Healthcare Marketplace

tried several times. I guess I will have to make an appt with a rep too

You don't have to buy through healthcare.gov. For all the PPO variety you need, go to http://www.ehealthinsurance.com and you can sign up for any 2014 insurance plan available in your state regardless of preexisting conditions. Pick a PPO that has your docs in the network. On the left hand navigation you can sort by deductible, coinsurance, premiums, etc. You'll need to review every plans summary of benefits to know how it will affect your price/selection for hospitals, doctors, etc. Don't sign anything without seeing the detailed summary of benefits from the broker.

You really have to think through where the financial risk is -- I put my priority on no coinsurance for hospitalization, specialists, and the ER, as well as a low deductible. You can also opt to buy insurance to cover you just for cancer as a separate benefit. ehealthinsurance.com calls it Critical Illness Insurance. A Critical Illness Plan pays you directly in the event that you are diagnosed with a covered critical illness.

If you need a subsidy, do the paper version of the application on healthcare.gov, make a copy of it and the envelope, and send it in certified to the address on the form. That is the fastest and easiest way to get your subsidy. Shop on healthcare.gov but you can find more details on the individual plans at the company website, eg, Blue Cross Blue Shield. And if the subsidy offset isn't worth the sacrifice in your doctor choice (only you will know the answer to that), then you may want to opt for private individual insurance so you can pick from more options.