I have insurance through my job, which I combine with a flex spending account (also a benefit offered by my company).

Brandy, it worries me a little to hear you don't have any coverage.  Is there any way you could at least afford catastrophic coverage?  I worry about what might happen if something major came up.

Also, I've found that private-run community clinics offer the best sort of balance between decent care and sliding scale prices.  I went to one between college and getting a job with good health insurance, and while the wait times were pretty awful if you were a walk-in (if you made an appointment, it was much better), the staff was courteous and professional. 

Brandy,

   My husband is 67 and has medicare and I am 56 and have NO insurance. I have so many outstanding medical bills.  This summer I have been living at all my dr.'s offices.  I have fibromyalgia and can barely walk with the pain, Crohn's Disease and my meds for it have stopped working. Because of that I have very low potassium and have to have a special pill that I can digest, Low B-12 and give myself injections,low folate, special pill for that.  My foods are very limited to what I can digest and I have many other medical issues. This past week I applied for medical assistence but will probably be turned down because of the amount of my dh SS and pension.  They told me at Social Services that I had a medical nightmare. Our county health dept. has a med bank and they help me get my meds for free( I still have some that don't come under their guidlines so I pay for them.) I also get my pap smears,mamograms and other cancer screening through a program at the health dept. My hospital has a charity care program so if I don't get medicade I will finish applying for charity care. They pay for any hospital bills(er, lab work, hospital stay). My cousin investigates Medicare fraud and she told me Bush has two bills on his desk but will veto them because he wants people to buy private insurance.  The kicker is these bills are to continue the CHIP(childrens health insurance program) programs.  How are you supposed to buy private insurance?  And the countdown continues till we get Bush and his cronies out of office. I better stop now before I blow a gaskit(sp)!

       Melanie

We were offered COBRA when everyone was let go. We got a letter saying that the payment would be $845 a month and possibly more as they had not yet figured it all out. This would have been a temporary solution.

I have no idea where to look for independent coverage of any kind.

Brandy:

We were offered COBRA when everyone was let go. We got a letter saying that the payment would be $845 a month and possibly more as they had not yet figured it all out. This would have been a temporary solution.

I have no idea where to look for independent coverage of any kind.

It's a bit tricky.  I tried ehealthinsurance.com first - I read about them in a health magazine, and I checked them against the BBB, so I think they're OK.  I ran some sample numbers, guessing haphazardly at your and your husband's ages based on your daughter's and son's ages... the lowest so far looks to be the UnitedHealthcare "Saver 80" plan (also one of the best sellers).  It's about $350/month for coverage for all four of you.  That's with a $5,000 deductible for a family ($2,500 per person, 2 persons maximum).  After the 20% coinsurance kicks in (20% being your share, I believe), then your out-of-pocket max for the family is $12,000 for the year ($3,000 per person).

You can also try looking at UnitedHealthcare's website directly (www.uhc.com) to see what quotes they'd give you without a middle man.  Might be worth a shot to get them to price match if you can instead of dealing with a middle man, too.

For what it's worth, I have UnitedHealthcare as my provider through my employer; I like them pretty well.  Not sure how extensive their number of doctors is in other states, though.

Let me know if you'd like me to do some more poking around.  I'm always happy to help!
 

Health insurance - if you can afford it or even find it - is a necessary evil, I suppose, but I'm surprised how many people waste their money - and their lives - but not maintaining their health in the first place.  For too many folks, health insurance and medical treatments are a substitute for preserving their good health.

Admittedly there are limits - e.g. accidents, diseases, etc. do happen, even to the fittest folks - but through simple (and inexpensive!) exercise and diet, people in general can save tens of thousands of dollars over the course of their lives on what health insurance, meds, treatments, etc. will cost them if they ruin their health.  Not only does maintaining good health save you on medical insurance/medical expenses, but a healthier diet costs less (lower in animal protein, etc.) and simple daily exercise (e.g. mowing your own lawn, washing your own car, etc.) saves you even more.  It's truly a case of less is more.

Stay Cheap (and healthy)!

-Jeff Yeager, The Ultimate Cheapskate, www.UltimateCheapskate.com 

PS - I wrote an article for the Dollar Stretcher on this topic a couple years ago.  I think you can still find it under the Author Directory feature if you're interested.  

 We had United Healthcare through my husband's employer a year or so ago before the contract was switched to another company who offered Blue Cross Blue Shield. I didn't even think to look at them. It's Blue Cross that wants to charge $845 for COBRA so I am afraid to ask what they would want for private coverage.

All our physicians and our chosen hospital take UH since we went with the clinic when we had coverage through UH.

I am considering Medicaid for the kids since our current income falls within the income requirements. But we would still need to consider how to handle our own medical expenses. Then when my husband gets a permanent job, we can reconsider the whole issue and maybe he will find something that has insurance benefits.

Of course I am interested in your article, Jeff. I love your posts and your site. 

Is this the one you mention?  Healthy, Wealthy and Wealthier? 

Even with fitness, diets based on medical needs, natural remedies and taking precautions, my family deals with several medical issues. My husband and children were born with asthma and reflux. The youngest was born with her spine improperly formed. Diabetes and early arthritis runs in my husband's family. He was told at 15 that he was borderlining on diabetes and 22 years later, he still is. The arthritis is setting in and his asthma and reflux are flaring up now. I am anemic with the normal issues a woman faces as she enters mid 30s and looks towards her 40s and 50s.

Brandy, Do you perceive any down side in enrolling your children in Medicaid?  If there isn't, I advise you to enroll them, as it would cover them in any accident or illness within the state of Mississippi.

Downside? Just the hassle of getting all the paperwork together and getting a ride. I seem to be missing Ashiy's birth certificate but have the rest of what I will need, I think.

Well, Brandy, you know the situation quite well.