med insurance, hospital bills and other things

[gcarter]

Some of you may remember last Ferruary I had double heart bypass surgery- http://www.donzi.net/forums/showthread.php?t=48129 .
Well, here it is almost a year later and I'm tallying the damage for tax purposes. The point of this is to stress how important it is to have good insurance for a lot of reasons and no matter what it costs.
Being business owners, and the corporation's only imployees (the rest are leased), Elaine and I can have any insurance we can afford to buy. We belong to an affinity group (there are many out there) and are covered by an exellant PPO. Because of the group, the cost was pretty reasonable until I turned 60....now it's over $1,000.00/month.
But just an example of what the benifits are, when I checked into the hospital, actually a day before I showed up for surgery and I missed having lunch w/Big Griz because of the timing, I was told the hospital visit alone would be over $100K w/o insurance. Even if I were to pay cash, the discount wouldn't amount to much. The actual billed amount was $38K!!! What a discount! The surgeon was $7600.00, my cardiologist was about $7000.00.
I was responsible for about $8K as I have a $4,500.00 deductable and I'm still paying off some of this.
Anyway, I'm grateful for the coverage. Guys, this is important stuff.

[wannabe]

My family plan is $ 1300.00. Imagine trying to pay that making twelve bucks an hour.:eek!:

[gcarter]

The leasing company we use for our employees offers really good group rates and we pay half of it. I suppose that would help a lot in most cases.

[Lenny]

...mine is $72 a month, and covers all Medical expenses, all hosptial expenses, ambulances, treatments, surgery, 90% of any prescription costs, and 80% of all dental requirements, (50% cosmetic) and this is for 4 people. Myself, Deneen and my two kids...

Taxes are a DIFFERENT story tho. Both purchases and income.

[pmreed]

$640 a month here; for just lil ole me. And it's going to go up. That's with a $1500 deductible. Getting old is a b*tch:wink:

Phil

[fegettes]

I'm a contractor and have not had medical insurance for almost ten years, it just started getting too pricey, and I started relying on my VA Benefits. So far, I have been impressed with the care. However, I need to find Medical Insurance for Melinda. Any recommendations on which one to try, or not?

Steve

[zelatore]

I'm a contractor and have not had medical insurance for almost ten years, ..... Any recommendations on which one to try, or not?

Steve

I'm nearly in the same boat. As a contractor I can't afford anything except some basic coverage that really isn't good for anything except a major incident due to the high deductable. And that's $150/mo. That's for a single non-smoker under 40. Give me another 2 years and I'm sure they'll crank it up since I'll be in a new age bracket.

I'll be watching for comments about who's had good results with what companies.

[gcarter]

The key is finding an affinity group to buy through. we found ours, and it's good for us.
You self employed/contractors might look at NFIB (Natl. Federation of Independent Businessmen????).
What Elaine and I have is a HSA (Health Savings Account) where you can invest, tax free, up to about $6000/year into a savings account to be used for medical purposes. Along w/that, our major medical policy has a high deductable, ours is $4,500/year each. This is supposed to lower the cost of insurance.
This plan is pretty impressive and there's info from the IRS on line, google HSA.
Everyone is different and there's lots of flavors.......

[Carl C]

I don't have any health insurance and it seems that $1,000 a month would be better off invested and to be "self-insured". You had no choice in your emergency situation but there are a lot of ways to reduce medical expenses. Mainly, avoid American hospitals. If you are cut or sick go to a clinic instead. I had my hernias fixed in Canada for a fraction of the USA cost and the recurrance rate is 1% opposed to the 10% failure rate of the standard USA procedure. When I turned 50 my doc prescribed a colonoscopy; It was going to cost about $4,000 at a local hospital but I got on the phone and found a doc (Dr. Hain, Rochester, MI) who does them in his office and it cost me $360 total. I will continue without it. JMO

[zelatore]

I've had a similar view for several years. For a long time I didn't carry any health insurance. Then a couple years ago I had some kidney stones (big fun, I highly recomend it) and covered it out of pocket. That was about $8K as I remember. The rates were out of control - supposedly they over-charge because they expect a large portion of uninsured people to not make payment so they try to make it up by overcharging the ones that do pay (!!!). I later got a notice that there was a class-action suit against the hospital for over-charging by about 30%, but if I ever see any of that money it will be a small mirical. Since I'm only getting older I started carrying some basic coverage to take care of big hospital visits and the like, but I've never used it. So far, it's all been money out the window.

