Anyone self-employed have affordable health insurance?

I have great health insurance and I'm just a student...




...in Canada.

 

Hell, most small businesses don't even carry it anymore. Pretty soon it will be none. Businesses are starting to realize they don't have to, so why should they? It is 360-400 for a married couple for complete crap insurance.

 

It doesn't exist, emoreland.

Are you single? married?

United Healthcare used to offer individual policies that were very affordable, but didn't have great coverage.

We pay a ridiculous amount of money for insurance here.

 

if you can't afford health insurance, go with a discount company. you'd pay about $100/month for a family and you get alot of medical discounts, sometimes as high as 90% off retail. it's not insurance but it's better than paying full price when you go see a doctor. the last time i had one, my doctor's visits were $40 instead of $90 and i got some pain medication for $8 when it was supposed to be $33.

oh yea, my teeth cleanings were at about 75% discount.

 

I'm a bit biased as I work for an insurance company, but you should look into Blue Cross Blue Shield individual insurance. Depending on deductible and plan type, you can get rates that range from very expensive for the limo type insurance down to very cheap for disaster insurance.

I believe if you go to their website www.bcbstx.com you can do research on their products online and may even be able to buy them.

Aetna also has a good product that is relatively inexpensive, but they don't have the options to choose from that BC has.

If you'd like someone to help you you can either PM me and I will put you in touch with someone, or at the blue cross website they have an agent search where you can find someone in Houston to help you if you're more comfortable with that.

It is out there though.

 

Would you mind sharing the name of the company you went with.

emoreland, can you give us a little more detail about yourself? Are you buying it for yourself or the entire family. Hold old are you? What kind of deductible are you comfortable with?

 

http://www.premierhealthlink.com/

it was 4 years ago so alot of services i'm sure have changed. the only complaint i have is that not too many offices are aware of this service. when you walk in with their card, the receptionist is likely to inform you that it's not insurance. then, you kind of have to explain to them how it works. the office is supposed to bill the company, and the company in turn bills you with the discounted prices. the only part you usually pay at the dr's office is co-pay. and that sometimes goes with the pharmacies too...the telling them how it works part, but you pay for the meds right then and there

since it's been 4 years, i'm sure it's gotten more exposure but just in case, it's a heads up.


also, b/c it is NOT insurance, there's no existing conditions that can keep you from using it.

they have great FAQ for you read on the site.

 

im self employed and have to pay for my own. i went for about 6 years w/ zero insurance and finally ponied up last year. i dont go to the doctor, but i really wanted some coverage if i ever get layed up in the hospital/injured. i took a really high deductible ($2,500) and my payments are about $120/mo.

EDIT: i use unicare.

 

I'm just about to aetna. I looked into unicare as well as a couple others and found aetna to be the best solution for my family. I have a family of four and will only be paying $280/month. 10 copay on scrips. 20 copay with doctor. $5k deductible which is high, but I'm a risk taker.

 

We use Blue Cross Blue shield and pay over $600 a month for my family and I.

Insurance is the biggest rip off and scam industry in the entire country...bar none.

DD

 

i'm not making judgements on your father by any means, but shouldn't 70,000/year be more than enough to afford health insurance. i know i'm missing alot of other variables and don't mean to come off as an a-hole about it.

 

Thanks for the reply Macalu, emoreland.

emoreland, I know it is frustrating to see your dad do something he does not enjoy. Everday I wake up thinking how much I want to make more money so my dad could retire from a job he hates.

BTW, your story reminds me of an NPR story I heard a while back:

It is a pretty incredible story. He makes more money than most people I know and then just gambles it away everyday.

 

In my experience, Blue Cross and Unicare are about your only choices. You are going to have to go with a big deductable to get the rate down. I think I pay $167 a month for my $2500 deductable and 25%.

Insurance a bad deal? I've had about $120,000 in claims for 3 surgeries over the past two years. Just podunk little outpatient surgeries. If you have Blue Cross the doctors work at the Blue Cross rate so even your the first $2500 of services come at a lower rate as do your patient portions. If you walk in without any insurance you will pay the highest rate for any services you need.

Health insurance is like income tax, an unavoidable expense you just have to account for first.

 

Three words for you.

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Go to assurant health. A non-smoking 28 yr. old can get good coverage for around $75/month. $110 if you want a $25 copay.

If that's too expensive, don't bother with it.

http://www.assuranthealth.com/corp/ah/HealthPlans/GetAHealthInsuranceQuoteNow.htm

 

I have Unicare for myself. If you are in good health, you can get catastrauphic for around $100 per month. I'm probably going to increase my coverage slightly to lower my deductible, but, even then, it won't go up more than 20 percent.

We looked into group care at one point, but it is really expensive because the plans are comprehensive and group coverage has to take everyone regardless of risk.

 

unfortunately, this is how you have to look at it. i believe my insurance is around $1000 per month. glad i don't have to pay it, that's ridiculous no? i am 100% for socialized medicine, it's the least this country could do for its citizens.