Health Insurance 4 the Homesteader??

Hoop · #21 08/21/11, 07:02 PM

Plan ahead for old age. Republicans are trying there best to dismantle Medicare. Don't count on it being there.

If you're in the ag business, this means you'll be paying a premium up until the day you die.

Nevada · #22 08/21/11, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoop

Plan ahead for old age. Republicans are trying there best to dismantle Medicare. Don't count on it being there.

I don't get it. We pay into an insurance plan our entire lives, then republicans try to end the plan when we go to retire; even suggesting that people on Medicare are freeloaders. Doesn't the fact that we paid for it count for anything?

Joshie · #23 08/22/11, 01:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Belfrybat

If you are in good health and are a Christian, you might want to consider Christian Medi-Share. Their entry requirements are a bit stringent, but it is a 100% pay after you satisfy the deductible (member share). I am 62 and traditional insurance with a 1500 ded would cost me upwards of $600.00 a month and a maximum out of pocket around $5000. I pay $316.00 with a $1250. deductible from Medi-share and they pay for everything above the $1250. deductible except long-term meds. I think a single person in their 30's pay $145.00 with a $1250. deductible. Not a bad deal at all.

You've got to be really careful with some of these programs. Some people, who have had catastrophic health issues, have found that their medi-share program hasn't paid.... probably because the cost was so great.

OP, the quote you got was a great price.

By the way, OP, before I was disabled I worked at home for a large company. My benefits were better through them than any other place I've ever worked.... by far. The insurance I had (and I'm still on COBRA) cost me about $250/month for the kids and me. We had a $1900 deductible but I was blessed because employer paid the first $1100 of that. After that deductible, we had to pay 10% until we'd spent about $5000 out of pocked..... which we always did.

On COBRA the law states that at this time I have to pay 150% of the real cost of my insurance. For me only, that's $1000/mo.

Nevada · #24 08/22/11, 01:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshie

On COBRA the law states that at this time I have to pay 150% of the real cost of my insurance. For me only, that's $1000/mo.

Ouch!

Joshie · #25 08/22/11, 02:07 AM

To the Republican bashers, I'm asking as nicely as I can for you to knock it off. We, and I mean every single one of us, has caused this healthcare nightmare. Why is it that some people go off on a tangent blaming Republicans for every bad thing in this world? I could go off on the bad things I believe the Democrat party is doing to this country but this is not the place for it.

OP asked about insurance rates. Let's tell him about insurance rates. Vent over.

EDDIE BUCK · #26 08/22/11, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nevada

Being painfully blunt, if you don't have any attachable assets then you don't need health care insurance. That being the case, if you racked-up $50,000 in medical bills tomorrow they aren't going to get it, because you don't have it. Depending on which state you live in, they probably can't take your house or your car, so they are out of luck.

Don't feel badly about it. It happens all the time. Just send them a letter saying not to contact you any more, then the statute of limitations will expire the debt in a few years.

Yes they will get it,because the rest of us taxpayers will pay it for them,with our high premiums,taxes and our own excessively high medical bills.

Just like the illegals,they use our Dr's,hospitals and clinics.Walk out not paying a dime, and the rest of us foot the bill.If we taxpayers were the only ones using the facilities,our premiums and bills would be much less.Just like uninsured motorist ins,they don't have any, so we have to purchase it for them, in order to protect ourselves, in case they harm us or ours.

Nevada · #27 08/22/11, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshie

To the Republican bashers, I'm asking as nicely as I can for you to knock it off. We, and I mean every single one of us, has caused this healthcare nightmare. Why is it that some people go off on a tangent blaming Republicans for every bad thing in this world? I could go off on the bad things I believe the Democrat party is doing to this country but this is not the place for it.

OP asked about insurance rates. Let's tell him about insurance rates. Vent over.

If it weren't for republican opposition we would probably have a public option today, and be well on our way to establishing a single-payer system. There is no dispute about that, since republicans proudly take credit for killing the public option.

So why did they oppose the public option? Well, what we heard was death panels, constitutionality, and cost. I suspect it was none of those.

The truth is that a public option would have taken a huge bite out of the insurance industry, as well as profits for the corporate medical community, since price controls were on the table. And we know that the insurance and medical industries were very concerned about that, as evidenced by the huge amount of lobbying money committed during the health care debate. I think there is no realistic question that the public option was opposed to protect insurance and medical profits.

So you see, you can't take credit for killing the public option, then deny responsibility for it a few months later. It doesn't work that way. Republicans sided with corporate America, and against the American people. They wanted to keep the health insurance industry intact & preserve medical profits, and republican supporters around the country sided with them. Pointing out that fact is not bashing, it's just saying what happened in plain language.

