Getting health insurance??

Originally Posted by ut0pia

that is just sooo scary, because I know there are so many people who can't afford health insurance...
I was under the impression medicare was in all states...wow this just shows how badly the US needs a healthcare reform.

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Nah... I was too... Until I got unemployed and sick in Texas... That was a rude awakening! It varies from state to state. Medicare is federal, for over 65, and disabled people. Then each State has its plan - like Medical in California... Texas is Medicaid, but it only adds a few age groups like uninsured pregnant women and children. So...
There are county hospitals that you can use in case of emergency, like in any other city... But not Medicare - so to see a regular doctor, or to get a prescription, forget it...
My dad sends my prescriptions from Brazil, because in there he can get it generic for $30 what would cost me $300 (also generic here) for the month here without insurance - and that is only to prevent migraine... Imagine people who need SERIOUS heart, lungs, etc. meds!! Yep, life without health insurance IMO just sucks... At least in Texas it does; I am sure there are plenty of states that have similar policies out there.
There are millions out there who can not get Medicare or Insurance.

Medicare is for people who pop out babies one after another. Because the impression that they gave me was I could only get it in michigan (and washington) if I had a baby bump on my belly. Even when I told them expressly that my doctor was concerned about my heart and I needed to go through some expensive testing that I couldn't afford... Nope, no state benifits for me.

It's all out of pocket over here. I am just glad that the generic for my heart medication is only 4$ at walmart.

Texas does have Medicaid, but as in most states, it's program-connected. If you're collecting unemployment, you may be eligible; I'd do some checking. One of the changes in the Health Insurance Reform bills is to make Medicaid means-tested rather than program-linked, which means if your income is below a certain level, you're eligible.

When I was self-employed and my Cobra ran out, I went to the same company (Blue Cross/Blue Shield) to get individual coverage. Keep in mind, these were the people who had paid my medical bills for the last 12 years. First, they insisted on all my medical records. Then they found ONE SENTENCE, just in passing, a CYA phrase from a testing facility that had done an ultrasound on me, and on that basis denied me coverage, which would have cost something like $350/month at that time. But they said they would not insure me at ANY price, any time, anyhow.

However, I then got a letter from them saying that since I had been rejected for health insurance coverage I was eligible to purchase insurance from the Texas state assigned-risk pool, which is backup coverage for those who have been unable to get insurance from the companies in the state. It would, however, cost me $700/month.

Guess who provides the assigned risk insurance in Texas?

That's right: Blue Cross/Blue Shield.

Originally Posted by Nekomania

When I go for a checkup, at MOST it's 50 dollars. I think 50$ every 2 or 6 months is quite a fair trade compared to 100$ a month for supposedly cheap health insurance.

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Where do you live that you can get a check up for $50?!

Originally Posted by Nekomania

Edit - The only reason I see getting health insurance as beneficial is when you have a detrimental, extremely expensive chronic health problem. But...Good luck getting any insurance company to cover you at that point because they don't want to pay for sick people, only healthy ones.

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All you need is one little problem and you will be in a huge mess. I just spent 5 or so hours in day surgery for a kidney stone and so far the bills are in excess of $23,000. Fortunately I have insurance and only have to pay a portion, but a portion is still 10% and that's not cheap.

Originally Posted by Misty8723

Where do you live that you can get a check up for $50?!

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I am in Michigan and I see a doctor in Trenton.

Originally Posted by mrblanche

Texas does have Medicaid, but as in most states, it's program-connected. If you're collecting unemployment, you may be eligible; I'd do some checking. One of the changes in the Health Insurance Reform bills is to make Medicaid means-tested rather than program-linked, which means if your income is below a certain level, you're eligible.

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Texas DOES have Medicaid - for Children and Pregnant woman added to the Medicare umbrella of disabled and elderly... so nope, I am not eligible to it... Come on mrblanche... don't you think I would checked it before importing meds all the way from Brasil?

Originally Posted by Nekomania

I am in Michigan and I see a doctor in Trenton.

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What kind of check up? Blood tests included? Pap too?

