Interesting NYT Article on Obtaining Health Insurance

[fisherman]

Yes MA is expensive for healthcare. However, the general opinion here is that its a good system. FYI I got something wrong in my post. My $300/month premium buys me a plan with a $2000 annual deductible and $5000 annual out of pocket max. For a family of 4 with 35 year old parents a $4000 deductilbe/$10000 out of pocket max costs $900/month, but you only pay that if your income is over $67k a year, below that the children are covered by MassHealth and the parents can get MA subsidized health insurance for a max of $150 a month.

Sign me up. I bet you do not have to worry abour being rescinded if you cost them too much or the many other clever tricks we deal with. It is a system I wish my state had.

 

[Corporate ORphan]

Just talked to my agent today. We submitted our application to UHC on 2/22/11 to him so he could look it over and fax it. TUrns out due to a clerical error on his part, the application wasn't submitted until 3/8/11. I sent him the name of a doctor that I forgot to include on 3/7. My guess is if I hadn't done that he wouldn't have even found out about it until much later.

This agent came highly recommended from a friend who has used him for the past 20 years. I am just amazed that he didn't make sure a fax went through and wasn't following our application. In the corporate world I worked in that was the number 1 thing we would do when sending a fax.

He said he expedited the application but couldn't tell us how long it would take. Anyone have a similar experience? I am hoping to avoid a huge increase in my COBRA premium when the gov subsidy expires.

 

[dgoldenz]

Just talked to my agent today. We submitted our application to UHC on 2/22/11 to him so he could look it over and fax it. TUrns out due to a clerical error on his part, the application wasn't submitted until 3/8/11. I sent him the name of a doctor that I forgot to include on 3/7. My guess is if I hadn't done that he wouldn't have even found out about it until much later.

This agent came highly recommended from a friend who has used him for the past 20 years. I am just amazed that he didn't make sure a fax went through and wasn't following our application. In the corporate world I worked in that was the number 1 thing we would do when sending a fax.

He said he expedited the application but couldn't tell us how long it would take. Anyone have a similar experience? I am hoping to avoid a huge increase in my COBRA premium when the gov subsidy expires.

Agents aren't working as hard when their comp is cut in half. He was probably making 24% commission before, now probably 10-14%. Could have just been a mistake, but I'm sure if he was getting paid 24% he'd have been right on top of it. Most of the health agents I know have packed their bags and moved on to other lines of insurance already.

FYI, online apps are the fastest way to get approved. I know some people prefer to send in a paper app, but it does take longer for them to process.

 

[haha]

I know a lot of people who say they never get sick and they can't afford health insurance... I'm not one of them. But recently I had a freak accident and lost a finger (I am not kidding, my right ring finger). My ring caught on something and is gone.

I am sorry for your injury. I always had a phobia about this kind of injury, I think from a story my Dad told me about one of his boyhood friends. So I refused to wear rings, even a wedding ring.

Ha

 

[DeborahB]

I am sorry for your injury. I always had a phobia about this kind of injury, I think from a story my Dad told me about one of his boyhood friends. So I refused to wear rings, even a wedding ring.

Ha

Thanks, Ha - I just saw this. I wish I had thought about that possibility. It just happened 7 weeks ago and it's very stressful.