Hi Mamas-I've been working as a contractor for a company and really like it. I've been without health insurance for me and my family since June because of the cost for private insurance and our budget. I was about ready to roll onto this firm's insurance but when I looked up the costs out of my paycheck, it is as much or slightly more than Corbra or private insurance is. Plus, the firm is based in the East coast and none of my doctors would take the plan in Utah. We don't qualify to get our kids on the state's healthcare because we make too much money. I don't want to go much longer without health insurance but need some suggestions as to what to do in this dilemna or what some of you have done. Thanks for all your help!
Look for high deductible coverage. You will have to pay routine care out of pocket but if something huge happens you are covered. These plans tend to be very affordable.
We've been totally uninsured for years because of this. For a huge deductible, with which we would still be paying all appts etc, it is close to $700/month for us (and that's cheap compared to where we used to live which would have been well over $1000/month). I am currently home with the kids, and while our budget is razor thin and we waste nothing, my husband's work is freelance, not regular uninterrupted paychecks, so while some months we could swing it, some months we can't. Therefore, we just pay out of pocket and pay down debt as it accrues at about $400/month or so. We finally paid off our three out of pocket child births after 5 years, so we can take a momentary break from payments, but you know. Any minute someone could get sick or hurt. We also don't qualify for any aid, since we do work and earn money. It's that rock and hard place millions of Americans are in. You either have to quit earning and get aid, or get rich and afford insurance. Or if you're lucky, get a job that offers it or a spouse with one. Sorry I can't help, but, you're not alone!
if you have a Kaiser HMO near you - try that. They USED to be very affordable.
GOOD LUCK!!!
Sometimes you can buy insurance as part of a professional organization or even on your own. But it is expensive. Can you still opt in on Cobra and then shop around? We have been struggling with this for years since my husband works freelance. The kids qualify for state insurance (we pay a small amount) but we are uninsured too. I am going to look into what we can get for catastrophic coverage but otherwise we pay out of pocket. We checked around and our regular doctor has more reasonable costs of and office visit that some but isn't a good situation.
We have Golden Rule and pay 366.00 a month for a family of 4. It is a copay plan w/ the copay of 30.00.
All I can say is shop around--a lot! You will hopefully have looked at your care needs for the year and can kind of estimate what you will "need" and plan a bit for the unexpected, of course.
This is just another example of why health insurance should not be tied to employment.
Good luck!
We have bcbs and pay $540 a month for a family of 4. We have a high deductable to keep the monthly pymt down. The only thing that helps us to do it this way is that we are self employed and can write it all off on taxes. Not sure what to say......... having a good job with ins is a plus.
This is why I wish some folks would stop fitting the reform bill and that it would take full effect more quickly. It is a great bill, but people need help now, not just in 2014.
My husband is self employed. We use Blue Cross Blue Shield also, with a high deductible plan (& lower monthly premium). We pay out of pocket for vision and dental. Shop around and see what would work for you.
We also keep track of all our insurance premiums & medical bills and are hoping to deduct them on our taxes this year. (if total is higher than 7.5% of adjusted gross income).
Self employed here too. We also have a VERY high deductible plan that's around $700 per month. It pays NOTHING until we've spent over $3500 per person, that has never happened and hopefully never will. So we are paying $700 per month to protect our assets in the event of tragedy.
Why in the world would anyone think we don't need universal healthcare in this country? Good luck!
We are self-employed and individual insurance comes with a very high cost. It is even higher since the new bill that requires health insurance companies to cover preventative care at 100%. We just had to go to a high deductible plan. If you can, I would enroll in your COBRA, you will have better insurance at a lower cost. I think it might be too late though.
If you want to use a broker, I would call Lori Nixon. She works at The Buckner Company. They have an Ogden and Salt Lake office but I did everything over the phone and e-mail. Her number is ###-###-####. She is very knowledgable and helpful. She doesn't charge you anything. She can quote for multiple insurance companies. She can let you know what plan options you have also. She worked with us for over a month until we decided what plan to enroll in. She worked for Blue Cross Blue Shields for 18 years before becoming a broker for individual coverage.
If you qualify you can also put your children on the CHIP program. They have to be uninsured for at least 90 days before you can apply.
Good luck!
Also - check your state website. Here in CO we have a great site - thru the Dept. of Labor - that lists information regarding health insurance for individuals.
You'll be able to see what programs your kids qualify for if any as well as check out other providers
It is too late for you to enroll in COBRA (if it was available before). Normally you have within 60 days of the date of event of losing your coverage to select COBRA. Since it seems like that was back in June, you are no longer eligible for it.
Kaiser Permanente is also not an option for you since they are not in Utah (per a previous post). You may want to shop around. Most carriers have information about their plans online. You can see what they have to offer and the possible out of pocket costs to you. There are national carriers (health carriers that have nationwide coverage) such as Blue Cross. There are also local carriers. This is where the internet and word of mouth will be your allies. With some internet site, you can also enroll in health care online. Once you complete your application and possible heath questionaires for your family, they will let you know if you have been approved. Then you will confirm with them if you would like to continue and enroll in their plan.
If you are really having problems, you could find broker that deals with individual family plans. There could be a fee to use them, but sometimes it's the health carrier that will provide them with the commission since they are bringing in new members to their companies. They can guide you and help you find a plan that works for you (at least that's what they are supposed to do). There are so many types of health care plans out there now that hopefully you will find one that is there for your family's health but also doesn't bankrupt you. Good luck!