Maybe I should go ahead and marry Michele just so I can get on her insurance. I wouldn't be the fist person to do so!

[zelatore]

...mine is $72 a month, and covers all Medical expenses, all hosptial expenses, ambulances, treatments, surgery, 90% of any prescription costs, and 80% of all dental requirements, (50% cosmetic) and this is for 4 people. Myself, Deneen and my two kids...
Taxes are a DIFFERENT story tho. Both purchases and income.

Hmmmm.... $72/mo vs $1300/mo. There's a lot of room in there for a tax differance!

[Carl C]

The rates were out of control - supposedly they over-charge because they expect a large portion of uninsured people to not make payment so they try to make it up by overcharging the ones that do pay (!!!). We have a winner!!! You are exactly right. America does not have socialized health care yet hospitals cannot turn away someone in need of care. People routinely receive free treatment at hospitals, especially urban ones. This cost is passed directly to insurance companies and paying patients. I will not subsidize these deadbeats by paying a grand a month for insurance.

[smokediver]

i have a 100 dollar out of pocket , then 90% coverage up to 1000 out of pocket per year then 100% coverage ... 5 dollar prescription , unless there is a generic .. then it's free ... 10 dollar doctor office visit ... for myself and my daughter ... just have to show up every third day ....

[WA-LO]

Hey Lenny!!! is Dr. Dolittle per:shocking:forming the surgury up there!!!

Blue Shield here for the 3 of us 1470.00 per month !!!!

[gcarter]

For all you guys that are self employed/contractors....
1st. your insurance is deductable.
2nd. with the HSA and high deductable insurance, again your HSA contributions are tax free (not just deductable) so if you were to save the maximum every year, in ten years, you would have over $50K drawing interest or invested. That gives a lot of leverage w/doctors.
3rd. w/these programs, you can get some pretty steep discounts w/providers, i.e., I can almost always count on 30%-50% discount, all you have to do is ask.
4th. Many high deductable Insurance policies are pretty reasonably priced until you reach 60 years old. Then it's a matter of paying higher rates until you reach MediCare at 66.
That's where I am.
OBTW, if you don't spend the money in the HSA for medical expenses over the years, you can withdraw it and pay taxes at your rate for the money withdrawn.

[zelatore]

George, you're making a decent pitch for the HSA. I may have to look into it and discuss with my accountant, whom I have to visit all too soon .... :boggled:

[wannabe]

...mine is $72 a month, and covers all Medical expenses, all hosptial expenses, ambulances, treatments, surgery, 90% of any prescription costs, and 80% of all dental requirements, (50% cosmetic) and this is for 4 people. Myself, Deneen and my two kids...

Taxes are a DIFFERENT story tho. Both purchases and income.

So, how is the health care in Canada ? The story they tell us here is they ration health care and you have huge waiting lists and the people with means come here to get quality health care. We are paying for the people who don't have ins. with our high premiums which I consider a hidden tax. Fifteen years ago I would have given a thumbs down to nationalized health care but now I'm not so sure.

[zelatore]

So, how is the health care in Canada ? The story they tell us here is they ration health care and you have huge waiting lists and the people with means come here to get quality health care. We are paying for the people who don't have ins. with our high premiums which I consider a hidden tax. Fifteen years ago I would have given a thumbs down to nationalized health care but now I'm not so sure.

Yeah, I'd love to hear from an actual resident instead of the scare-tactic stories we here from our government.

