Pittsburgh Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Buying Health Insurance
I'm curious if anyone buys their own health insurance. Right now, I have excellent coverage through a UPMC plan and I cover the whole family for roughly $280/month pre-tax through my employer. I will likely stop working at the end of this year and my husband's company's insurance seems mediocre and expensive...$425+/month. Does anyone buy individual insurance and have a recommendation? Thanks in advance for any advice!
Re: Buying Health Insurance
We did for about 2 years. We had Health America insurance. We neede to go through an independent insurance agent because my daughter (who was 18 months old at the time) kept getting denied when I tried going diretly through the companies. Her height to weight ratio wasn't wtih in their guidelines (she's a peanut and was too tall for her weight).
The insurance was OK at best. We had a $5000 deductible and paid $320 a month. There was no maternity coverage so I paid for the birth of my son out of pocket. All well baby visits and shots were covered 100% before we met the deductible, as was my annual exam/physical--same for DH. Everything else you paid for at a contracted rate.
When my son was born the premium jumped up to $360/month.
Benefit--we could have an HSA and put pretax money into it for medical costs.
My parents do (my dad sold his business and had nothing to COBRA to).
They have separate policies (it was cheaper) through Highmark. Together, they pay about $590 a month with10/90% and a $5000 deductible. Just so you know, you cannot get dental benefits as a single payer.
$425 pre-tax for a family isn't all that bad depending on deductibles/copays. I know at my current employer, a family plan is about $1100 a month. When I was in charge of benefits, family plans were easily $700-$900 with a $2500 ded.
don't forget that at least until 2014 pre existing conditions are going to matter when applying for health insurance that isn't through an employer.
chances are the insurance through your H's employer is still better than what you will get on your own, at least cost wise.
Yeah, that does happen. You don't appreciate what you have until you look elsewhere.
If you go to a single pay you lose a lot of the benefits of group plans and it will increase every year whether or not you use it. Plus, unless you have a high deductible plan, you are going to pay a lot of money in monthly premiums.
My mom was really happen with the assistance she got with Highmark when they were pricing plans. It may be worth going to one of the stores and talking to someone.
Also, check with your husband's plan to make sure you can change plans at anytime. A lot of providers only allow changes during open enrollment or at renewal time. If they do, you may have to prove a change in status so you may need a letter saying that your coverage is cancelled with your current provider.