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Q: Health Insurance ( No Answer,   4 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Health Insurance
Category: Health > Seniors
Asked by: mdmdm-ga
List Price: $2.00
Posted: 22 Jan 2005 08:04 PST
Expires: 21 Feb 2005 08:04 PST
Question ID: 461498
I have a health insurance question. I just turned 64 on January 2.
1. I have "part-time" employment that enables me to purchase health
insurance but the max is $7500 per hospital stay ($50 per month). I am
concerned as to what would happen if something catastrophic would
happen.
2. I can purchase a plan that has a 7500 deductable on my own ($100 per month). 
3. I am in good health.
I am inclined to take the 7500 max plan from my employer. Also, if I
took both plans, would the 7500 deductable plan kick in if I exceeded
$7500 in expenses even though the 7500 max plan paid for expenses
under $7500?
4. My wife has me covered under her employer's plan but the cost for
adding me to her policy is $350 per month.
5. Cost is a concern.
Would be greatful for any information or ideas.
Answer  
There is no answer at this time.

Comments  
Subject: Re: Health Insurance
From: paul1959-ga on 26 Jan 2005 09:05 PST
 
A little secret that seems to only be known by illegal immigrants. An
emergency room CANNOT refuse treatment if it's a medical emergency. It
doesn't matter if you pay or not, they still cannot refuse
administering treament. It will destroy your credit if you don't pay
but even after owing them money from a previous visit, or any number
of previous visits, they still cannot refuse treament to you.
Subject: Re: Health Insurance
From: mewtwo-ga on 02 Feb 2005 12:16 PST
 
The problem with not having any insurance and "crashing" the emergency
room is that you can only use it for true emergencies.  And when you
do get seen, you get less than optimal care, or more likely, minimal
care.  Nowadays, some hospitals go after your assets, such as putting
a lien on your house, so you may not get off the hook so easily.

Another problem on a more global scale is that the hospitals and the
doctors will turn around and make up their loss from the insured
population.  This explains why the cost of health insurance keeps
rising, as well as patients' copays and deductibles.

Lastly, have you visited a local ER lately?  The 4-6 hour wait in a
crowded ER if you don't have acute heart attack is not uncommon these
days.  Why?  Because so many people use the ER for nonemergency care
("crashing") rather than going to urgent care or outpatient offices. 
Also, the hospitals see less profit in providing ER care, so they do
not see any need to expand and accomodate more.  That explains why so
many ERs go on "divert" on any given night.

This is a problem without an answer at this time.  Hopefully, the
politicians will figure out some type of universal health insurance
system in the US one day.
Subject: Re: Health Insurance
From: politicalguru-ga on 05 Feb 2005 15:08 PST
 
Just an opinion: 

- Check the insurance policy of the $100 one to answer your question
number 3 (about double coverage, so to speak).

- A been-there thing: I am also usually healthy and in the past year I
have been operated, hospitalised and generally sick. It wasn't
something you can expect. If I were you, I would have gone for the
$100 policy (after reading again, carefully, the fine print on both):
the difference is $25 a month, but it gives you much more insurance.
It is deductible, unlike some other things that you could have (and
might) bought for that $25.
Subject: Re: Health Insurance
From: saabster-ga on 19 Feb 2005 09:22 PST
 
Next year you should be eligible for Medicare.  Also you should
probably join AARP. Visit their website at www.AARP.com  This
organization is run by seniors and are advocates on behalf of seniors.
They have political clout. AARP has put together some supplemental
health care packages that are affordable for many seniors. They can
answer questions about your medicare eligibility as a part time
emloyee. This site has done the research on many of the questions you
are raising or may raise as a senior. Give them a try and good luck.

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