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I was recently surprised to learn that someone I know pays only $20.00 a month for an individual health insurance plan through United Healthcare.
Once I picked my jaw back up off the floor, I looked into it as possible option for myself. However, UHC has gotten lots of negative reviews at the Better Business Bureau and on their Facebook Page. The reviews at ConsumerAffairs.com are more positive, though, so there's that.
By way of comparison, I decided to see how people felt about an insurance company I personally do like and have had no problems with, my auto/property insurance folks. Looking into that, I discovered that my 'beloved' auto/property insurance company has also received a lot of criticism (even at ConsumerAffairs.com, where their ratings are lower than UHC's! ), yet I’ve been with them for years with no problems at all; I think they're great. Go figure, right? So perhaps this is more of a YMMV thing and I’d end up loving UHC as well, who knows?
I don’t go to the doctor unless I think it’s absolutely necessary, so the idea of a $20.00 monthly premium will, naturally, be tempting and seem sensible on the surface, even if at the same time it seems too good to be true. Still, I’d like to see if anyone here has had experience with United Healthcare and would like to weigh in on this.
Thanks in advance.
(PS: I already have health insurance through my workplace, which costs me only $40.00 a month, but because my hours dropped below the minimum required to keep that insurance plan over the past year, I now pay four times that amount per month in continuation coverage fees so I can keep that plan until my hours increase again. Still much cheaper than the average $300/$400 a month, though, so if the UHC thing ends up being undeniably inadvisable it’s not the end of the world...)
Your employer chooses your insurance company and contributes to it. In your case it seems your employer pays the majority of the monthly premium. However it you choose UHC outside of your employee coverage, $20 a month sounds very wrong. If purchased outside of the ACA (Affordable Care Act) your premium would likely be around the $1000 a month. Am I missing something? And no, I do not like UHC. It has a long history of ripping the public off. Especially by their CEOs who have been convicted in the past.
I agree with jmking, if you think you can get health insurance outside of an employer sponsored plan for as low as you're paying now, you're in for a big surprise.
My father worked as a consultant in his later years and bought an individual policy from UHC. Can't say what else played into that choice. While sorting through his financial records years later, I found his premium statements. $20 per month? That's some fairy tale!
You can actually pay that low. This last year, i paid $37 a month for my health plan(Select health), and $5 to see a doctor, with help from Nevada health link of course. Part of the aca thing. So it is not a fairy tale. I used to have Health plan of Nevada which is owned by United healthcare/Optum, and no charge every month, but the doctor was $50 copay. And I hated the entire experience of the inadequate doctors, and none would work with me. it has to be a partnership, we work together, or I am gone. They never worked with me to fix anything, just prescribed pills and procedures. To me, that goes nowhere. No more pills!!! I think I am the only one that doesn't like them and their nasty side effects. Good luck with that plan. You will need it!!!
we have had a supplement plan and the last three years have been a challenge - i had shoulder surgery, heart issues, back fused and operated on twice and wife had a spiral femur broke and spent 18 days in the hospital and we have not paid 1 penny OFP.
so as far as we are concerned we could not be happier with UHC.
I found a plan (not with United Healthcare), via the ACA, for only $34.00 a month and covers all the bases I need it to at this time. Plus, I can keep my current doctor, who is in their network. It's a BCBS affiliate, and I've always liked BCBS & Co.
That rate is cheaper than what I was paying each month through my employer, even before going the COBRA route.
ETA: It will be nice knowing that the number of hours I've worked through the year won't impact my coverage. The logic of that goes right over my head, I'll be honest...
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), yet I’ve been with them for years with no problems at all; I think they're great. Go figure, right? So perhaps this is more of a YMMV thing and I’d end up loving UHC as well, who knows?
