Health Insurance?

[Galateia 1]

Wow, $400!? My insurance costs $12 a month for the two of us with no deductible.

Even when I was a student, it was only $35 a month with a $500 deductible.

I'd say do some shopping around.

Cass (bebop the great)

$12 a month with no deductible!!! How do I get a job there????

Comparing plans and shopping around is a great idea. I am in the position of having to do that too. My agency is tiny and covers 70 % of my medical (I pay $130/month) but they will not cover any toward a spouse. The spouse rate with the insurance I have is exorbitant, so I have been looking for other coverage for the fiance. Usually you can get a better monthly rate if you have a higher deductible. Some plans I have looked at do not count regular doctor visits toward the deductible so you only pay the co-pay. The gamble with having a high deductible comes if you need any lab work, x-rays, hospitalizations, etc.

Ain't this insurance ####### fun?

See, in my case, the only thing I do need health insurance for is for disasters like car accidents, and lab work, x-rays, stitches, etc. My mother is a specialized kinesiologist (read: health practitioner) so I have health advice only a phone call away. Point in fact: I seem to have been hit with a cold in the last 24 hours, and one call to her later, I'm ingesting things that taste like... well, you don't want to know what they taste like. However, they work, so within 3 days or so I'll be back to my usual self.

Ideally, I'd like to find a plan that only covers emergency medical care, with little to no deductible. I don't need prescriptions or regular doctor visits, so I'd like to avoid paying for what I don't need only to pay for what I do need.

[CutienPurg 0]

well for what it's worth, if you're involved in an accident involving a motor vehicle, the insurance carried on that vehicle will cover your medical bills.........

couple of case points here;

***I have a friend who was pushed while exiting a bus we chartered for a bar hopping excursion. She fell into a ditch and damaged her Achilles tendon , requiring surgery and an extended recovery time, resulting in work loss etc. Because the injury occurred on a motor vehicle , her auto insurance covered the expenses.

*** I know another person who injured himself while doing work on their car. At the hospital, upon finding the injury was obtained in relation to an automobile, the clerk requested auto insurance info saying it would be covered under that policy instead. She went on to say that even an accident such as a slip and fall wherein you reach out and touch a vehicle, say to break your fall, the vehicles auto insurance would be liable.

I could cite a few other incidents but I think you get the point. Now all of this could be a Michigan Auto insurance thing but I think it's worth a look-see into your own policy or potential policy.

I think it is important to have coverage for catastrophic events and emergency treatment. At one time my 1st husband and I only carried hospitalization. I recall it being very pricey for a family plan although I don't recall the details of the policy price.

[edsperfect 25]

Where did you get the $400/month figure - is this the cost for an employee and spouse at your fiance's employer or school? Most employers pay a fairly large portion of health insurance costs, although clearly costs to employees have increased enormously in the past few years.

There are many other options including individual health plans for catastrophic coverage only. Depending on where you live and the options available, these can run in the neighborhood of about $75 a month. It would wise to do some research in your (future) state as well as look at his employers options - there are usually several available.

He is a grad student, so that's where he has his insurance from. I am not covered under his student plan. We also looked into quotes and discovered that the deductible on lower-monthly fee plans is INSANE. We will be living in north-western Texas.

Maybe you ought to wiat until he gets out of school

Is there a plan that ONLY covers 'emergency' visits, as in the event of a car accident, injury requiring stitches, etc? Does that count as 'catastrophic' coverage? I have no need for regular doctor's visits or non-emergency care. The only 'regular' prescription I need is birth control pills, and they certainly would be cheaper to buy outright than to pay $400/mo for!

[Boiler 44,928]

well for what it's worth, if you're involved in an accident involving a motor vehicle, the insurance carried on that vehicle will cover your medical bills.........

couple of case points here;

***I have a friend who was pushed while exiting a bus we chartered for a bar hopping excursion. She fell into a ditch and damaged her Achilles tendon , requiring surgery and an extended recovery time, resulting in work loss etc. Because the injury occurred on a motor vehicle , her auto insurance covered the expenses.

*** I know another person who injured himself while doing work on their car. At the hospital, upon finding the injury was obtained in relation to an automobile, the clerk requested auto insurance info saying it would be covered under that policy instead. She went on to say that even an accident such as a slip and fall wherein you reach out and touch a vehicle, say to break your fall, the vehicles auto insurance would be liable.

I could cite a few other incidents but I think you get the point. Now all of this could be a Michigan Auto insurance thing but I think it's worth a look-see into your own policy or potential policy.

I think it is important to have coverage for catastrophic events and emergency treatment. At one time my 1st husband and I only carried hospitalization. I recall it being very pricey for a family plan although I don't recall the details of the policy price.

Motor Insurance can provide some cover, but the limits are very low.

Can be used to cover deductables/co-pays or to avoid a possible liability action.

Tokenistic at best.

[CutienPurg 0]

yeah I asked my auto insurance agent if they would pay for the birth of my child...........tried to convince them it occurred in the backseat of my car................she asked me to leave her office...........good thing I knew her well

[Galateia 1]

Where did you get the $400/month figure - is this the cost for an employee and spouse at your fiance's employer or school? Most employers pay a fairly large portion of health insurance costs, although clearly costs to employees have increased enormously in the past few years.

