Health Care Prior to Medicare?

[CloverKnollFarms]

I tried to get Affordable Care Act insurance. However, since I match my income to my spending in retirement, I didn't earn enough to qualify for that either. So they forced me into Medicaid.

I would have paid, but they said no.

 

[gsganzer]

I pay $1100/mo on the market place. However, I have some inherited IRA disbursements in the coming years that will make it become a roller coaster ride, trying to keep up with the discounts. The bottom line is the ACA plans are kind of crappy too. Many places won't take them and then you just get nickel and dimed with additional payments from the doctor.

I'm likely to go back to just finding coverage outside of the ACA. I was paying $1700/mo (family of 4) before I swapped.

 

[dmccarty]

I pay $1100/mo on the market place. However, I have some inherited IRA disbursements in the coming years that will make it become a roller coaster ride, trying to keep up with the discounts. The bottom line is the ACA plans are kind of crappy too. Many places won't take them and then you just get nickel and dimed with additional payments from the doctor.

I'm likely to go back to just finding coverage outside of the ACA. I was paying $1700/mo (family of 4) before I swapped.

From what I was reading, certain insurance companies were to be avoided like the plague, an ACA plan could be a problem, but at least in my state, it was the company to avoid. Maybe other companies ACA plans had problems but I was really picking up on avoiding some companies.

I figured if we went down the ACA route, then I would call our current service providers and get their opinion.

We have a high deductible plan now so we have to pay for some health care but we are covered for the major, financial destroying illnesses, which is really my big concern. Having said that, we have had family members who suffered through cancer. One died from the cancer but held it off for years, but was only existing not living. The other "survived" the cancer but the destruction of mind and body caused by the pain, chemo, radiation and surgery was extensive. They two really only existed. The wife is adamant she won't suffer through cancer treatment. I am pretty sure I won't either. Maybe if the cancer and treatment is not so bad.

Of course there are other illnesses that can be expensive but hopefully with proper diet and exercise, those can be avoided. It really is all about risk management, and to some extent, a roll of the dice.

 

[CloverKnollFarms]

The ACA plans, at least in Indiana, tell you who takes them, and who does not. They also included customer reviews of each plan and carrier. So one should never be surprised about who takes them.

I just needed catastrophic coverage. I don't need insurance to pay for every visit, and we don't have prescriptions. Most dental plans cost more than the care they cover.

But, we were deemed too poor to pay $100/mo for ACA coverage. Since we don't have to take disbursements, we just earn what we must, and sit on our retirement funds. Being completely debt free, makes our required income awfully low.

 

[ericm979]

The ACA plans, at least in Indiana, tell you who takes them, and who does not. They also included customer reviews of each plan and carrier. So one should never be surprised about who takes them.

"should", but here's some of the things we have seen personally:

Some insurers play games where they will cover Dr X at office A but not if they see you at their other office B. If you don't check you only find out when you get the bill. So you have to check every provider at every office. The doctor's insurance claim person was surprised at that one, said it's new to her too.

They remove providers from their list often, and there's usually no notice. Except when you get the bill. It may happen in the middle of, say, cancer treatment.

Or a new one on us, retroactively denying things they approved and paid for years ago. That one was an employer plan. The time period covers most of my wife's two cancers and the amount is heart stopping. We're hoping we have that one beat but won't know for a while.

My wife's been having nightmares lately, about insurance. But the reality is a nightmare.

 

[part-time-Farmer-NC]

That's scary and sounds like it could be defeated in court. Unfortunately it could take years. I think they count on that as well, hoping people will give up the fight and cost of the fight...

Would that be a battle for the insurance commissioner in your state?

 

[dmccarty]

That's scary and sounds like it could be defeated in court. Unfortunately it could take years. I think they count on that as well, hoping people will give up the fight and cost of the fight...

Would that be a battle for the insurance commissioner in your state?

Yes, I think a talk to the insurance commissioner would be helpful. Decades ago, after we had a few serious hurricanes blow through, an insurance company canceled a coworkers house coverage. I suggested he talk to the insurance commission and his coverage was reinstated. He had had no claims, not is a flood zone, etc. They just wanted to cancel for some reason.

We talked with the NC Insurance commission and they have been very helpful. Once you get to the right person.