Nita - 2015-02-06 10:25 PM

I've been fighting with BC/BS for months now. Just pray THEY never screw you over because YOU will end up having to pay for it. Big company & they don't give a **** about the people.

To answer the OP's original question, you might look into a Health Savings Account (or HSA). I don't know if it's right for a family plan or not, but I have heard Dave Ramsey talking about it for people who cannot afford much in the way of insurance I think. Maybe someone on here who knows more about insurance can say if it's right for you or not.

Good luck. I'll keep you and your family in my prayers.

Anniemae - 2015-02-07 10:17 PM When I changed jobs, the new company is much, much larger and we have GREAT insurance benefits (choice of several different plans) and the employee contribution is based on your plan choice.  I pay $100 month, and have all the bells and whistles I need.  Annual deductable is $3500.  I'm really lucky!  



 

Chandler's Mom - 2015-02-08 12:29 AM

CowPony, before I got my current insurance I was paying almost $800 a month for just my son and myself. And my deductible was $10000. It was unbearable to pay that much. It was over a hundred dollars more a month than my house payment. I was 36 and Chandler was 8, and we had no health problems. Never could figure out why it was so much. . . .

~BINGO~ - 2015-02-07 7:49 AM This year, we are eating the fine. Flame away.  

Spiked-Kat - 2015-02-08 10:29 AM  No flaming but lots of prayers... I've had serious health issues in my family to the price tag of over a million... I can't imagine if we didn't have insurance what our life would be like... 

Griz - 2015-02-09 5:39 AM

It's rather strange, my accountant said you don't have to "prove" you have insurance, there's a box you either check yes or no, so how would they REALLY know? He said, he isn't getting paid anything from the government to make sure people DO have insurance so, he doesn't really care - he doesn't think it should be up to him to give proof and I agree, unless the government wants to pay him to monitor this. (I have insurance through my company, just found this interesting).  

ks_cowgirl - 2015-02-09 11:14 AM Interesting....I work for a local CPA doing taxes and we just ask the clients I'd they had health insurance. We do not require proof. However, we get our personal taxes done by another cpa and he requires proof of insurance such as a photocopy of my health insurance card.

cowpony45 - 2015-02-09 11:03 AM Thank you for all your replies. I really wish I was the only one with this problem, but from the sounds of it there are lots out there sharing this with us. I really wish I had another answer :(

Spiked-Kat - 2015-02-09 6:42 PM

 Asking because I don't know, no ill intent.. Are you all self employed , and that's why you don't have issurance? We kind of have a running joke here that for every good ranches there's a wife that works in town... True in my family in large part to having health insurance .. Not to hijack thread.. Just curious. 
 

Spiked-Kat - 2015-02-09 6:42 PM  Asking because I don't know, no ill intent.. Are you all self employed , and that's why you don't have issurance? We kind of have a running joke here that for every good ranches there's a wife that works in town... True in my family in large part to having health insurance .. Not to hijack thread.. Just curious. 

 

missroselee - 2015-02-10 9:01 PM

I can't offer any advice to the OP. But I read the entire thread because since this whole obamacare thing started it has intrigued me.

I am baffled at how you guys afford 600 or more a month? I know it's important to have insurance especially if you have children. Maybe the average family makes more then my husband and I. But it's alarming how much it is costing everybody.

I will have to admit we are truly fortunate that hubby is active duty. At the moment I voluntarily pay a very small copay for prescriptions because I opt to use an off base pharmacy. Other then that we pay nearly nothing for our healthcare. Everything is covered. I think hubby pays 30 dollars a month for me to be covered. I always tell people while his salary sucks big time (he only makes 36k a year after 15 years of service and working around the clock), that the insurance benefits we receive make it all worth it. Not everybody is that lucky :(:( Now when he retires we will pay more, but still not nearly as much as most (hopefully, though that could change as well)

ruggedchica - 2015-02-10 8:51 PM

And yes, they are doing the penalties for not having health insurance.  One of the ranchhands here wound up paying a $500 penalty when he filed his 2014 taxes. 

Nevertooold - 2015-02-11 11:19 AM

I found when I was insurance shopping for me, as my husband was already on Medicare. The premiums for different companies were all within a difference of $10.00 when comparing apples to apples. For a person looking for just isurance for themselves, the premiums seemed to be based off of your age.

I always worried about going on Medicare when I was younger. I can say after getting screwed over with Obamacare and paying ridiculous premiums. I was relieved to go onto Medicare. I never thought I would see that day.

Red Raider - 2015-02-09 1:43 PM

As a self-employed business owner, I was totally screwed on looking for cheaper insurance for just me.  What saved my hide somewhat was being able to buy through a pool organized by the State Bar for us solo-practioner attorneys.  I pay about $333 per month and think my deductible is $7500 with BCBS of Texas.  You might want to check through AQHA or other organizations (like AAA) to see if you qualify for cheaper insurance as part of a bigger pool of people.  

runningk - 2015-02-09 5:19 PM I will have to pay the fine this year since I didn't have any by Feb. 15.

As of March 1, I have signed up with the Christian Healthcare Ministries.  It's set up as a coop.

I pay 100.00 per quarter and 50.00 per month.  Then if I go to the Dr or hospital, the bills are sent

to them; they pay accordingly and I keep paying my 50.00 per month.

It was the only thing I could find that I could afford.  The main win/win.  I had to quit smoking before

I could join.  Go me! 

Whit37 - 2015-02-11 1:13 PM

Could someone give me a quick rundown of how your healthcare system works? I often read posts on it and don't fully understand the situation but would like to. (I'm Canadian)

Bear - 2015-02-11 12:04 PM I didn't read every post here, but I don't have to. I think what Red Raider has is a good example of what most people should have. If the vast majority of Americans had this kind of insurance, without government meddling, we would see a drastic decline in healthcare costs. Basically, the first $7500 of what she pays for healthcare each year comes out of her pocket. Insurance doesn't have anything to do with it. What she has is basically catastrophic health insurance. When people have to pay for anything out of pocket, they shop around.....unless they are stupid. They are quick to learn where you get the best quality for the lowest price. Also, they tend to think twice before running to the ER for a stubbed toe, or the doctors office for a cold. That's what happens now. The system is overwhelmed by people who don't stop to think, so long as they are "covered". There are days when I might see say 25 people in the clinic, and only about 10 of them really need to be there. Another thing I notice is people actually complaining that they can't afford say $500-600 a month for health insurance. A lot of those same people don't think twice about paying $800 a month for a new pickup every 5 years. We have some pretty screwed up priorities in America, in my opinion. There is only one possible way that we can preserve good health care that we can afford. It's so logical it isn't even funny. It's simple, fair, and is the only solution that has the potential of preserving excellence. All the rest is just bullsh!t.

magic gunsmoke - 2015-02-13 11:17 AM My husband and I are lucky. I am insured through the school district I work for, and pay 60 a month. My deductible is 2500 and I have a health savings account that the district puts 500 on a year that rolls over. I get free eye and dental too. My husband pays $30 a month and has a HSA and he gets 800 a year. I am not sure what his deductible is as he handles his insurance and I handle mine. There was a point that he lost his job so I put him on mine and it jumped up to $600 but I also had the best insurance plan Humana had to offer it was a PPO with a very very low deductible. I could have opted out of an upgrade and gotten free insurance that the school would pay for. Insurance and retirement are two additional benefits of being a teacher.

EqualRanch - 2015-02-06 8:53 PM I have Blue Cross Blue Shield, of Texas. I know they have multiple options and IF I'm not mistaken, the cheapest is around $350-$400. Just have to check and see.