Health Insurance

[CC973]

People who are self employed/business owners, how much per month do you pay for your health insurance, and do you think it's worth having even if your rarely need it?

[deadz]

Insurance-you never need it until you need it.

[mazrim]

Are you in the US?

[CC973]

Yep, NJ.

[stuntmovie]

DEADZ offered the PERFECT answer above for all forms of insurance, but it is particularly true when it comes to medical insurance.

A family member was recently admitted/committed to the hospital (NO! Not an insane asylum! Do those places ever exist no more?) and the bill reached way over $100,000 and a cut and slice was not even involved.

But he walked out of that hospital free and clear thanks to his medical  insurance.

AND .... I know for a fact that many ex-military personnel do not take the time and effort to sign up with the VA and I strongly advise you all to do it.

Here is a good example of what a doctor can charge for his/her medical expertise.

An elder family ember had a common toe nail fungus which required an expert to cut her toenails due to the thickness of the toenails.

That was only a ten minute pedicure procedure by a podiatrist but that bill came to $2,000 which some insurance company apparently paid without complaint.

Expect the worst if you do not have medical insurance.

QUESTION: Is there some sore of watch-dog organization that oversees the fees that doctors charge?

$2,000 to cut some toenails seems insane and could possibly be an abuse of medical insurance ordiinances.

[liberty]

Seen a few threads on FB today about this...lot of eeps geting fined for not signing up....
Most people bitching about the cost of health care are people hat own bars,play guitar in a rock band,went to the 'school of hard knocks' etc .etc.
I got a decent job and always have had one....
I'd say for a family plan that up to 400$ a month is reasonable...I pay 320 for a Harvard Pilgrim HMO

[SOMEPARTS]

Self employed you are looking around $300 a month with basic dental and vision.

[bigmikecox]

Insurance-you never need it until you need it.

THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ron Jeremy]

Insurance is a racket.

[calfzilla]

Everyone needs insurance in the U.S., too risky not to have it. You can be healthy then wham! 750,000 medical bill that bankrupts you. If you are healthy and rarely go to the doc maybe shop around and check out some Hsa plans, they tend to have lower premium with high deductible.

[Lustral]

Knew a guy who was healthy, early 20s and living in States. His insurance ran out 2 days before he went to England for the summer so he did not bother to renew it. He got appendicitis in that 2 day lacuna the unlucky fuck. Bill came to $64,000. Think ambulance alone was $8000. Retarded system over there. If you check, they bill insurance company (or you if youre uninsured) $50 for mouthwash bottles.

No way the podiatrist got $2000 for that procedure. I think they get around 14% of the insurance amount on average.

Free healthcare here. You jump the queue or get a private room if have insurance, thats it. Not a great system if you break your leg - you will be waiting half a day and will be around drunks and people with a scrape on finger thinking they are injured, but great if, like my gf, you have appendicitis, need emergency surgery etc. Did not cost a penny... except for me to pay parking charges.

[devilsmile]

Knew a guy who was healthy, early 20s and living in States. His insurance ran out 2 days before he went to England for the summer so he did not bother to renew it. He got appendicitis in that 2 day lacuna the unlucky fuck. Bill came to $64,000. Think ambulance alone was $8000. Retarded system over there. If you check, they bill insurance company (or you if youre uninsured) $50 for mouthwash bottles.

No way the podiatrist got $2000 for that procedure. I think they get around 14% of the insurance amount on average.

Free healthcare here. You jump the queue or get a private room if have insurance, thats it. Not a great system if you break your leg - you will be waiting half a day and will be around drunks and people with a scrape on finger thinking they are injured, but great if, like my gf, you have appendicitis, need emergency surgery etc. Did not cost a penny... except for me to pay parking charges.

That sounds like a giant mind fuck. I gladly pay for health/house/whatever insurance I have for over 120 euros every few month, even tho currently my life is almost nonexistent. Because some day, maybe..

If I didn't have insurance I couldn't have afforded my knee scans and whatever years ago, would have cost over 3000

[Lustral]

That sounds like a giant mind fuck. I gladly pay for health/house/whatever insurance I have for over 120 euros every few month, even tho currently my life is almost nonexistent. Because some day, maybe..

If I didn't have insurance I couldn't have afforded my knee scans and whatever years ago, would have cost over 3000

I dont have health insurance, will prob get it next year (once youre under 35 it is fine for now here). They have introduced retarded health measures lately  to try and buy votes. Kids, the demographic least likely to get a serious illness, get free health care regardless of parents' income - this encourages fussy mothers to see the doctor about a minor cut or cold which increases waiting times for people who are actually sick. Over 70s also get free everything, and they are most ill group, regardless of wealth cos they are highest voting bloc.

