Individual Health Insurance Plans...

[HammerDown]

They sure do have ya by the short hairs don't they. :squiggle:
I've been with Blue Cross Personal choice-PPO for several years now and quite draining $$$
:idea: Now looking into Aetna Advantage Plans...Open Access HMO or their PPO

[essexjet]

They sure do have ya by the short hairs don't they. :squiggle:
I've been with Blue Cross Personal choice-PPO for several years now and quite draining $$$
:idea: Now looking into Aetna Advantage Plans...Open Access HMO or their PPO
I am in the same boat as you.
If there are any insurance brokers on here pleae let us know.
Thanks

[HammerDown]

Not looking to turn this into a SPAM thread...just some feedback about maybe Aetna and their Open Access HMO vs their PPO.
I've always herd bad info in the past about HMO's just don't know if this "open access" deal is any better.

[ParkerRat]

I'm in the same boat, Id love to get some feedback from other members on this. I know there are a lot of self employed people on this site.

[al cole'holic]

They sure do have ya by the short hairs don't they. :squiggle:
I've been with Blue Cross Personal choice-PPO for several years now and quite draining $$$
:idea: Now looking into Aetna Advantage Plans...Open Access HMO or their PPO
I had the same issue as you, was with Blue Cross (business) for many years PPO etc...but the constant raises were awful. Just made the switch a few months back to Blue Shield..went with all personal policies, and pay for em that way which turned out to be alot cheaper.

[INSman]

I am a broker but I don't do any individual plans.
Check into the National Association for the Self Employed, worked for them back in the 80's and I think they are still around today offering a few plans that you might consider.

[Mrs. Bordsmnj]

I have a really good broker we use at my work and he does individual plans too. Let me know if you want his number.

[al cole'holic]

..what's crazy is there was a coverage lapse when switching, so I had to go to the Dr. for some flu/sinus thing and told the gals I would pay for the visit...I walked outta there with a bunch of samples and a bill for only 40 bucks!! Think about that, when you pay like a $20 copay for an office visit usually then get the statement from your ins that said the visit was like $200 or something that they billed....!! SCAM

[Dave C]

I don't know if this will help anyone BUT if you self-employed consider setting up a flex spending plan.
I pay both the premium and and any insurance deductibles on a pretax basis (its pretax of payroll taxes too :) ).
So I got the PPO with a higher annual deductible and saved on the premium. Then claim the insurance deductibles on the flex spending and get them tax deductible.
This only works if you have control of the plan or your employer offer this type of plan.
At any rate health insurance is expensive.

[Up 4 River]

I'm licensed and can answer the basic questions but I refer all individual and group plans to an associate of mine who specializes in health insurance. If you would like I would be more than happy to talk to any of you who have questions and can refer you after that. PM me and I can give you a call.
U4R

[Mohave Vice]

I'm kinda stuck with Blue Cross - PPO. Wife needs this and is a patient at the City of Hope. "Currently" .... I'm paying $1300.00 per month for the wife and myself. The "kids" have their own policies.

[bigq]

Assurant Health.. National PPO, pick what you want on the policy to make the cost less.

[HammerDown]

Location SE-Pa.
Going to see my doc tomorrow for a checkup, she stated that Aetna actually is the worst for prescriptions. But then she also said (all) the Ins Co are getting like that. But I haven't needed a scrip in years.
Again, right now I'm with Independence Blue Cross-PPO (Personal Choice)-Standard Plan. SE Pa
Right now I'm paying almost $400 per month for myself (few years now) and being their "standard plan" it's lowest rate that have.
Looking into Aetna HMO Open Access, HMO 15 or 20
Also Aetna's PPO 20 to 40.
True (they) offer much lower rates but the deductibles are higher and coverage is less. Being 48 and in good health (non-smoker) is it worth the gamble?
Either way they got ya and it's very confusing :rolleyes:
Thanks for the feedback :cool:

[CA Stu]

I am a broker but I don't do any individual plans.
Check into the National Association for the Self Employed, worked for them back in the 80's and I think they are still around today offering a few plans that you might consider.
I had a real bad experience with Mega Life, who N.A.S.E. sold me a policy with.
Not only were the premium raises frequent and significant, the coverage was absolute crap. I broke my leg and my wife had a daughter while they were my insurance providers, adn in both those cases, I would have been better off financially with no insurance at all!
Also, 2 years and 9 months after the fact, I'm getting billed by the hospital where my daughter was born because Mega Life stiffed them!
Screw the N.A.S.E. and everyone that looks like them.
I went back to Blue Cross. At least I know I won't be getting a bill 3 years down the line from my doctor with those guys.
Thanks
CA Stu

[INSman]

I had a real bad experience with Mega Life, who N.A.S.E. sold me a policy with.
Not only were the premium raises frequent and significant, the coverage was absolute crap. I broke my leg and my wife had a daughter while they were my insurance providers, adn in both those cases, I would have been better off financially with no insurance at all!
Also, 2 years and 9 months after the fact, I'm getting billed by the hospital where my daughter was born because Mega Life stiffed them!
Screw the N.A.S.E. and everyone that looks like them.
I went back to Blue Cross. At least I know I won't be getting a bill 3 years down the line from my doctor with those guys.
Thanks
CA Stu
Sorry to hear that, the ONLY program I sold for them was a very simple Catastrophic policy with a very large deductible, because it was simple to understand (100% coverage above deductible) and not all messed up like their other policies that even doctors could not figure out.