Every time the topic comes up, they start throwing out terms like "socialized medicine", because they know the average Joe on the street equates Socializim with Communizim, and well, it must be a bad thing then, right?

Frankly, I don't pretend to know enough about the situation to say one way or the other is best, and I doubt many really do. I do think it's a bad idea to run health care as a for-profit buisness when it's something so fundimental to human needs. And if you take the profit out then the costs can go down, etc, but then we loose the incentives for innovation in the industry and really, how many of us trust the government to do a good job administering a national health program????

One thought I had was that we should have a basic national program (yes, that means more taxes) but still keep the for-profit structure in place for people willing to pay more for a premium product. Of course, then I'd be accused of slighting the poor. It's still the best idea I've got.

That's probably why I'm not a politician.

[boxy]

Hey Lenny!!! is Dr. Dolittle per:shocking:forming the surgury up there!!!
Blue Shield here for the 3 of us 1470.00 per month !!!!
I'm thinking Lenny's plan is highly subsidized by someone, my self employed plan costs us $400/month, no dental....

Day to day medical needs are easyily taken care by the family clinic where we are patients, if you don't have an appointment you may not always get to see your Doctor, but you always see someone. Emergency hospital visits are sometimes slow, the biggest bottleneck is caused by people who do not have Family Doctors using the Emergency Ward to get a sore throat looked at.
Elective surgery can sometimes be slow, I waited almost a year to have minicus in my knee cleaned up, but when I had a crack in my retinal wall and a blood vessel was forming I saw the surgeon the day it was discovered.

[gcarter]

Ed Donnely told me he is only allowed one set of knees and he has to wait until 65 to get them. Maybe he'll pipe up.

BTW, knees have become a really minor incident. It's done outpatient and it's not all that expensive.

[gold-n-rod]

I don't have any health insurance and it seems that $1,000 a month would be better off invested and to be "self-insured". You had no choice in your emergency situation but there are a lot of ways to reduce medical expenses. Mainly, avoid American hospitals. If you are cut or sick go to a clinic instead. I had my hernias fixed in Canada for a fraction of the USA cost and the recurrance rate is 1% opposed to the 10% failure rate of the standard USA procedure. When I turned 50 my doc prescribed a colonoscopy; It was going to cost about $4,000 at a local hospital but I got on the phone and found a doc (Dr. Hain, Rochester, MI) who does them in his office and it cost me $360 total. I will continue without it. JMO

Sorry, Carl, but at your age, trying to self insure is like playing Russian Roulette with several bullets in the chamber.

My heart attack and one angioplasty was +/- $60K. My 2nd and 3rd angios were about $25K each.

It's easy to shop around for a hernia or colonoscopy. When your arteries plug and your heart muscle is dying every minute or when you have a stroke and your brain cells are toasting, you don't have the luxury of shopping around.

Your strategy might work for a 20 or 30 year old, but you are risking everything at age 50+.

My 2 cents from experience.

[boxy]

Ed Donnely told me he is only allowed one set of knees and he has to wait until 65 to get them. Maybe he'll pipe up.
BTW, knees have become a really minor incident. It's done outpatient and it's not all that expensive.

George both my Uncles have had their kness replaced, neither one of them is 65.
My knee was done as an outpatient, I walked in and walked out 4 hours later.

I'm guessing you mean ortoscopic knee surgery is day surgery, complete knee replacement takes a little longer.

[gold-n-rod]

We pretty much have the Cadillac of health plans from my wife's employer.

We pay $380/month for a managed care program.

$5 co-pays on office calls
$5 co-pays on most scripts (we probably use $1200/mo of meds)
no co-pays on emergency or hospitals. In 20 years, we've never had a procedure authorized by our family dr. that wasn't covered nor an emergency or childbirth that was not covered.

I'd say we are in the 95% percentile of coverage in the US.

Of course, she earns it. She spends 6 hours a day locked up in a small room with 30 of someone elses 11 year olds. And these are not the "little darlings" that most of you remember from your 5th grade years, BTW.

