Another Health Insurance Query??
Dec 1st 2011, 5:38 pm
#31
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
More so now that they own a house.
Without any assets, it's a risk whinging it, but blood out of a stone, there wouldn't be much the insurance/hospitals could go after.
Now there's a house involved, they'd take that in a heart beat...leaving a mortgage payment and no home afterwards.
So getting on the group plan is far more important now than before.
As shitty and as unwanted as that sounds, it really is a case of do that, don't buy the house, or as an individual, move back to the UK till greencards are in the bag...there is very little wiggle room for anything in between, without residing else where....though perhaps CT offers a better high risk pool option than others?
Without any assets, it's a risk whinging it, but blood out of a stone, there wouldn't be much the insurance/hospitals could go after.
Now there's a house involved, they'd take that in a heart beat...leaving a mortgage payment and no home afterwards.
So getting on the group plan is far more important now than before.
As shitty and as unwanted as that sounds, it really is a case of do that, don't buy the house, or as an individual, move back to the UK till greencards are in the bag...there is very little wiggle room for anything in between, without residing else where....though perhaps CT offers a better high risk pool option than others?
Dec 1st 2011, 6:07 pm
#32
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
Well, please believe me, the quote my husband got was way, way more than that for just adding me. This is how I find it all so confusing, the variance in prices and coverage, but as you guys have said, the way things are, I don't think we have much choice but to going with his and just need to try and work out how to afford it. I just get one thing sorted out and BAM, here we go again............ but I'll keep on smiling, as always 
Individual plans generally charge 20%-40% above the expected outlay for a healthy person of a certain age.
While working for the last two companies, I didn't realize that there was a significant difference per employee being charged to the companies since both were paying 100% for my coverage. It wasn't until I went on COBRA (the ex employee pays the full premium each month) that I realized there was a significant difference. I ended up paying about 50% more in COBRA premiums in 1989 than in 2000 with almost identical coverage. Apparently the first company had a lot of older sick employees as compared to the second company.
Dec 1st 2011, 6:25 pm
#33
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
That is unusual but possible. Normally corporations get quotes from different insurance companies based on the previous years cost to the last insurer, the number of employees and dependents on the plan, the age of the employees and dependents, and the size of the group (small groups tend to be more risky since one very sick individual can cost the insurance company a lot of money). Generally the quotes are 15%-20% above the expected outlay for benefits by the insurance company for the coming year. Usually employers pick up a portion of the cost but if the average age of employees and dependents are high and/or high medical costs were experienced in the previous year, the cost to employee can be high.
Dec 1st 2011, 6:55 pm
#34
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
Thanks guys, I'm getting a better understanding of how the company insurance works now after both your explanations. Very much appreciated.
Dec 1st 2011, 9:43 pm
#35
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
I thought the group plans would have a fixed price depending on the number of people in the family.
Dec 1st 2011, 9:52 pm
#36
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
Not if it is homesteaded (normally homes are automatically homesteaded if the home is your primary residence) and the the equity in the house is less than the homestead figure. For some states that figure is pretty low (about $30,000) but other states such as Florida homestead figures are high at over $1 million.
Dec 1st 2011, 10:11 pm
#37
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
My understanding , according to my insurance guy, is that if you get turned down by one company you'll be turned down by them all because they share info.I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
I got turned down several years ago when I had to switch providers ( moved state ) and a previous standard back operation came up. Luckily a friend put me on his company policy otherwise I'd have moved back to the U.K . Nothing would convince me to live here without insurance.
I got turned down several years ago when I had to switch providers ( moved state ) and a previous standard back operation came up. Luckily a friend put me on his company policy otherwise I'd have moved back to the U.K . Nothing would convince me to live here without insurance.
Dec 1st 2011, 10:43 pm
#38
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
They all share information through the Medical Information Bureau (kind of a medical credit agency) but that doesn't necessarily mean they'll all interpret that information in the same way.
Dec 1st 2011, 11:19 pm
#39
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
My understanding , according to my insurance guy, is that if you get turned down by one company you'll be turned down by them all because they share info.I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
I got turned down several years ago when I had to switch providers ( moved state ) and a previous standard back operation came up. Luckily a friend put me on his company policy otherwise I'd have moved back to the U.K . Nothing would convince me to live here without insurance.
I got turned down several years ago when I had to switch providers ( moved state ) and a previous standard back operation came up. Luckily a friend put me on his company policy otherwise I'd have moved back to the U.K . Nothing would convince me to live here without insurance.
Dec 2nd 2011, 12:15 am
#40
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...alth+insurance
This is the previous thread on the same subject.
Quite a few common posters as well.
This is the previous thread on the same subject.
Quite a few common posters as well.
Dec 2nd 2011, 12:46 am
#41
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...alth+insurance
This is the previous thread on the same subject.
Quite a few common posters as well.
This is the previous thread on the same subject.
Quite a few common posters as well.
Dec 2nd 2011, 4:52 pm
#42
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
I apologise if people think I'm repeating myself. The reason for the other thread was about not being covered for a pre-existing, which I understand. The reason I was looking for guidance was that I didn't realise that as soon as you are diagnosed with a condition, they can just refuse to insure you. I was only reaching out to see if there were any other options and it looks like, however expensive it may be, that the company plan of my husbands is the only one. Sometimes it's overwhelming dealing with all of these things that crop up, and it helps me that most of the time, the kind people on here will put things in perspective and clear the fog a bit. If you think that I'm "ALL ABOUT ME" then you have got me all wrong but thanks for your post anyway.
Dec 2nd 2011, 9:21 pm
#43
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Re: Another Health Insurance Query??
Well forgive me!! I apologise if people think I'm repeating myself. The reason for the other thread was about not being covered for a pre-existing, which I understand. The reason I was looking for guidance was that I didn't realise that as soon as you are diagnosed with a condition, they can just refuse to insure you. I was only reaching out to see if there were any other options and it looks like, however expensive it may be, that the company plan of my husbands is the only one.
Sometimes it's overwhelming dealing with all of these things that crop up, and it helps me that most of the time, the kind people on here will put things in perspective and clear the fog a bit. If you think that I'm "ALL ABOUT ME" then you have got me all wrong but thanks for your post anyway.
I apologise if people think I'm repeating myself. The reason for the other thread was about not being covered for a pre-existing, which I understand. The reason I was looking for guidance was that I didn't realise that as soon as you are diagnosed with a condition, they can just refuse to insure you. I was only reaching out to see if there were any other options and it looks like, however expensive it may be, that the company plan of my husbands is the only one. Sometimes it's overwhelming dealing with all of these things that crop up, and it helps me that most of the time, the kind people on here will put things in perspective and clear the fog a bit. If you think that I'm "ALL ABOUT ME" then you have got me all wrong but thanks for your post anyway.
Dec 3rd 2011, 9:36 am
#44
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