Health insurance for ourselves?

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Permalink Reply by Tommy Vee on April 21, 2009 at 5:03am

Layne-

This is a sore spot to discuss. I have been self-emplyed for many years & purchasing my own health insurance.

My current premium for just me is now at $570 a month (Blue Cross/Blue Shield). It has risen every year. From what I hear, this amount isn't all that bad. The thing is, you have to have it.

I have investigated the offers posted everywhere for the self-employed. All of these seem to be policies with high deductibles.

Perhaps there are other options for us?

Tommy Vee

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Permalink Reply by Kathleen Hanover on April 21, 2009 at 7:04am

I get my health insurance through ehealthinsurance.com. I have a high-deductible policy ($2,500/yr) from Aetna that qualifies for use with a Health Savings Account. It's a $5 million lifetime policy for $163 a month. That includes major medical and dental coverage. I pay about $50 for doctor visits. (In other words, I'm not paying a co-pay, I pay out of pocket, but the doctor discounts her rate for out-of-pocket patients.)

If you're generally healthy, I think an HSA with a high deductible policy is the way to go. If something catastrophic happens, they pay 100% after you hit your deductible.

And with a Health Savings Account, I believe you can pay for just about anything health/wellness related, including your insurance premiums, vitamins, doctor visits, massage therapy, hypnotherapy, etc. Anything you don't spend rolls over to the next year. And some HSAs are also investment vehicles (mutual funds, etc.) so you can save for retirement as well as taking charge of your healthcare.

Here's some info on HSAs from the Small Business Administration: http://www.sba.gov/hsa/index.html

Hope that helps!

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Permalink Reply by Kathy Moore on April 21, 2009 at 7:52pm

I don't have health insurance. I'm a hypnotist. I practice what I preach. kathy moore

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Permalink Reply by Pattie Freeman CH.t, MST on April 21, 2009 at 8:31pm

Thanks for the info I will pass it along....

Pattie

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Permalink Reply by Pattie Freeman CH.t, MST on April 21, 2009 at 8:33pm

Good point!

I don't have insurance either ...and I myself find not in need for a doctor...thou I get the norm I do just find!

Thanks for sharing...

Pattie

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Permalink Reply by Layne Nickerson on April 22, 2009 at 3:04am

Thanks to all that replied...... I also belive in practice what we preach , however I have kids that play in every sport possible including wakeboarding and atv's..... And where body injuries happen ( broken bones) the insurance comes in handy ......for most issues of maintaining health HYPNOSIS/EFT works the best.

Thanks again for everyone that replied.

Layne

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