Going Bare for Health Coverage
 

"Frank Boettcher" wrote in message
...
The suggestion of a high deductible/low premium policy and an HSA, is
I think, a better alternative to going bare. Even if you cannot fund
the HSA significantly, you do have catastrophic protection.

But then, I've never cruised extensively, so maybe bare works.

High deductible / low premium policies can be hard to find. I got one last
year through the Texas Farm Bureau; apparently there is a demand for this
sort of policy among farmers.
--
Mike Harris
Austin TX

Going Bare for Health Coverage
 

On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 21:09:16 GMT, "Mike Harris"
wrote:

"Frank Boettcher" wrote in message
.. .
The suggestion of a high deductible/low premium policy and an HSA, is
I think, a better alternative to going bare. Even if you cannot fund
the HSA significantly, you do have catastrophic protection.

But then, I've never cruised extensively, so maybe bare works.

High deductible / low premium policies can be hard to find.

I suspect because HSA's are a relatively recent alternative. As more
big companies start offering their employees that alternative or force
them into it by only offering it, or as small companies that could not
afford to offer subsidies for low deductible policies but can with the
high d/ HSA,demand will grow and more insurance companies will offer
them.

Frank

Going Bare for Health Coverage
 

Skip Gundlach wrote:
Coming late to this party, and having dealt with a deadline for Cobra
conversion by gritting our teeth, grimacing and signing up, we have
another avenue to explore.

A full-time cruiser, just arrived in our boatyard where we're not quite
left yet, but at least, in the water, published writer in Latts/Atts,
Lat38 and others, sez he doesn't do health insurance, even in his
relatively high risk years before cruising.

Several reasons, all amounting to "wherever you are, they have to take
care of you" plus whatever the cost adjustments/free you can negotiate
on top of the international differences in the medical care costs as
compared to the US.

He cited several large medical expenses he'd incurred in the past
several years, and the total expense was way smaller than he'd have
paid in premiums.

.. . .

My wife died about 5 years ago, leaving a hospital bill of about
$80,000.00. The insurance company gave me a hard time for about 4
months and the hospital had started adding interest charges to the
bill. Then one day I got a bill that said $6,000.00. I called the
hospital and they said the insurance company had refused to pay so they
had adjusted the bill. Then in the next breath she said, however, they
have now agreed to pay and the balance had been returned to the
original amount. I doubt if that's very typical and I still don't
understand how or why they could have done that. It was a non-profit
hospital, but I don't know if that makes any difference.

Medical costs are, of course, less in foreign countries. In fact, there
is something called "medical tourism" that's gaining popularity. Here's
some example sites:

http://www.newstarget.com/007097.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/he...altourism.html
http://pd.cpim.org/2004/0509/05092004_snd.htm
http://www.udel.edu/PR/UDaily/2005/m...ism072505.html

If you are 62 and own a house that's paid for, a possibility might be
to take out a reverse mortgage. This might discourage medical bill
collectors from taking out a lien on your house.

Going Bare for Health Coverage
 

If you are 62 and own a home outright You really don't have to worry about
your credit rating so screw the insurance companies and the high overpriced
medical industry!
If people refused to pay through the nose for medical insurance and care in
this country then the damn ripoff insurance companies and overpriced
hospitals and doctors who think they are God and charge like it wouldn't be
able to continue to gouge our pockets for a damn flu shot.
Just my 2 cents
wrote in message
ups.com...
Skip Gundlach wrote:
Coming late to this party, and having dealt with a deadline for Cobra
conversion by gritting our teeth, grimacing and signing up, we have
another avenue to explore.

A full-time cruiser, just arrived in our boatyard where we're not quite
left yet, but at least, in the water, published writer in Latts/Atts,
Lat38 and others, sez he doesn't do health insurance, even in his
relatively high risk years before cruising.

Several reasons, all amounting to "wherever you are, they have to take
care of you" plus whatever the cost adjustments/free you can negotiate
on top of the international differences in the medical care costs as
compared to the US.

He cited several large medical expenses he'd incurred in the past
several years, and the total expense was way smaller than he'd have
paid in premiums.

. . .

