Medical Insurance Question,

[William33 110]

So, my pregnant sweetheart is almost 5 months along. We just received a $600 bill, for pre-natal and Doctor delivery costs.

Since this pregnancy began in 07 and will commence in early 08, we are being hit twice for the $300 deductible, yet they will bill the entire amount to the insurance company in 08.

Is that right? How can they get away with this?

Not to mention the hospital costs, which I surmise will exceed 12K. We will eat 20% of that, up to the $2600, out of pocket.

Thinking back 23 years, my first daughter's birth cost $20 and the insurance picked up the rest.

Seems insurance companies, specifically BCBS, have ramped up profits, while screwing the insured.

Does anyone know the average hospital delivery costs?

Any thoughts on health insurance?

Edited August 17, 2007 by William33

[JoeMama 0]

Any kind of insurance here, is a scam. They push it as far as they can. I was with Kaiser Permanente for a while. Being self-employed, I had to pay 100% of the premiums each month for myself and my 3 daughters. One month, they jacked up my premium $200 more a month without notice. The insurance was only used once for my daughter who had strep throat. I don't think it dictated me having to pay another $200 a month. I dropped them and got the girls into Health Net. After my fiancee is here, I will shop for another carrier. Because we do plan on having more children. I don't know about the rest of the country, here in California, you have 100% medical coverage if you decide to be on welfare. So much for pulling your weight here and contributing into the system. Being lazy pays!

[Jasman0717 9]

Insurance costs are out of control. I see no solution in sight.

[William33 110]

Bump

[doodlebug 3]

Wow your insurance sucks!!!

I pay $15 per office visit and I didn't pay a dime for the delivery which was a c section including a 4 day stay.

I'd look for a different insurance if I were you!

[Clarky and Tarah 0]

Any thoughts on health insurance?

OMG don't get me started on health insurance. I'm a college student so when I marry my fiance I won't be able to add him to my health insurance once I enroll in it, so I've been searching for a plan of his own. It's terrible how much health insurance costs and how little it covers. $200 premiums for one adult male and a $500 deductible is CRAZY, especially when they won't even cover his asthma since it's prexisting. I think we're going to go with the immigrant health insurance for that for awhile, it won't cover his asthma either, but at least it's not $200 a month.

On the other hand, my dad has amazing health insurance, which I'm still covered by until I get married since I'm still in school. He receives his from the coal company he retired from and it covers 100% emergency care, maternity care, doctors visits, etc, all he has to pay is a $12 co-pay. Prescriptions, no matter what they are are only $5. His is BCBS, too.

I don't know about the rest of the country, here in California, you have 100% medical coverage if you decide to be on welfare. So much for pulling your weight here and contributing into the system. Being lazy pays!

I think it's pretty much the same in WV, at least for pregnancies. Women can get a health card that pays for all of their medical needs while they're pregnant, and they can get tons of help for their kid until the child is like 5. It's great that it's there to help people that need it, but I know alot of people who are abusing the system and continue to have kid after kid even though they still have no job and absolutely no way to support their constantly growing family. I also think it's extremely unfair to people who work but still find it hard to afford the outrageous prices for health insurance. If medical care is going to be free for the people who don't work, it should at least be affordable for the people that do.

[William33 110]

Wow your insurance sucks!!!

I pay $15 per office visit and I didn't pay a dime for the delivery which was a c section including a 4 day stay.

I'd look for a different insurance if I were you!

I would love to do that, but my employer offers only 2 health insurance policy options. Blue Cross and one other that offers high option, at a much higher cost.

In consideration of what they are paying me, I should STFU. However, I am one to complain about unfair treatment, as compared to others, with respect to insurance

.

[doodlebug 3]

Wow I have never worked for a place that offered such horrible options.

I have Blue Cross too but they have sooooo many different options re: health insurance. I would definitely see what you can do about changing your work insurance. I don't mean changing to the other option but see who the heck negotiates the contracts in your company and why they are doing such a bad job of it, you know?

Right now I work for a large healthcare organization though so I don't even pay a premium each month, it's 100% paid for and all I pay is the $15 copay for visits and for meds. But even when I worked for a University my premium was only about $100/month and the copays were the same.

