On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 08:23:01 -0600, Tom
wrote:

Robert Sturgeon wrote:

I have lousy insurance that costs me over $800 per month. I really
don't know how much longer I can afford to pay for it.

What sort of policy do you have that you pay $800/ month for?? What age
group??

And why are you paying $800 a month?? How much medical expense do you
have each year?? When was the last time you actually spent $9600 on
medical bills for a year??

One of the MAJOR problems with our health insurance is that everybody
expects the insurance companies to pay out every time they have a
sniffle or a broken fingernail. I know people that go to the damn doctor
3 times a week like clockwork for stuff that will simply pass if they
let it run it's course. Worse yet, the doctor listens to them whine for
30 seconds, writes them a prescription for cough syrup, and they expect
the insurance company to pay for that too.

Do we turn in a claim on our auto insurance and expect them to pay out
for every oil change and leaky tire?? You can bet if you did your auto
insurance would be just as expensive as your health insurance. Oh, and
the mechanic's bills would go up too since he now has to hire a
secretary to deal with the insurance forms.

What we need is plain old catastrophic health insurance policies, the
kind that pays for things that cost more than we can pay for out our
pocket. Figure out what your comfort level is and buy insurance for
anything above that amount.

About 6 months ago I checked on family catastrphic health insurance for
myself/wife/daughter. Wife and I are 40, I'm a smoker, daughter is 16,
no current medical problems etc. The policy to cover us, $2500
deductible/year, 80-20 after $2500 up to $10,000 max out of pocket/year,
with a preganancy exclusion.
This policy was $138/ month. Not exactly cheap, but alot cheaper than I
hear other's being quoted for policies they don't really need. My
employer offers the exact same policy to me for free, as opposed to over
$200/month for the "bells and whistles" policy.

Tom


Robert it all depends on the nature of your insurance.. and existing
health...

My business health insurance through pacadvantage cost me $1307 per
month for me and my wife.... a 45 year old emplyee cost me $455.. and
22 year student cost me $237 per month... this is forced insurance..
no pre existing conditons can be held against you.... $500
deductible.. max out of pocket $1500.. pre scriptions 10 dollars..
Drs visit 10 etc etc..

I can get almost the same insurance for me and my wife for $365 per
month.. IF she wasn't sick.. and IF she could be underwritten.. but
she is sick... so she has to have Gaurantted Issue witch means it cost
$550 per month for a not so great policy... but MAX $6000 out of
pocket.. $40 DR visit.. $15-30 per prescritiion.. etc etc.. Nice
law in 1996 for quarantee issue of insurance for the sick.. LOL.. but
they only make availble.. second rate insurance..

In other words... if you have a long history of wellness... insurance
is cheap and easy... if you are young.. cheap and easy...

Then through in all the exemptions and riders attached to a policy..
you can get into trouble..

My father was nearly killed in a buldozer accident in 1968... neutral
position leaked down and a tree came off the blade and swatted him in
the head and knocked him off the dozer.. he was in the hospital for
six months.. at home for another four months.. we rented our farm..
had five kids.. Who had insurance back then? We did not go
bankrupt.. we didn't go homeless.... we paid of the hosptital.. and
he is 77 today... of course.. 35 farmers.. did help us plow and plant
and harvest.... but we didn't have tobacco that year..

Things have changed... one small accident... miss six months of
pay... even with good insurance.. miss 8 months of work.. and you
can loose eveyrthing.... unless you keep refinancing your house...
LOL

Be glad you can have cheap insurance... but don't get sick...

Mike