https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sun, 24 May 2026 17:13:26 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1869920 Fri, 19 Sep 2014 09:47:56 +0000 LovelyPlum 1869920@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: that sounds reasonable. When we bought, I felt totally clueless, too. We ended up just picking something that sounded reasonable and went with it. I don't know, maybe it could have come back to bite us, but it has worked out for us In general. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1869883 Fri, 19 Sep 2014 09:29:02 +0000 MrsKoala 1869883@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As students, are you eligible for the college's or university's health insurance? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1869846 Fri, 19 Sep 2014 09:14:24 +0000 loveisstrange 1869846@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@TheReelDeal: Yeah, I know pre-existing doesnt matter anymore. I just added that to give people a clearer picture of the situation.</p> <p>@catomd00: He's starting a pretty heavy load engineering program, he just cant handle it and the Reserves. That's the main reason. I graduate in May, so we're hoping whatever job I get will have employer coverage. </p> <p>@LovelyPlum: The plan we're looking at is a PPO Silver plan. We're definitely looking for a low deductible plan. Tricare will start costing us $300/month in January, so we're aiming to be at or below that. We don't mind paying a monthly premium at all. I do need access to a cardiologist, but no medications. My condition is mostly asymptomatic and only caused me real issues when I was pregnant.</p> <p>@mrbee: Ah, I didn't know that! Thanks for the article. Something to consider. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1869836 Fri, 19 Sep 2014 09:10:33 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 1869836@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: referrals haven't been an issue for me, they always coke through quickly. It may help that I'm with Kaiser which has many specialists, so it's internal. I also like how radiology, blood drawing, ultrasounds etc are all together with the docs in the offices so you're not running around. </p> <p>@RubyCali: yeah, we paid $750 of an almost $700,000 NICU bill! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1869819 Fri, 19 Sep 2014 09:06:14 +0000 mrbee 1869819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@loveisstrange: I don't have much to add about choosing a plan, but thought I'd mention on article I saw a few days ago that said that CHIP funding is currently slated to run out next fall!</p> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/17/us/senate-hearing-sets-stage-for-debate-on-fate-of-childrens-insurance-program.html?referrer=" rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/17/us/senate-hearing-sets-stage-for-debate-on-fate-of-childrens-insurance-program.html?referrer=</a> </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1869810 Fri, 19 Sep 2014 08:58:27 +0000 RubyCali 1869810@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Tiger: I was on an HMO when pregnant with LO and my entire hospital stay was $0... In the United States! I was thrilled :grin: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1869798 Fri, 19 Sep 2014 08:52:00 +0000 looch 1869798@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Tiger: I think people dislike HMOs for the referrals...I know I had an HMO for many years, with referrals and it was perfect for my needs at the time. I think a lot of HMOs have done away with the need for the referral, at least I was surprised to learn that the one offered by my employer is that way (when it hadn't been 10 years ago). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1869759 Fri, 19 Sep 2014 08:36:32 +0000 LovelyPlum 1869759@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When we bought for my husband on the open market (before the exchange), we decided that we wanted a PPO plan, so that we could go to the doctor when needed, no referral necessary, and pay a co-pay each time. We also went for a low-ish deductible, because a $10,000 deductible seemed like a one way ticket to bankruptcy. </p> <p>For you, I would guess that you'd want access to specialists for the conditions you mentioned? That is something to consider. Are you on medication? You should be able to find out what your co-pay would be for specific drugs, if you call around to the various plans. Also,you probably should think about whether you want it to include pregnancy care, even if you're not TTC. At least see what you can get, so if you do decide to TTC/have a surprise, you don't get sticker shock, too! For LO, I would say well visits, immunizations, sick visits, and ER care are probably the most important</p> <p>Good luck! Insurance is a pain, but hopefully you find something that you are comfortable with. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1869627 Fri, 19 Sep 2014 06:25:50 +0000 catomd00 1869627@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As someone who works in this arena, I would tell my husband to suck it up and stay in the reserves for the insurance coverage! Exchange plans are very expensive for crappy coverage.</p> <p>More helpful quick and dirty advice - if you are high utilizers, choose a plan with higher monthly premium but lower deductible. You will also want something with little to no coinsurance (esp % vs fixed cost coinsurance). If you only access the system for well visits and emergencies, choose a high deductible plan with lower premiums. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1868934 Thu, 18 Sep 2014 18:26:51 +0000 Mrs. Tiger 1868934@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If you're looking at any surgeries, you want to look for a plan with a fixed deductible for hospital stays instead of a percentage. We have an HMO and love it, not sure why everyone hates on HMOs all the time... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1868883 Thu, 18 Sep 2014 18:05:18 +0000 Mrs. Jump Rope 1868883@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>What PP said, and:</p> <p>I would play with numbers. Once you determine your needs in a plan, compare carriers and plans within carriers.</p> <p>Take the monthly premium along with the deductible and coinsurance into consideration. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1868880 Thu, 18 Sep 2014 18:01:19 +0000 TheReelDeal 1868880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You should be looking for an affordable plan that provides the coverage you need. Since the passage of PPACA whether or not you have a pre-existing condition doesn't matter. However if you know you'll need surgery you would most likely want a plan with a low deductible (what you have to pay before the plan will pay) and low cost share (what you pay versus what the plan pays) after you meet the deductible. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/explain-like-im-5-choosing-health-insurance#post-1868849 Thu, 18 Sep 2014 17:16:39 +0000 loveisstrange 1868849@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Right now, we have Tricare. We have had it since we got married because DH was in the USAF. Now he's Reserve, but un-contracted. We're in our 6 months of Tricare Prime post separating active duty. Long story short, DH hates the reserves and wants to quit and we're looking at the healthcare exchange trying to decide on a plan of action since we will lose Tricare when he peaces out of the reserves. We're both students, so we have no employer health insurance available.</p> <p>What do we need to be looking for in terms of a plan? We're both kind of clueless.</p> <p>We're both 26, we have a 2.5 year old daughter who qualifies for our state's CHIP plan. DH has a chance of having or being a carrier of Alpha 1 (his dad died from it 3 years ago, his aunt a few years before that) and I have a heart arrhythmia disorder called Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and need outpatient surgery to correct it. </p>