Health insurance
#1
06-22-2009, 08:38 PM
Health insurance
I haven't lived in the US since about 1987. I now live in Canada.
When I was living in the US in 1981, the premium for a decent private plan (100% coverage for any medical condition and a semi-private hospital room) was about $300 per month. This was coverage for one person.
With all of the talk of late about health care reform in the US, I cannot help but wonder what decent private health insurance coverage (similar to the one I mentioned) costs nowadays for
1. a single person say 35 years old with no outstanding health conditions
and
2. a family of four, none of whom have outstanding health issues?
Thanks for the information.
(BTW, if anyone has a question about the Canadian health care system, I'd be happy to try to answer it. I lived in the US from 1953 to 1987, and, as I said, I've lived in Canada since that time, so I have at least some experience with both.)
When I was living in the US in 1981, the premium for a decent private plan (100% coverage for any medical condition and a semi-private hospital room) was about $300 per month. This was coverage for one person.
With all of the talk of late about health care reform in the US, I cannot help but wonder what decent private health insurance coverage (similar to the one I mentioned) costs nowadays for
1. a single person say 35 years old with no outstanding health conditions
and
2. a family of four, none of whom have outstanding health issues?
Thanks for the information.
(BTW, if anyone has a question about the Canadian health care system, I'd be happy to try to answer it. I lived in the US from 1953 to 1987, and, as I said, I've lived in Canada since that time, so I have at least some experience with both.)
#2
06-23-2009, 07:39 AM
I work for a fairly large company ( merged benefits w/ADP ) and my health insurance through my employer runs me close to $1200.00 a month with higher deductables. Came to about a 44% increase over last year. Goes to prove that bigger isn't always better.
Looks like the Accord with be sold to make up the difference
Looks like the Accord with be sold to make up the difference
#3
06-23-2009, 09:33 AM
My health insurance costs me $42.68 per pay period (every 2 weeks) for myself and my child(ren). When my wife was on my insurance, the premium was $92.12 every pay period for the entire family. That is what I pay though. My employer pays a HUGE chunk of it. I have a $1000 deductible and a $3,000 yearly out-of-pocket maximum (does not apply to prescriptions.) Copays kick in before the deductible does. Doctor wisits cost $20.00. If I have to get xrays it costs like $14 extra (I get billed later.) Deductible only applies to something like hospitalization or surgery. Or if you go to a provider that is out of network, but I can't find any out of network providers even if I try.
My wife now works for the State of Mississippi Health Department (she's a dietician and works for the WIC program). Hers shouldn't really count since the State Employee plan is self funded, but administered by a health insurance company. She pays $18 per month for herself with a $500 deductible, then she has to pay 20% of the "allowable charges" after that. If she had to put me and our daughter on hers though, it would cost her over $1200 per month.
My wife now works for the State of Mississippi Health Department (she's a dietician and works for the WIC program). Hers shouldn't really count since the State Employee plan is self funded, but administered by a health insurance company. She pays $18 per month for herself with a $500 deductible, then she has to pay 20% of the "allowable charges" after that. If she had to put me and our daughter on hers though, it would cost her over $1200 per month.
Last edited by 00AccordLX5spd; 06-23-2009 at 09:35 AM.
#4
06-23-2009, 01:06 PM
Thanks for the detailed information, guys.
If I understand what you say correctly, these are plans that one gets THROUGH one's employer. $95 per month is not bad, but, to me, $1200 per month would be a very substantial pay deduction. OTOH, I don't know what wages are like in the US nowadays, so maybe I'd say differently if I knew that.
When I worked for an employer in the early to mid eighties, I paid nothing for a plan that covered essentially everything. That plan was the result of a contract negotiation between employer and employee.
But even in the '60's, when I worked in a garment factory, I had health coverage as part of the pay package. Luckily, I was pretty healthy, so I did not get to test how good that insurance was, but I was told by the less-lucky that it was good.
What I'm particularly interested in is the situation in which a working or an unemployed person in the US has to buy completely private health insurance. Maybe that does not even exist nowadays, but what in the world do the self-employed do for health insurance?
If I understand what you say correctly, these are plans that one gets THROUGH one's employer. $95 per month is not bad, but, to me, $1200 per month would be a very substantial pay deduction. OTOH, I don't know what wages are like in the US nowadays, so maybe I'd say differently if I knew that.
When I worked for an employer in the early to mid eighties, I paid nothing for a plan that covered essentially everything. That plan was the result of a contract negotiation between employer and employee.
But even in the '60's, when I worked in a garment factory, I had health coverage as part of the pay package. Luckily, I was pretty healthy, so I did not get to test how good that insurance was, but I was told by the less-lucky that it was good.
What I'm particularly interested in is the situation in which a working or an unemployed person in the US has to buy completely private health insurance. Maybe that does not even exist nowadays, but what in the world do the self-employed do for health insurance?
#6
06-23-2009, 02:26 PM
There are still private plans, but the premiums are normally astronomical.
Sadly, many people who do not get it through their employer simply do not have any health insurance. They will just go to the Emergency Room if something is wrong with them. ER's cannot legally turn you away because you do not have health insurance (private doctors offices will turn you away if you do not.)
Sometimes the person who has no health insurance will either qualify for medicaid or medicare, so the hospital gets their money that way.
