We're most likely not going to have health insurance again.

[Renee in NC]

NEvermind:D

Edited September 26, 2010 by Renee in FL

[jld]

You might want to look at voting for folks who would insure you (and others, because there are many in the same position) get the health care every person in America needs . . .

 

This is a bigger problem than an individual citizen can solve, and you truly have my sympathy. :grouphug:

[Renee in NC]

You might want to look at voting for folks who would insure you (and others, because there are many in the same position) get the health care every person in America needs . . .

 

This is a bigger problem than an individual citizen can solve, and you truly have my sympathy. :grouphug:

 

This really isn't a policy problem, but rather an income problem. Once we solve our income problem in the next couple of years, we should be able to pay for health insurance again. It's just that the cost of the policy is going up about 75% through his employer and that means it would be 25% of our income (which we could not possibly do, unless we cut electricity and dh rides a bike the 10 miles to work.)

 

I talked to dh again and it looks like they are adding an employee/spouse option instead of just the family option, so we might be able to keep insurance on he and I for what we are paying for everyone now. That means the dc go back to Medicaid.

 

We'll have to see how it works out.

[OregonNative]

This is all I have to say about health insurance:smash::smash::banghead::banghead::cursing::cursing::cursing:

:lol:

[HRAAB]

Next month we will be without insurance as dh's COBRA is running out. We've been shopping around getting quotes, and even if my dh were working at what his last contract job paid, it would take about 40% of his net income to pay the premiums. It's the same for us: we can get coverage, we can't afford it, and it's looking like we can't even afford it even when dh finds work unless they offer a group policy - which doesn't look promising. One of the reasons I'm looking for work.

[Renee in NC]

Next month we will be without insurance as dh's COBRA is running out. We've been shopping around getting quotes, and even if my dh were working at what his last contract job paid, it would take about 40% of his net income to pay the premiums. It's the same for us: we can get coverage, we can't afford it, and it's looking like we can't even afford it even when dh finds work unless they offer a group policy - which doesn't look promising. One of the reasons I'm looking for work.

 

Exactly. I plan to work tax season this year if at all possible and will be looking for full-time work next summer after we move. Dh will go to school and take care of the dc. Whether I quit working when he is done with school entirely depends on his future earnings and the cost of things like health insurance.:tongue_smilie:

[Mama Geek]

Have you all thought about getting catastrophic health care coverage and then negotiating and paying cash for everything else?

 

I haven't looked into catastrophic health care costs in about 2 1/2 years, but it wasn't unreasonable at the time.

 

We didn't have health care coverage and were on a share of cost/medicaid plan while I was pregnant. We had to pay the first $3200 each month before the medicaid would pay anything. That meant the only thing medicaid picked up was the time in the hospital.

 

We called around and found the best rates for lab work and we talked to Dr's about cash prices. It really did make a big difference.

 

If my dh gets another direct position for employment, we would look into this option again before paying for health insurance through said company.

[Renee in NC]

Have you all thought about getting catastrophic health care coverage and then negotiating and paying cash for everything else?

 

I haven't looked into catastrophic health care costs in about 2 1/2 years, but it wasn't unreasonable at the time.

 

We didn't have health care coverage and were on a share of cost/medicaid plan while I was pregnant. We had to pay the first $3200 each month before the medicaid would pay anything. That meant the only thing medicaid picked up was the time in the hospital.

 

We called around and found the best rates for lab work and we talked to Dr's about cash prices. It really did make a big difference.

 

If my dh gets another direct position for employment, we would look into this option again before paying for health insurance through said company.

 

Catastrophic coverage costs more than the $233 a month we are paying now. Yes, that is a very reasonable amount for most people, but dh makes less than $2000 a month, so we don't have much wiggle room. As for paying cash, we can't pay copays most of the time, much less pay cash for anything. Our share of cost for dh and I for Medicaid is $254, so we meet it just about every month (because paying for health insurance counts towards our share of cost.) However, Medicaid in FL will not pay co-pays, so it hasn't ever been needed for the adults in the family.

 

All that to say that it really is an income problem.

[cathmom]

 

All that to say that it really is an income problem.

 

No, it's an insane American health insurance system problem!