What Type of Health Insurance do you have/Recommend??

[newtrucker]

Health Insurance seems to be the biggest, yet most important business expense that a lot of O/O's and subcontractors seem to neglect. While many of us(myself included) have our philosophical views on the matter, the bottom line remains- Health Insurance is a necessary expense that must be factored in to the equation. That being said, my question is two pronged:

a). What entity do you buy your insurance from?

b). What type of coverage do you have(i.e. family plan or individual plan).

Please, if you get your insurance through your spouses work or you don't have insurance, please don't reply to this thread

PS.
If you're getting it from your spouse and she works for the government, shame on you for benefiting on the backs of your colleagues.

Governemnt Health Insurance should only exist for those in uniform or those injured in action. Period!!!

 

[denny2010]

depends on where you live. i live in michigan and wife and i have blue cross blue shield, family plan. we pay for vision and dental plans also.

 

[purgoose10]

Read the post by Moose. Story of David and Jen. It says it all about insurance. Read it carefully. Then call CIS.

 

[newtrucker]

That post pertains to Accidental/occupational hazard insurance, not health insurance. Perhaps you should re-read Moose's post.

 

[Dakota]

a while ago I had Fortis Health Insurance and the rate were pretty reasonable

 

[DannyD]

I have mine thru Health Plus of Michigan. It's a single plan. It costs $103/month. It only covers major medical though. Like if I have to stay in a hospital or something. If I need to go do the doctors for whatever reason, I have to pay for that out of pocket.

 

[skyraider]

I go to the VA, there was this little skirmish one summer from 1969 in Vietnam, I wore the USA uniform, don't recommend getting health insurance that way, but that was just me. If u read the news, there are a lot of Amercians dying right now in something similar in the M.E. Its over oil, imagine that. I know,,I digress,,but I dont give a cheezeeeee.

 

[layoutshooter]

I go to the VA but maintain two HSA policies, one for my wife and one for me. The VA copay for a hospital room is $1100 PER DAY, so I keep insurance on myself. We like the HSA but we have been told that if Obama care stands they will no longer be allowed.

 

[LDB]

If you are admitted to a VA hospital it costs $1100 a day????

 

[layoutshooter]

If you are admitted to a VA hospital it costs $1100 a day????

Yep, unless you are not required to pay copays. There are different levels of copay based on several things. Income is the main thing for non-service connected issues.

If you carry a 30% service connected disability rating you no longer have to pay copays.

If you are retired you don't.

Most everyone else pays at some level. That $1100 per day is the copay that I would have to pay. I do have a service connected disability but only 20%. I can be "relieved" of the copay if we don't earn enough in a given year. I cannot depend on the income based exemptions so I carry insurance.

 

[RoadTime]

I have mine thru Health Plus of Michigan. It's a single plan. It costs $103/month. It only covers major medical though. Like if I have to stay in a hospital or something. If I need to go do the doctors for whatever reason, I have to pay for that out of pocket.

I checked them out, pretty affordable plans. Thanks for sharing.

 

[newtrucker]

I go to the VA but maintain two HSA policies, one for my wife and one for me. The VA copay for a hospital room is $1100 PER DAY, so I keep insurance on myself. We like the HSA but we have been told that if Obama care stands they will no longer be allowed.

The VA inpatient Copay is actually $1100 for the first 90 days which comes out to $12.22/day.

 

[layoutshooter]

The VA inpatient Copay is actually $1100 for the first 90 days which comes out to $12.22/day.

At what copay level? Unless the man at the VA told me wrong (very possible to be sure) I was told $1100 per day when I asked that exact question. I will have to check further. Thanks for the info.

 

[newtrucker]

I stand corrected. The VA inpatient copay rate is $1132 for the first 90 days(per 2011 rates), not $1100. This is for the first 90 days per year of use.

Each additional 90 days is $566.

Here is the link to the 2011 copay rates:

http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/pubs/CopayRates/CopayRates.pdf

 

[newtrucker]

At what copay level? Unless the man at the VA told me wrong (very possible to be sure) I was told $1100 per day when I asked that exact question. I will have to check further. Thanks for the info.

Yeah, that's definitely a per 90 day rate. It sounds like the guy you spoke to simply misspoke when he said "per day" when what he probably meant/knew was per 90 days.

 

[layoutshooter]

Thank you SO much for the tip. I found the handbook online.

It is 1132 for the first 90 days and 566 after. That is for group 7-8.

I am a group 3. I no longer have copay for anything EXCEPT meds. Those copays are capped at 960 per year.

Link below.

Military Handbooks: 2011 Veterans Healthcare Benefits Handbook

 

[robh2]

PS.
If you're getting it from your spouse and she works for the government, shame on you for benefiting on the backs of your colleagues.

Governemnt Health Insurance should only exist for those in uniform or those injured in action. Period!!!

