Health Insurance for Owner Operators independent of spousal coverage

I've approached the mods on this one, @88 Alpha and have the verdict in, so I'll set this thread right here, and if anybody comes across it, then they can PM me.

In 2015 we left ODFL with health benefits and had to negotiate, upon a slew of other things - what about health insurance?

The first year we engaged the healthcare.gov site and signed up for a plan. They asked for projected income, and we supplied a figure of $40k wages, as we set up as an LLC 'S'corp, and that was the projected wage.

Turns out they go by full business income, and we owed $11k at the end of the year for the unqualified 'subsidies'.

Cancelled that policy and went for another at about $700 for the two of us. Cruddy coverage. At least we didn't owe the IRS anything.

About 2020 - 2021, I fielded a call from a sales agent asking if I was interested in discussing coverage. I was feeling froggy that day, so I said 'sure'. Introduce Zachary Hancock at this stage. He had worked for the company that supplied the cruddy coverage we were on, so knew exactly how he could offer better options.

Fast forward to 2022 - here's 2 examples.

I get a testosterone shot every 3 weeks. Medicine costs $10. Injection at my doctor costs $22. Previous insurance did not pay anything for either. Now, I get sent a check from the current insurer for $34.80 , because they pay $60 for a shot and refund the difference.

Second example. I needed a gall bladder scan. I called Zach and asked him what I should do. He found a local independent sonogram place that charged $250 - cash only - told me to scan in a receipt and insurance would pay $190 - vs. $1200 at the local Mercy hospital.

THIS APPLIES TO A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF US THAT ARE INDEPENDENT AND NOT COVERED UNDER A SPOUSES PLAN.

The monthly premiums are slightly less than what we were paying, but cover almost double in every category. Even the dental insurance outstrips anything I've come across, in the way of cleanings, X-rays and exams.

I like the guy. He's a returned Iraq vet, I can text him or call him, and he can explain everything related to the (at least to me) confusing health insurance market. The fact he would look into sonogram options around my area on his own time - answer the question people - "When was the last time anyone in the healthcare industry attempted to offer you options that would SAVE you money?"

Understandably, the mods protect this forum from hordes of a-holes schilling products and services with zero interest in the industry or customers, therefore are averse to Zach setting up a user name here.

If anybody needs options for health insurance or life insurance, PM me and I can give you his number. He said 70% of his business is from referrals, I am not accepting anything for the information - simply, it is rare that I find contacts in these areas that are beneficial, just wanted to help others.

Blair.

 

I'd be interested in talking to him. Thanks.

 

Interesting Blair. We went through the whole Affordable Care Act (cough, cough) after my wife left her job with an environmental consulting firm. Eventually we purchased a good albeit high deductible policy for ourselves and our employees. The thought being that at least this will cover catastrophic situations and the individuals can hopefully handle the maintenance type stuff on their own. It is still danged expensive.

 

That's what I have. $370 month. Covers the big stuff, not so much the band aids and aspirin.

 

I think we were with 'Ambetter' - it was Arkansas based and was terrible coverage. Then Freedom Life , equally poor.
Wife and I was running about $700/month.

Did you also get kicked in the teeth by the ACA 'subsisidies' ? , or was it just an insurance plan that was on the .gov website?

 

I don't remember the details Blair as my wife takes care of that, but I do recall it was anything but affordable, and it seems there were unexpected costs that came in after the fact.
Currently we pay ~$2700/month for myself and 4 employees/spouses through Regence Blueshield. My wife is now on the Medicare program due to age. We obtain this through the agent that handles all of our business insurance.

Did they ever pass legislation to allow purchase of health insurance outside state lines? In the last 5 years or so I have become so sick of politics that I admit to not keeping up.

 

That sounds fairly reasonable.

From my also limited understanding of the insurance business, it wasn't that they were restricted from selling across state lines, it was cost prohibitive (probably just less profitable) for them to do so - negotiating with health care providers half way across the country.

 

$6500 deductible though. It doesn't feel too reasonable as it leaves the checking account. Lol

 

I’d love to talk with him

 

And this was one of the reasons I would have liked him to participate as a member here - he has a lot of the answers to the quirks, lies, and misconceptions of the health insurance biz. If there's anything I need to seek out regarding any kind of insurance and have to start calling around, my BS defense monitor goes on high alert and I require a stiff drink.