kodokan

All plans have to offer the same coverage, which includes free preventative health care. It definitely includes an annual physical for everyone covered and all scheduled vaccinations; not sure about checks more than once a year, for babies and toddlers. I expect there's a list somewhere of what's included.

The care you get for free - ie, included in the price of your plan - doesn't count towards your deductible. Only services you actually hand over money for, do. The way it works with high deductible plans is usually as follows:

- kid needs doctor visit for, say, an ear infection
- doctor bills insurance company as per usual, for maybe $200
- insurer applies agreed discount level, and the bill is reduced to $150
- insurer declines to pay bill as you haven't yet met your deductible
- doctor then bills you for $150.

This can all take 1-3 months.

I don't know about doctors accepting ACA plans or not. Maybe call your current GP, and ask if they accept plans purchased via the healthcare exchange.

Steerpike

The ACA plans are implemented by individual companies, and each company has it's own 'network'. So you really need to check with the specific company to see if your doctor is included in their network. If you've already picked a plan, it's generally quicker to call the doctor's office and ask them if your doc is accepting that specific plan (using the codes on the insurance card). If you are making a plan selection based on whether or not your doc is included, that can get trickier, as you need to research each plan's online network (find your doctor on their list). These network lists seem to be very inaccurate, and it can be hard to locate the specific plan on the website - each insurer may offer many, many plans with various names.

scrubbedexpat099

Even more complicated sadly.

Anthem are the OCare Insurer in my area, now obviously they do other plans outside of OCare, different plans have different reimbursement rates so not only do you need to know the Doctor etc deal with Anthem but they also deal with your plan with Anthem.

Steerpike

Oh, you mean like "... it can be hard to locate the specific plan on the website - each insurer may offer many, many plans with various names." ... oh, I already said that !

moi

So I figured our gross income for this year is in the region of 93K (this will include unemployment, my part time job, his wages up to lay off and severance pay (I think - taxes complicate the hell out of me). So the plans for income of 93K offered were in the region of $1K for a family of 4. Seems like after approx. 90K it increases in price. I picked an Horizon plan. It offered to do the tax credit up front or partial up front, but I chose to forgo that and do it at the end of the year when we do taxes as I'm worried it will be higher and then I owe it back and I don't know if husband will find something or not (although interviewing here and there and getting calls).


If I put our gross income lower than it actually is - as it says estimate - say 10K to get the cheaper savings is it going to come back to bite me?


Got a call over the weekend that my mum is in the hospital - I feel like I have a curse over me right now.