[CHACHI]

Hey all of you have some very valid points. I'm MINXGUYS wife (Terri) and a registered nurse with a masters in nursing administration and education. As the buying public become more savvy consumers of health care, all these cost issues are sure to finally become a major issue in the politics of what ever country you call home. Although everybody thinks the grass is greener some where else, the truth is the system is boken world-wide. I don't care how much money you have, the shortage of nurses makes care periless in any system world-wide. For those of you contemplating elective surgery make sure you check on the NURSING as well as researching your physician. While he's in his office your REAL caregiver is the NURSE. If possible, have a plan for where you want to be transported in the event of a catostrophic emergent event. The misuse of the emergency department is only a small part of the problem. The high cost of keeping up with the public demand for the highest level of technology and making the care environment a hotel-like environment all add to the increase in care costs. Hospitals are NOT hotels. One should aspire to get in and out of the hospital ASAP. Hey there are SICK people there!!! with lots of nasty contagious bugs. Look for the facilities that offer Magnet nursing staff and focus your life styles on wellness. There isn't a magic pill for everything despite what the gazillion dollar pharmacutical industry would like you to believe. Enought said. Costs will continue to rise. Be smart consumers and keep in touch with your legislators. In the end, it's the loudest lobby voice that gets the bucks and so far that's not the general buying public. In the meantime, be well. Thanks for reading my thoughts. I could go on FOREVER.

George, I have an offer on the table and an interview tomorrow. Say hello to Lane.
Terri

[BUIZILLA]

we probably use $1200/mo of meds you have GOT to be kidding me....

[gcarter]

George, if you do not use the HSA money nor withdraw it, don't you lose it? I know it's taken from your check pre-tax, which explains the tax after you withdraw it. I also assume you are not a Sub S corp??
HSA are fairly new (three years I think) and absolutely one of the best things that have happened in the medical field. You DO keep it. If you don't use it, most people will after they get a little older, you get to keep it and use it for non-medical purposes by paying tax on it.

Randy....I've had three angioplasties (sp???) and here they are about $9K-$11K here. I paid for most of my first one.

Poodle, I'm not talking about knee repair, I meant knee replacement. And I'm not sure what my neighbor paid for it, but I'll find out in a few weeks. And yes, we are a subchapter S Corp.

[gcarter]

Here's some HSA info;
http://www.ustreas.gov/offices/public-affairs/hsa/

[gold-n-rod]

you have GOT to be kidding me....

Some meds are filled for 90 days, so maybe it's more like $1000. Hell, my Plavix (no generic option) is over [corrected $150] alone. I think we have 4 meds that are the brand name (not generic). That's probably a $200/mo premium, not counting the Plavix.

These are for my wife, son and myself. :shocking:

[gold-n-rod]

Randy....I've had three angioplasties (sp???) and here they are about $9K-$11K here.

Well, you do live in the land of the blue hairs. They probably do so many down there that it's like Krispey Cremes coming off the conveyor. Volumes keep the price down. :wink:

My cardiologist would have to live in a smaller mansion if all he got was $9K/per. :wink:

[Tony]

If the government would manage a national health plan like they operate social security...forget about it!

My insurance has been like Randy's...thanks to the efforts of previous teachers who spent years bargaining for good health benefits. Salary was sacrificed, but many teachers thought it was an acceptable trade-off. Today, unfortunately, there is a push to attack and slash these benefits...while salary of course remains low and frozen. Today's young teachers are very apathetic, they will be sorry in the future they were not more involved. Half of all teachers leave the profession within 5 years!
So, instead of creating incentives to combat this exodus, legislators continue to attack educators, in effect making the profession less attractive to aspiring college students. (As an aside, more college students than ever now say money is their #1 priority in life, with job satisfaction a distant second.)

