rags

hi could some one please tell me a website where i can get a price for me and my familys health insurance?

penguinsix

1) Start here to understand a bit more about health insurance:

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Health_Insurance

2) Try this website to get a "General" idea of prices

http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/

However, it depends greatly on your exact health history and what city you will be living in, so the final numbers will likely be a bit different than those you see on a site like that.


It is worth noting that the vast majority of people in the US who have health insurance get it from their employer, so if you are going to be like one of these people, the real answer is going to come (only) from your HR person in your company. The range you pay from individuals to families of 4 can be from $0 a month (if paid by the company) to $1,600 or even more a month. As such anecdotal experiences we can offer won't really answer your question.

jambo101

Great link penguinsix however for a family of 4 and a $10K deductible most of the plans in the area i chose (34608) are not too far short of $1000 a month,people coming from a place that has universal health care may have a bit of sticker shock at those prices..

penguinsix

You don't have to be from the UK to be shocked by some of these prices. It can be pretty scary. We were $1,550 for a family of 4 with no deductible but a 10% co-pay for some things up to a certain amount per year (though no, we didn't pay that--the company paid for most of the monthly premium). Still it makes you wonder how some people just out school or the military and with a young family manage when so much of their take home pay is going toward insurance.

Duncan Roberts

You'll need a lot more information than that. Unless you are going through an employer, in which case you have no real options, every aspect of your health and lifestyle can be used as well as the age of the family members. You may be offered a policy, you may not be offered anything, you may get offered something for certain members but not others or you may be offered some crappy and/or expensive policies. Before you get quotes, take a lot of time to at least understand the basics like co-pay, deductible, co-insurance, formulary, physician lists, covered and non-covered services, out of pocket expenses, the difference between health, prescription, dental and vision insurance. If you don't spend a couple of hours a day for at least a couple of weeks, you wont be prepared enough to get private quotes from insurance companies without a strong chance of screwing your family over.

EDIT: Just so you know, the price of individual health insurance has gone up considerably since you posted in 2009, probably around the +60% range.

Bob

Also those figures tend to be for people with a US credit history, coming here fresh off the boat with no history, you're likely to not find the lowest quotes going.

SANDRASZ1982

Hi All,

I am new on the forum. what a great place i have already managed to find out A LOT, so thank you everyone.
We are moving to NYC in early August and i am now in the process of looking into health insurance. Does anyone know what is the most popular health cover in US? I have read all review and went on the recommended website, still find it hard to make up my mind, so any suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

GeoffM

If there really was a "one size fits all" which is best then that company would be doing very well indeed. But there isn't so you need to consider what is best for you. Deductibles, co-pays, etc - how much are you willing to basically gamble on your family's health, since insurance is pretty much a gamble? Also, if you get company health cover then your options will be limited to whatever they supply, unless you opt out.

scrubbedexpat099

Medicare

Brat1

Really depends on the cover you want, how much your willing to take as a deductible and co-pays and stuff. My husband has his insurance, which seems pretty good through his work and he doesn't have to pay any monthly premiums, but for me and my 3 girls, we originally took out health insurance which turned out to be too expensive on one wage, so we researched a lot and ended up getting health insurance from a company that covers you while you're under an H4, I pay a $250 deductible and it cost me $1,700 for 6 months for the 4 of us, which you can renew for up to a total of 4 years, so far it seems okay, but my pre-existing back problem is probably not going to be covered so I'll have to fork out money for any treatment, but I knew that before we came over. I found it very confusing at the start, with co-pays, deductibles etc, and it sure is a minefield, but it's a must if you want to have your family's health covered. Good luck with your move in August, what visa are you coming over on??

SANDRASZ1982

Well, there must be a company that gets chosen more then others. In UK you have few private health care comp and some are more popular the others, for obvious reasons eg BUPA

Boiler - thanks for the info.

SANDRASZ1982

Gosh this all seams to be a lot of $.
I know that probably it is not but because this is all new to me it just seams soooo expensive. I will be coming on L2 visa. That is still in the process, so let's hope all will go well.

ottotheboar

Check out state programs, here in Virginia there was a program for children to be covered but there was a maximum earnings threshold. Do not forget vision and dental.

meauxna

Please consider the size of the US relative to the UK; there does NOT have to be one more popular than the other. Not all of them can trade in every state and the laws are different in every state.

It is not like anything you know and it's not going to be.

If you are coming on an L-2, you should be able to buy into your spouse's benefits through work. If they will not offer even that minimum, you should seriously consider if it's a decent job offer or not.

GeoffM

In the UK there are very few providers and very few plans. In the US there are many providers, each with dozens of plans. The point I'm trying to get across to you is that while company X might be the most popular, it may be completely unsuitable for your personal situation. Tesco might be the most popular supermarket but it doesn't mean it's any good for me, being the wrong side of town, more expensive, and always too crowded, so I go to one that fits in with my expectations, budget, and convenience.