There are many other options including individual health plans for catastrophic coverage only. Depending on where you live and the options available, these can run in the neighborhood of about $75 a month. It would wise to do some research in your (future) state as well as look at his employers options - there are usually several available.

He is a grad student, so that's where he has his insurance from. I am not covered under his student plan. We also looked into quotes and discovered that the deductible on lower-monthly fee plans is INSANE. We will be living in north-western Texas.

Maybe you ought to wiat until he gets out of school

Is there a plan that ONLY covers 'emergency' visits, as in the event of a car accident, injury requiring stitches, etc? Does that count as 'catastrophic' coverage? I have no need for regular doctor's visits or non-emergency care. The only 'regular' prescription I need is birth control pills, and they certainly would be cheaper to buy outright than to pay $400/mo for!

That would mean being apart for five to six years. No thanks.

[Caladan 19]

There are plenty of married graduate students. They skimp and save, but they make it. You'll be fine.

[CanuckmeetsYank 0]

As my fiance and I found out, if you are a woman who is considered fertile, so under I think 50 years of age or something like. Regardless of planning to have children or not;Insurance would be outrageous. His work covers a lot of it but once I am on there we will have to pay $300.00 a month...he was paying $50.00..We shopped around and apparentlly this is a good deal. So I am not totally surprised by the $400.00 a month. But it still stings.

[CutienPurg 0]

just saw an ad for these guys and they advertise that they create plans based on your needs so you're not paying for services you dont need.

http://www.assuranthealth.com/corp/ah/Heal...w.htm?cid=tv280

[Laura0588 0]

Since you have been talking about student loans I thought I would ask you my question..... I just paid off my OSAP loan, but with some help ($3000 forgiven by a "student opportunity grant"), I plan to move to the states in July. Moving won't affect that $3000 that I already received, will it?? I read the fine print, there doesn't seem to be any requirement to stay in Canada.... any info you have would be good

[girl 37 7]

No. The main thing is, if you're on interest relief, where the government is temporarily paying your interest because you can't afford to, you have to be living in Canada.

[Reba 2]

insurance regulations and costs vary greatly from state to state. What's covered in Michigan is not necessarily so in Texas.

Have your fiance ask around campus what other married couples are doing to survive. I'm sure there is probably a financial counselor on campus as well who may be able to help. Medical costs are not cheap in this country. I pay over $200 a month for insurance for me and my husband, which is about half the actual "cost", my employer pays the other half. Even with insurance, a recent trip to the ER for my husband cost us an additional $300 because the insurance company decided they didn't want to pay for it

But with you as the immigrant, plan on being unable ot work for a minimum of 3 months, very likely more. Even if you get married the day after you arrive, you still have to wait on paperwork from the county where you get married before you can file your AOS and EAD applications. Some counties don't get you your marriage certificate back for several days or weeks. Ask around to find out how quick the county where you plan to marry is, and if they're slow, go the next county over if you have to. My husband and I got our certificate in less than a week, but friends of ours who got married one county over waited I think 3 or 4 weeks for theirs. Then figure another week or 2 to compile all the stuff you need for AOS, sponsorship forms, notarizations etc etc...then send it in the mail, and wait and wait and wait...you're already here a month or month and a half or more before you even get your NOA and only THEN can you start counting the 3 months til your EAD will be in your hand and you can start looking for a job.

That's *best* case scenario!

As a Canadian travelling to the US with a K1, it is highly unlikely that you will get the temp EAD at the border if you drive over, I think I recal one land crossing in BC that does, sometimes, and NONE of the Canadian pre-clearance airports give them out.

I don't want to scare you, but this is stuff you need to know and need to prepare yourself for. Plan to be bored. For quite a few months. Because its also not likely that a job will fall into your lap the day you have your EAD in hand. It does happen though. Just not very often.

[Galateia 1]

Since you have been talking about student loans I thought I would ask you my question..... I just paid off my OSAP loan, but with some help ($3000 forgiven by a "student opportunity grant"), I plan to move to the states in July. Moving won't affect that $3000 that I already received, will it?? I read the fine print, there doesn't seem to be any requirement to stay in Canada.... any info you have would be good

Just popped back on here... hadn't seen that there were updates to this thread.

As far as I know, if you student load is paid for, it's paid for. If you have no outstanding balance left on it, you should be fine.

I will certainly check out if the school has a financial advisor and see what other people are doing to manage the costs. And 3 months of boredom is exactly what I need-- I need that time to finish my thesis so I can finally get my degree!

[riblet 0]

Since this post popped up, I thought I would add.. I was looking on ehealthinsurance.com. It was helpful in comparing plans and some the plans seemed really reasonable (like 170 + 2500 deductible). I didn't actually sign up yet, so I can't promise that the quote will match the final price

[susan+mike 0]

Yes..... I am also boggled and concerned with the health care system in the US. My fiance checked with his insurance company about adding me on once I get there in March 07 and get married and they wanted and extra $500.00 per month. He already pays $250.00 just for himself. Then as mentioned there are the deductibles. I think this is absolutely a total rip off. As I am 51 years old and in good health at the moment, one never knows when that could change and these costs horrify me...once I'm able to work am I going to be working to just pay health care every month! Just my two cents worth.