Purchase of Private Health Insurance

[EB]

I'm hoping I can get some advise from all of you. My husband and I are in our early 50s and hope to become full-time RVers this year (depends on sale of our house). We would be quitting our jobs and work on the road. We will be giving up our health insurance by doing this, but we are willing to pay for our own. Do any of you have suggestions of where to get the insurance? Also, do you have any experiences in reasons private insurance companies turn people down. We each take a medication, but are generally healthy. Any advise or shared experiences on this crazy insurance issue would be greatly appreicated!!!

[GaryKD]

Hi EB and welcome to iRV2,
Consider doing a Google search on "health insurance". You'll get a bunch of companies to investigate. Health insurance is governed by state laws. So what is good for folks in one state may not be true for folks in another state. If you are keeping your current state as your domicile it may be easier for you to make this investigation. There are many big names to choose from. One of the questions to consider asking is if the company operates in all of the lower 48 states (my assumption is Alaska and Hawaii will not be your domicile).

My only personal bad experience is with Humana. I would not take them as a provider, even if it was free.

Currently we are through United Health Care. Go here to see their web site.
Good luck.

[K-Star]

EB

First let me say welcome to iRV2. We certainly hope you continue to visit with us and share your experiences.

Since you are in your 50's check out the AARP website. I cannot vouch for them at all. Another option is to check out an independent insurance broker. Remember, if you are fulltiming, you are going to want health insurance that you can use anywhere in the country.

Also, for medications, stop at Walmart and pick up a list of their $ 4.00 prescriptions. See if any on that list will work for you. In my experience, we have been able to fill prescriptions at Walmart any state we've been in. If it needed a refill, we just had our doctor call it in to the local Walmart we then call that Walmart and tell them to hold it. We then call the Walmart where we are and have them transfer it to them.

[TXiceman]

Private health insurance is pretty expensive and you need a plan that will cover you where ever you travel. As noted, try AARP as they do have plans for their members.

Also, if you belong to any other organizations, check them for what they may offer.

Walgreens and Kroger also offer $4.00 prescriptions.

Have fun.

Ken

[jerry7]

As another member metioned different states have different coverages,I have GHI and i can go to any doctor anywhere that takes the coverage i have found many states do take this GHI you might have to pay a fee,but check with GHI first and find out if youll be covered,So far i have used it in Fla ny pa and Ct.

[Toby]

EB

Go here www.insure.com and click on health ins. This will give you some indication of the cost from several companies. Always check on the availability of coverage when travelling out of your "home" state s/Toby

[David K]

EB

I don't know where you are domiciled but, if you are in the Southeast where there are Publix stores, check out their "free" list of generic drugs. I presently have an excellent insurance plan but, when I can, I take advantage of their free meds. It includes some of the meds taken daily as well as antibiotics. The doc just needs to prescribe the generic.

[EB]

Thanks for your responses. Health insurance sure is a tricky business, isn't it. We are from Wisconsin; don't know that we'll keep that as our state of residence once we are full-timers. I'm sure at first we will until we get a feel for things. Without getting too personal, I'd also really like to hear from any of you who have any knowledge or experience about private insurance companies turning people down and what their reasons were. Thanks again. I'm watching closely.

[GaryKD]

Hi EB,
Health and Auto Insurance are a lot alike. The company underwriter will assign a rate based on your application. The rate goes up based on past history. Eventually one of two things will happen:
1. You will not pay the rate.
2. The company will not insure you.
As best I know, #2 happens only in extreme situations (like having a terminal illness).

Consider checking around now, so you will have a handle on how your situation will be handled.

[Tom N]

Won't your current insurer allow you to continue with your insurance after separation?? You pay for it instead of your former employer.

-Tom

[Dadeaux]

What Tom N suggests may be very important to you. If you have existing conditions, known or unknown it is very important to continue with your current insurer.

Law requires them to allow such in many cases.

[Lindsay Richards]

We have been paying $1946/month total for my wife and I who are both cancer survivors through BC/BS. This is a crushing amount and we are just a few months away from Medicare. If you are both healthy, I would strongly consider getting a very high deductible and think of insurance as just a preventer of losing everything if you get very sick. You will have to pay for all of your out of pocket medical expenses. Catastrophic insurance is what it is called and is well worth looking into. I have had years where we paid well over $20,000 in premiums and didn’t even met our deductible. I have also been in the hospital with pneumonia for 8 days at $31,000. It is a crap shoot, but very expensive. Our total cost under Medicare with a very complete supplemental is about $600/month total for the tow of us. COBRA is required for 18 months and would be the way to go at first. The company’s normal cost plus a 15% administration fee is what it cost and it is usually cheaper than what you can buy as it is a group rate. There might very well be a network restriction that would make it unusable if you traveled.

[David K]

The comment about COBRA is correct in that under certain circumstances you can have it for up to 18 months. The increase in cost is a lot. As an example, my company is liquidating and when it is over with, I will keep the insurance in place (I am the only one on the policy --- my wife is insured where she works). At the present time, my monthly insurance premium is $84.00. Under COBRA, the insurance premium for the same insurance goes to $742.00 per month -- quite a difference. Just ask ahead of time about the COBRA coverage so you will not be that shocked at the increase in premium. Oh, the COBRA cost is for me only -- with my wife, the cost would increase to over $1,200 per month.

[Jim Stewart]

Dave, I just a clarification is needed on your post. I assume the $84.00 is your portion of the insurance and the company paid the rest. When you Cobra, your company no longer pays anything, so you have to pay both sides plue the premium. That is why it is so much more than when you just paid your $84.00 portion.

If I am incorrect, correct me, please.