Waitaminnit, lemme look under the sofa cushions

[Thomas Veil]

So I'm checking out the paper, and here's an ad from one of our state's medical insurance companies about an Open Enrollment.

Looks pretty good, too -- for the most part, they're accepting people with pre-existing conditions -- until I get to the chart that tells me how much it's gonna set me back. For me and my wife, in our age bracket, the premium would be $4,813.98. Quarterly. That's, uh, $19,255.92 a year.

My hair is standing on end. At least at first. Because that's how much the company's HMO wants to charge. Then I turn the page and there's another ad for the company's traditional health plan.

Under that one, my wife and I would be dunned for $8,409.33 quarterly. That's $33,637.32 annually.

Well hell, folks, that's enough to kill you right there.

I dunno, I guess this isn't news to those of you who are self-employed, but I was floored. This is getting to be more than out of control. I just hope that President Kerry takes a look at revisiting some form of universal health insurance.

[skunk]

Under that one, my wife and I would be dunned for $8,409.33 quarterly. That's $33,637.32 annually.
Well hell, folks, that's enough to kill you right there.

Who the hell pays that kind of money??? It's at moments like this I really appreciate the UK National Health Service. :eek:

[Voltron]

Catastraphic insurance isn't that expensive about 400 bucks for self employment insurance. But for small stuff pay out of pocket its cheaper.

[screener]

"Catastraphic"?

Sounds painfull.

[IJ Reilly]

Who the hell pays that kind of money??? It's at moments like this I really appreciate the UK National Health Service. :eek:

Not many, I expect, but it's not unusual at all to pay half that much, and that's before you figure in the cost of deductibles and copayments.

[Desertrat]

I'll have to hunt up the name of the company, but back some five + years ago I had a bare-bones policy with an insurance outfit out of Missouri that was inexpensive. It didn't cover any voluntary procedures or pregnancy, but was good for cancer, heart attacks and other major stuff. $160/month at age 60, for me.

They could operate in Georgia, but not in Texas. Dunno the "why?" of that...

'Rat

[mactastic]

I'll have to hunt up the name of the company, but back some five + years ago I had a bare-bones policy with an insurance outfit out of Missouri that was inexpensive. It didn't cover any voluntary procedures or pregnancy, but was good for cancer, heart attacks and other major stuff. $160/month at age 60, for me.

They could operate in Georgia, but not in Texas. Dunno the "why?" of that...

'Rat

Got any personal stories or other evidence of what the rate of inflation of health care over the last 'five +' years is? It's surely above the general rate of inflation....

[Desertrat]

Not since I've been on Medicare.

I had a full blood-chemistry workup about five years back, approximately. IIRC, it was $100. Easy to see what today's cost for the same thing is, though. I'll check.

I've run across squibs in newspaper articles claiming medical costs were rising faster than inflation. Problem with some of that is the old "apples and oranges" thing. Dunno if new technology, with inherent higher costs, is included, or if it's comparing standard procedures at any group of similar-practice doctors.

'Rat

[mactastic]

Not since I've been on Medicare.

I had a full blood-chemistry workup about five years back, approximately. IIRC, it was $100. Easy to see what today's cost for the same thing is, though. I'll check.

I've run across squibs in newspaper articles claiming medical costs were rising faster than inflation. Problem with some of that is the old "apples and oranges" thing. Dunno if new technology, with inherent higher costs, is included, or if it's comparing standard procedures at any group of similar-practice doctors.

'Rat

Problem is medical coverage is something everyone is going to have to use at some point or another. Higher tech or not there is a captive market for these kinds of services.

[Thomas Veil]

They could operate in Georgia, but not in Texas. Dunno the "why?" of that...

'Rat
Probably figured they can't make a profit there, for whatever reason.

We had a lot of Medicare HMOs in Ohio close, simply because they were losing money on what the state was reimbursing them. And they can't turn around and raise the premiums significantly to make up for it, because after all, these are old people.

[kgarner]

Those prices are outrageous! I am paying for my own insurance right now and I am only paying $260 per month for me, my wife, and two kids. That's only $3120 per year. Of course, the coverage ain't all that. With the second child to arrive anyday, I do have to come up with a $5000 (no that is not a typo) dectible for the pregnancy. And that only covers the delivery and the hospital charges fro my wife. The kid still has his $500 deductible on his hospital charges. And the best part is we don't qualify for Medicaid because apparently I make about $200 dollars a month more than I should to get assistance for a family of four. I'm laughing to keep from crying!