Health Insurance

[Dulcee]

So I have a question and you guys are usually pretty good at helping out. This May I'm graduating from college. I've always had "school" health insurance but now that I'm graduating I obviously won't be covered anymore. I'm looking to get into an internship program but not only does this program not have health insurance the pay is pretty minimal. Graduation is now looming overhead as I panic about not being able to ever go to a Dr if need be. :ill: There's no way as a recently graduated student in todays economy that I can afford 200 dollar office visits nor is it likely I'm going to stumble upon a job in my field thats going to offer me full benefits within the next year. Any one else been through this? Any suggestions? :(

[CAS]

Ouch. No real solution to cheap private health insurance. You'll have to look at your situation and determine where you want to spend your money: deductible, copay, or office visits. These are the main variables. Your choice will hinge on your lifestyle; do you go to the doctor often but never have expensive procedures done...or vice versa? Do you know there's no way you'll meet your deductible...or are you sure you'll do so in the first 6 months?

In any case visit websites like ehealthinsurance dot com to find quotes in your area. It won't be anything like full coverage but it'll be enough until you get a position that offers full benefits.

Good luck! :mickey:

[CAS]

Just one additional question. What field are you in? Most full time positions regardless of your classification should offer full benefits almost immediately.

[Dulcee]

Captive animal mangement and conservation aka animal care and training in a zoo or aquarium. If I could get hired full time somewhere I'd have benefits, usually pretty nice ones. Unfortuantly to get into a full time position you need minimum 1-2 years of experince through internships and seasonal positions, neither of which offer benefits. While I already have a year of this under my belt from my summer job I need at least another year before anyone would consider me for a full time position.

[DizneyRox]

First off, health insurance is a perk, not a right. I think a lot of people don't realize this.

As far as coverage goes, a few states are adopting laws that allow dependents to be covered until age 26 these days. This is REGARDLESS of their student status. Check on this, as if you are truly dependent on someone else it might work out well.

THere are also individual policies that might work out well. In your case, you probalby need to look into some sort of catastrophic policy. High deductible, high copays, etc. That will help if something, well, castastrophic happens. It's not meant to help you it you skin your knee, or get the flu, but it will keep you from bankrupcy in the even you need something major done. Often is does not cover things like pregnancy, etc. which is understandable as that's more of a choice than some act of nature. Often the premiums are reasonable considering the options.

This can be had on a month by month basis while you are out looking for a job. When you say "full benefits" I'm not sure what you mean. Many employers these days are NOT offering free benefits anymore. There is often a cost sharing arrangement where the employer pays maybe 60% employee pays 40%. As the cost of healthcare skyrockets expect more of the burden to be shifted to employees. Most of the full/free benefit offerings I have seen are union shops or government (which is often union) departments. I expect the current economy to put these under a microscope as well.

[Dulcee]

First off, health insurance is a perk, not a right. I think a lot of people don't realize this.



I'd never call it a right as I've come from a family who has constantly struggled with not having the luxury of readily accesible, affordable health care. Unfortuantly with the cost of health care in the US its extremely difficult to get by without health insurance. Those who don't have it have it offered through payment plans at work/from parents/or just can't afford personal policies when struggling to meet other day to day neccesities are made to choose between health care and a hundred other necessities. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to come across as whiney or saying this is my right, its just how it is for many of the uninsured.

[Aggie97]

Also check to see whether your college alumni association provides access to a health insurance program (it may be listed under their "affinity programs"). I know that my university's alumni association offers a short-term health insurance program from a reputable provider that is targeted to recent graduates or alumni who are between jobs.

Or, could you join any kind of professional association when you graduate? Many associations offer affinity programs that include health insurance.

Good luck! :)



When you say "full benefits" I'm not sure what you mean.

I understood this to mean that as a part-time employee or intern, the o.p. might be eligible for some employee benefits, such as a limited amount of PTO, but not other benefits, such as health insurance.

[Dulcee]

April, that is a fantastic idea and one I never thought of. I'm going to check into it tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion!

