Inexpensive health insurance?

[vfem]

I wish you luck... we've been there many times, as until this year we've NEVER had health coverage. We'd qualify for medicaid one year, and then the next year made $200+ too much and lost it again. Hubby finally took a cruddy job so we could get some kind of coverage. Turned out to be cheap for us, but the income here is very low still so the daughter gets medicaid no questions asked now until she's 18. So that saved us a lot!

Even through my husband's job the family plans are at least $350-$425 for all of us... but would cover a family of 5 if we decided to grow.

I tried to shop for myself alone a couple years ago and Blue Cross Blue Shield wanted $425 for just me... a month.

 

[EweSheep]

Under hubby's insurance it is 80 dollars a week with med and dental EACH week, plus $21 spouse surcharge. AND have to pay dd's Medicaid coverage as secondary carrier for $40 a month. It sucks us dry often and I often thought about cancelling hubby's insurance but doubt if I can get hubby and us back on Medicaid.

I don't think there is any cut cutting ways of having insurance. I bet Mass. state are up in arms about manatory insurance coverage or go to jail would work. No matter where you go, we are at the mercy of companies, hospital and doctor's fees that are exorbant.

Medicaid dropped us because we made too much money so for some us that are too high for coverage and too low for real good insurance, where do we go in the gray area?

COBRA is very expensive, I dropped that because it would take my entire unemployment benefits.

 

[Whispering Winds]

AFLAC might be another one to try . . .they pay you directly, but I know they also covered ER visits too, and paid decently. . .they were very reasonable too. Good luck, scary times and I really feel for you!!!

 

[ChikeeMomma]

Kara -- In my experience I have found Celtic insurance to be the cheapest for my family (even with premiums going up yearly). Their website is www.celtic-net.com. I have never used an local insurance agent to help me with health insurance. I just called Celtic after looking through the plans and set myself up with one. They use Cofinity (used to be PPOM) for their network in my area, which almost all doctors and hopitals take around here. You'd just have to ask which network they use in your state because I think it can vary -- or it used to anyway. You can get online base quotes immediately without having to talk/email/or give out all your info. After finding the benefits/price that suits you then give them a call. And remember with any insurance provider -- the online quotes are just a base for a perfectly healthy human. If you have diabetes, heart troubles, overweight, etc. the monthly premium will be more. I still think it's cheaper than any other company for us. I have used this company since 2008 and have been happy with them. I have never had any issues and customer service has always seemed helpful.

 

[chickened]

Well here is a way to get cheap healthcare.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/43451362#43451362

Apparently the video won't load but a guy robs a bank for a dollar and then says he did it for healthcare.

The video is on MSNBC webpage. I do not reccomend it but found it amusing to hear the guy talk about it.

 

[brian964]

There is no company that offers the best deal for every person. You have to get quotes from different companies online and see which companies can provide you with the best price: www.quotes-center.com/average-cost-of-health-insurance

 

[Gardengirl 2011]

I've only had my blue cross coverage for 15 months. In that time, it was raised $12 in the first 3 months of coverage, and just went up another $80 a month on this bill. And I'm healthy! Let me tell ya, it makes me feel like running to the ER every time I get a pimple on my butt.

While we send billions overseas to help other countries (that quite frankly don't like us anyhow!) we have our own unable to get health coverage or unable to keep what they have as the premiums rise and their pay goes down. Maybe one day we'll have people in office that will think of our own first. Im not sorry to state how I feel about it either.

I truly hope you can find the coverage you need and can afford it. In the past I have found COBRA way too expensive for when you're in between insurance coverage.