Meh. Still better than paying the price of a house if you have a heart attck like Mike Mattarazzo.

[Irongrip400]

I pay over $900 a month for a family of four. I am self employed and pay all of it(well, my company does). I also pay half of any employee who wants it. I have 14 not counting owners and 8 currently partake. I have a guy who is 49 and his is $536 a month and I have a guy who is 18 and is $197 a month. Most are around $300. The penalty for not having insurance is $495 I believe for 2015 and over $700 for 2016. My advice, get insurance. You're an idiot to not have it. I provide great healthcare for my employees and do so as it helps retain good people.

[Lustral]

I pay over $900 a month for a family of four. I am self employed and pay all of it(well, my company does). I also pay half of any employee who wants it. I have 14 not counting owners and 8 currently partake. I have a guy who is 49 and his is $536 a month and I have a guy who is 18 and is $197 a month. Most are around $300. The penalty for not having insurance is $495 I believe for 2015 and over $700 for 2016. My advice, get insurance. You're an idiot to not have it. I provide great healthcare for my employees and do so as it helps retain good people.

Oh yeah, I did not mention this. We have a community rating system... it means old people, even with AIDS, cancer, ebola etc pay same as a 20 year old heathy young go getter.

The same does not apply to car insurance. Fucking old people.

[Irongrip400]

Oh yeah, I did not mention this. We have a community rating system... it means old people, even with AIDS, cancer, ebola etc pay same as a 20 year old heathy young go getter.

The same does not apply to car insurance. Fucking old people.

It's all age groups now. Nothing about sex or pre existing conditions. You fall within a certain bracket you get charged the same. At least to my knowledge. That's how my agent explained it.

[Voice of Doom]

If there was no insurance hospitals and doctors wouldn't be able to charge the prices they do.  Prices would fall to meet what citizens could afford.  Same with college tuition.

[Lustral]

It's all age groups now. Nothing about sex or pre existing conditions. You fall within a certain bracket you get charged the same. At least to my knowledge. That's how my agent explained it.

It would not bother me but old people get so many benefits others don't due to their voting power, not their needs. The state pension (ie money to live off if don't have a private or job pension) is way higher than unemployment benefit (when young and seeking a job/have a family etc); car insurance is far more for young people (I've passed that arc now thankfully).

Men also had to pay higher car insurance cos we were men (which, statistically makes sense - young men cause most expensive and most fatal collisions) but EU ruled this was sexist (pumps fist and says "yes!"). It irked me because you could not discriminate based on race, black people on average die younger, yet this cannot be added into health insurance premiums.

Rant over. Either be consistent value the insured person as they are across the board or have a socialist system across the board.

[Azure]

I paid $300-400 per month. I used an HMO

[Slik]

800/month my wife n I. Self employed. Pay more the last two years for the worst piece of shit insurance that we've ever had in over 20 years of self employment and buying ins.
Obama care f'd the self employed. Yeah I know I know. The greater good. Insurance for the self employed now sux big time. Basically I now have super high deductible crisis insurance.

[sancho ed]

Obamacare is based on income, age, location, dependents....i know.... im an agent. Being self employed i got quiet a few write offs bringing my adj gross income down qualifying me for a sweet subsidy (:

[Azure]

800/month my wife n I. Self employed. Pay more the last two years for the worst piece of shit insurance that we've ever had in over 20 years of self employment and buying ins.
Obama care f'd the self employed. Yeah I know I know. The greater good. Insurance for the self employed now sux big time. Basically I now have super high deductible crisis insurance.

Everyone is complaining because of higher premiums,higher co pays, and just crappier insurance  but especially  the self employed. You're forced to sign up because they doubled the penalties.

[Hypertrophy]

If there was no insurance hospitals and doctors wouldn't be able to charge the prices they do.  Prices would fall to meet what citizens could afford.  Same with college tuition.

Yes - exactly. And once  the government got involved in medicine via Medicare in the early 60's hospital prices went vertical. Same thing happened when the government got into the guaranteed student loan and tuition assistance  business. Colleges jacked up rates instantly and have continued to outpace inflation.

A lot of medical practices are popping up nationwide that give over a 50% discount on  procedures if you pay cash and skip the insurance. It's the wave of the future and rightly so.

[Mr Anabolic]

I pay $60 bucks a month.  Fortunately, my employer pays most of it.  That's very rare these days.

[YngiweRhoads]

wtf is health insurance?