[DesireeH]

I am wondering if I should do this. Me and my son are on my husbands plan through work, an HMO (so basically useless anyways). We pay 400.00 a month for just me and my son (dh is free). I NEVER go to the dr. I am contemplating cutting off insurance for me (would keep it for my son JUST IN CASE something should arise). I want the next baby to be a homebirth baby anyways and HMO's refuse to pay for that. I plan on doing natural healthy options instead of going to my quack dr. Is this a good idea or no? Should I get cancer or something, then I dont know, but I would go to Mexico and do the Hoxsey treatment anyways (not covered of course). My husband doesnt know if its a good idea or not. Even if I do need to go the dr for something I could pay for it with all the savings of not having HMO insurance for myself. Any thoughts?

 

[AahRee]

I would at least have a major medical plan to cover you, in case something terrible happened. I was diagnosed this summer (after many tests and a surgical biopsy) with a lung disease. Before this year, I've been a fairly healthy person. I'm not a smoker (never have been) and I avoid second-hand smoke like the plague. So this was totally out of left field for me.

I'm not covered on DH's insurance (WAY too expensive), but if I wasn't covered at ALL, we would be out over $30K so far this year, for me alone. Forunately, we had bought an individual plan ($113 a month, for coverage that includes maternity, not that you sound like you want that...) and it covered everything except a $750 deductible and 20%... up to an out-of-pocket max of $2K (not including the deductible). Anyway, we totally exceeded the out of pocket max on me this year, and are VERY thankful we had the insurance. There are less expensive monthly premiums, but they have higher deductibles and/or less coverage. I'd encourage you to have SOMETHING as a back-up, just in case, because you really do never know. But $400 a month is outrageous, and I don't blame you for wanting to put more of that into your pockets each month!

One other thought to consider... if you're willing to be a part-time student each fall, a lot of colleges will let you buy their insurance plan for the whole year if you enroll in just one class each fall. It's usually pretty good coverage and pretty cheap, too. You'd have to pay for the credits you were earning, but if you're interested in taking a class or two once a year, anyway, it might be a good thing to look into. I love learning and am planning to look into doing this next fall.

 

[Gale Force]

Desiree,

Insurance of any kind is about protecting your assets, so you really need to consider what you have to lose in this situation and you need to consider your future ability to be insured should you stop a policy now (that is, you could develop a condition that would make it difficult to find anything reasonable).

What we do is basically what mom2katie suggested -- we have a high deductible/co-pay plan with a annual max out of pocket. We paid $200/mo for my husband and I/ I think it doubled w Frederick. And I think we had an even cheaper option that we decided against.

Amanda

 

[DesireeH]

Thanks ladies, I will probably end up just keeping what I have, major medical is only like 75 dollars cheaper. I just hate paying out medical that I dont use AND then having to pay on top of it for services I will actually use. When I lived in WA my insurance paid for chiropractic and other natural options but not here! GRR.

 

[malamamama]

You might want to check out this thread.....
http://216.92.20.151/discussions/sho...ight=insurance

 

[lorijds]

Our insurance went up to over $500/mo for my dds and me to be on my dh's plan. So I called our insurance agent (the one for the house and cars) and she pointed me towards another insurance company that does more with medical. Anyhow, we got a major medical policy with a $2,500 deductible per person for $140 a month. This is with my youngest having been diagnosed with asthma.

We have no co-pay, no prescription, nothing; but we could have. It would ahve been about $30 to add a script plan,and about $32/mo to add an office copay. But when I sat down and did the math, it would cost more to add the $60 extra a month to the plan for those benefits. This girls and I had three total office visits this year. We picked up five prescriptions this year. We are too healthy for the office visit co-pay and script plan to pay off.

Consider calling a couple of insurance agents and seeing what sort of offer you can get. I can't believe major medical costs over $300 a month for you; I know you can find it cheaper somewhere else.

 

[cathe]

My husband is self-employed and we don't have health insurance. We just pay from our own pocket when we need to go and it is much cheaper than paying that big premium every month. Of course, we are taking a chance of something major happens but at this point, we are willing to take that chance. We know we would never be denied medical care and we feel we would be able to work out payment plans or get assistance. Maybe when we're older, we'll rethink this choice . .

We don't do traditional medical things often anyway - we had homebirths and when I have a health problem, I am more likely to see my acupunturist.

For the kids, California has a great plan called Healthy Families which provides low cost health, dental, and eye care insurance for a low premium so we have the kids covered. DesireeH, I see you are in California - maybe you would qualify for this. We only pay $9.00 a month per child.

 

[sleepies]

you never know.

you could be in car wreck or something.

my dad had an unexpected stroke and the bill is over a MILLION DOLLARS, the insurance is paying all but a couple thousand.

hospitals are expensive.

i do understand your frustration! i NEVER get past our co-pay

i never go to dr,

but then.................now i had a bad papsmear, if i have cancer, it will be VERY EXPENSIVE>
------as for going to mexico.... i am wondering if that will be practical or do-able in reality.

you never expect cancer or car wrecks, but they happen

i hope nothing does, but, medical costs are high

 

[DesireeH]

Quote:

i am wondering if that will be practical or do-able in reality

Oh absolutely, I have done Hoxsey treatment before. I lived in WA at the time and I was so scared (the dr wanted to cut a whole bunch of tumours out of my legs!) the next day I hopped in my car and drove 19 hours straight down to southern CA to stay with family until I could get treatment. Within 2 weeks all my tumors were gone. I wouldnt allow a biopsy (my dr wanted to) because I was scared if it was cancer and they poked a needle in it that it would make it spread but my tumours (that the dr's said would need to be surgically removed) were gone within 2-3 weeks! (although I had to keep up on the mega vitamins and diet for longer.) I HIGHLY recommend them for cancer. A good friend of mine is getting treatment there right now for Hep C. The drs here gave him 5 years to live but the Hoxsey treatment drs think they are wrong.