Medical Insurance???

[Big Daddy]

Don't go without insurance. Last year my wife and daughter both had out patient procedures. The total billed over the year before insurance was 81,231, All the hospitals and doctors were preferred provider so they were paid at agreed rates by the insurance company. The insurance approved 21,356. Our deductible and copays were included in that amt. If we didn't have insurance we would have been paying 81k. Medical bills for uninsured people account for over 50% of the bankruptcies in this country. Don't take the chance. My daughter is 21 and she had a gull bladder removed that was ready to rupture. That's why health coverage was such a big issue in this election. By the way our plan is through BCBS and cost 1200 a month. My employer pays 700 of that.

 

[Big Daddy]

Isn't Aflac only available through your work? Can a private person get it?

Yes a private person can get it. It is a supplemental insurance only. Pays what your primary policy doesn't.

 

[Wifezilla]

If we didn't have insurance we would have been paying 81k.

Funny, but we don't have insurance and pay cash. Our cost always ends up being the same as my friends pay for their "deductible".

 

[FarmerChick]

wow big daddy
you just summed up why I am so scared to go without. gallbladder surgery in the blink of an eye and boom, the bills roll in....I know what you mean!

yes I can not do without. it is not worth the chance. I will just make do anyway I can when it comes to keeping insurance. I have a 3 1/2 year old daughter I have to put thru college in 15 years...LOL....and I am 47 now....so in 15years I will be 62...LOL---I don't need anymore burden then college and retirement at the same time..HA HA HA

 

[Big Daddy]

If we didn't have insurance we would have been paying 81k.

Funny, but we don't have insurance and pay cash. Our cost always ends up being the same as my friends pay for their "deductible".

Your talking about a doctor visit . I'm talking about out patient procedures. Ask anybody that has been hospitalized. Look at a hospital invoice before they submit to the insurance carrier.

 

[Big Daddy]

wow big daddy
you just summed up why I am so scared to go without. gallbladder surgery in the blink of an eye and boom, the bills roll in....I know what you mean!

yes I can not do without. it is not worth the chance. I will just make do anyway I can when it comes to keeping insurance. I have a 3 1/2 year old daughter I have to put thru college in 15 years...LOL....and I am 47 now....so in 15years I will be 62...LOL---I don't need anymore burden then college and retirement at the same time..HA HA HA

The older you get the more stuff starts falling apart. It's not that people with insurance get better prices. It's creative billing by the medical community. They bill you for 10k the insurance company pays 2500 and the hospital writes off 7500 as a loss. They can't just put those prices on their invoice though. So they have to charge the same to everyone. If you don't have insurance you pay the list price.

 

[FarmerChick]

yup the insurance companies pays "reasonable charges" for procedures and the hosp. or whomever accepts that price. If you have no insurance you are right, you pay list price....sounds like buying a car without a deal!?LOL

you are right. in this day and age it is never worth the chance for me at this point. Tony has recently had major tests cause he is not feeling well, ending with a heart catherization about 8 days ago. I haven't seen bills yet...but one bill I got for a cat scan, was $1800 and insurance paid $1700---I paid $100. Not hard to take. I know I will be getting my money's worth out of these premiums this year!!

 

[cknmom]

My neighbor told me that one hospital gives cash discounts for people without insurance. Her bill a couple years ago was over $125k and they paid $15,000!

Monica

 

[FarmerChick]

WOW I did hear aobut the cash discount also but never seen one in action. that is a huge savings big time. I guess they would rather have $15K fast vs. $125 over the next 30 years..LOL

When I took Tony to ER----I had to pay $100 but they said if I paid cash it would be $80. I paid the $80!! I guess that $80 paid right then and there keeps them from having to send me a bill in the mail and the man hours just to do those billings. Hospitals are getting smarter finally!!!

 

[Big Daddy]

My neighbor told me that one hospital gives cash discounts for people without insurance. Her bill a couple years ago was over $125k and they paid $15,000!

Monica

That's a good alternative. Since hospitals take that much from the insurance companies it means they're still making a profit. So better to be reasonable than have the person do a BK on them.

I had a friend that I lived with {rented a room). He was very frugal. he had over 200k saved in the bank and he self insured on everything. If you can afford that it would save money while your young or if you keep yourself in real good shape.