High insurance premiums through DH's job

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jdootoo
jdootoo Member Posts: 253
edited June 2014 in Employment, Insurance, and Other Financial Issues
Well, we received the paperwork for health insurance coverage through my DH's new job and the monthly rates are: $2,000/mo. family; $1,400/mo. employee and spouse. Our kids are covered through the state, but there is no way we can afford $1,400/mo. I am on SSDI for God's sake! This would be over half of his income. Coming up on 63 and I am just not sure what we should do. I am thinking of just waiting until I qualify for Medicaide next August. Why is everything in NY so *%$^&#@% expensive?
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  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 1,700
    edited September 2011

    Holy smokes! I've never heard of an employer's insurance costing its employees so much! You've probably checked into this already, but do they offer any choice in plans? PPOs, for example, tend to be cheaper than HMOs. (FWIW, I am afraid to go without insurance.) Does your state offer you its type of insurance since you're on SSDI? 

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  • Medigal
    Medigal Member Posts: 1,412
    edited September 2011

    Peggy:  I always found that HMO's are cheaper than PPO's since you have to get referrals etc. 

    Jdootoo:  Even for New York, I never heard of any employee plan costing so much!!  You are so lucky to be able to get the Medicare in August but you still need coverage until then.  Call the NY Insurance Commissioner's office and ask them for options.  I called my state's and told them my relative could not be without insurance for 6 months like you have to be for the PCIP plan and the man referred me to another plan, the "Access" plan.  There rates were higher than her COBRA at this time but a lot cheaper than what you are paying.  It goes by age and if you are male or female. It is something to look into.  It is so sad that our nation has so little affordable healthcare for it's citizens!  What is worse, if they destroy Obama care, we won't even have 2014 to look forward to for help.  What a mess!  Best of luck to you!

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  • ICanDoThis
    ICanDoThis Member Posts: 1,473
    edited September 2011

    Wow - I thought the $1100 I was paying last year was bad.

    Is your husband working as a contractor? In that case, you are getting hit with the whole cost.

    I'm so sorry you got hit with this.

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  • maywin
    maywin Member Posts: 49
    edited September 2011

    My son's gf is on a low income insurance through the state of new york. They live in NYC. I don't know how low your income has to be to get on it but you might look into it.

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  • jdootoo
    jdootoo Member Posts: 253
    edited September 2011

    Thank you everyone for replying! The company that my DH works for is small, so the insurance is high. His premium is subsidized and costs about $100 every 2 weeks, but any other family members pay the full premium. I am going to check into Family Health Plus since my kids are already on Child Health Plus. Hopefully I can find something cheaper until next August.

    Has anyone just called their doctors and explained the situation? I am thinking that it would be cheaper for now to just pay for appointments out of pocket.

    One love, Jackie

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  • AnnNYC
    AnnNYC Member Posts: 4,484
    edited September 2011

    Jackie -- could you get COBRA through your husband's old job for the next year?  Would that be cheaper?

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  • jdootoo
    jdootoo Member Posts: 253
    edited September 2011

    Ann: Cobra is not much cheaper in New York because we would have to family since it is my husband's policy rather that mine. I tried to find resources to help pay the Cobra premiums, but there is nothing out there. Argh! Can't afford insurance, can't afford not to have it! Smile

    One love, Jackie

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  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 1,700
    edited September 2011

    So they are charging $1200/mo just for your insurance? That's outrageous. Is it due to your BC Dx?  I thought group plans sidestepped the medical underwriting and everyone is charged the same.

    I'm a worrier so my concern would be the big ticket items in case anything unexpected came up. (even unrelated to BC, like some flukey car accident). Is it possible to get just "major medical" and pay out of pocket for office visits. (the major medical plans tend to be cheaper). I've also seen a huge difference sometimes between the "rack rate" and the "network negotiated rate." I wonder if the docs could give you the "network negotiated rate" for office visits and you could rely on the "major medical" plan if something unexpected came up. FWIW, I know docs sometimes receive only a partial payment and take a tax write-off for uncollected fees. I assume these were unplanned hardship cases, not something you preplan, but just an FYI that their accountants have seen it all..... 

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  • jdootoo
    jdootoo Member Posts: 253
    edited September 2011

    Here is a breakdown:

    HMO: No deductible, $50 copay for specialist (all of my dr. visits are consider specialist) $97.96 (every 2 weeks, across the board) individual, $$498.37 Husband/Wife, $798.69 family.

    Open Access: $0 copay $2,000/6,000 deductible: $130.68 (every 2 weeks) individual, $538.12 Husband/Wife, $846.84 family.

    QPOS: $40 copay $0 deductible: $162.57 (every 2 weeks) individual, $613.84 Husband/Wife, $979.14 family.

    I think it is so high because we live in New York and medical expenses here are outrageous. I am hoping I will be able to get on Family Health Plus, or just stay healthy until Medicare kicks in, otherwise, if I have a recurrance before that point, I hope my dr. feels sorry for me, lol! Smile

    Insuranance is a scam.

    One love, Jackie

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  • catbill
    catbill Member Posts: 326
    edited September 2011

    Jdootoo-

    If you are on SSDI, you can qualify for early Medicare is some cases.  Have you been able to see if you can qualify early?

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  • jdootoo
    jdootoo Member Posts: 253
    edited September 2011

    catbill: Thanks for the heads up, I will check into that. I think I automatically qualify for Medicare next August anyway.

    One love, Jackie

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  • mrsnjband
    mrsnjband Member Posts: 1,409
    edited September 2011
    We pay about $1150 a month from my teachers salary & it's a state policy.  With my other decutions I bring home less than 1/2 my check. DH & I have both had cancer so we have bills out the wazoo...  And they think teachers make way too much money.  Not here in Oklahoma. I feel your pain. NJ
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  • ibcmets
    ibcmets Member Posts: 4,286
    edited September 2011

    jdootoo,

    I saw a thread underneath your thread "Options if you Lost Your job & can not afford cobra" from Fearless_One. 

    MaryNY responded that there is a plan "Healthy NY" that she pays $365 month for.  You may want to read more about that thread.  It's terrible your premiums are so high....is it due to pre-existing condition?

    Terri

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