January 2012 Weddings
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Glimmer of Hope- Insurance Stuff

Penguin129Penguin129 member
500 Comments 25 Love Its First Anniversary Name Dropper
edited October 2015 in January 2012 Weddings
I went to the Dollar Tree yesterday to get something and there were 2 health insurance agents wearing Florida Blue set up at a booth. They asked me if I had Health Insurance and I told them I didn't and I had to wait until November to sign up. They told me they could sign me up and I could get coverage starting in November. They also said I could get the subsidy even though I can get coverage (although at $1,000/mth) with H's employer. I texted H what I was doing and he told me to leave. I was so upset because they were telling me I could get coverage starting in November with subsidies for $125/mth with really great copays and a low out of pocket cost. I've been looking into what they were telling me and I'm confused.  I'm not sure what they were telling me is true. I'm so upset.

Daisypath - (B4ZA)
Lilypie - (V3N1)

Re: Glimmer of Hope- Insurance Stuff

  • Can you look them up online for more information?
  • Can you look them up online for more information?
    I looked the guys name up in the insurance look-up thing. It says he is a licensed agent. I can't get much more information than that. I plan to call Florida Blue tomorrow and ask them if them are associated with the agency. I know the people were like independent insurance agents for the company they worked for. We'll see. There is a law being proposed to change Obamacare to have it include the spouse, but right now as long as it is affordable for the employee to have insurance for themselves, spouses can't get the subsidies. I really want them to be legit. We'll see.
    Daisypath - (B4ZA)
    Lilypie - (V3N1)
  • Insurance is often very confusing.  Sometimes agents can use that to their advantage. I would definitely do a lot of research.  I hope you can find the answers quickly and I hope what they were saying was true.  I often hate our insurance because it sucks compared to what I had when I was working.  But honestly it's pretty similar to what a lot of other people tell me they have.  I'm blaming Obamacare on how crappy employer offered insurance has gotten. Sorry for my small rant.
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  • Don't worry about the rant @shellyamf. I could have Obamacare rants too. I really hate how there is a "family glitch" where families can't get affordable insurance as long as the employee is offered affordable coverage. Yes, H can get it for $50/month up to $100/mth. He chose the $100/mth plan because it was better. To add me would be an extra $1,000. Abby is on the state insurance plan for only $20 and for that I am very grateful. If I can't get the subsidies we'll be paying like $300/mth for my insurance (it is not affordable for us, but we can get it and be tight).
    Daisypath - (B4ZA)
    Lilypie - (V3N1)
  • Employer sponsored health insurance was expensive before Obama care was even a thought to the public. Most employers only contribute x amount of dollar to a health insurance fund and that is why it typically costs more to have dependents added to a health plan. Employers are businesses and it is not in their best financial interest to make insurance for the spouse/family affordable.

    Blame the recent recession for crappiy Healthcare coverage.... employers (businesses) had to save money wherever they could.

    It's just about open enrollment season, take a look at previous medical visits.... how often were they made? The $100 a month plan may have better coverage but if your husband never went to the doctor you just spent 1200 a year for "nothing" when you could have only spent 600 with the cheaper plan. If a cheaper plan has a higher deductible look into getting a flexible spending account to make paying the deductible easier. I highly recommend getting a FSA, they take the total amount you want to contribute and divide it up to equal payments that come out of each check. I don't know about you but for us 500 bucks is more affordable when it's 50 bucks a month over 10 paychecks instead of one lump sum.

    I can explain fsa's more but it's 4:30 and sleep is calling. LOL
    Lilypie - (2f9f)Lilypie - (y2el)
    Daisypath - (30fE)

  • I wouldn't look at an FSA unless you have known annual expenses.  You lose any money you put in them at the end of the year if you don't use it all.

