Insurance companies just upping premiums to cover "wellness exams?"

[leftyladyfrommo]

Yea! The good news is that I actually got approved by Blue Cross for much cheaper health insurance. Right now I'm paying $618 a month for $1500 deductible and insurance so far has covered almost nothing.
I've been turned down by Assurant (my current company) for anything cheaper. Was also turned down by United.
So this getting accepted by Blue Cross is a big deal for me - new premium is $189 - at least for a while. It renews in January. $5,000 deductible. I will still have to pay for most stuff but at least I will have some money left over each month to actually pay for some medical care.

While I was cancelling my Assurant policy the customer service rep told me that I was currently grandfathered for the new "wellness exams." He said that all the new people were having to pay higher premiums to cover them.

So what was the point? Higher premiums just mean more people who can't afford insurance at all.

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Holy shit.....

If I could afford to pay MYSELF 500.00 a month, after a year or 2 I could almost afford to be hospitalized.
There comes a time when paying these ridiculous insurance premiums deserves another look.

actually, premiums AND doctor charges are way overdue for examination.

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. Right. It costs m3 $100 to just get in at the doctor's office.

I think that is way too high. Sometimes he just comes in for a couple of minutes if it's something really simple. (and that is with the insurance discount. I think its $140 w/0 it).

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Dr. visits here are 70.00...but...

We only go for bi-annual checkups ( I stretch mine out to every 8 months) and/or serious problems, which are rare. ( I got shingles 2 years ago, even that was inexpensive fix)

On the office visit, there is blood work, new scripts, etc. and doc talks to us for over 20 minutes or more, never have gotten any sense of hurry or rush from them.
Minor issues and script changes we handle over phone, free.
Fair dinkum, in my mind, certainly affordable out of pocket, 10 times cheaper than insurance premiums, even cheaper than most co-pays.
Scripts are generic, also very affordable, something like $10.00 for 90 days supply.
We spend less than 250.00 a year all told on "routine" medical problems.
( BP meds, annual cortisone shot for Mr. D's bursitis).

[Yo_Mama]

2. If they have to pay the doctors,

they'll have to collect from the insured. It's pretty simple.

I'm so happy for you that you got a better insurance package.

[McCamy Taylor]

4. My husband's high risk insurance was more like $1000 a month.

[leftyladyfrommo]

5. My brother pays 1200 a month

for his wife and himself. His wife has a couple of pre existing conditions one of which is not very severe diabetes.

But I'm not high risk at all. I take blood pressure medicine. That's it.

I feel like I got so ripped off by Assurant. I was paying $600 a month and I really got nothing out of it. I still had to pay for all office visits and tests. I did some off on my presceiptions - both generic.

I felt like I was just taking $600 a month and tossing it to the wind. It was really discouraging.

A friend whose husband has pancreatic cancer pays $600 a month for him - but it's insurance thru her employer.

[LadyInAZ]

7. wait until they open job market..

this will increase again.... now they have all those spendable income to drain from....