[DizneyRox]

I'd never call it a right as I've come from a family who has constantly struggled with not having the luxury of readily accesible, affordable health care. Unfortuantly with the cost of health care in the US its extremely difficult to get by without health insurance. Those who don't have it have it offered through payment plans at work/from parents/or just can't afford personal policies when struggling to meet other day to day neccesities are made to choose between health care and a hundred other necessities. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to come across as whiney or saying this is my right, its just how it is for many of the uninsured.
That wasn't directed at anything you said, implied, etc, don't worry about it. I just think a lot of people think health care and health insurance are one and the same. Far from it... That's all I was trying to say...

The current trend towards high deductible health plans hopefully will bring people to help manage their own health care to help control costs.

It's a very tough situation this whole health care problem...

[Tinkerfreak]

Healthcare is a big problem for us. We are self-emplyed. We are allready paying almost $400 per month for a &15,000 deductible for a family of 2 adults and 2children and they just sent me a letter that they are seeking approval from the state of Maine to go up almost another $100 per month. I just can't believe it. We still pay for everything out of pocket until we have paid the deductible. We can't go without insurance because if something happend we don't want to lose our home and/or our business.
I really hope there is a solution to this healthcare problem soon. :(

[DizneyRox]

$1,500 or $15,000... Personally I've never heard of a deductible as high as $15,000. WOW!

Meeting a $1500 deductible is pretty easy. We have a $3000 family deductible and it was met with one Dr. visit in late Janurary. For us, the rest of the year is now "FREE". WOOHOO!

[Goofy4TheWorld]

$1,500 or $15,000... Personally I've never heard of a deductible as high as $15,000. WOW!

Meeting a $1500 deductible is pretty easy. We have a $3000 family deductible and it was met with one Dr. visit in late Janurary. For us, the rest of the year is now "FREE". WOOHOO!

I am sure she meant fifteen thousand.

My parents are self employed, and pay $1,400 per month for a $10,000 deductible.

[DizneyRox]

At $15,000 I would put the money in the bank...

Think about it, that's close to $20,000 a year before they even start paying. You can get one of those suits of armor for a little over $1000

[Tinkerfreak]

At $15,000 I would put the money in the bank...

Think about it, that's close to $20,000 a year before they even start paying. You can get one of those suits of armor for a little over $1000

My cousin who is also self-employed thought he could just put that money is savings every month and it would be fine. Then he broke his back and almost died in a snow-mobile accident last year. His medical bills were almost 100,000. He was in the hospital for a long period of time and needed lots of physical therapy etc. when he came home. He lost his home, and his business because he had to drain his savings account. He couldn't get any kind of loan because of the big bill hanging over his head. Yes the hospital will work out a payment plan with him but it has been a real financial burden on him. He couldn't earn any money while he was out of work so he lost everything. He had to move back in with my aunt.
We do have a disability insurance policy for my husband but what if it was me who got sick or hurt? We just won't chance it.

[DizneyRox]

First my comment was somewhat in jest, I guess no-one has seen the suit of armor commercials.

Also, and this is going to come off as all sorts of wrong (and I'm not casting judgement), but, WHAT WAS HE DOING ON A SNOWMOBILE WITH NO INSURANCE? Snowmobiles are probably the 2nd most dangerous "hobby" after ATVs! That's just.. Well, not too smart. If you don't have insurance you really shouldn't be doing those types of things.

[garymacd]

First off, health insurance is a perk, not a right.

Off topic, and in danger of starting an incredibly strongly worded discussion, but here goes:

Health insurance may be a perk, but affordable health care should be a right and not put a family in the poor house or debtor's prison because someone got sick.

[DizneyRox]

Off topic, and in danger of starting an incredibly strongly worded discussion, but here goes:

Health insurance may be a perk, but affordable health care should be a right and not put a family in the poor house or debtor's prison because someone got sick.
Agreed... And we can blame the health care providers for that. All too often, people place blame directly on health insurance companies, but it's the doctors, hospitals, etc that set the rates.

That's where I was going, it's a touchy subject one that doesn't have an easy answer.

