Insurance question

[bsmart]

Allifunn, check out ehealthinsurance.com I have the Blue-Cross Blue Shield Right Choice plan. Keep in mind that I live in GA and you SC so there will be slight diffrences, but I only pay $122 per month for medical, dental, and vision. The plan has a $0 deductible and only $40 copay for office visits. I have had this plan since 2005, after I graduated I was no longer on my parents' health insurance. I also had to get the plan with $0 deductible because I have a heart ailment and I have to see a cardiologist every few months, and I take Atenolol--a beta blocker for the heart problem, so this is why I pay a higher monthly fee for the $0 deductible.

 

[Beachmom]

SGB is right, in Ga. if you have any lapse, it kicks you into problems with pre-existing conditions. Every state is different, as I think I have learned, Fl. laws are MUCH more consumer friendly on that subject. Cobra cost a lot upfront, and monthly cost are higher, but you don't want it to lapse, even for one day.

 

[Beach Runner]

Our daughter, a college student covered under my husband's BCBS, went below full time last spring because she dropped a class. She had to get COBRA coverage. It cost $253 a month in addition to the premium my husband was already paying for full family coverage.

As long as she is a full-time student, she is covered under his insurance until she's 24. Last year I was worried about her not having a job when she turns 24 and not having insurance coverage or her getting some condition that makes insurance hard to find. I decided to get her a private policy so I wouldn't have to worry about this. She got denied because she had been on Prozac for depression (but stopped taking it about six months prior to the application). They wouldn't even agree to covering everything but mental health. The State Farm agent told me that if their company denied her, every insurance company would. The agent said that she has many friends who have been denied insurance because they had been on antidepressants.

But someone else told me that BCBS might take my daughter on when she turns 24. I guess that's what SGB is saying, too -- just as long as we don't let the coverage lapse. Of course, the premiums will probably be outrageous. Better than not being insured.

Even though my primary physician despises BCBS. He says they're a bunch of crooks who try to deny procedures that other insurance companies pay for. For example, he ran a test to check my homocysteine level. My insurance paid 80%, but BCBS (my secondary insurance) wouldn't pay anything because they said that test is "experimental." BCBS also frequently denies clains for invalid reasons. Then if you resubmit, they'll pay. I think they know that people don't want to go to the trouble to question them and resubmit, so BCBS gets to keep their money.

Anyhow, thanks SGB for the info!

 

[audie]

my sister's insurance is covered by her job, but to cover my b.i.l. and my nephew/sister it was gonna be $900 i think they ended up getting a policy from state farm for them.

i think my coverage is pretty decent, as long as you have whatever procedure it is done at the hospital i work at. it is better coverage than what mr audie has with bcbs.

 

[Teresa]

call a local independent insurance agent who carries Blue Cross/Blue Shield and get some info/quotes. you can probably find a good decent plan with high deductible, at a decent (average) premium rate. you can do the online thing, but I feel better talking to someone face to face about options. you may want to do your homework online first, researching Blue Cross options BCBS also has a type of Medical Savings Account type insurance plan as well (not really insurance, but does offer benefits).

 

[audie]

call a local independent insurance agent who carries Blue Cross/Blue Shield and get some info/quotes. you can probably find a good decent plan with high deductible, at a decent (average) premium rate. you can do the online thing, but I feel better talking to someone face to face about options. you may want to do your homework online first, researching Blue Cross options BCBS also has a type of Medical Savings Account type insurance plan as well (not really insurance, but does offer benefits).

that's a good idea toots, we have this at work, called a flex account which we can use to cover deductibles, pharmacy co-pays, eyeglasses, and things like that not normally covered by a regular policy.

 

[bsmart]

Our daughter, a college student covered under my husband's BCBS, went below full time last spring because she dropped a class. She had to get COBRA coverage. It cost $253 a month in addition to the premium my husband was already paying for full family coverage.

As long as she is a full-time student, she is covered under his insurance until she's 24. Last year I was worried about her not having a job when she turns 24 and not having insurance coverage or her getting some condition that makes insurance hard to find. I decided to get her a private policy so I wouldn't have to worry about this. She got denied because she had been on Prozac for depression (but stopped taking it about six months prior to the application). They wouldn't even agree to covering everything but mental health. The State Farm agent told me that if their company denied her, every insurance company would. The agent said that she has many friends who have been denied insurance because they had been on antidepressants.