If the person does not qualify for medicare or medicaid, the hospitals bill the individual who sought care with them. Highly likely they will never receive any $. They will turn it over to a collection agency (with all Middle Eastern employees who do not speak English very well) who will make harassing and threatening phone calls in an attempt to get the $ back. Collection agency will likely be unsuccessful (you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.)
Then the hospital will just write it off as a bad debt and it will go on the patient's credit report.
Then hospital rates increase because of all the written off debts...then health insurance rates increase..... more people go without insurance....it's a vicious cycle
Sadly, many people who do not get it through their employer simply do not have any health insurance. They will just go to the Emergency Room if something is wrong with them. ER's cannot legally turn you away because you do not have health insurance (private doctors offices will turn you away if you do not.)
Sometimes the person who has no health insurance will either qualify for medicaid or medicare, so the hospital gets their money that way.
If the person does not qualify for medicare or medicaid, the hospitals bill the individual who sought care with them. Highly likely they will never receive any $. They will turn it over to a collection agency (with all Middle Eastern employees who do not speak English very well) who will make harassing and threatening phone calls in an attempt to get the $ back. Collection agency will likely be unsuccessful (you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.)
Then the hospital will just write it off as a bad debt and it will go on the patient's credit report.
Then hospital rates increase because of all the written off debts...then health insurance rates increase..... more people go without insurance....it's a vicious cycle
#7
06-23-2009, 02:48 PM
There are still private plans, but the premiums are normally astronomical.
Sadly, many people who do not get it through their employer simply do not have any health insurance. They will just go to the Emergency Room if something is wrong with them. ER's cannot legally turn you away because you do not have health insurance (private doctors offices will turn you away if you do not.)
Sometimes the person who has no health insurance will either qualify for medicaid or medicare, so the hospital gets their money that way.
If the person does not qualify for medicare or medicaid, the hospitals bill the individual who sought care with them. Highly likely they will never receive any $. They will turn it over to a collection agency (with all Middle Eastern employees who do not speak English very well) who will make harassing and threatening phone calls in an attempt to get the $ back. Collection agency will likely be unsuccessful (you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.)
Then the hospital will just write it off as a bad debt and it will go on the patient's credit report.
Then hospital rates increase because of all the written off debts...then health insurance rates increase..... more people go without insurance....it's a vicious cycle
Sadly, many people who do not get it through their employer simply do not have any health insurance. They will just go to the Emergency Room if something is wrong with them. ER's cannot legally turn you away because you do not have health insurance (private doctors offices will turn you away if you do not.)
Sometimes the person who has no health insurance will either qualify for medicaid or medicare, so the hospital gets their money that way.
If the person does not qualify for medicare or medicaid, the hospitals bill the individual who sought care with them. Highly likely they will never receive any $. They will turn it over to a collection agency (with all Middle Eastern employees who do not speak English very well) who will make harassing and threatening phone calls in an attempt to get the $ back. Collection agency will likely be unsuccessful (you can't squeeze blood from a turnip.)
Then the hospital will just write it off as a bad debt and it will go on the patient's credit report.
Then hospital rates increase because of all the written off debts...then health insurance rates increase..... more people go without insurance....it's a vicious cycle
Not everyone works for an employer who offers a health insurance option. Semi-successful persons who are self-employed, but have no insurance, are going to be in for quite an experience should they be injured or become ill enough to be admitted to a hospital. Should that happen, they may leave the hospital recovered, but they may soon be penniless and maybe even homeless.
But if private insurance is so expensive that it makes staying in business uneconomic, what is one to do - pray?
Regareless of all of this, though, I'm still interested to know what a private plan costs.
#8
06-23-2009, 02:57 PM
Early 80s it was paid by my employer too. Then gradually they began pay deductions and kept pointing out that they were still paying much more than half. When I was between jobs it was about $3000 /month for family coverage with fairly high deductable.
Sometimes you can get into a group. Like a professional society for your field. Or around here there's community groups for -say- small business within XYZ city.
It just that the variation is so tremendous that it's not easy to give you a complete answer. You'll have to shop around wherever you are located.
Sometimes you can get into a group. Like a professional society for your field. Or around here there's community groups for -say- small business within XYZ city.
It just that the variation is so tremendous that it's not easy to give you a complete answer. You'll have to shop around wherever you are located.
#9
06-23-2009, 03:18 PM
One trend I have seen a lot of recently: There are many women around here now who work solely for the insurance. If husband is self employed and makes decent money, the woman will get any job she can find and tolerate that has a good health insurance plan. That way they make more money not having to pay for the astronomical private plan.
People won't retire till they qualify for medicare either. If you are unemployed, better to get to the "poverty level" quick so you qualify for medicaid. For people in-between who actually want to work but can't find a job....they are basically screwed.
All of this stems from all of the frivolous malpractice lawsuits brough about in our contry. I'm not saying that all malpractice lawsuits are frivolous either. The ones that are legit... the doctors should be whipped with a rubber hose and de-licensed. But the frivolous ones accusing good doctors of malpractice are the ones to blame.
The malpractice insurance companies have to defend the doctors regardless of fault, causing the doctors premiums to increase. Healthcare costs skyrocket to make up for the difference. Health insurance rates go up as a result.
MONTH?