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I have to pay for my own health insurance. I'm single with no dependants, and live in New York. My insurance company is HIP. Three years ago, it was $400/month. The premium has gone up every year, and I just got a notice stating that as of 1/1/09 it will rise to $750/month. This is for an HMO plan, and is a standard rate--you can see right on the website that everyone who has a direct pay plan pays the same amount. Other companies like Oxford or Blue Cross/Shield are even more expensive than HIP. Still, even with HIP, I simply can't afford this, and have cancelled the policy.
I don't mind paying for my own insurance, but there is something wrong with our current system when my premium goes up by over 20% every year, and prices me right out of it. Wish I had an answer--we have to bring the cost of health care down.
I'm looking into one of these hospitial only plans--I used the ehealthinsurance.com website from a thread below--and there is one called Tradition Plus Hospital Program through Empire Blue Cross/Shield. It is around $140/month and covers you if you're hospitalzed with no deductions and no maximums. This sort of sounds like a catastrophic plan, but sounds suspiciously cheap to me--a hospital stay can run thousands of dollars, potentially hundreds of thousands.
You're paying how much?? I had BCBS a few years ago and was paying less than $130/month! I can't imagine that location affects the cost that much, and it hasn't been lthat ong since I had my own insurance plan. I'm not trying to be nosy, but is there a certain pre-existing condition that is keeping your rates so high?
I just looked up plans on BCBS website and the most expensive quote I received I was $278 ($500 deductible, living in Colorado). Maybe the rates are a lot higher in NYC??
You're paying how much?? I had BCBS a few years ago and was paying less than $130/month! I can't imagine that location affects the cost that much, and it hasn't been lthat ong since I had my own insurance plan. I'm not trying to be nosy, but is there a certain pre-existing condition that is keeping your rates so high?
I just looked up plans on BCBS website and the most expensive quote I received I was $278 ($500 deductible, living in Colorado). Maybe the rates are a lot higher in NYC??
No pre-existing condition. New York State requires all HMOs to offer standardized coverage to people who buy health insurance on their own. In other words, a smoker and non-smoker pay the same, but pre-existing conditions are not covered for a certain period of time. You can see that the $602.10 I am paying through HIP (to go to $750 Jan 1.) is actually the cheapest: http://www.ins.state.ny.us/hmorates/pdf/New_York.pdf
So instead of getting HMO coverage, I'm going to have to scale back and get one of these so-called catastrophic plans.
That is absolutely insane. Something has got to give. I jsut looked at my plan that I can get thru my new employer and if I add my husband and 2 girls, my cost will be over $900 a month. That for a 12.50 an hour job. I'd be bring home a check for .50 an hour.
Good for you for canceling your insurance. At that price, you may as well pay cash when you go to the doctor.
By the way, folks, how much you pay depends on the state you live in. Sole proprietors are hit the hardest cuz they have to buy their own insurance. Massachusetts has a law where everyone must have health insurance. It's a joke because the state does not have enough primary health care physicians to take care of everyone.
For the record, I canceled my insurance too. Can't afford it, and frankly, it's a rip off.
we come from a family of doctors and healthcare is not going up. Doctors rates are not going up by 20% every year, nor are hospital rates. Insurance compnays are just ripping you off, and using that as their lame excuse for raising rates to make more $$. United health care being one of the worst. It sucks, I wish their was a way around it. I am sorry you had to cancel insurance. But unless you are sick alot or see a dr. regulary you are probably better off just putting 500 bucks, or what ever you were paying before, away every month in an account, and using it when needed.
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WOW! You were paying a lot!
