Highmark vs. UPMC?

DomerJenC · May 2013

Our current health insurance is UPMC (HMO). DH is about to accept a different job, and they have a Highmark "co-insurance" plan. Basically a low deductible ($500 family) and then you pay 20% and they pay 80%.

Does anyone have experience w/ switching? Is it a huge pain?

AmandaJLewis · May 2013

I have switched insurance a few times. I started with a Highmark PPO (which sounds a lot like what you are being offered) but after my pregnancy and all the extra little bills rolling in and adding up I took the UPMC plan with the higher premiums but no deductible. This past year my company dropped both of those options and went with United healthcare and Aetna plans. So i had to switch again. Aside from checking to see if my preferred doctors accepted those plans and getting them my new cards there was no big deal with switching.

amyjoy18 · May 2013

I've switched a few times as well. My old job had Health America, and when they stopped paying the premiums we switched to an individual plan with United Healthcare and now at my current job I have UPMC.

To be honest, switching was no problem at all, even with all of those health plans, I never had to switch doctors because they all accepted which ever insurance I had at the time.

gwennythepooh · May 2013

Ditto pp. We just switched from UPMC to Highmark in April when DH got a new job and it was easy peasy. The biggest thing is remembering to tell providers that our insurance has switched (including pharmacy for prescriptions). I also made sure to alert the office staff at our PCP office when DD had a dr's appointment on the last day of our UPMC insurance, in case there were any issues (there weren't). Other than that, it's been no problem at all.

Temp752290812504671 · May 2013

I have switched several times from Highmark, Aetna, US Healthcare, Highmark HMO.

It has never been an issue, just make sure your drs. are approved. Sometimes you have to switch pharmacies (we have Highmark HMO and cannot use Target or Walgreens).

northhillsbride · May 2013

AmandaJLewis:
I have switched insurance a few times. I started with a Highmark PPO (which sounds a lot like what you are being offered) but after my pregnancy and all the extra little bills rolling in and adding up I took the UPMC plan with the higher premiums but no deductible. This past year my company dropped both of those options and went with United healthcare and Aetna plans. So i had to switch again. Aside from checking to see if my preferred doctors accepted those plans and getting them my new cards there was no big deal with switching.

Ditto this. Changing plans was not a big deal, as most doctors accept both plans.

I had been with UPMC for over 15 years, then (same company as Amanda) changed this year so I switched to United. No changes whatsoever.

We just switched to DH's company's - which offers Highmark. The only trade-off is that while he doesn't have a monthly bill for health insurance, we now have a deductible. I'm waiting for those bills to start coming in and I'm sure there will be a headache somewhere along the line.

You'll be fine and should not have any issues, along as your docs take Highmark.

Jefsnickerdodle · May 2013

Switching is not bad biggest thing is if your Dr doesn't take it and you have to find new ones.

I personally know alot of people that have UPMC and aren't all that happy with the coverage. including people that work for them. You might find you like the Highmark better!

Good Luck.

Highmark vs. UPMC?

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