Monday, April 30, 2007
Health Insurance Angst
My group health insurance at work has to be the worst in the state. We have too many people in the group who are older and several have been treated for cancer. My premiums are atrocious. And like most insurance, every year the rates go up and the benefits go down. My not-so-secret shame is the M has no health insurance. My employer only covers me, and not completely. It costs me over $400 out of pocket to cover Emma and the balance of my coverage. Yes, you read that right, $400 a month for a healthy 2 year-old. At this years rates, if I wanted to add M to our coverage it would cost me $805 out of pocket. Every month. That could be a house payment right there.

Anthem has a monopoly where we live. We have one medical center in the county and they only bill Anthem. Of course I can't just drop Emma from my group coverage and buy her an individual plan with Anthem. They won't touch her again until she's been off their group policy for 64 days. Nice, huh? I found this out two years ago. When I realized they were basically telling me my baby had to go uninsured for me to be able to obtain a more affordable plan I cried. They had me in vice.

This year I was determined that I was going to find some way to get insurance for my husband. It means we absolutely have to get Emma off my group insurance. This time I found a ray of hope. I found a provider who offers short term insurance which is actually accepted in the valley where Noni and Popi live. Both major hospitals in that area accept it.

We're going to go for it. The timing will be tricky because two people I asked for help dragged their feet for so long we're getting dangerously close to the end of my open enrollment period. I went ahead and filled in an online application for Emma today and now I'm praying I have something lined up by the 13th. The effective date isn't until July 1, but I want to know she'll be covered by the short term plan before I drop her from my group. Wish me luck that I hear back by then.

Oh, and by moving from my group insurance to individual plans I will save from $300 to $550 a month, to cover both of them.

I hate insurance companies.
Written at 7:22 PM by Highlandgal.
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