My wife died about 5 years ago, leaving a hospital bill of about
$80,000.00. The insurance company gave me a hard time for about 4
months and the hospital had started adding interest charges to the
bill. Then one day I got a bill that said $6,000.00. I called the
hospital and they said the insurance company had refused to pay so they
had adjusted the bill. Then in the next breath she said, however, they
have now agreed to pay and the balance had been returned to the
original amount. I doubt if that's very typical and I still don't
understand how or why they could have done that. It was a non-profit
hospital, but I don't know if that makes any difference.

Medical costs are, of course, less in foreign countries. In fact, there
is something called "medical tourism" that's gaining popularity. Here's
some example sites:

http://www.newstarget.com/007097.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/he...altourism.html
http://pd.cpim.org/2004/0509/05092004_snd.htm
http://www.udel.edu/PR/UDaily/2005/m...ism072505.html

If you are 62 and own a house that's paid for, a possibility might be
to take out a reverse mortgage. This might discourage medical bill
collectors from taking out a lien on your house.

Going Bare for Health Coverage
 

Chi Chi wrote:
If you are 62 and own a home outright You really don't have to worry about
your credit rating so screw the insurance companies and the high overpriced
medical industry!
If people refused to pay through the nose for medical insurance and care in
this country then the damn ripoff insurance companies and overpriced
hospitals and doctors who think they are God and charge like it wouldn't be
able to continue to gouge our pockets for a damn flu shot.
Just my 2 cents


Too All:

I have a dead beat cousin who has not woked in years and single (at
least not married). She got pregnant with no insurance of any type. the
kid was way early. Were talking a few pounds! The neonate was in the
intensive baby care unit for 3 months. Figure that bill out. Total out
of pocket cost for the mom....................... $00.00. Yep nada,
zip, zero dollars. She even bragged jokeingly about her "million dollar
baby."

It pays to be broke in the USA! So yall hard working blokes keep thoes
premiums comming. I might need a free total hip in a few years.
Bob

Going Bare for Health Coverage
 

Bob wrote:
Chi Chi wrote:
If you are 62 and own a home outright You really don't have to worry about
your credit rating so screw the insurance companies and the high overpriced
medical industry!
If people refused to pay through the nose for medical insurance and care in
this country then the damn ripoff insurance companies and overpriced
hospitals and doctors who think they are God and charge like it wouldn't be
able to continue to gouge our pockets for a damn flu shot.
Just my 2 cents


Too All:

I have a dead beat cousin who has not woked in years and single (at
least not married). She got pregnant with no insurance of any type. the
kid was way early. Were talking a few pounds! The neonate was in the
intensive baby care unit for 3 months. Figure that bill out. Total out
of pocket cost for the mom....................... $00.00. Yep nada,
zip, zero dollars. She even bragged jokeingly about her "million dollar
baby."

It pays to be broke in the USA! So yall hard working blokes keep thoes
premiums comming. I might need a free total hip in a few years.
Bob


Bob wrote:
Chi Chi wrote:
If you are 62 and own a home outright You really don't have to worry about
your credit rating so screw the insurance companies and the high overpriced
medical industry!
If people refused to pay through the nose for medical insurance and care in
this country then the damn ripoff insurance companies and overpriced
hospitals and doctors who think they are God and charge like it wouldn't be
able to continue to gouge our pockets for a damn flu shot.
Just my 2 cents


Too All:

I have a dead beat cousin who has not woked in years and single (at
least not married). She got pregnant with no insurance of any type. the
kid was way early. Were talking a few pounds! The neonate was in the
intensive baby care unit for 3 months. Figure that bill out. Total out
of pocket cost for the mom....................... $00.00. Yep nada,
zip, zero dollars. She even bragged jokeingly about her "million dollar
baby."

It pays to be broke in the USA! So yall hard working blokes keep thoes
premiums comming. I might need a free total hip in a few years.
Bob

Speaking of stories, here's mine. My wife went into the hospital with a
massive heart attack and was declared dead about a week later. At the
time, we had 3 health insurance policies and all of them covered both
of us: Her employer, my employer and a retirement policy.

My wife had been in the hospital before, so at the time of admission, I
went over the information with a hospital employee and confirmed that
nothing had changed and signed a form. That's when Murphy's law took
over.

I failed to notify the insurance company within their 24 hour (48?)
reporting period. My wife had always handled the health insurance and I
didn't know I was supposed to. Normally, that isn't a problem because
the hospital usually does that. However, as fate would have it, some
hospital clerk made a clerical error and also failed to notify the
insurance company.

