Health Insurance or Not?

My next years rate went down..... and I’m paying close to 5 times what you are.

 

Just me...... I’m 60 for one reason and my state market place sucks for another.

But you get to deduct most of the premium.....


I look at it as a cost of running the truck.....

 

With the way my luck tends to run, the day I drop my coverage is the day something in my body would crapout..

Why do you think it will get more expensive? Won't a free market system bring costs back to where they used to be..?

 

Keep in mind three things.

Deductables approach 10K before insurance kicks in.

ER's and Trauma will do what is needed to get you stable. Then kick you out if at all possible. Then bill the bejezus out of you. Refer to first thought about deductible.

If you are young and strong generally insurance is not a problem. if you have like I have gotten bad hurt in a warehouse or similar job related work, once in a while they will offer you personally money to cover your immediate losses in medical billing so that you do not sue them for a whole lot more. I actually still carry injuries from the famous Grand Union of Albany water spot on the floor. The foot hit that pulling a ton plus on a manual jack and rammed the knee into it. ER did not find much thankfully but even today I know the damage has finally showed up. It happens. But they paid me enough to cover the immediate ER bill. (And unloaded my TT of eggs to boot) and I still had to drive it as normal knee and all later that day.

What I do do is use a ambulance membership so they bill insurance one time and thats paid in full. Otherwise in addition to the 500 or so they bill insurance, they charge you a cool 14.00 a mile plus 250 minimum call out on top of that. My last ambulance run to the Hospital was worth a cool 1000.00 They did a good job that time despite a steel spring suspension that tore into my joint for many miles on that broken concrete plate. Next time they know to use the heavier Air Ride rig. The Membership is around 40 a year.

Health insurance? have at it. But keep in mind cost containment is mega these days. My last 2020 change notice indicated that hearing aids copay starts at 2000.00 per on your pay before they pay anything. Glasses at 500 and dental services severely curtailed. If I wanted dentures it's about 5 to 7 thousand dollars all up. Insurance will only pay 2 of that as of 2020.

And forget the medicines. I pay like a 8 dollar copay on anything up to a thousand dollars. But in 2020, the new change imposes a 30% copay which means that 1000.00 dollar medicine per month now will cost me 300.00 instead of 8.00.

Something to consider. Death by poverty indeed.

The previous decemeber surgery for replacment of broken hip joint broke down this way.

16000 dollars private room dedicated nursing staff, 2000 per night plus.

3500 surgeon fee to install new joint.

1800 sleepy time doctor to keep you alive during surgery. (You will be on life support)

15000 new hip joint, full ceramic. (Keep in mind 144 of current 160 models have reported defects)

Medicines 1500.00

Supples 1000.00

other hospital billing etc additional 25000 dollars for a total of approximately 61000 paid after december. Additionally physical therapy is 5000 for 4 weeks at home after. I fired them as soon I could dispense with the walker, cane and special toilet (400, 150 and 550 each retail)

That does not include two immediate ER incidents in October and November leading directly to that decemeber surgery. The October incident was a cool 8900 dollars, the november incident was a full trauma drill and was a cool 12000 dollars in 5 hours flat. If they stuck me into MRI that is another 16000 dollars for a hour and half ride.

I am a human, not a cash cow to profiteer a medical facility and the people who own it. Its disgusting.

Do you want insurance? have at it. It might help you. Or not.

 

that's another thought I forgot.

Insurance on my end has gone up to where I am now experiencing a cost increase out of pocket about 4% a year. At this rate I would probably have to call them and stop certain parts of the insurance to stop the bleeding of excess premiums. I would be then on my own with medical billing.

You would think if I get far enough along to get 65 and then medicaid I would not care less about any billing at all. But no.

 

Get the cheapest catastrophical one. If you get in coma and your bill is $500k, you will only pay your $15k and go away