Originally Posted by 2Slick4u

I'm not going to read all the posts to this thread to see if somebody else explained this, so sorry if this is redundant information.

One of the main reasons your insurance is so expensive is you've added on doctors visits as part of the plan. The fallacy of doing this is that you want "to get something" out of all those expensive insurance premiums you pay, amiright?

If you're a healthy 23-year-old with no family, you probably aren't going to the doctor more than a couple of times per year and most likely have never gone into the hospital for a major injury or illness. So why pay an extra $100, $200 or more per month to have doctor's visits included in your plan when it would only cost you a fraction of that amount to just pay it out of your pocket the couple of times a year you actually do go to the doctor?? In terms of insurance, there is only one way to go: Pay for your doctor's visits out of your pocket, DO NOT make them part of your insurance plan. For your insurance, choose a "catastrophic" policy ~ this will only provide coverage for major medical situations. Major medical problems ~ illness or injury ~ are the things which produce through-the-roof hospital, diagnostic fees and doctor bills. Being young and healthy you should be able to get a policy to cover major medical expenses for a small percentage of what you're paying now, even living in New York.

Also to reduce the monthy premiums you should choose a high deductible for the plan, such as $5,000 or preferably a $10,000 deductible. That will keep your premiums as low as possible, and if you did have a huge medical claim, you could barrow the deductible you need from family, the bank or put on your credit card if necessary.
Better still, if you put the money you're saving by reducing your insurance premiums into a savings account, if you don't have a major medical situation come up, within a few years you'll have enough saved to pay your deductible with this money if and when the need arises.

this is called a hsa!

 

Originally Posted by Artiecat

 

Originally Posted by Jennifear

 

Originally Posted by Artiecat

 

Originally Posted by Jennifear

 

Originally Posted by ecugirl93

God, New York is ridiculous. Who came up with that brilliant plan??? And why?

I assume the idea is to allow people with problems to get affordable health insurance, so the hospitals/doctors get paid when they get sick. The less people that can't pay for their treatments, the less the governments have to fund the hospitals. Of course, this idea helps the older/less fortunate among us, and hurts the young and healthy.

Do you think this is fair Jennifear?

I'm torn, and not sure what to think. It sure doesn't help me! hehe

A - I think that older people or sicker people deserve good care without being bankrupted.

B - I don't think the younger, healthier people should be faced with the burden of providing the above.

But I don't see how A and B can BOTH happen. This is one reason why I'm in favor of a National health care system. While this would still require the healthier paying for the unhealthy, at least this way the outrageous prices that are charged for the health care that is given are regulated, which will keep the price down for everyone. It would certainly help poker players and the self-employed, that's for sure!

do u have health ins?

p.s. i asked a y or n question

I have health insurance. I have to pay for it myself.

 

Originally Posted by Jennifear

 

Originally Posted by Artiecat

 

Originally Posted by Jennifear

 

Originally Posted by ecugirl93

God, New York is ridiculous. Who came up with that brilliant plan??? And why?

I assume the idea is to allow people with problems to get affordable health insurance, so the hospitals/doctors get paid when they get sick. The less people that can't pay for their treatments, the less the governments have to fund the hospitals. Of course, this idea helps the older/less fortunate among us, and hurts the young and healthy.

Do you think this is fair Jennifear?

I'm torn, and not sure what to think. It sure doesn't help me! hehe

A - I think that older people or sicker people deserve good care without being bankrupted.

B - I don't think the younger, healthier people should be faced with the burden of providing the above.

But I don't see how A and B can BOTH happen. This is one reason why I'm in favor of a National health care system. While this would still require the healthier paying for the unhealthy, at least this way the outrageous prices that are charged for the health care that is given are regulated, which will keep the price down for everyone. It would certainly help poker players and the self-employed, that's for sure!

How would a National Health Care System be better and how do you come to the conclusion that it would be cheaper? Even if it is cheaper, how comfortable are you with your health care being rationed?

One of the stupid consequences of NY's stupid law is that many younger people decide not to buy health insurance. This will drive up the cost even more. Unfortunately, if these folks have a catastrophic health problem they will moste likely go bankrupt themselves. Medicare and medicaid have been complete failures. Why would a national system for everyone be even better? It boggles my mind.