The insurance company from her employer refused to pay anything. Then,
of course, the other two companies refused to pay anything because the
primary insurer had refused. I was left looking at an $80,000 dollar
bill that was increasing as the months went by due to interest charges.
After a lot of letter writing and phone calls, the insurance company
did finally agree to pay about 4 to 6 months later.

I would say "all's well that ends well", but worrying about an $80,000
hospital bill for months on end on top of everything else, certainly
wasn't a lot of fun. Then to add insult to injury, the care that she
got really sucked. Because of vacations, etc., there was no neurologist
available at the time and I wound up with a lab technician and the
heart surgeon trying to read the EEG's.

Going Bare for Health Coverage
 

just think what the bill would have been if the neurologist had been there.
I'm sorry for Your loss and the added pain and suffering You had to endure.
Only in America can You find such compassion and great medical care combined
in 1 huh? at 80k that is!! Yes I'm being sarcastic but I am truely sorry for
Your pain and suffering glad to see You are able to write about it though :)
Hang in there ;)
wrote in message
ps.com...

Bob wrote:
Chi Chi wrote:
If you are 62 and own a home outright You really don't have to worry
about
your credit rating so screw the insurance companies and the high
overpriced
medical industry!
If people refused to pay through the nose for medical insurance and
care in
this country then the damn ripoff insurance companies and overpriced
hospitals and doctors who think they are God and charge like it
wouldn't be
able to continue to gouge our pockets for a damn flu shot.
Just my 2 cents


Too All:

I have a dead beat cousin who has not woked in years and single (at
least not married). She got pregnant with no insurance of any type. the
kid was way early. Were talking a few pounds! The neonate was in the
intensive baby care unit for 3 months. Figure that bill out. Total out
of pocket cost for the mom....................... $00.00. Yep nada,
zip, zero dollars. She even bragged jokeingly about her "million dollar
baby."

It pays to be broke in the USA! So yall hard working blokes keep thoes
premiums comming. I might need a free total hip in a few years.
Bob


Bob wrote:
Chi Chi wrote:
If you are 62 and own a home outright You really don't have to worry
about
your credit rating so screw the insurance companies and the high
overpriced
medical industry!
If people refused to pay through the nose for medical insurance and
care in
this country then the damn ripoff insurance companies and overpriced
hospitals and doctors who think they are God and charge like it
wouldn't be
able to continue to gouge our pockets for a damn flu shot.
Just my 2 cents


Too All:

I have a dead beat cousin who has not woked in years and single (at
least not married). She got pregnant with no insurance of any type. the
kid was way early. Were talking a few pounds! The neonate was in the
intensive baby care unit for 3 months. Figure that bill out. Total out
of pocket cost for the mom....................... $00.00. Yep nada,
zip, zero dollars. She even bragged jokeingly about her "million dollar
baby."

It pays to be broke in the USA! So yall hard working blokes keep thoes
premiums comming. I might need a free total hip in a few years.
Bob

Speaking of stories, here's mine. My wife went into the hospital with a
massive heart attack and was declared dead about a week later. At the
time, we had 3 health insurance policies and all of them covered both
of us: Her employer, my employer and a retirement policy.

My wife had been in the hospital before, so at the time of admission, I
went over the information with a hospital employee and confirmed that
nothing had changed and signed a form. That's when Murphy's law took
over.

I failed to notify the insurance company within their 24 hour (48?)
reporting period. My wife had always handled the health insurance and I
didn't know I was supposed to. Normally, that isn't a problem because
the hospital usually does that. However, as fate would have it, some
hospital clerk made a clerical error and also failed to notify the
insurance company.

The insurance company from her employer refused to pay anything. Then,
of course, the other two companies refused to pay anything because the
primary insurer had refused. I was left looking at an $80,000 dollar
bill that was increasing as the months went by due to interest charges.
After a lot of letter writing and phone calls, the insurance company
did finally agree to pay about 4 to 6 months later.

I would say "all's well that ends well", but worrying about an $80,000
hospital bill for months on end on top of everything else, certainly
wasn't a lot of fun. Then to add insult to injury, the care that she
got really sucked. Because of vacations, etc., there was no neurologist
available at the time and I wound up with a lab technician and the
heart surgeon trying to read the EEG's.