Health Insurance? (Woodland: how much, deductible, quality of life) - Los Angeles - California (CA) - City-Data Forum

redturtle · 07-30-2008, 06:48 PM

Quick question for those in LA - what are you guys doing for health insurance? I'm new here, self-employed, so looking for some advice on individual plans - who you're with, how much you're paying, and the benefits.

Or if you're on a company plan, your own experiences/reviews (Healthnet, Aetna, Kaiser, Blue Cross, etc.) - things to watch out for, etc.

I'm a new LA resident currently shopping for health insurance, and just wanted some feedback.

Thanks in advance

lesallimc · 07-30-2008, 06:50 PM

I was self employed for a while and had Blue Shield of California. I was quite pleased with my coverage and am not sure I'm paying any less now that I work for a company again.

greggd · 07-31-2008, 10:14 PM

Blue Cross, Blue Shield... log on, fill out the estimator and go from there. biggest question is do you want to be covered for emergency rooms & hospitals or do you want to have drug coverage and doctor office visits included. All the plans have deductibles and co-pays.

Kaiser limits you to their facilities. I've never been a fan because if i need med insurance I go to the best, not the closest or the cheapest.

bettedaviseyes · 07-31-2008, 10:41 PM

If you have Kaiser, you do have to use their facilities, but they are top-notch from my experiences. My husband and I had Kaiser insurance and had doctors in Woodland Hills, and always felt very, very taken care of. We haven't felt like that since moving and switching to a PPO. We can't wait to get back to Kaiser!

Nysee53 · 07-31-2008, 10:47 PM

California Permanente or Kaiser is considered to be relatively good. They especially take care of their own members. People who have emergencies and are rushed to Kaiser facilities unfortunately don't always receive the best care. Kaiser is a relatively good personalized experience from what I have heard.

greggd · 08-01-2008, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bettedaviseyes

If you have Kaiser, you do have to use their facilities, but they are top-notch from my experiences. My husband and I had Kaiser insurance and had doctors in Woodland Hills, and always felt very, very taken care of. We haven't felt like that since moving and switching to a PPO. We can't wait to get back to Kaiser!

I've heard Kaiser has better quality doctors now.

The freedom of going to a known specialist, on major issues/quality of life changing issues/injuries, outside the network is worth the extra cost to me.

ndfmnlf · 08-01-2008, 10:49 AM

It depends on what health issues you have. If you and your family are fairly healthy and all you really see the doctor for is regular check ups, minor coughs and colds, stable chronic conditions like hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, or common moderately complex problems like fractures, stab wounds, etc.....then Kaiser or any other group or even solo physicians can competently take care of you (assuming they have a clean license). For really complex and rare health problems, it would be ideal to not be limited in your choice of doctors or hospitals to the HMO. You may have to use traditional insurance (eg a PPO) for greater flexibility in coverage, but these things are also more expensive.

redturtle · 08-01-2008, 01:47 PM

Thanks for all the feedback guys (and gals). Much appreciated.

I'm taking a closer look at Kaiser or Blue Cross. I've heard good (or at the very least, 'not bad') reviews of Kaiser -- what you guys say here seems to confirm that. I used to be on a PPO with Healthnet when I used to live in California years ago (it was a bit of a nightmare).

I actually rarely go see a doctor - I have no known chronic health problems to speak of and still relatively young, and other than getting strep throat last year and seeing an allergist, I visit the doctor on average once a year (and some years, none).

Looking mostly to cover any catastrophic stuff or if I have any major.

I was thinking of even just rolling the dice and not going with any!!!

lesallimc · 08-01-2008, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redturtle

I was thinking of even just rolling the dice and not going with any!!!

I would HIGHLY advise against this. (Just thinking of two young, healthy friends (or so they thought) who have been diagnosed with cancer in the last couple of years.) For the cost of health insurance, it is one of the best investments you can make.

ndfmnlf · 08-01-2008, 02:21 PM

You said you are self-employed, young, and, healthy. You are a perfect candidate for a Health Savings Account. Health savings account - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

HSA is health insurance policy and an IRA rolled into one. It allows you to contribute money into the account (max of $2900 for individuals, $5800 for families) per year. You can use this money to pay for deductibles or other health expenses. Any expenses beyond this (or exceeding your deductible), your health insurance will then pay for (up to $3 million to $5 million lifetime benefits depending on the terms of the policy you choose).

If you are healthy and don't incur any expenses, your $2900 annual deposit may be left in the account and accumulate tax-deferred just like an IRA. This can quickly balloon into serious money. The premiums are low (I've seen quotes of $150 to 200/month for a family of 3; should be lower for individuals).

HSAs are portable. You own them. You can be fired from your job and never fear of losing insurance. They also instill financial discipline in you in that you don't waste resources such as going to the ER for treatment of a hangnail. The only thing I don't like about them is they stop at age 65, presumably because that's when Medicare kicks in.