Attn. all self-employed who need health insurance!

Thanks for posting.
Would you consider sharing details of your chosen plan's features, benefits, monthly costs, and any potholes/hurdles you had to leap in the underwriting approval process?

I think I checked them out and while the cost was definitely better than BCBS, there was a reason for it once you delved into the details, and none of my doctors were part of their network.

And it didn't help that at the time I was researching them they had just lost a major class action suit for screwing over their clients. :roll:

I'm not sure I would trust them to do the right thing:

Insurer targeted HIV patients to drop coverage | Reuters

reviously undisclosed records from Mitchell's case reveal that Fortis (now known as Assurant) had a company policy of targeting policyholders with HIV. A computer program and algorithm targeted every policyholder recently diagnosed with HIV for an automatic fraud investigation, as the company searched for any pretext to revoke their policy. As was the case with Mitchell, their insurance policies often were canceled on erroneous information, the flimsiest of evidence, or for no good reason at all, according to the court documents and interviews with state and federal investigators.

if they will do this to a 17 year old.

this company is the old time ins co who i sold ins for 20 years ago. the devils in the details and i ran the #'s on a good policy and it seemed very exp to me. if you throw a 2000 deductible and $35 copy and 80/20 on there good plan it was very exp.to be honest it seems most insurers jacking there premiums huge this yr in front of the proposed health care obama about to pass

I appreciate all the feedback.

I appreciate all the feedback.

For what it's worth...I had BCBS as self employed person since 1993 and while it tends to be expensive (what isn't?) I have not had too much problem with coverage. Fortunately, I am healthy and have no need of much medicine.

My COBRA runs out in a couple of months, and while my health is pretty good for one who has that pre-existing condition of "1/2 century of life lived"...
the health coverage issue funnels down to the simple economics of 2-B or Not 2-B covered.

I have found it's pretty hard to compare health insurance apples to apples and it's very dependent on the individual or family. However, I can tell you that we have had Assurant for many years, and they haven't been a problem as far as paying bills or coverage. However, their premium increases are very high and we have to go to a higher deductible every year to try and offset it a bit.

That being said, we are currently going through the application process with BCBS and are hoping they will cover us since it is approximately half the cost of what we're paying with Assurant for similar, but not identical coverage.

I have found it's pretty hard to compare health insurance apples to apples and it's very dependent on the individual or family. However, I can tell you that we have had Assurant for many years, and they haven't been a problem as far as paying bills or coverage. However, their premium increases are very high and we have to go to a higher deductible every year to try and offset it a bit.

That being said, we are currently going through the application process with BCBS and are hoping they will cover us since it is approximately half the cost of what we're paying with Assurant for similar, but not identical coverage.

yeah... no matter which company, once you're 'in' the rates start the upward climb regardless whether you've ever made a claim or not.

when I do the math in hindsight... I wish I'd NEVER paid for health coverage and just chucked all those premiums into my own 'self-insurance' interest bearing account for these last 30 years.

Y'all, did your premiums really increase exorbitantly every year? As I hear stories like this, it becomes more and more evident as to what the states' insurance commissioner allows. Have Y'all reached out to him and the Governor, for that matter. Rate adjustments have to be approved each year.
I have been self-employed most of my career and my largest increase was maybe 8%, which had more to do with age bracket change than anything.
Hang in there Dune-Ahh; it's almost over, but I hope you secure affordable coverage soon.

Us vs. the insurance companies is like Goliath versus the stone on the ground (sans David and the sling).

They know what is allowed and even minor attempts to cap increases result in lobbying, cuts, and people dropped from policies - which is why I get a letter letting me know that my premium is increasing 15-25% EXACTLY every 365 days. :angry:

Y'all, did your premiums really increase exorbitantly every year? As I hear stories like this, it becomes more and more evident as to what the states' insurance commissioner allows. Have Y'all reached out to him and the Governor, for that matter. Rate adjustments have to be approved each year.
I have been self-employed most of my career and my largest increase was maybe 8%, which had more to do with age bracket change than anything.
Hang in there Dune-Ahh; it's almost over, but I hope you secure affordable coverage soon.

Between 1998 and 2008 I averaged 45% increases per year. NO I did not reach out to the FL ins. commissioner or governor because had I reached out I probably would have sunk an axe in someone's forehead.

Between 1998 and 2008 I averaged 45% increases per year. NO I did not reach out to the FL ins. commissioner or governor because had I reached out I probably would have sunk an axe in someone's forehead.

Taking on the Insurance lobby is very difficult. Even some well heeled special interests have not been able to make a dent...
premiums go up every year; and this week I just got a letter saying that the insurance company has decided that I do not need the prescription my doc wrote for me --the only medication I take -- they have decided that they will only pay for another, which does not work for me.

Now, who is making my medical decisions?

I will have to hire an attorney, to get them to cover the meds!

And, yes, I would rather have the government making these decisions rather than the insurance company--I have found the government to be more reasonable and the people who work for the government to be more compassionate.

Could it be that the government employees are more in touch with the rest of us...they aren't taking home a million dollar bonus!