I would like to fire BCBSAZ--Any suggestions? (Maricopa: health insurance, deductible)

[khuntrevor]

I would like to save money on my health insurance. Can anyone recommend a good plan company in The Valley for someone without existing conditions?


Sorry folks, I meant for this to be in the phx forum.

[Jkgourmet]

Age, sex, county of residence, your deductible, the type of plan and coverage, and prior medical care use are all going to affect your premium. There's no hard and fast rule that allows someone to give you a go-to answer.

That said, I'd call the major carriers and ask them myself for a quote. Make SURE you are comparing apples to apples. That's a lot of work. An alternative would be to call a broker, but it's hard to know who to trust. I can recommend this one, from personal experience: John Rueschenberg johnr@coveragepoint.com

Since you are healthy, you really should learn about and consider a HSA plan. Health Savings Account plans are informally known as 'health care IRA's'. You can put money into an account that is tax protected/deferred (like an IRA) and use this money for unexpected medical expenses or, if unused, it goes for your retirement. In addition to John, for HSA's, I'd also recommend you check with Steve Pettit spettit@iqhsa.com

Also remember that a higher deductible plan will GREATLY decrease your premium. Since you are healthy, that would be a reasonable risk.

Overall, BC/BS rates tend to be reasonable for individual insurance premiums in Maricopa County. I suspect you should revisit your deductible and coverage options, which may be the problem more than the insurance company. Also please remember the fact that 'you get what you pay for.' With health insurance, you don't want bargain basement when you REALLY need it.