[Goofy4TheWorld]

I think a lot of people may not realize that affordable insurance does not exist. If you think your plan is affordable, your employer is footing a substantial part of the policy's cost. My wife's insurance coverage is family coverage, and while her $415 contribution per month may seem steep, her employer is paying another $966 per month, which is almost a third of her gross pay.

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

I have to agree, most employees think the employer is ripping them off by charging so much for their health insurance plans. The number one complaint I heard about our health insurance plan is the cost-our employees want us to give it to them for less. What they don't realize is the company is paying approx 50% as is.
And someone else had posted that most full time positions offer insurance immediately. In my years of handling this, there is almost always a 60-90 day waiting period. With turnover so high, administering a plan with people hopping on and off of it would be a nightmare!
I don't know if NJ has something like this, but in MA they have created a place called Commonwealth Connector where you can go as an individual and get health insurance. Unfortunately it's not all that cheap either. And the cheap ones are the catastrophic plans which mean they aren't that cheap for your regular office visits but would cover you for something such as the broken back scenario.

[Tinkerfreak]

First my comment was somewhat in jest, I guess no-one has seen the suit of armor commercials.

Also, and this is going to come off as all sorts of wrong (and I'm not casting judgement), but, WHAT WAS HE DOING ON A SNOWMOBILE WITH NO INSURANCE? Snowmobiles are probably the 2nd most dangerous "hobby" after ATVs! That's just.. Well, not too smart. If you don't have insurance you really shouldn't be doing those types of things.

I totally agree he should not even have had a snowmobile if he didn't have insurance. Insurance should have come first but the same thing would have happened if he had been hurt on the job or fallen on the ice or whatever, the point was that I will not risk going without insurance becauseit only takes one big hospital bill to make you lose everything. I always tell people looking for a job not to just look at the hourly wage but consider what all the medical benefits are worth also because it can be very valuable.

[MNNHFLTX]

Agreed... And we can blame the health care providers for that. All too often, people place blame directly on health insurance companies, but it's the doctors, hospitals, etc that set the rates.As a nurse, I can say that it is so very much more complicated than that. Health care providers (hospitals, doctors, etc.) have to try and stay afloat, while eating the cost of caring for the under or un-insured, those costs not covered by Medicare or Medicaid (not surprisingly, the government sets their own rules for what they will or will not reimburse), community outreach programs, etc. Doctors charge more to try and recoup the costs of liability insurance, which has skyrocketed in recent years with the increase in lawsuits (frivolous or not). Some are even leaving certain professions (i.e. pediatrics and ob/gyn) because they can no longer afford to care for these types of patients. And so it goes on and on.... I totally agree that our healthcare system (including health insurance) has to be overhauled because it pretty much isn't working across the board. And people do deserve to receive healthcare coverage for a reasonable cost.

Anyway, to the OP (sorry to get off-topic), I applaud your efforts to find health insurance for yourself. There are no easy options out there, that's for sure. I know several times in my young adult life I went without insurance for similar reasons and it was a very uneasy time for me. Thankfully I never had major health issues back then.

[pogo]

Agreed... And we can blame the health care providers for that. All too often, people place blame directly on health insurance companies, but it's the doctors, hospitals, etc that set the rates.

:nono: I have to say that this is completely untrue. It is Medicare that dictates the rates Doctors and Hospitals can be reimbursed for through health insurance for both the elderly and everyone else. How do I know this ? I run an Insurance Agency and my wife is the Billing and Financial Manager for a major Surgical Group here in Rochester.

The Doctors are told what they may and may not charge for based on what Medicare allows. One of the major problems with our health care system is that some people choose not to buy health insurance because of the cost, yet will continue to overeat, smoke, not exercise, etc., etc. and still expect the rest of the population to give them their health care.

Did you know that our country gives health care to an estimated twelve million illegal aliens ?? Who pays for this ?? We all do. Do a google search and see for yourself.

Moving into a social medical state is not the answer.

[Ian]

MODERATOR ALERT!

This thread is veering dangerously off topic. The OP is looking for advice on how to obtain inexpensive health insurance. This is not a topic about the ills of the healthcare industry, socializing medicine, or any of that.

Please stick to the topic at hand or some posts my have to be edited or removed.