Any Retired New York City Employees In South Carolina? (Myrtle Beach: for sale, health insurance) - (SC) - City-Data Forum

IMPERIALBROWNS · 02-17-2007, 04:14 PM

Just wondering what is the best health insurance for retired New York City Employees under 65?

williamsburgfan · 02-17-2007, 05:14 PM

someone asked this a while back - wish i could remember the name, there are a ton of retire NYPD and NYFD in the georgetown area. A golf course community - if all else fails call the courses in georgetown - only a few.

i'm thinking - can't your benefits department in NYC help you - or your actual insurance compnay? it seems they would be the experts on what is available to you anywhere. the people who post on this forum who have expert knowledge on this subject would be nil. I'd be talking to my insurance company - only way to know.

baylovers · 02-17-2007, 05:24 PM

I'm curious to see what other have to say, too. I'm recently retired NYPD and am in Georgetown area also. I have GHI and have been able to find some doctors who take it but it is not widely accepted. I have also found that there are doctors who accpet GHI but are not listed on the GHI website. So you have do some research to get an answer.

IMPERIALBROWNS · 02-17-2007, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by baylovers

I'm curious to see what other have to say, too. I'm recently retired NYPD and am in Georgetown area also. I have GHI and have been able to find some doctors who take it but it is not widely accepted. I have also found that there are doctors who accpet GHI but are not listed on the GHI website. So you have do some research to get an answer.

Hello Baylovers,

I'm so glad you responded. Thank you.

I purposely posted this question so I can get information from other NYC retired employees. My husband is a retired NYC Correction Officer and we have property on Lake Murray , S.C. Just wanted to know if you or other NYC retirees you know are happy with the doctors that participate or accept GHI? I noticed on their website there are few or in some cases no specialists in South Carolina.

You mention that there are doctors that accept GHI but are not listed on the GHI website. Would you know if they accept payment from GHI as full payment? GHI will only pay according to their fee schedule and that may be way less than what outside doctors charge.

We have quite a few years before 65.

This is the one thing that has almost made us change our mind about South Carolina and go to North Carolina.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Again

williamsburgfan · 02-17-2007, 07:30 PM

the only way to know what Dr will do with any plan is to call them directly. Keep in mind that insurance contracts are negotiated yearly - so what they do today may not be true next year, or 3 years away, depending on how many years before 65 you will need to research this yearly. I don't think this is any different no matter what state you are in. Call GHI and speak to someone who specializes in coverage for employees out-of-state, they certainly would be worth talking to.

SC has a "pool" you can get private insurance through - may or may not be worth investigating.

IMPERIALBROWNS · 02-17-2007, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by williamsburgfan

someone asked this a while back - wish i could remember the name, there are a ton of retire NYPD and NYFD in the georgetown area. A golf course community - if all else fails call the courses in georgetown - only a few.

i'm thinking - can't your benefits department in NYC help you - or your actual insurance compnay? it seems they would be the experts on what is available to you anywhere. the people who post on this forum who have expert knowledge on this subject would be nil. I'd be talking to my insurance company - only way to know.

Hello Williamsburgfan,

Sorry for the repetitive question but I am trying to get info on the healthcare that is available from other NYC employees.

I do know what benefits are available. I have researched it quite extensively. I am trying to get info on how limited the number of doctors are and the quality of care under GHI. (Which is the only coverage with a reasonable monthly premium that is available to us in South Carolina through NYC)

I really don't want to pay $700. a month for good healthcare in South Carolina when I can have it in North Carolina for $200. a month.

I do appreciate your response.

Liz

williamsburgfan · 02-17-2007, 08:44 PM

OK, good. Kind of a different spin on your original question.

I still think it is best to contact GHI for the current list of dr. as someone said the website may not be up-to-date, surely GHI will have a list and can fax/e-mail it to you. Again, this has the poddibility to change yearly. I hate the insirance quest - it is so hard to compare "apples to apples". there are very few people on these forums who have your exact insirance so you can not get a good picture. call GHI - they are the experts.

i will say whenever i visit georgetwon I talk to NYFD and NYPD guys on the course and in the restaurants - and they love the georgetown/pawleys island area and no one complains about medical care - not that that doesn't mean it might not be a concern, they all seem VERY satisfied with the decision to relocate to SC. many of them visitied Myrtle Beach during bike week, fell in love with the weather and moved south to an up and coming area that is much cheaper than NYC or LI was.

IMPERIALBROWNS · 02-17-2007, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by williamsburgfan

OK, good. Kind of a different spin on your original question.

I still think it is best to contact GHI for the current list of dr. as someone said the website may not be up-to-date, surely GHI will have a list and can fax/e-mail it to you. Again, this has the poddibility to change yearly. I hate the insirance quest - it is so hard to compare "apples to apples". there are very few people on these forums who have your exact insirance so you can not get a good picture. call GHI - they are the experts.

i will say whenever i visit georgetwon I talk to NYFD and NYPD guys on the course and in the restaurants - and they love the georgetown/pawleys island area and no one complains about medical care - not that that doesn't mean it might not be a concern, they all seem VERY satisfied with the decision to relocate to SC. many of them visitied Myrtle Beach during bike week, fell in love with the weather and moved south to an up and coming area that is much cheaper than NYC or LI was.

Allright, I will call GHI again and push for more information. I also went into the S.C. insurance pool website. I will also give them a call.

Thanks again for your help.

baylovers · 02-21-2007, 01:14 PM

From the doctors we have dealt with so far they accepted the GHI payment schedule minus the $15 deductable etc. Thank God we do not have any serious medical issues. I am sure it would pose a greater challenge.

I do know that my union's dental plan stinks and will be paying thorugh the nose for that!

IMPERIALBROWNS · 02-21-2007, 02:16 PM

This is what I was afraid of. So far we are in good medical condition but we don't know what the future brings.

Baylovers, I don't know if you are aware of this but $200. a month for Aetna and you have providers are all over North Carolina! Not one in South Carolina. We are selling our South Carolina property and looking in North Carolina. We will miss Lake Murray. We visited North Carolina and were surprised it is still reasonable in North Carolina. There are many lots for sale on some really nice lakes. If you are nearing 65 you will be eligible for medicare and about $17. a month with Humana will allow you to see any doctor.

Thanks for the information.