Carl, I echo the concern about not having any health insurance. My wife is a 5 year breast cancer survivor...and we could not even imagine the total cost of her treatment. One injection (Lupron ) was $800 a pop, administered monthly for a year. Car accident, stroke, major illness...you are risking a massive expense which would likely be a financial devastation to you.

[gcarter]

G, as a Sub-S, don't you also get banged for the benefit you provide yourself with the health plan? Kind of double taxation IMO...
They tax the withdrawal on the HSA at your std rate I believe? With my insurance it's not worth it, but some of my guys may want to take advantage of it... We looked into it more than three years ago I am sure, but they may have leveled out some of the rules from then. It was goofy when we looked...
They only tax you for NON-MEDICAL withdrawals.
You can access it for medical purposes w/a check or a debit card and it stays tax free.
I'm not sure I follow paragraph 1. We've only been incorporated a little over a year, but I was under the impression our corp. provided the plan pre tax.
As I mentioned, Elaine and I are the Corp. only employees. The leasing company we use for our employees (Gevity HR) offers cafeteria style BCBS plans, one of which is a high deductable/HSA program. We chose not to go that route for ourselves because they (BCBS) limit the deductable too much. With our own plan we can do whatever the law allows, $4,500.00 deductable (I think).

[gold-n-rod]

Broken leg, car accident, major illness...you are risking a massive expense which would likely be a financial devastation to you.

Fortunately, a car accident that required treatment and/or hospitalization would be covered by the medical portion of one's car insurance. Unfortunately, by age 50, one's chances of being hurt in a car accident are overshadowed by the chance of serious and/or chronic disease. That is why your car insurance rates go down and your life insurance rates go up the older one gets.

[Ed Donnelly]

Complete knee replacement(x's 2) and I have to wait until I am 65.
I am open to seeing another specialist in eastern Ontario.
Why should OHIP do it any sooner when Heathers health plan
pays the $6,000 a yr for Synvisc injections.

Between my Synvisc,Spiriva,Advair,Salbutal,Prevacid,Nitroling ual,Apo ramipril,Novasen,Nasonex AQ,and my latest Oxycodone, I am well over a $1,000 a month in prescriptions

P.S. $1,500. mth. medical plan in Fla. and no income tax =
Heather and I paying $3,500 mth. income tax and free medical..Ed

[Lenny]

P.S. $1,500. mth. medical plan in Fla. and no income tax =
Healthier and I paying $3,500 mth. income tax and free medical..Ed

...sort of. My employer pays about 60% of all Premiums (all 25,000 of us) Ed, to add to this, look at your house insurance premiums here and yearly property taxes and compare THAT to your Southern brotheren...given equal values. There is NO comparison. A million dollar home here costs about 7 times LESS than the comparable in Miami.

It seems to me the only MAJOR trade off is the "length of the Boating Season" :( and the need NOT to have to replace your siding and, windows and/or roof every year and have the policies in place to cover these occurances.

Yes, as stated, the graduated income tax we pay, and the taxes on every purchase (12%) somehow get us back in line when you weigh the good and the bad.

[Ed Donnelly]

Lenny; I agree with you there..
My house is assessed at $410,000 property tax $2,850 a year

Homeowners insurance, never a claim in the 14 yrs we have owned it $525 a year
Too many other variables, 7% provincial 7% G.S.T. Gas ,hydro,etc. etc.

Other than the 12 month boating season, it all works out in the wash..........Ed

[Lenny]

Lenny; I agree with you there..
My house is assessed at $410,000 property tax $2,850 a year
Homeowners insurance, never a claim in the 14 yrs we have owned it $525 a year
Too many other variables, 7% provincial 7% G.S.T. Gas ,hydro,etc. etc.
Other than the 12 month boating season, it all works out in the wash..........Ed

Ed, GST is now 5% :D, it went down, hence the 12% total. My house, (assessed) $625,000. Yearly taxes,... $2400. Insurance, all perils, (earthquake and flood,... but I am on an 1100' high mountaintop :rolleyes: ) $900/yr.

