Medical Insurance
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 18
Medical Insurance
Im soon to be moving to the USA from the Uk and would like advice on Medical insurance.
I will be self employed
What typically will be the amount I should allocate for this insurance.
Please advise
Thanks
Mark
I will be self employed
What typically will be the amount I should allocate for this insurance.
Please advise
Thanks
Mark
#2
I have a comma problem
Joined: Feb 2009
Location: Fox Lake, IL (from Carrickfergus NI)
Posts: 49,598
Re: Medical Insurance
Is it possible for you to call around some insurance providers to get some quotes before making the move? I'm lucky enough to be on a group plan through my employer but the cost of some plans can be quite prohibitive I have heard.
#3
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 1,352
Re: Medical Insurance
My DH and I looked into health insurance through State Farm (not really a well known health provider, to be fair) when we got here, and it would have been over $500 a month each for very limited "catastrophic" cover. We declined, and fortunately I got a job with good benefits before anything happened to us.
#4
Re: Medical Insurance
Look for trade associations based on your work who provide group coverage plans. These are usually far better than individual plans, especially in this time when the healthcare reforms have not yet levelled the playing field.
#5
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2010
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 9,654
Re: Medical Insurance
Until such time as the new health reform changes go through in 2014 (IF they will), you should be thinking about whether you will get insurance as an individual as well as the cost of it.
If you have any pre-conditions (and this can vary from being asthmatic, suffering from high blood pressure to having had cancer 5 years ago) the insurance companies can deny individuals cover (more difficult to do if you are in a Group plan with an employer) or put restrictions on your policy.
The older you are the more expensive the policy.
You should think carefully about having resources (ie money) in the case of you not getting insurance.
One thing that hubby and I were told when looking for individual health insurance was that the self-employed, if in a partnership type of arrangement, can apply for GROUP insurance in some circumstances. We did contemplate setting up such a company just for the insurance aspect.
This might be be very helpful to you.
If you have any pre-conditions (and this can vary from being asthmatic, suffering from high blood pressure to having had cancer 5 years ago) the insurance companies can deny individuals cover (more difficult to do if you are in a Group plan with an employer) or put restrictions on your policy.
The older you are the more expensive the policy.
You should think carefully about having resources (ie money) in the case of you not getting insurance.
One thing that hubby and I were told when looking for individual health insurance was that the self-employed, if in a partnership type of arrangement, can apply for GROUP insurance in some circumstances. We did contemplate setting up such a company just for the insurance aspect.
This might be be very helpful to you.
#6
Account Closed
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 38,865
Re: Medical Insurance
Ian
#8
Re: Medical Insurance
There are a lot of insurance companies and it can be daunting trying to pick one. One way to go about it once you are here is to find a doctor you like perhaps through personal recommendation and find out which insurance networks the doctor is in, then look at those companies only.
There is nothing more frustrating particularly when you need specialist treatment for something to find a great doctor only to learn that they are out of network and you will have to clear a huge extra out of network deductible before the insurance company even considers reimbursing you for a small percentage of what you've just been billed.
Oh and in answer to your question, at least $500 probably more per month plus out of pocket copays etc.
There is nothing more frustrating particularly when you need specialist treatment for something to find a great doctor only to learn that they are out of network and you will have to clear a huge extra out of network deductible before the insurance company even considers reimbursing you for a small percentage of what you've just been billed.
Oh and in answer to your question, at least $500 probably more per month plus out of pocket copays etc.
#9
Re: Medical Insurance
Does your spouse-to-be have an employer plan? If you can get on to her insurance, it will usually be a much better deal.
#10
Re: Medical Insurance
Always intrigued when this is the last thing to be investigated....anyway, anything from $500-1500 a month....but it all boils down to level of coverage you are comfortable with and your own personal circumstances and to some extent, what state you are living in.