Is there typically room for negotiation

[richfei]

Really don't know too much about health insurance
At the moment my family and I are on my Kaiser group healthcare plan from work. Costs around $200 month with a $20 copay and I believe no deductible. I imagine I'll retire before my wife and we'll go on her similar but slightly more expensive plan ($275) until both of us retires in a few years time. When that happens we'll be looking at a plan for both of us and our kids (10 and 5). Typically if (touch wood) we're reasonably healthy i.e not overweight, no chronic conditions, exercise well and eat frequently, would it make more sense to go for a high deductible plan for the whole family ?

And also typically is there any room for negotiation over these rack rates that I see when I visit sites like ehealthinsurance.com

 

[brewer12345]

I cannot speak to the choice of high deductible or not, but no, insurance rates are not negotiable.

 

[REWahoo]

The high deductible route could be a good decision. I'd recommend you seek out an independent insurance agent specializing in health insurance and spend some time picking his/her brain about the subject. As you no doubt know, things are changing (or not) in the US when it comes to medical insurance and this is one area where I would seek out assistance from a (hopefully) unbiased professional.

 

[MichaelB]

Hi Richfei, welcome to the forum. Why not stop by here and introduce yourself?

The insurance rates you see are not rack rates, they are best case rates. Insurance underwriting can increase them, sometimes substantially, when you apply based on your medical history, or they can simply choose not to extend you a policy.

One advantage of a high deductible policy is the HSA option, which allows you an above the line deduction and, if used for eligible expenses, is essentially tax free form that point on. To your question, however, higher deductibles are often better deals, especially if you use health care services infrequently.

 

[Buckeye]

No negotiation. Your only option for lower premiums is to stay healthy and be able to shop every year for a new plan if you don't like the increase you get from your current provider.

I also recommend using an experienced broker. They cost you nothing but they know the in's and out's of the application process and the "personalities" of the different companies.

If you are a low consumer of healthcare, it will be easy to find coverage at a reasonable cost if you are buying a high deductible policy. If you have any pre-existing conditions, things will get much more complicated and expensive and you may not be able to purchase a policy at any price.