Like you said, it all evens out.

All we have to do is go buy a TRUCK from a FORD Dealer, new F-350, and pay $70,000 PLUS, and it all starts to make sense. At least now our dollar is par, and so is our gas price, BUT, has anything, anything, anything,... GONE DOWN here in light of the currency change ? ? ? ...
no :(

[Ed Donnelly]

Lenny; Got both wrong


G.S.T. 5%
P.S.T. 8% (Ontario)

OOOOOPS.........................Ed

[yeller]

...mine is $72 a month, and covers all Medical expenses, all hosptial expenses, ambulances, treatments, surgery, 90% of any prescription costs, and 80% of all dental requirements, (50% cosmetic) and this is for 4 people. Myself, Deneen and my two kids...
Taxes are a DIFFERENT story tho. Both purchases and income.Yea, but try and get anything other than minor stitches and you'll be waiting until you die. I truly fear ever developing a serious problem because I may die waiting for an operation.
He's a minor story:
I was working at a building a few months ago and the maintanence guy stuck his hand on the belt of a motor and it pulled his hand around the pully severly crushing his fingers. Two fingers were nearly amputated. I took him to emergency where he waited 6hrs without anyone looking at him. The nurse told him to go home and come back in the morning! Just as he was about to leave, a doctor happened to pass by, saw his hand and rushed him into the operating room. If he had gone home as told, he would have lost 2 fingers. That kind of stuff happens here often enough to say it is a major problem. People with money here, go to the US to get things done. The rest of us, well.........:(

[zelatore]

People with money here, go to the US to get things done. The rest of us, well.........:(

That's the problem here in the US. If you've got money and can afford health care you're good to go. If you're poor to middle income then you can't afford much of anything. The catch is that those who don't pay drive up the costs even further so that those who might have been able to pay (middle income) now can't. And it just keep spiraling out of control.

At least the Canadian system seems to allow for some sort of basic (if not great) coverage; then you have the option of paying more for additional benifits. By providing at least this basic coverage they eliminate the drain on the system of non-payers. The theory is that this could then lower the cost of 'normal' care, which in turn would lower the premiums on 'normal' insurance.

Of course, when was the last time you heard of an insurance company lowering it's premiums? :smash:

As it is, a normal working guy making say $50K a year can't afford insurance. That's not minimum wage - $50K should be a decent, livable salery, but when you pull $1000, $1200, or $1500 a month out of that it's just not going to fly.

And there are plenty of stories of people waiting in ER's for hour after hour here too. Maybe for different reasons, but it happens on both sides of the fence.

[DonziChick]

You guys are making me feel better about my benefits at work. I guess I didn't realize how much people paid in health insurance. I don't pay a dime - my employer pays everything. I have a $15 copay for office visits, $10 copay for prescriptions (less if generic). I'm not sure what I would pay for a surgery, but I know it isn't a high deductible.

[zelatore]

I don't know about the rest of the country, but here in the (sf) bay area benifits have become a major selling point for employers. Every add I hear on the radio for jobs talks up the benifits as much or more than pay or hours or anything else.

[gold-n-rod]

And there are plenty of stories of people waiting in ER's for hour after hour here too. Maybe for different reasons, but it happens on both sides of the fence.

There's a fence between the US and Canukland? :shocking: I thought it was only proposed for the US and Mexico border.

Guess I'd better read the paper more often!! :smash:

:wink::wink::wink:

[Formula Jr]

Not having children makes things SOOO very much simpler.

There is an odd bargain now where you can work FOR some company and have full coverage, but you get paid almost nothing. An thats an attractive benefit. Or you can hoof it on your own and get nailed with all the insurance in order to keep your home if something happens.

I have catastrophic insurance. But In Oregon, even that isn't very dependable because a claim can be denied and your only legal remedy is to have the Insurance company pay the original claim. You can't sue for wrongful denial of coverage. You may find your own state to be the same.

