RE: URGENT: cost for individual medical insurance

Chris, when you're investigating insurance options ask if the company
offers Health Savings Accounts.  They give you lots of tax advantages
and you can build up a nice self-directed investment account.

Lynda
Zone 7 - West TN

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
Behalf Of kmrsy@netzero.net
Sent: Wednesday, July 27, 2005 5:44 PM
To: gardenchat@hort.net
Subject: Re: [CHAT] URGENT: cost for individual medical insurance


Chris,
I would think the Cobra plan might be a good idea. Surely the university
gets good rates and if you could keep that awhile til you've had time to
find something else, you'd have a good price. Still, it's not the rate
you should base your answer on since you might not get that same good
rate on your own, after the 18 months was up.


I declined the Cobra option when I was laid off because, since we were a
small company, my premium was over $400 month, and I couldn't manage
that. The other option they offered me was $100 month from BCBS but they
only allow the policy for 6months, there would be no coverage until
$1000 deductible was paid on covered items and they took no pre-existing
conditions. I didn't see the point.


Kitty


-- "Christopher P. Lindsey" <lindsey@mallorn.com> wrote:
> Probably a lot more than you'll want to pay. Health insurance seems to
> put the lie to all that "market forces" nonsense we are continually 
> bombarded with. May I suggest that you explore joining--or affiliating

> with--an existing consulting firm [having a client in tow is a
definite 
> plus] that has a group policy. It may involve kicking in a share of 
> your retainer for access to group purchase.

I was also thinking of going the corporate route and doing it through
Mallorn; the prices seem better when you have a company behind you.  But
there's a lot of research to do.

> Also, consider if you're a 34-year-old non-smoking male, how much
> health insurance you really need. When I was a self-employed 
> writer-editor, I went about 30 years with no health insurance.

Honestly, not much.  I get eye exams yearly and glasses every two years,
dentists visits twice a year, and doctor visits maybe twice a year too. 

It's just that 'what if' factor.  Having a friend who just recovered
from cancer and only ended up paying $500 out of the $250,000 bill
because of insurance was kind of neat to see.

Another option that I just researched is CORBA.  It looks like I can
continue my current coverage for 18 months after I leave the University,
but I need to call tomorrow to find out what the premiums will be.

Chris

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