[Jesster]

In case anybody is still interested in insurance I have had insurance through NASE for the past 5 years. It runs about 290.00 a month (35 yr old non smoker good health) with 1000.00 deductible. The nice thing is the rider on it says if I keep the insurance for at least 5 years I become vested or somthing and at retirement I get everything I put into it back minus claims. So if you are in good health that could mean up to 90K (not adjusted) dollars. The ins company is Mega Health and Life and covers everything Dental Vision and Health. And no restrictions on doctors.

[MUDXPRT]

I have Blue Cross (family of 5, plan is under myself as the primary age 45) we were paying $847.00 month no deduct just went up to $917.00 with a $250.00 deduct. I also pay 100% for my foremans and 70% for the rest of my employees and that just went up also. I hate insurance !!!

[JB in so cal]

I'm kinda stuck with Blue Cross - PPO. Wife needs this and is a patient at the City of Hope. "Currently" .... I'm paying $1300.00 per month for the wife and myself. The "kids" have their own policies.
Right now I'm paying almost $400 per month for myself (few years now) and being their "standard plan" it's lowest rate that have.
I have Blue Cross (family of 5, plan is under myself as the primary age 45) we were paying $847.00 month no deduct just went up to $917.00 with a $250.00 deduct. I also pay 100% for my foremans and 70% for the rest of my employees and that just went up also. I hate insurance !!!
__________________
Enough said. Holy Shiot!!!

[MBlaster]

I have BC PPO Saver, family of 4, I was paying 514/mo. Just went up to 650.
OUCH.

[FREIND OF AA AND TA]

I have Blue Cross PPO and pay a grand a month for three of us. Help!!!

[HM]

I have bluecross on my wife and kids and they raise the rates every quarter like clock work. I have MidWest Life of Tenessee on myself, and they have not raised rates on me in 3 years, but, I have catostrophic coverage with super high deductible with a gap (aflac) rider. I have to pay for all my visits to the doctor and everything up to $5,000. And, I have a 3 major incident a year, meaning, I could actually have to pay that deductible 3 times in one year.
I was told that the blue shield programs were way better and much more stable on rates than blue cross.
There are only 3 companies that have never raised rates on a class and that is G.E., United America, and Allianz. I haven't met anyone who ever sold those policies yet, and I am not annoyed enough to go search them out.
BTW - there are much better things to put money into than an HSA. As far as medical savings accounts go...yah, HSA rock the house. But in the real world of where you can put money tax free, they are only luke warm compared to stuffing money in your matress - and even then, there are no strings with the money in your matress.

[INSman]

I have Blue Cross PPO and pay a grand a month for three of us. Help!!!
Isn't there a California Realtors Plan, or is that the Blue Cross you speak of ??

[Miss BK]

I'm kinda stuck with Blue Cross - PPO. Wife needs this and is a patient at the City of Hope. "Currently" .... I'm paying $1300.00 per month for the wife and myself. The "kids" have their own policies.
Same here - my son was diagnosed with a thyroid disorder 2 years after getting our BC/BS individual policy, and our rates go up 32% every year.
Since he was dx'd, now nobody else will touch us. We can't switch. All apps come back "declined". :(
We have a $500 deductible on each person, and paying $600 for a family of four. But the premium goes up about twice per year. When we hit 45, it will really spike.
We aren't self employed, but our employers don't provide employee health insurance.

[rvrtoy]

Same here - my son was diagnosed with a thyroid disorder 2 years after getting our BC/BS individual policy, and our rates go up 32% every year.
Since he was dx'd, now nobody else will touch us. We can't switch. All apps come back "declined". :(
We have a $500 deductible on each person, and paying $600 for a family of four. But the premium goes up about twice per year. When we hit 45, it will really spike.
We aren't self employed, but our employers don't provide employee health insurance.
I am in a simular situation. My daughter was diagnosed with CF at 3 weeks old. Because she was born with a genetic disease no one will cover her on an individual plan. We make to much money to qualify for a state funded program. My wife did finally find a plan for us however, the deductables are a killer.

[Lightning]

I do individual & group insurance for some of my clients. If anyone wants to talk about coverage and different options with their plans - shoot me a pm and we can talk.