If you can get coverage through the university, get it. That's liable to be the most inclusive, and cheapest, coverage you can get. And, I'm sorry - it's plain totally short-sighted to not get insurance because you don't think you'll ever need it, because you're young and immortal - unless you happen to have more money than Bill Gates in liquid status.

And, yeah, I want to know where anyone can get a check up for $50 - even if it's a nurse practitioner rather than an MD. I would guess that price has to be subsidized somehow - probably city or state.

Heck, my vet charges more!

Originally Posted by darlili

If you can get coverage through the university, get it. That's liable to be the most inclusive, and cheapest, coverage you can get. And, I'm sorry - it's plain totally short-sighted to not get insurance because you don't think you'll ever need it, because you're young and immortal

- unless you happen to have more money than Bill Gates in liquid status.

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especially considering that the majority of accidents are suffered by young people (exactly by that reason actually) - including automobile, sports, partying and drinking, drowning, and accidents from a myriad of situations that older people just don't put themselves into it anymore...

No offence to anyone (honestly) but I'm slightly offended that some of you seem to think I don't want health insurance because of my age. I don't have any illusions that I'm "indescructable". My paycheck this week was $210, last week $158. If I'm lucky enough to work a 40 hour week it's $292 and change. I'm lucky if I can afford gas, goceries and pet food without wondering where an extra $100 a month is going to come from. That's my issue.

Originally Posted by MonaxLisa

No offence to anyone (honestly) but I'm slightly offended that some of you seem to think I don't want health insurance because of my age. I don't have any illusions that I'm "indescructable". My paycheck this week was $210, last week $158. If I'm lucky enough to work a 40 hour week it's $292 and change. I'm lucky if I can afford gas, goceries and pet food without wondering where an extra $100 a month is going to come from. That's my issue.

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I have no idea of your living situation... but is there anyway you parents can get your health insurance? That is really an excellent deal not to take opportunity of... And if you haven't had health insurance in a while, maybe it is time to get your health up to date - check ups, blood tests, pap smears... a one time will be more expensive than the whole $800 you are paying... If they can afford, I would totally consider talking to them about it... Just my two cents...
Sorry you make so little... Hope you get something better soon!

why does your school require health insurance? that is very weird to me

I'm very very very lucky in that my job pays all my insurance premiums, now I do have co-pays of course, but I could not even imagine going without insurance. I broke my foot a few years ago, plus have had a few ER visits here and there and I would be in massive debt if I didn't have insurance

Even 40 years ago, US schools required health coverage - a lot of times, if you were under 23 you'd be on your parents' coverage. I wasn't, so I had to get my own. Back then, even after checking around, the school's group plan was cheaper.

The opening post mentioned hating to pay for it, when probably never needing it - that's what I consider short sighted. I hate paying for LTC insurance, and pray I"ll never need it, but being single I wouldn't consider being without it.

OP, maybe check with the school and see what options they can provide you - if you can't get on a group plan via parents for whatever reason (age, etc.), let the school know - it might be considered a factor in a financial aid package. And, honestly, that $100 monthly (which is an incredibly low premium - wonder what it covers) may be the best investment you can make - one hospital stay, one accident, can put you behind the financial 8-ball for years and years.

I'm going to a state university and they never asked if I had health coverage , but that could be because I'm older than the average college student

Originally Posted by carolinalima

What kind of check up? Blood tests included? Pap too?

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All of my "women's health" check ups are done for free at planned parenthood.



The checkups I get at my doctors in trenton are just standard tests checking to see if my medication is working properly. If I need bloodwork or urinalisys and some other embarrassing tests is when it costs 50 or so.

My last checkup in the beginning of the month was a standard blood pressure, heart rate, weight..etc and only cost me 20$.




She is an exellent doctor, the very first time I ever had to visit her was for a UTI and she did a 20$ office visit, 6$ urine test, and gave me a bunch of "freebie/trial" packs of anitibiotics. The best kind of doctor is a good doctor that works with you and with your income to keep you comming back to them.

Originally Posted by Nekomania

All of my "women's health" check ups are done for free at planned parenthood.

The checkups I get at my doctors in trenton are just standard tests checking to see if my medication is working properly. If I need bloodwork or urinalisys and some other embarrassing tests is when it costs 50 or so.

