Currently, we have WI Badgercare which is our state medicaid program. We're eligible through next October because of a waiver program that lets families on foodstamps and cash aid remain covered when thier income goes up.
Come February, we'll be insured through a PPO with my husband's work and our big state Hospital and Clinic setup. It costs $37/month for the whole family and includes a limited dental and vision benefit. We have no copays for doctor's visits and urgent care visits, and a $50 copay if we end up in the ER and don't call first. Medicine is $5/$15/$30, depending on if it's generic, formulary, or non-formulary.
Our other option was a local HMO through my work. Premiums would have been $580 for the family (going up to $680 after January 1), which has way less comprehensive care, higher copayments ($10 for doctor's visits, $20 for everything else, $100 for the ER) and not quite as good prescription drug coverage.
My job only puts $100 per employee toward health insurance, and since we've only got about 250 employees it's hard to find a cost-effective plan. DH's job, on the other hand, is a part of the "State Pool", where the state negotiates health care on behalf of all state employees, including people in the hospital, our state university system, all our political people, the corrections department, and anyone else working for the state. They're huge, have a ton of clout, and therefore get GREAT coverage for nearly nothing.
