Health Insurance

[Shu]

I have Kaiser and have no problems...$200 co-pay for my wrist surgey and it was broken prior to me having Kaiser....When I had Blu-whatever my knee surgey the deductible was $1500 and was way less of an injury...

[kamaekia]

Originally Posted by JoeTruth

Great information, thank you! I guess I need to debate between sticking with blue shield but having less coverage or switching to Kaiser, which I've never used or had so it will be different. I'm a sole proprietorship, not incorporated. Any benefit of exercising COBRA through her employer and keeping Blue Shield vs. getting it on my own?

BTW, it's $500.00 plus just for me. My kids are covered under my ex's policy and will continue to be covered under her policy.

Thanks again!

Depending on your age, it is probably best to go through the individual policy route. I am presuming you are healthy enough to pass underwriting. As I offered some assistance to Ken (northshore), I would be more than happy to offer any further assistance to you if you PM me to discuss your specific situation.

[schleppp]

Originally Posted by el_d00der1n0

we were double covered, but my wife's ins. cost a monthly fee. we decided not to include the baby on there, but at the hospital, the wife was double covered. they have some thing that at the hospital, the baby's supposed to be covered under the mother's ins. since we didn't put her on the other ins. after she was born, the baby wasn't covered at the hospital. what a freaking mess. then, my ins. complained they were being charged 2x and refused to pay the hospital. then the hospital keeps billing us. i had to re-claim with my ins. to get them to deal with the hospital. i'm in hell!!! oh!!! ohhh!!!!

i *think* it's ok now.

Yeah that sounds like a mess. As if having a baby wasn't enough to take care of. You don't need an insurance mess to add to it. I hope it is all taken of for your sake.

[thebush]

I worked for PacifiCare / United Healthcare for 6 years and there is a lot of crap that went on. Pharmacy contracting that screwed the little guy, unnecessary benefit denials, etc. I have quite a few stories.

I hear a lot of people talk negatively about the employees of some of these healthcare companies but trust me when I say there are PLENTY of people who work there who genuinely care about getting you the best care possible.

A good percentage of the denials / etc were due to idiots at doctors offices who were just going through the motions to get medications / procedures approved for patients and didn't really try. People would be surprised at really how easy it is to get prior authorizations for medication / procedures but the doctors offices just didn't put in the 3 - 5 minute phone call to get it done.

[Lor]

Still getting billed on random things like broken leg in 05, vasectomy in 04, wife's broken wrist 07, I think they are just fishing for money and some people pay w/o question. Not me though. They tell me to get a copy of the check and I Say go to your cashier for that, it's your record keeping not mine. My records show I paid. I feel your pain.

[Kaboom]

Originally Posted by northshore

Does anyone other than me consistently run into problems with health insurance? Honestly, I've had nothing but issues with doctors and especially billing disputes even if they are IN the damn network. I'll spare the details because you will be reading for hours. Don't even get me started on folks that waltz right into the E.R. and get treatment for FREE on my tax dollars. This country is going to hell. I'm off my soap box now.

I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!! I have had so many issues with health insurance because I have a "Pre-existing Condition". BS. I have Kaiser, and it's a total headache-as well as expensive.

[tbowren]

My company uses Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas and they cover 90% of all hospital bills. I thought that was pretty sweet. Then I smashed my shoulder and got the bills. $56,000 for the surgery! Then there was hospital, ER, Ambulance, MRI, etc bills.
Even with what I considered "GOOD" health care coverage, paying %10 of the total would have bought me a couple of REALLY nice bikes.

But hey, at least I can move my arm again! And I can always make more money.

[Danimal]

Way back in the day, ( '83) I had a $250,000 medical bill.
My co-pay was a whopping $750.
I made a trip to the hospital and asked for a copy of the bill.
They printed it ( on one long piece of paper). It was over 30' long!
every item, was on there.
each pill, each drink, everything!

people don't realize the true cost of medical care. My current co-pay is $80.
The company pays another $300.
And I still have a half dozen employees that decline it. They say that if they go to the ER, it's free, so why spend the $$. Piss' me off big time....

The US system is currently f'd up...