My last checkup in the beginning of the month was a standard blood pressure, heart rate, weight..etc and only cost me 20$.

She is an exellent doctor, the very first time I ever had to visit her was for a UTI and she did a 20$ office visit, 6$ urine test, and gave me a bunch of "freebie/trial" packs of anitibiotics. The best kind of doctor is a good doctor that works with you and with your income to keep you comming back to them.

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I'm amazed you can get good care for those prices. I hope you always have that good fortune.

Here in NC, its not that easy. I just had a standard follow-up for my diabetes at my doctor. Just a regular family practice. What they did was check my weight, blood pressure, give me a flu shot, write me two prescriptions, and take blood to check my a1c. The total of that bill was $263.00! The office visit portion alone was $108! With insurance, my portion of that became $9.03. There's no way I would be able to pay that every 3 months without the insurance help. I view insurance as a necessary evil. I can't really afford to have the payments taken out of my paycheck either - with DH laid off for years and probably no hope of becoming employed at his age, we are living paycheck to paycheck, and going into debt for stuff like food. But I suck it up and pay for it (even with the 7% increase next year), because the alternative would be a whole lot worse.

Originally Posted by Nekomania

All of my "women's health" check ups are done for free at planned parenthood.



The checkups I get at my doctors in trenton are just standard tests checking to see if my medication is working properly. If I need bloodwork or urinalisys and some other embarrassing tests is when it costs 50 or so.

My last checkup in the beginning of the month was a standard blood pressure, heart rate, weight..etc and only cost me 20$.




She is an exellent doctor, the very first time I ever had to visit her was for a UTI and she did a 20$ office visit, 6$ urine test, and gave me a bunch of "freebie/trial" packs of anitibiotics. The best kind of doctor is a good doctor that works with you and with your income to keep you comming back to them.

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IMO there is no way this is not subsidized by someone. Something is missing from this puzzle. Maybe this clinic is affiliate to a county hospital or something like that - but someone is paying the the remaining cost for this, I can almost guarantee it.

I never go to the doctor. I mean I do NOT like doctors at all. So I really hate paying for insurance. I'm required to have insurance by my employer, so I take the cheapest option. Which fortunately is very good, contracted for by the union.

AND..... about a month ago I had a dizzy spell at work, and I went to the clinic. I didn't even see an actual doctor, just a PA. They took my blood pressure, took blood for an electrolyte test and a thyroid function test, and that was pretty much it. It cost $501. Seriously. I don't know if it cost more because it was on a Saturday morning, or because I was a walk-in, or if I would have been charged the same if I called ahead on a weekday. I didn't pay anything out-of-pocket. So I was glad I have insurance. Same with car insurance.....drives me crazy to pay for it, until I hit a deer and the repairs cost over $3500.

Originally Posted by carolinalima

IMO there is no way this is not subsidized by someone. Something is missing from this puzzle. Maybe this clinic is affiliate to a county hospital or something like that - but someone is paying the the remaining cost for this, I can almost guarantee it.

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Well I go to Southeast Internal Medicine in Trenton MI, as far as I know they aren't affiliated with any hospitals and they're not a low-income clinic.

You know, it probably has something to do with the fact that I have other family that use her as a regular doctor too.

I could ask to see why her costs are so low, I guess it never crossed my mind because I was under the impression that most doctor's office calls were about 50$. I knew that she discounted some things like tests and such, but I didn't know it was as extreme as it sounds on here.

I would probably appreciate insurance a lot more if I had higher costs to pay.

there are several clinics here where a physical is 35-75$ .
One is run by a dr who does NOT take any insurence and charges semi on a sliding scale .... One is a low cost clinic which is based on income ( some pay zero ) ... this is of course HARD to get into unless you have medicaid or came from the jail...
One is a mini clinic : she is a nurse practioner and does common stuff : female exams , dot exams , physicals , cold , ear infections ... no broken bones or stuff that needs lots of testing .. she charges a flat rate per service ...

I either see my accuputurist or a naturepath ... 40-60 $ NOT covered by insurence
None of these help with the hospital other than the one who does not do insurence. He will talk the bill down ... that is the reason I keep paying insurence is the in case hospital...