Nevada · #28 08/22/11, 02:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EDDIE BUCK

Yes they will get it,because the rest of us taxpayers will pay it for them,with our high premiums,taxes and our own excessively high medical bills.

Yes, that's exactly true. It's the universal health care plan that we have in place today, yet nobody talks about it.

But it's also why universal health care wouldn't cost much more than the government pays for health care today. Universal health care is just a way to get citizens to contribute more to their health care costs in a more structured manner.

stormwalker · #29 08/22/11, 02:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nevada

If it weren't for republican opposition we would probably have a public option today, and be well on our way to establishing a single-payer system. There is no dispute about that, since republicans proudly take credit for killing the public option.

So why did they oppose the public option? Well, what we heard was death panels, constitutionality, and cost. I suspect it was none of those.

The truth is that a public option would have taken a huge bite out of the insurance industry, as well as profits for the corporate medical community, since price controls were on the table. And we know that the insurance and medical industries were very concerned about that, as evidenced by the huge amount of lobbying money committed during the health care debate. I think there is no realistic question that the public option was opposed to protect insurance and medical profits.

So you see, you can't take credit for killing the public option, then deny responsibility for it a few months later. It doesn't work that way. Republicans sided with corporate America, and against the American people. They wanted to keep the health insurance industry intact & preserve medical profits, and republican supporters around the country sided with them. Pointing out that fact is not bashing, it's just saying what happened in plain language.

Thank you, thank you, thank you !!!!!!!

HermitJohn · #30 08/22/11, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nevada

Being painfully blunt, if you don't have any attachable assets then you don't need health care insurance. That being the case, if you racked-up $50,000 in medical bills tomorrow they aren't going to get it, because you don't have it. Depending on which state you live in, they probably can't take your house or your car, so they are out of luck.

Don't feel badly about it. It happens all the time. Just send them a letter saying not to contact you any more, then the statute of limitations will expire the debt in a few years.

Of course if you have assets (stock, savings, summer home, boat, etc.) then you will want health care insurance to protect those assets.

The problem with this theory is that many places, the hospital is only required to stabilize patients that show up in the emergency room with no insurance and no assets. You have some long drawn out disease such as some cancers or a heart condition or something like that and you arent going to get treatment since you are considered stable and not in any immediate medical threat. Now if you come in, shot up by some homeboys, and you will get all kinds of care. Cause its necessary in order to stabilize you. Now if you are in last stages of some drawn out disease and show up, well they will stabilize you, probably morphine, but they avoid expense of further treatment cause its too late.

Course private insurance doesnt guarantee you anything. If you need some expensive treatment and dont look like you will survive that long without it, they will deny coverage. You have couple months to live without such treatment. Well your court case against the insurance company will come up for trial in 2 years..... I call it the CORPORATE DEATH PANELS.... What a great system!

pcwerk · #31 08/22/11, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nevada

While I admit that health insurance provides access to services that indigents don't sometimes get, you just might get that transplant as an indigent.

But my 85 year-old friend has private health care insurance, and there's no way they would pay for an organ transplant for her.

My neice died last year from liver failure. she had insurance but their was a
mix-up and they couldnt verify it in time (amazingly, my brother chooses not
to sue for this). When they were waiting in the ER he asked them what happens to people w/o insurance and was told, "They dont get transplants!"

Yvonne's hubby · #32 08/22/11, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nevada

Being painfully blunt, if you don't have any attachable assets then you don't need health care insurance. That being the case, if you racked-up $50,000 in medical bills tomorrow they aren't going to get it, because you don't have it. Depending on which state you live in, they probably can't take your house or your car, so they are out of luck.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mekasmom

Unless you have been in a situation where paying a several hundred thousand dollar medical bill and having a family member with a horrible illness, you have no idea how hard this can be. I have seen people who have worked hard all their lives become seriously ill, and rack up hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills that they have no chance to pay. The only thing they can do is try to survive.

My sister had cancer, did the traditional western treatment, and reached her half-million dollar limit within a year. Would you rather people simply just die? It's not that easy of a situation when people are in it. If they are gasping for air, cannot breath, have no hope and no insurance the only thing they can do is just survive. They loose all their savings, they have shame and fear because bill collectors call them over and over. They are sued, treated like dirt, and in pain and dying. They worry about their children having food and a place to live. They worry about buying groceries versus gas for going to treatments over and over. They worry about paying for oxygen at $600 a month because they cannot breath and are in pain without it. They want to be well, but hope to die quickly to ease the pain and save their families the pain of financial disparity.

There is no reason for those people to be shamed. They are simply people trying to get by just like everyone else. It's like that saying about "never judge someone until you walk a mile in their moccasins". They aren't thieves stealing from you or trying to hurt you. They are simply people trying to survive.