I dont have anything to add to your post, I am just completely shocked at the statement above. I gotta say, this is the first time I have ever seen this type of comment. My wife is military and I am on her health insurance. That is one of the benefits of her extremely underpaid job. Most could not have families with the pay they get and would not have signed up in the first place without the health insurance benefits. That is the main reason my wife is in it until retirement, its sure as hell is not the money.

I dont know if you have ever been in the military but the pay is not great. We move around a lot and as a spouse finding stable jobs are tough with each move and harder as we get older and sicker. I personally have multiple health issues and to get coverage every time we moved would be difficult and expensive.

I support the military and their families. Military life is hard for those in uniform and the ones that support them at night when they get home, if they come home.

Totally shocked.

Robert

 

[newtrucker]

I dont have anything to add to your post, I am just completely shocked at the statement above. I gotta say, this is the first time I have ever seen this type of comment. My wife is military and I am on her health insurance. That is one of the benefits of her extremely underpaid job. Most could not have families with the pay they get and would not have signed up in the first place without the health insurance benefits. That is the main reason my wife is in it until retirement, its sure as hell is not the money.

I dont know if you have ever been in the military but the pay is not great. We move around a lot and as a spouse finding stable jobs are tough with each move and harder as we get older and sicker. I personally have multiple health issues and to get coverage every time we moved would be difficult and expensive.

I support the military and their families. Military life is hard for those in uniform and the ones that support them at night when they get home, if they come home.

Totally shocked.

Robert

Reread the last sentence in my post and ask yourself why you're offended, given that you indicated your wife wears the uniform.

BTW..If benefits are the reason she served, it's a disingenuous reason. Benefits and pay are secondary to the pride, honor and sense of duty.

 

[robh2]

I did read it, multiple times. It says "Governemnt Health Insurance should only exist for those in uniform or those injured in action. Period!!!" I am her spouse and I am not in uniform and I have never been injured in action. I support the military. I donate most all of my free time to helping Wounded Warriors recover while they are still in the hospital and their family next to me crying, so yes I am offended. Not only for me but for the other military families out there.

I never said it was the reason, its the main reason, one of three reasons actually. But my health is what played a big roll to stay in for the 20. Honor and sense of duty is why she signed up in the first place and stayed for the 15 she has in. She makes about a third of what she would get in civilian world and wants to help her country. You can not live and pay bills on honor and duty alone. You also need pay and benefits. And like it or not, this is one of them.

What makes it worse is now you are making gigs at her without knowing anything about her with this comment "BTW..If benefits are the reason she served, it's a disingenuous reason. Benefits and pay are secondary to the pride, honor and sense of duty." It actually doesnt matter why she signed up. All that matters is she did it for her reasons and family healthcare is a benefit that she and her family get.

Tell me, what am I supposed to ask myself about what you said? I am not ashamed at all as you say I should be. You should be ashamed for not supporting the families of the men and women of the military. We are the ones that help put them back together after they have seen terrible things and been injured in ways many would rather die over. We are there in sickness and in health.

If I misread something,I apologize for the rant, but my wife read it the same way.

I love our military and their families and I will fight for them as they have fought for me!

Robert

 

[newtrucker]

I did read it, multiple times. It says "Governemnt Health Insurance should only exist for those in uniform or those injured in action. Period!!!" I am her spouse and I am not in uniform and I have never been injured in action. I support the military. I donate most all of my free time to helping Wounded Warriors recover while they are still in the hospital and their family next to me crying, so yes I am offended. Not only for me but for the other military families out there.

I never said it was the reason, its the main reason, one of three reasons actually. But my health is what played a big roll to stay in for the 20. Honor and sense of duty is why she signed up in the first place and stayed for the 15 she has in. She makes about a third of what she would get in civilian world and wants to help her country. You can not live and pay bills on honor and duty alone. You also need pay and benefits. And like it or not, this is one of them.

What makes it worse is now you are making gigs at her without knowing anything about her with this comment "BTW..If benefits are the reason she served, it's a disingenuous reason. Benefits and pay are secondary to the pride, honor and sense of duty." It actually doesnt matter why she signed up. All that matters is she did it for her reasons and family healthcare is a benefit that she and her family get.

Tell me, what am I supposed to ask myself about what you said? I am not ashamed at all as you say I should be. You should be ashamed for not supporting the families of the men and women of the military. We are the ones that help put them back together after they have seen terrible things and been injured in ways many would rather die over. We are there in sickness and in health.

If I misread something,I apologize for the rant, but my wife read it the same way.

I love our military and their families and I will fight for them as they have fought for me!

Robert

Obviously you and your wife don't know how to read and comprehend. The last sentence of my post simply stated that governemnt health insurance shouldn't exist for anyone other than those in uniform or who have been injured in service. Again, I don't understand why you got your panties in a bunch. You want something to be offended about, OK here's one:

Women have no business serving in the military in the first place. The don't have to register for selective service, so why should they be allowed to voluntarily enlist? Here's something for you and your wife to cry in your wine about.