 

Originally Posted by Artiecat

 

Originally Posted by Jennifear

 

Originally Posted by Artiecat

 

Originally Posted by Jennifear

 

Originally Posted by ecugirl93

God, New York is ridiculous. Who came up with that brilliant plan??? And why?

I assume the idea is to allow people with problems to get affordable health insurance, so the hospitals/doctors get paid when they get sick. The less people that can't pay for their treatments, the less the governments have to fund the hospitals. Of course, this idea helps the older/less fortunate among us, and hurts the young and healthy.

Do you think this is fair Jennifear?

I'm torn, and not sure what to think. It sure doesn't help me! hehe

A - I think that older people or sicker people deserve good care without being bankrupted.

B - I don't think the younger, healthier people should be faced with the burden of providing the above.

But I don't see how A and B can BOTH happen. This is one reason why I'm in favor of a National health care system. While this would still require the healthier paying for the unhealthy, at least this way the outrageous prices that are charged for the health care that is given are regulated, which will keep the price down for everyone. It would certainly help poker players and the self-employed, that's for sure!

How would a National Health Care System be better and how do you come to the conclusion that it would be cheaper? Even if it is cheaper, how comfortable are you with your health care being rationed?

One of the stupid consequences of NY's stupid law is that many younger people decide not to buy health insurance. This will drive up the cost even more. Unfortunately, if these folks have a catastrophic health problem they will moste likely go bankrupt themselves. Medicare and medicaid have been complete failures. Why would a national system for everyone be even better? It boggles my mind.

This here is absolutely true. I nearly didn't purchase health insurance for the very fact you bring up. In the end, I decided that my assets were worth protecting, and that people with health insurance seem to get better care, so I'd be better off with it.

 

Originally Posted by saxman

I've stated my opinion several times on the CDN health care system and I can only say from my personal experiences it works just fine tyvm. I would never trade it for a privatized system but that's just me. Cue all the people who know someone who knows someone who knows someone that went cross border to get specialized treatment b/c the CDN system sucks. My experience says otherwise.

Any system where you have to sue just to have the right to spend your own money on health care is flawed imo.

Well, the kicker to that is the government will decide which acts it deems unhealthy and tax it accordingly.

Im sure they can do this well and without any bias towards anyone. "well skiing injuries for instance costs the US 32 million dollars, seems like something we should tax" "Well fat poker players that do nothing but sit at their computers cost the US millions and besides they all smoke pot, lets tax that for sure"

Wein, I don't live in NY, so I'm not 100% this will help. I am assuming that you are looking at "individual" insurance. Consider looking into the costs of business health insurance. Some laws are written in such a way that employers can pool resources into programs not available to the public.
Ah... you're not a business owner? you're not self employed? You can be. Don't know if you're profiting from poker yet, but you could go get yourself a business license. When they ask what type of business, just answer "general business", sales, or whatever you want. The license in my state is only $25.
Most insurance providers have minimum employee requirements, but there are others that do not, such as through the NASE, National Association of Self Employed, who pool all of their members to get good rates.

If things are that expensive in NY due to what Jen says, you people have got to wake up and realize that is a form of socialized medicine and that's exactly where America is heading. True, we may not have any insurance premiums to pay, but we still have to pay for it through taxes. The young are already going to be forced to pay for the elderly in retirement, (Social Security can't hold up with so many retirees) do you really want to be forced to pay for everyone elses healthcare, also. And I'm not talking about the needy; there are plenty of lazy people who want you to pay their way.
If you really want to get to the bottom of what's so expensive about healthcare, look at our judicial system. Too many lawsuits. I'm sure pharmacology is the next main reason for escalating costs.
Sorry for any thread hijacking. I truly understand why people want socialized medicine, but I'm equally sure that most who want it don't have a clue how much it will cost them in the end.

 

Originally Posted by tacoman98

If things are that expensive in NY due to what Jen says, you people have got to wake up and realize that is a form of socialized medicine and that's exactly where America is heading.

NY is a better system. The health care costs are spread out over a lifetime sort of like when you go to public school. You pay that back when you get out in taxes.

 

Originally Posted by tacoman98

The young are already going to be forced to pay for the elderly in retirement,

The young already do it is called the monetary system. Do you think people over 80 pick strawberries.

The real question is why businesses are tied up with health insurance anyway as they have nothing to do with one another. You go to work for a paycheck. It should be illegal for businesses to offer health insurance.

Obamas latest speech on health care