This is why I believe people should advocate getting insurance, not advocate having no insurance. With good insurance coverage people get the care they need, the bills get paid, there is no shame, there is no bill collectors, and there is no loss of savings... which really isnt a loss at all... people choose to spend their savings on whatever they want... to me... it would be insurance.

Yvonne's hubby · #33 08/22/11, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nevada

So why did they oppose the public option? Well, what we heard was death panels, constitutionality, and cost. I suspect it was none of those.

Perhaps you should read our Constitution sometime... you would then understand better how Obamacare is in direct violation of that set of laws. You may also want to have a look at the financial position our government is currently in.... two trillion dollar deficits, 14 trillion dollars worth of debt now, and climbing at 2 trillion a year.... so yes, adding another trillion a year to the tax payers burden is a valid issue. Well, it is to those of us who would like to see our country survive.

CountryWannabe · #34 08/22/11, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

With good insurance coverage people get the care they need, the bills get paid.

This is just not true. **I** had allegedly great, solid gold insurance, which I never used - I was always very healthy - which cost us $900/month, and my DHs employer was paying the other half. For close to 20 years they got huge premiums. The only thing I ever used it for was the occasional general checkup.

Fast forward 20 years and I am diagnosed with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. Well - let me tell you that two months after that diagnosis our half of the premium went up to $1500 and they refused to pay anything towards the round of chemo I had - apparently my oncologist didn't know that treatment wasn't really necessary, while a bean counter did. With my DH now being only employed on an as-needed basis that premium is just not doable. I am now seeing the hematologist on a self pay basis, which is relatively affordable, but should I need another round of chemo I will probably be SOL.

Mary

Nevada · #35 08/22/11, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

Perhaps you should read our Constitution sometime... you would then understand better how Obamacare is in direct violation of that set of laws.

I don't recall anyone making a constitutional argument about Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VA, government employees, or the congressional health care coverage. Now suddenly it's an issue. Sorry, but that's disingenuous.

I suspect that the government providing a single-payer system will not only happen some day, but will also be found to be constitutional. The mandatory provision in the current health care might be unconstitutional, but I still believe that the government providing health care is constitutional.

Nevada · #36 08/22/11, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pcwerk

When they were waiting in the ER he asked them what happens to people w/o insurance and was told, "They dont get transplants!"

Evidently some do.

"Arizona Governor Jan Brewer proposed a way to fund vital organ transplants, three months after the state became the only one in the U.S. to stop paying for them to cut Medicaid spending."
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-0...-protests.html

mekasmom · #37 08/22/11, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yvonne's hubby

TWith good insurance coverage people get the care they need, the bills get paid, there is no shame, there is no bill collectors, and there is no loss of savings... which really isnt a loss at all... people choose to spend their savings on whatever they want... to me... it would be insurance.

There is a lifetime cap on insurance policies. Do you realize how fast a serious illness can reach that cap? A $100,000 is a 2wk hospital stay or less. A $500,000 cap can be reached in less than a year if someone is seriously ill. And then the calls for collections start. If someone has a heart attack, has bypass, stays in the hospital a week then has followup care, they can reach their cap. So what are they supposed to do for the rest of their lives? Just die and get out of the way? They can still live another 20yrs, but will need medical care at times.

And under the Western Medicine's cancer plans...... You wouldn't believe how fast someone can end up with a half million dollars of bills. And the thing is, they go into remission, but it eventually comes back in the liver and lungs for many types of the disease. Then they are almost out of ins, and out of hope, but still need treatment for palliative care. What are they supposed to do? Say, well your lungs collapsed, so you need surgery but you reached your cap, so it's better to just let you die like this in pain gasping for air.

You have no idea how hard that is on people. Insurance really doesn't matter in those cases because they reach their caps anyway. And, no, the bills probably never get paid. But palliative care is still the right thing to do whether it ticks off people or not.

tikaani · #38 08/22/11, 05:16 PM

I'm a firm believer in medical tourism. carry insurance for medical emergencies as for proecedures (hips, joints, hearts etc) travel overseas. india, thailand, even gasp china, has some of the best medical care in the world and extremely cheap. figuring in a vacation and plane trip in the cost it still comes in much cheaper than what you would spend on the typical insurance policy every year and the care is much more individualized and you are actually treated like a person.

RuffusWI · #39 08/22/11, 06:57 PM

Ok I'm 47 and single. To be self employed I need health insurance. If I get sick I don't want to lose everything. Sounds to me ya'll are telling I'm D**ned no matter what.
So if i get cancer instead of fighting it I should go out to the back 40 and bite a bullet?

Nevada · #40 08/22/11, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RuffusWI

So if i get cancer instead of fighting it I should go out to the back 40 and bite a bullet?

I'm not telling you to do that, but an insurance company might.