Do you have a pretax savings account option wherein you can use the money for your medical expenses? At least that would save you whatever the percentage is that you're paying in taxes whether it be 30% or less.

[William33 110]

Wow I have never worked for a place that offered such horrible options.

I have Blue Cross too but they have sooooo many different options re: health insurance. I would definitely see what you can do about changing your work insurance. I don't mean changing to the other option but see who the heck negotiates the contracts in your company and why they are doing such a bad job of it, you know?

Right now I work for a large healthcare organization though so I don't even pay a premium each month, it's 100% paid for and all I pay is the $15 copay for visits and for meds. But even when I worked for a University my premium was only about $100/month and the copays were the same.

Do you have a pretax savings account option wherein you can use the money for your medical expenses? At least that would save you whatever the percentage is that you're paying in taxes whether it be 30% or less.

The premiums are pre-tax. Pre-tax medical savings accounts are available. We saved zero on that.

Yet, my salary is over 100K, perhaps that is a factor.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

I would think you would know what your policy covers prior to any costs you may incur.

[Fandango 1,439]

Wow your insurance sucks!!!

I pay $15 per office visit and I didn't pay a dime for the delivery which was a c section including a 4 day stay.

I'd look for a different insurance if I were you!

I would love to do that, but my employer offers only 2 health insurance policy options. Blue Cross and one other that offers high option, at a much higher cost.

In consideration of what they are paying me, I should STFU. However, I am one to complain about unfair treatment, as compared to others, with respect to insurance

.

I had BCBS when I had my surgery...gotta say, I had no complaints whatsoever.

Granted, the surgeon is a friend of the fam and waived his copay...as did the hospital and other drs... lol....but I'd have been stuck like chuck payin 10% of 1million!

Edited August 17, 2007 by LisaD

[Nancy2015 2]

Any kind of insurance here, is a scam. They push it as far as they can. I was with Kaiser Permanente for a while. Being self-employed, I had to pay 100% of the premiums each month for myself and my 3 daughters. One month, they jacked up my premium $200 more a month without notice. The insurance was only used once for my daughter who had strep throat. I don't think it dictated me having to pay another $200 a month. I dropped them and got the girls into Health Net. After my fiancee is here, I will shop for another carrier. Because we do plan on having more children. I don't know about the rest of the country, here in California, you have 100% medical coverage if you decide to be on welfare. So much for pulling your weight here and contributing into the system. Being lazy pays!

You paid so much only because you were self-employed. I'm with Kaiser too, and my employer is paying 96% of the premium, I'm only responsible for $15 co-pays. I like it.

I certainly would never subscribe to any plan that has a deductible, and if I had to choose between a PPO and an HMO, I'd go with HMO. PPO plans are just a rip-off, especially if your employer doesn't pay all your premiums.

[Pinocchio Liberal 268]

Wow your insurance sucks!!!

I pay $15 per office visit and I didn't pay a dime for the delivery which was a c section including a 4 day stay.

I'd look for a different insurance if I were you!

I would love to do that, but my employer offers only 2 health insurance policy options. Blue Cross and one other that offers high option, at a much higher cost.

In consideration of what they are paying me, I should STFU. However, I am one to complain about unfair treatment, as compared to others, with respect to insurance

.

I had BCBS when I had my surgery...gotta say, I had no complaints whatsoever.

Granted, the surgeon is a friend of the fam and waived his copay...as did the hospital and other drs... lol....but I'd have been stuck like chuck payin 10% of 1million!

Max outta pocket for us is 2500.00

We have BCBS too.

Edited August 17, 2007 by CarolsMarc

[Fandango 1,439]

For my self-employed friends, I've now been on Golden Rule. I have $1,000 deductible, but then it covers 100% after that. With my 10% near miss as described above, I felt that was the best policy for me.

I pay about $280 a month for it. That's for just me, no fam, no pregnancy coverage. But it's what suits me for now....

[William33 110]

I would think you would know what your policy covers prior to any costs you may incur.

Do you speculate on every instance of insurance usage? Well, good on you then.