Health Insurance...AARRRRRGGG!!!!!

[Raindrop]

I just got a call from a representative of my current Health Insurance carrier that said my rates would be increasing almost $200.00 monthly from what I'm now paying.

A little background: I'm self-employed, I have my own in-home Personal Training business. I'm very healthy, but am over 50 now and, to keep my insurance affordable have a $2500.00 deductible.

I also wrote awhile ago about having "trigger thumb" and that I'd gotten a cortizone shot that I was told could last up to a couple of years. Well, it lasted a couple of months and is back with a vengence! Because of my high deductible I paid about $300.00 out of pocket for what turned out to be a very temporary fix.

So...if I want to be able to ride my bike...and teach my Spinning classes....and do my job, I'm looking at surgery.

Does anyone know if this kind of thing qualifies as a pre-existing condition? I'm shopping for insurance to replace what I have and am getting very discouraged about what is available in the state of Washington for an individual.

[kelownagirl]

Come on up here!

[tulip]

I'm having problems with my insurance, too. It's frustrating.

My rates are good, however, but the customer service is horrible. Luckily I haven't had to use my insurance, so I don't know how it will actually work.

I love working on my own, but sometimes I miss the BCTPHI (Big Corporation That Provides Health Insurance).

I had gone to a chiropractor for back problems with my old insurance (old job). Because of that, the new folks put me at a very high premium level. I appealed, and they granted the appeal, so my rates are pretty low. However, I can't file any claims for my back for a year or they will bump me up. So I'm taking great care of my back and doing lots of pilates (which is good to do anyways). I do miss my chiropractor sessions, though. Luckily I don't have any serious health problems, though (knock on wood!)

Best of luck.

[surgtech1956]

Raindrop - Have you tried myinsuranceexpert.com ? I was off from work on worker's comp for 5 months and was going to have to pay COBRA benefits, I found this web site and a gal called me back after I requested a quote. There were quite a few plans(including Blue Cross) at way less than my $413 a month COBRA. I was going to go with them if I was going to be off indifinitely. I went back to work in time before I had to pay anything. I know everyone's health insurance needs are different.
Just my 2 cents.

[OakLeaf]

Just, be very, very careful. If you've read the LA Times lately (or seen the movie Sicko) you already know that the insurance companies will deny claims or cancel coverage entirely based on the most minimal pre-existing conditions.

At least you can shop. I've been diagnosed with depression, and even though it's quite stable and I'm in very good physical health, that means no medically underwritten plan (health or life insurance) will touch me with a 10-foot pole. I'm lucky to at least live in a state where the insurance companies are required to convert COBRA to an individual policy when the COBRA period expires. My coverage is really pretty good, as insurance goes these days, but it's getting more restricted every year, and it costs me $1500 a month for single coverage without maternity. That'll jump by another 45% when I turn 50 in a couple of years, based on current rates.

[emily_in_nc]

J\My coverage is really pretty good, as insurance goes these days, but it's getting more restricted every year, and it costs me $1500 a month for single coverage without maternity.

$1500 a month???? Please tell me that's a typo! OMG. That would wipe a lot of people out! What if you have a mortgage? A car payment? Sheesh... I feel VERY lucky to be covered by my employer's plan!

Emily

[tulip]

Wow, yeah, $1500 is steep. Mine's about $250, but they are a PITA to deal with.

[Fredwina]

mine's also $250, and yes, they're a PITA...

[Tuckervill]

I have depression in my past and no insurance company has ever said boo about it. I hope $1500 a month is not what you're really paying? Might as well put that away each month and "self-insure".

Karen

[OakLeaf]

That's what I'm really paying, and yeah the 45% increase in two years is accurate too. DH is paying nearly as much for his, and he has no bugaboo diagnoses. Actually my medical history has nothing to do with my premium - when a company offers individual policies, it has to charge everyone the same. The only differences in premiums are for age group, single or family coverage, and with or without maternity.

Obviously it would save me a lot of money month to month to go bare, but there's always the possibility of catastrophe. You just never know. I don't want to crash my bike someday and get taken to the hospital with head injuries, or internal injuries - or get cancer or whatever - and have them know I'm uninsured. Never mind having to actually pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for treatment.

Remember, too, that insurance companies' negotiating power means that hospitals and doctors charge uninsured patients about double what they get for insured patients, sometimes triple. Welcome to... never mind.

[Fredwina]

Just reread this.
Helps to be in career where you switch jobs a lot
COBRA is priced so that's there's a disincitive to sign up for it. It used to more competetive, but not anymore.

[roadie gal]

Funny that this came up. My insurance company just sold out to a different one and the rates are going up at least 10%. So I've sent out an application to Blue Cross. My problem is that I have a pacemaker. That's going to screw me. I'm not on any meds and I've been doing triathlons since getting it. Is that going to work in my favor? I doubt it.