So I do all the small stuff, cash. And Doctors love it!!!! And the discounts are extra-ordinary when you say cash.

I got some odd bug working on my property, a flesh eating thingy: A form of Staph that comes from deer urine, and was not widely recognized. Three different docs, at $400 a pop, still couldn't figure it out. So I had to look it up myself. Then went to a cheap local clinic with all my research. Presented the case, and they wrote out the Anti-biotics I requested. That worked. But I didn't need to spend the 1,200 for these idiot docs.

TV makes these doc guys look like intelligent people. TV has to in order to sell you drugs you probably don't need in the sponsor's ad's between the time you are being entertained.

[VetteLT193]

When my wife had our daughter the total bill was roughly $38k.

She did have a C-section, we spent 3 days in the hospital total, but everything was pretty routine.

[gold-n-rod]

When my wife had our daughter the total bill was roughly $38k.

Years later, we look back and marvel at how cheap the delivery was..... diapers, formula, clothing, gifts, clubs, sports, instruments, other lessons, cars, accidents, braces, college..... :shocking::shocking::shocking:

[zelatore]

There's a fence between the US and Canukland? :shocking: I thought it was only proposed for the US and Mexico border.
Guess I'd better read the paper more often!! :smash:
:wink::wink::wink:

Oh yeah, you missed that? I think they put it up right after the big ruckus in the papers about Canadian pharmacies being cheaper...it was a footnote in the patriot act.:bonk::wink:

[DonziChick]

When my wife had our daughter the total bill was roughly $38k.

She did have a C-section, we spent 3 days in the hospital total, but everything was pretty routine.

:shocking: Did insurance cover most of that?

[VetteLT193]

:shocking: Did insurance cover most of that?

Yes! cost me $500.

My insurance is like yours, $10-$15 covers just about every normal thing. In-patient is $500, not sure about out-patient stuff.

gold-n-rod:

We are already getting a taste of most of the items you listed!! It's a bit scary to already be investing in college for a 1 year old :doh:

[22billyzx]

wow...interesting stuff for us that have to pay these high rates. i too am a self emp. contractor,and am paying $350.00 a month for $5000 deductible. this is what has been referred to me as a major medical plan. i have only used it for doctors visits,and dental (mine pays about 80% of my dental i think) no eye care though. 25 at the dr`s office,and they seem to pick and choose what they will pay for on scripts. i wish i would have known about the hsa yrs ago. this plan was $99.00 a month less then 10 yrs ago...now its $350.00 i keep thinking "murphys law":confused:

[gcarter]

wow...interesting stuff for us that have to pay these high rates. i too am a self emp. contractor,and am paying $350.00 a month for $5000 deductible. this is what has been referred to me as a major medical plan. i have only used it for doctors visits,and dental (mine pays about 80% of my dental i think) no eye care though. 25 at the dr`s office,and they seem to pick and choose what they will pay for on scripts. i wish i would have known about the hsa yrs ago. this plan was $99.00 a month less then 10 yrs ago...now its $350.00 i keep thinking "murphys law":confused:
This is where the HSA comes in. It works beautifully with a high deductable policy. BTW, $350/month is pretty reasonable.
I received a notice from NFIB about insurance. Maybe I'll post some phone #'s tomorrow.

[gcarter]

I was just looking at the new "My Business" magazine from NFIB (National Federation of Independent Business).
Anyone here who is self employed, owns a small business, or an independent contractor should seriously consider joining. Currently they are lobbying against unions who are trying to end the Independent Contractor staus so many of us enjoy. They were an important lobby group in getting Florida's Workers comp insurance rates in line a few years ago. also they were important in making health insurance deductable for self employed and sole proprietors a few years back.
Additionally they are a "clearing house"(?) for major medical insurance that works with HSA's.
I would encourage everyone here who would benifit to join.
www.NFIB.com

[BUIZILLA]

NFIB is probably THE most important organization I am a member of...

we just got our 24 year membership badge