scrubbedexpat099

OPP said she is from the Uk.

Many people on here effectively pay cash for regular stuff, Mr P has espoused extensively on the subject.

I know when my Father retired many moons ago he kept their BUPa going, became unaffordable so they would pay for the minor stuff where they needed to avoid the NHS.

The Affordable in OCare is one of those weird American jokes, does not really translate.

carcajou

I have been out of the country for a while, so I don't know if these things still happen, but the insurance companies used to be famous for trying to move heaven and earth to be able to deny a claim.

A decade ago I was on an employer-plan that had a chiropractic benefit - they did absolutely everything to avoid paying (and, this was just something like a $200 claim) from ignoring the claim, to falsely claiming to have sent me a letter, to falsely claiming to have tried to call me, back to ignoring the claim, to trying to find typos in the claim. At one point I offered to just pay the chiropractor but they refused, telling me that all the insurance companies tried that and they were determined that they should pay out the claims. Eventually it got sorted but they will do everything to avoid paying.

Insurance company bad behaviour was one of the reasons behind Obamacare - there were a lot of cases of people getting cancer, then getting denied coverage on fraud grounds because they didn't report a toenail infection 15 years ago as a "pre-existing condition" or similar (this practise was called "rescission," which states that the company can yank the policy if you have engaged in a concealment).

What was that other thread on here, that Jeff Bezos, Warren Buffett and Jamie Dimon were going to get together and "fix" health care? Talk about letting the foxes into the henhouse! I would rather Donald Trump personally write whatever bill would be forthcoming, then let any of those three, anywhere near health care policy.

Just horrible.

Pulaski

You're overlooking the fact that the premiums, and terms and conditions of almost all employment-linked health insurance for larger companies in the US are already dictated by the employer, as it is the employer who is self-insuring for all but the most expensive claims. The "insurance company" used by companies is mostly providing administration services for processing claims then billing the corporation, for who it cheaper to fund claims than buy actual insurance.

scrubbedexpat099

And v relatively few people are covered by individual plans.

durham_lad

I had 2 such experiences in 2015. I had a PPO group plan through my ex-employer with a wide out of State network as we traveled a lot. Cost was $656/month for my wife and I. In March that year I felt a little dizzy one Sunday evening at 10pm and when I took my BP the instrument indicated an irregular heart beat - see doctor immediately. I left it an hour then took my BP again and it was still irregular plus the BP was now pretty high. Rather than go to an ER which I know is very expensive I went to a walk-in 24hr clinic close to where I live and they did an ekg and blood test. I was there about 2.5 hours and the Doc told me I was in atrial fibrillation but my heart was not racing and she expected it to settle into a regular rhythm by itself. She gave me an anti clotting injection, told me to go see my regular doctor first thing in the morning and I drove home. (She was correct in her diagnosis and prognosis, ecg was normal a few hours later at my doctor’s office). When the paperwork came through it turned out that the clinic was not in the main (preferred) network and I ended up paying 40% of the cost, over $3k.

Later that year when the doctor persuaded my wife and I to go have a colonoscopy I was much more rigorous in checking that the facility, the doctor and the anaesthetist were all in network. When all the bills came through it turns out that they had used 2 different labs to run tests and the lab used to do the histology on a couple of small polyps was not in network and I was charged $750 for each of us, $1,500 in total. It took me over a year of appeals (1 by phone, 2 written) to get the Insurance to pay up and they ended up paying $30 per test and my co-pay was $20 per test.

retzie

Except it doesn't cost $500 PER MONTH there.

If you end up on a low income, you may well qualify for government subsidies through the Affordable Care Act to bring your premiums down. But as you note, the future of the ACA is not at all guaranteed and any number of features may change.

It sounds like you have not had the easiest time with your health in the UK. There is essentially zero chance you will have an easier time here, unless you can secure a job with good benefits immediately. Honestly, this doesn't sounds likely. Note: If you enroll in college, this may open up a more affordable option.

Honestly, you can muddle along money-wise with a collection of crap jobs, but healthcare here is a big, big deal. There is very little room for 'muddling along'; the default option here is to just go without insurance for a while, which I do NOT recommend

Nutmegger

The Affordable Care Act says that you can't be denied coverage for pre-existing conditions; it doesn't say that you won't have to pay through the nose for said coverage.

GRZEB1S

I see. I read on the HSS.gov website that insurance companies also can't charge more for a pre-existing condition...but I'm not so naive to believe that 😩 And I'm also aware that an insurance company has to charge more to insure somebody that's higher risk than others.

Pulaski

The best solution for the OP would be employment based coverage, where she'll get lumped in with the other employees and isn't forced to shop for insurance as an invidual.

GRZEB1S

I appreciate the advice 😩 Healthcare is obviously a big concern of mine but if my condition stops me from doing this, on top of other things it's already taken away from me, then I'm not sure what else there is for me. The crap job situation is definitely a worry too! But I'm sure I will find something.

Pulaski

Without a degree, and the career paths that opens up, or at least skilled trade qualifications (for plumbing or electrical work), not to mention the issues of health insurance (obtaining it, and paying for it) it is quite likely that your situation in the US would be a lot crappier in the US than in the UK.

The US is a very bad place to be poor, or even on below average income.

GRZEB1S

Thanks everyone. I shall update you in a couple of years time!
I'm remaining confident! But of course I'll try to stay grounded

Cheerio!

durham_lad

All the very best to you.

S Folinsky

I've know several people who have obtained Irish passports. One L.A. born and raised friend married to a native Irishman not only obtained Irish passports for her children, but discovered that as the wife of a native born Irishman, she could obtain one.

One further advantage of an Irish passport derives from the neutral non-colonial history of Ireland - most people in the world like the Irish. It is a very desirable passport.

BritInParis

Agreed; it's seen as a 'neutral' passport and as such much prized by journalists and NGO workers. Post-nuptial Irish citizenship is no longer available but Irish citizenship has the distinct advantage of being able to be passed on indefinitely regardless of place of birth in contrast to both British and US citizenship.