble 19]

Each year, my wife comes home with the various Insurance plans offered by her employer, and man, its like an inch thick!! sooo many choices!!

It's true.

I have State Government BCBS called "New Jersey 15". I only pay $22/month for my husband and I for medical and I think $16/month for dental. I also get a prescription plan that allows me to get any generic medicine for $3. I'm pretty blessed that way.

There are a lot of options out there, but when buying individual health insurance, everything is going to be on the expensive side. Anything that isn't partially paid by your employer is going to cost you big bucks.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

We have Blue Cross/Blue Shield (of Nebraska) and pay about $260 a month for both of us, then an additional $32 a month for dental and $18 a month for vision care. Co-pays are still pretty pricey though - between $30 and $50 for each of my medicines and Joe's is cheaper to buy outright than even to pay the copay so we don't even use the insurance for his. Doctor visits are either $20 or $40 copay and we have a $1000 cap on dental costs. I have a dentist appointment today at noon for a throbbing tooth (suspect I will need a root canal - drat!) and I had to really shop around to find a dentist who is 'in network' for our dental coverage - which is with Cigna, not BCBS. Health care in the US is pricey, especially for what you get.

Edited February 24, 2009 by Kathryn41

[sly_wolf 199]

This is just a suggestion. When it comes to presciption meds, some insurance companies allow a 3 month refill at the same cost as a monthly refill. Check with your insurance company, that way you can save in prescription co-payments.

Sly

[jhunjhun 7]

This is just a suggestion. When it comes to presciption meds, some insurance companies allow a 3 month refill at the same cost as a monthly refill. Check with your insurance company, that way you can save in prescription co-payments.

Sly

Our health insurance is CIGNA, it a bit costly but we got a discount from my wife's work. We qualified for the discount because my wife's income for yr 2007 was not much. I asked them if we can fax my wife tax return for them even though my wife was not working in the hospital not until May 2008 and it was OK. Last year we were paying about almost $350 a month deducted directly from my wife's pay check. However, this year my wife was qualified for the discount and now we're paying $55 bi-weekly. It was a huge relief for us! I'm very sure that nxt year our insurance cost will be increased.

Our insurance is really good because it covered almost everything ( medical, basic AD&D life, supplemental life, voluntary AD&D life, spouse life, vision, dental and legal insurance coverage) but the co-pay is quite pricey...$20 per visit, $30 specialist

[to_hope 0]

Thanks everyone for the information. I did some looking into the health insurance through our grad school and I can actually have coverage starting June 1. So I really only need coverage for April and May. I received a list of sites that list temporary health care providers... I'll just have to find something there for those two months. Thankfully both my husband and I are healthy and we don't have any regular prescriptions, so our biggest need is coverage for an accident or a sudden serious illness.

[to_hope 0]

Hey to_hope!

We are currently going through the process of buying health insurance for me, I'll let you know what we end up doing

I found this website to be really helpful: www.ehealthinsurance.com . I'm looking for short-term insurance, but you can use it for long-term coverage too. It shows all the basics of the plan up front so you can compare (deductibles, co-pays, monthly cost etc). It makes it really easy to browse and then look further into a plan that fits our situation. HTH!