But someone else told me that BCBS might take my daughter on when she turns 24. I guess that's what SGB is saying, too -- just as long as we don't let the coverage lapse. Of course, the premiums will probably be outrageous. Better than not being insured.

Even though my primary physician despises BCBS. He says they're a bunch of crooks who try to deny procedures that other insurance companies pay for. For example, he ran a test to check my homocysteine level. My insurance paid 80%, but BCBS (my secondary insurance) wouldn't pay anything because they said that test is "experimental." BCBS also frequently denies clains for invalid reasons. Then if you resubmit, they'll pay. I think they know that people don't want to go to the trouble to question them and resubmit, so BCBS gets to keep their money.

Anyhow, thanks SGB for the info!

I am having my wisdom teeth removed on the 17th--fall break (don't ask me why I never had it done earlier but I am afraid of surgery) and BCBS are only covering my two bottom teeth which are impacted. The two top teeth which are just beginning to erupt from the gum line are not covered and the surgery is considered elective for those two top teeth, and so I pay $745 the day of surgery.

And I suspect the only reason that BCBS did not deny my new policy after I had graduated last year, is because I was also covered by them when I was full time and on my parents' family policy.

 

[Beach Runner]

I am having my wisdom teeth removed on the 17th--fall break (don't ask me why I never had it done earlier but I am afraid of surgery) and BCBS are only covering my two bottom teeth which are impacted. The two top teeth which are just beginning to erupt from the gum line are not covered and the surgery is considered elective for those two top teeth, and so I pay $745 the day of surgery.

And I suspect the only reason that BCBS did not deny my new policy after I had graduated last year, is because I was also covered by them when I was full time and on my parents' family policy.

That just doesn't seem fair.

Well, I'll keep my fingers crossed that BCBS will write my daughter her own policy when she graduates.

I'll tell you one thing, if I had known that taking an antidepressant would cause her to be denied, I would have just not submitted claims for that doctor and the meds so it wouldn't be on her record.

 

[Allifunn]

Allifunn, check out ehealthinsurance.com I have the Blue-Cross Blue Shield Right Choice plan. Keep in mind that I live in GA and you SC so there will be slight diffrences, but I only pay $122 per month for medical, dental, and vision. The plan has a $0 deductible and only $40 copay for office visits. I have had this plan since 2005, after I graduated I was no longer on my parents' health insurance. I also had to get the plan with $0 deductible because I have a heart ailment and I have to see a cardiologist every few months, and I take Atenolol--a beta blocker for the heart problem, so this is why I pay a higher monthly fee for the $0 deductible.

thanks bsmart (bsmartiepants...my pet name for you... ) Hope your heart is strong for many years to come!

SGB is right, in Ga. if you have any lapse, it kicks you into problems with pre-existing conditions. Every state is different, as I think I have learned, Fl. laws are MUCH more consumer friendly on that subject. Cobra cost a lot upfront, and monthly cost are higher, but you don't want it to lapse, even for one day.

I am aware of pre-exisitng...this is why I am freeking out..i am afraid to go to a doctor to do a last minute visit...in fear that they will find something that will interfere with a new policy down the road!

call a local independent insurance agent who carries Blue Cross/Blue Shield and get some info/quotes. you can probably find a good decent plan with high deductible, at a decent (average) premium rate. you can do the online thing, but I feel better talking to someone face to face about options. you may want to do your homework online first, researching Blue Cross options BCBS also has a type of Medical Savings Account type insurance plan as well (not really insurance, but does offer benefits).

I do not like on-line in this instance either...I want to speak to a real person...but I will do research on line first!
I talked to Mike (ex) today and he is going to check into COBRA for me ...how much and for how long. I will weigh the odds from there....
THANKS everyone for the imput....it's a jungle out there.....

 

[bsmart]

I am having my wisdom teeth removed on the 17th--fall break (don't ask me why I never had it done earlier but I am afraid of surgery) and BCBS are only covering my two bottom teeth which are impacted. The two top teeth which are just beginning to erupt from the gum line are not covered and the surgery is considered elective for those two top teeth, and so I pay $745 the day of surgery.

And I suspect the only reason that BCBS did not deny my new policy after I had graduated last year, is because I was also covered by them when I was full time and on my parents' family policy.

Correction...for those who care the surgery is the 27th and the pre-op or whatever you call it is the 17th. Nevertheless, I am not looking forward to it.