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Old 02-12-2011, 03:15 AM   #1
Jimmy Womack
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Katy
Posts: 32
M.O.C. #10963
Health Ins for DW?

I'll be retiring soon and leaving my employer's health care coverage. I'll be going on Medicare with a supplement. However, DW is MUCH younger than I (emphasis added for her gratification) and will need an individual policy. We are based near Houston, TX and she is in very good health but is a smoker. My questions are:

What carrier do you use for individual coverage?
What is your level of satisfaction with them?
Is there a good resource for comparing coverage, rates, etc?
 
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Old 02-12-2011, 04:04 AM   #2
deadeye
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Jimmy:
My wife is younger than I am. She is not 65 yet. I use Blue Cross/ Blue Shield family plan even though I am on Medicare. They have a plan that I get that takes care of her and anything that Medicare does not cover for me. It is pretty reasonable, I think anyway. Works for me, but may not work for everyone..... JB
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Old 02-12-2011, 04:37 AM   #3
nosticks
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I have a policy with Humana Health Plan. Not the greatest, as the first $7000 is on me and no prescription coverage until I spend the first $1000 on prescriptions. It is what I call a catastrophic policy, for the big stuff. It has co-pays etc, but I have a pre-existing condition that is excluded from coverage. I found by telling my specialist Dr. that I have no health care insurance coverage for his services, he cut my office visit cost in half. I'm just short of Medicare and this was the best I could get and it's $300/mo in round numbers. You can go on-line and get a quote, but be prepared to answer some very probing questions. On the smoking, I think you'll find it will cost much more and probably will invoke a respiratory exclusion. Also don't be too shocked if whomever you select asks for her medical records for the past 5 years. After I went through this crap, I started to request a copy of my visits to any medical facility. And whatever you do, don't let your wife's coverage lapse, even if you have to go on COBRA for a short time. FYI, COBRA will cost you 110% of the combined premium your employer and your contribution pay. It's a killer, and when she busts 60, it blasts up quite a bit as do other policies. Good only for 18 months, and expect a four digit premium each month. All of these dilemmas will not be solved by "Bamacare" either as we are in between age wise on when some of the stuff like pre-existing denial is phased in.
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Old 02-12-2011, 04:38 AM   #4
awaywego
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You may want to check Cobra which is good for 18 months and in some cases 36. It will be the same insurance you have but you pay the employers price plus 2 percent.
This is what we did and when the time is up any insurance co has to insure you. Of course they then name the price.
Worth checking into if she is close to Medicare.
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Old 02-12-2011, 04:55 AM   #5
BB_TX
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I am 65 now, but retired at 62. Wife is a little younger. Took the Cobra coverage initially. Neither of us had any real health issues. We both were taking blood pressure medicine, but our blood pressure stayed well within normal ranges for years. We both were taking cholestrol medicine, but our cholestrol levels stayed well within normal ranges for years. I was taking a medication for occasional palpatations although checkups and stress tests showed no problems at all. DW had been diagnosed with diabeties several years ago, but with improved diet and exercise, A1C had been in normal range for several years with no medication.
Because of these things, neither of us was considered insurable by 3 different companies. As a result, we both had to go into the Texas insurance risk pool backed by BC/BS when Cobra ran out. Very expensive and not particularly great coverage.
I turned 65 in December. With Medicare and a BC/BS supplement, my premiums dropped significantly. But DW is still stuck with a large premium for now.
Neither of us smoke, but in checking rates for several different companies I noticed that smoking does add quite a bit to the premiums.
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Old 02-12-2011, 08:07 AM   #6
richfaa
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Location: North Ridgeville
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we are so fortunate to both have health care coverage as we are both retired Federal Employees and were able to take our health Insurance with us into retirement..and no it is not free. I also have Medicare.

Health care is so expensive and it is not only the poor who can not afford health care coverage. If we had to pay the full coast of our health care we would not be rv'ing.
It is a shame that every American Citizen does not have the opportunity to have affordable health care coverage. We wish you luck in finding affordable coverage.
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Old 02-12-2011, 11:57 AM   #7
Jimmy Womack
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Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Katy
Posts: 32
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Thanks to all for your input. I will be deligently searching for the next couple of months. COBRA is an option initially, but will need coverage for a couple of years past that.
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