    If you don't tend to have a lot of doctor visits during the year (I don't mean wellness visits, those are generally covered), look at getting a high deductible health plan and then funding the HSA that you can get.  Those funds are yours to keep no matter if you change plans, companies, etc.  I have one and my intention is to fund it up to the max out of pocket and stop.  In my case, there's even an investment option where the funds grow (hopefully) on their own.

    Some people even use them as a way to stash some extra retirement funds or to help cover health care expenses when they get older.

    Daisypath Anniversary tickers
  • So I called Florida Blue directly today. I used the number from their website and called their Healthcare Reform Questions line. I told the person who answered the phone about what happened and asked if he could verify the agents. He said he wasn't going to do that and I would deal with him directly. No problem. He asked me some questions and said he is pretty sure I will get the subsidies since it would cost so much to add me onto H's policy. I got his direct phone number from him and he made a note to call me back on November 1st when open enrollment opens. I also asked him about the special enrollment I was told about. I don't qualify for special enrollment, which I knew. I'm not sure how the agents I spoke to on Saturday were going to get me insurance by November. I'm just going to wait until open enrollment starts and deal with the guy I spoke to today.
    Daisypath - (B4ZA)
    Lilypie - (V3N1)
  • Not true on FSAs. Ours allows us to rollover each year. I guess it depends on the plan and who it is through. HSA is also a great route to go.
    Lilypie - (2f9f)Lilypie - (y2el)
    Daisypath - (30fE)

  • I had the same thought about lowering H's policy to the $40/month one Am. 

    The polices I'm looking at in Obamacare have no deductible or a $750 deductible and a $1,250 -$2,000 out of pocket max depending on the plans. If I get a silver plan I get the subsidy plus cost sharing that makes deductibles, OOPcost, and copays much more affordable. I hope what the agent told me today is right because all the worries I have about insurance and how much having another baby will cost will melt away. 27 days until I can sign up and have all my questions answered.
    Daisypath - (B4ZA)
    Lilypie - (V3N1)
  • Am12712 said:
    Not true on FSAs. Ours allows us to rollover each year. I guess it depends on the plan and who it is through. HSA is also a great route to go.
    Sorry, I stand somewhat corrected.  Apparently the "use or lose" rule was changed in 2013.  Prior to that, they were truly use or lose.  However, if this hasn't been updated since, it looks to me like the rollover is limited to $500.  I've had a HDHP+HSA for the last 5+ yrs or so, so I haven't been keeping up.
    Daisypath Anniversary tickers
  • I had an FSA in 2012 and it was use or lose. But that's good to know about the new rules if we every have one again.

    We have an HSA with P's work.  It carries over and it's very helpful.  His work does contribute to it as well to help make up for the crappy insurance. Our insurance barely covers anything until we meet our deductibles and it's a $6000 family deductible so we don't hit that unless something major happens.  Which means we pay for insurance every month and all doctor visits.  The only thing they have covered this year is part of the lab work for me.  I was thinking of looking into Obamacare but we should meet our deductible next year with the baby. 
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  • J's plan allows us to roll over, but we have to use it all by Feb 15. So technically, it's a roll over, but it's also not forever.

    I'm very lucky in the fact that it's pretty commonplace in my area for spouses to also be covered very well. It actually costs less to add me to J's plan, than it does for him. 

    Am- do you know anything about double deductables? I paid all of my deductable on my first plan, and I don't mind making up the difference, since j's is a little higher, but I don't feel like I should have to pay the whole thing again. 
    photo sig_zps7d54b52d.jpg
    Daisypath Anniversary tickers


    BabyFruit Ticker 

      
  • @shellyamf You may be able to get better coverage through the marketplace. I am not an expert or anything though. LOL! I think if it cost more than 8% of your monthly income for your H and you to be insured you can qualify to get the subsidies. I found this website www.healthsherpa.com where you can estimate how much you could get insurance for.

    @imperiumwife I'm happy you have such good insurance through your H. That is amazing.
    Daisypath - (B4ZA)
    Lilypie - (V3N1)
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