Humana Off-Exchange PPO for most of Texas
- Thread starter MBSC
- Start date
ziggy29
Moderator Emeritus
The plan should be the same, if I understand the announcement correctly, but the pricing may vary a little by county.
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Help! I am having no luck finding the list of Austin-area hospitals that are in-network for the Humana PPO.
Does anyone have a link?
Sigh. I have now spent more time working on this than I do compiling two tax returns!
Scott and White's PPO has zero in-network hospitals in Austin -- the nearest one is 20 miles away. Aetna has the Seton hospitals in network but notes that there are no ER docs under contract. UHC has the St. David's hospitals, but requires a specialist referral for their EPO. The Humana PPO is $225 more a month but might be worth it for one year if the hospital list is decent.
Does anyone have a link?
Sigh. I have now spent more time working on this than I do compiling two tax returns!
Scott and White's PPO has zero in-network hospitals in Austin -- the nearest one is 20 miles away. Aetna has the Seton hospitals in network but notes that there are no ER docs under contract. UHC has the St. David's hospitals, but requires a specialist referral for their EPO. The Humana PPO is $225 more a month but might be worth it for one year if the hospital list is decent.
Start here: https://www.humana.com/insurance-plan-quotes2/tell-us-about-you
Enter Dallas zip code 75207 and other required info.
On next screen, click on words "Humana Bronze 6450 ChoicePlus PPO".
Click "Physician Finder"
On next screen, choose "Individuals and Families" and enter Austin zip code.
For Network, choose "Humana ChoiceCare Network PPO" (Don't choose the one with +)
For Search, choose "Specialty" and type hospitals (plural). Click "Hospitals" and search button.
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Thanks! Both of the major Austin hospital groups are in-network.
They sure don't make it easy to find, do they? Thanks so much for the detailed instructions.
At this point -- without any major medical issues, and being a small user of medical services other than quarterly checks by my opthamologist -- I am nonetheless inclining to go the most expensive route with the Humana PPO because it has the most downside protection (a max on out-of-network) if you disregard balance billing. And I travel a lot.
Only 7 years to go until Medicare.
They sure don't make it easy to find, do they? Thanks so much for the detailed instructions.
At this point -- without any major medical issues, and being a small user of medical services other than quarterly checks by my opthamologist -- I am nonetheless inclining to go the most expensive route with the Humana PPO because it has the most downside protection (a max on out-of-network) if you disregard balance billing. And I travel a lot.
Only 7 years to go until Medicare.
audreyh1
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
You can get a look at the Texas networks including hospitals from this page: https://www.humana.com/finder/Provider Directories - choose Texas and No on the Medicare Policy questions (if not already selected)
For example - there is a downloadable PDF directory just for the
Austin - Humana/ChoiceCare Network PPO - TX-69000-BO (10.8 MB): http://apps.humana.com/marketing/documents.asp?file=52845
For example - there is a downloadable PDF directory just for the
Austin - Humana/ChoiceCare Network PPO - TX-69000-BO (10.8 MB): http://apps.humana.com/marketing/documents.asp?file=52845
Humana is now selling a PPO in Harris County and any other county in which they previously had not been. It appears to be a very comprehensive plan with MDA IN NETWORK. The network is Choice Care. The plan will also be sold in every county in Texas. Starting immediately, they will have the ability to quote plans in Texas for 26 counties that were previously unavailable for 2016.
This plan will be available on their quoting and enrollment tools on December 18th. If you need to obtain a quote prior to the 18th, please contact them at 1-800-833-2572 to obtain a quote for a January 1st effective date. If you are looking to obtain coverage for a January 1st effective date, you will need to enroll once the plans are active in the quoting and enrollment tools, and contact Humana to request their January effective date.
My wife tried calling this number today and got the runaround from Humana. They had no idea what they were doing and said to call an agent. They sent her to processors, claims, etc. and even got dumped and had to call back. They don't seem to have any idea what they are doing.We may stick with the HMO Humana has for our daughter's coverage since it appears to have enough local docs, but who knows who will really accept it after the first of the year.
On another note, a health insurance agent that had been quoting us a plan with United Health Care said that they had pulled the plan, so another one bites the dust.
The broker with whom I had been dealing had no clue about this. And then a colleague of hers picked up off J-Vibe (quoted above) the announcement saying that Humana won't be live on the quoting software until Dec 18. So she told me to book a short term plan for January and then after Dec 18 sign up for a Feb 1 start.
Not likely. Too much potential there for catastrophe. And I've expended enough cycles worrying about medical insurance this month. I want it settled.
Called Humana and spoke with a CSR who said one of their agents would need to call me and would do so within 48 hours. So by 4:00pm Saturday. Hmmm.
The TakeControlHealth website linked in the original announcement IS showing the Humana PPO for Austin, so I may have to jump over to them to purchase.
QUESTION: if I do not purchase a 2016 plan by Dec 15, but wait until Dec 18 to purchase with Humana and ask for a Jan 1 start, is that a problem in the eyes of HealthCare.gov? I'll need to cancel the 2016 BCBS plan that they have assigned me (I purchased on exchange in 2015).
Oy, vey.
Not likely. Too much potential there for catastrophe. And I've expended enough cycles worrying about medical insurance this month. I want it settled.
Called Humana and spoke with a CSR who said one of their agents would need to call me and would do so within 48 hours. So by 4:00pm Saturday. Hmmm.
The TakeControlHealth website linked in the original announcement IS showing the Humana PPO for Austin, so I may have to jump over to them to purchase.
QUESTION: if I do not purchase a 2016 plan by Dec 15, but wait until Dec 18 to purchase with Humana and ask for a Jan 1 start, is that a problem in the eyes of HealthCare.gov? I'll need to cancel the 2016 BCBS plan that they have assigned me (I purchased on exchange in 2015).
Oy, vey.
You may want to try the local Humana Sales Office at the website below. Independent agents have been running quotes for people in the new area so I think it depends on the Quote Engine they have access to.
Local Humana Office: https://www.humana.com/about/guidance-center/tx/10710-research-blvd-austin
I have seen posts saying Humana will work with you to get the Jan. 1 start. The 12/15 deadline is for on-exchange plans. This plan is off-exchange. You can keep the BCBS plan for Jan if Humana cannot give you clear direction.
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