Can you change health insurance plans?

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
So I got some cheap knock off health insurance plan this year that doesn't seem to cover anything. Can I switch to someone else? I basically don't have health insurance because this fraudulent company doesn't cover anything.


The original Obamacare forced reasonable minimum levels of care. But things have changed to allow lower cost plans that cover not-very-much.

 

[eljefino]

Even name brand insurance sucks. Welcome to adulting.

The cheesy ones are supposed to be used with a health savings account, out of which you pay until you hit the deductible and the insurance forces the doctor to charge you a negotiated $200 instead of the over-the-counter $800. But $200 is still a bunch of cash, and the insurance pays nothing.

 

[Donald]

Remember it's the plan coverage more than the carrier that provides it. But as others have said check the company & plan someplace that provides reliable information. Like the gov website, maybe AARP.

I just got Medicare and there are decisions to make there also.

I am not sure there is a solution other than a single payer and an effort to bring down the costs of medical treatment and RX druge.

 

[The motor guy]

If i'm going to pay for health insurance I want it to cover things, it's that simple.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
If i'm going to pay for health insurance I want it to cover things, it's that simple.


That's what I am afraid of. We pay and pay, but coverage is questionable.
And they hold all the cards.

Good luck.

 

[Triple_Se7en]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
So I got some cheap knock off health insurance plan this year that doesn't seem to cover anything. Can I switch to someone else? I basically don't have health insurance because this fraudulent company doesn't cover anything.


OMG.... why do people buy from telemarketers. All insurance companies need to be investigated, prior to agreements. In this case, had you typed-in the company name into Google, you would have found so many complaints on the first webpage that popped-up.

C'mon Man! Same investigatory applications should be used when needing auto, life, home ....etc.... insurances.

 

[NormanBuntz]

Unless you're in an employer sponsored plan, which you don't seem to have, you can cancel at any time. The key thing is to have new health insurance in place before you cancel your old plan. Since the President nixed Obamacare, the landscape is different. Using telemarketers who call you: NEVER. They buy "sucker" lists from one another, and you must be on such a list.

Find a local insurance broker who has a solid reputation in your community and visit them. A good independent broker can save you money and find the right plan for you. He also may be able to place you with a group plan if you qualify (i.e. tradesman, contractor, health care worker, etc.). He also may be able to place you with a temporary plan until you qualify for or find a permanent one. Temporary health plans cover you for up to 12 months.

The process is a PITA but it's worth the trouble to get suitable health coverage for you and your family.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
So I got some cheap knock off health insurance plan this year that doesn't seem to cover anything. Can I switch to someone else? I basically don't have health insurance because this fraudulent company doesn't cover anything.


Turn them into your states Insurance Commissioner.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: JohnnyJohnson
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
So I got some cheap knock off health insurance plan this year that doesn't seem to cover anything. Can I switch to someone else? I basically don't have health insurance because this fraudulent company doesn't cover anything.


Turn them into your states Insurance Commissioner.


This is normal for cheap insurance.. my company pays almost 1000$ a month for mine.

 

[bunnspecial]

Originally Posted By: Rand

This is normal for cheap insurance.. my company pays almost 1000$ a month for mine.



Very true.

My employer offers 5 different options, and the "employee contribution" ranges from $0 to about $120 a month(for a single person with no dependents). Probably half the people I know opt for the best plan, a PPO. All said and done, it's a pretty darn good plan-preventative care(physicals, etc) is $0 out of pocket, regular doctor's visits are a $15 co-pay, specialists are $30, and most medications are $8. The deductible is also fairly low, although few folks actually hit it because out of pocket costs are low.

Not too long ago, someone was complaining about how expensive the $120 a month was(BTW, you can reduce that to $80 a month with an annual physical and taking the time to actually talk to a "health coach" every few months). When I pointed out that the employer contribution on that plan was nearly $1K a month(I think it's $954) they changed their tune quickly.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
If i'm going to pay for health insurance I want it to cover things, it's that simple.


Sorry, it does not always work that way. You may want to get a better understanding of how health insurance works. As others have mentioned, all plans have their coverage gaps and deductibles have to be met before coverage will kick in. In order to avoid disappointment, you need to carefully read the coverage terms for your policy and do your homework before seeking the services needed. Perhaps you can provide us with some additional detail on what the circumstances were, what wasn’t covered and your plan info, and we can help you better understand what happened.

 

[Al]

Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
So I got some cheap knock off health insurance plan this year that doesn't seem to cover anything. Can I switch to someone else? I basically don't have health insurance because this fraudulent company doesn't cover anything.


OMG.... why do people buy from telemarketers. All insurance companies need to be investigated, prior to agreements. In this case, had you typed-in the company name into Google, you would have found so many complaints on the first webpage that popped-up.

C'mon Man! Same investigatory applications should be used when needing auto, life, home ....etc.... insurances.

MOM..no disrespect, but you get into some of the most perplexing situations I have ever seen..all the time

 

[Leo99]

Originally Posted By: Al
Originally Posted By: Triple_Se7en
Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
So I got some cheap knock off health insurance plan this year that doesn't seem to cover anything. Can I switch to someone else? I basically don't have health insurance because this fraudulent company doesn't cover anything.


OMG.... why do people buy from telemarketers. All insurance companies need to be investigated, prior to agreements. In this case, had you typed-in the company name into Google, you would have found so many complaints on the first webpage that popped-up.

C'mon Man! Same investigatory applications should be used when needing auto, life, home ....etc.... insurances.

MOM..no disrespect, but you get into some of the most perplexing situations I have ever seen..all the time

Almost hard to believe... But it's the internet. You just want to believe.

 

[IndyFan]

...And we've only just begun to pay for it. So much for those promises..."You can keep your doctor." I wasn't able to do that. My premiums have skyrocketed far beyond the level they were increasing before. Socialized medicine doesn't work. One of many reasons is that the prices go WAY up when Uncle Sam starts paying the bills. Look at college tuition in the years federal aid and loans started growing.

This mess will get worse before it gets better.

 

[Wolf359]

Originally Posted By: IndyFan
...And we've only just begun to pay for it. So much for those promises..."You can keep your doctor." I wasn't able to do that. My premiums have skyrocketed far beyond the level they were increasing before. Socialized medicine doesn't work. One of many reasons is that the prices go WAY up when Uncle Sam starts paying the bills. Look at college tuition in the years federal aid and loans started growing.

This mess will get worse before it gets better.


The cost of insurance has been increasing since the 1960's. At that point it was about 5% of GDP. Now it's up to 17.9%. Many factors contribute to increased costs, but there's stats like how the sickest consume 50% of the health care in the US, the healthiest, 3%. Costs of diseases are also on the rise. Things like heart disease, cancer and a few others can be caused by obesity. Obesity rates go up every year. I wonder if the ones complaining about costs are overweight.

 

[JeffKeryk]

ACA slowed the cost growth of health care. It is gonna get worse.
The current administration is trying to cut existing conditions acceptance as well as starve ACA.
If you have a lotta $$, you might be OK, depending.

More people go bankrupt in America due to health care costs, the vast majority of which have insurance.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: gregk24
You have to wait for open enrollment unless you go with a company like Christian Healthcare Ministries, which is not through the Marketplace.


That IS NOT an insurance company.

My insurance is not the cheapest and it is through a big insurer in Utah. The deductible is $6,000.00. It doesn't cover much until then.


CAUTION...thread closing ahead!

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: JeffKeryk
ACA slowed the cost growth of health care. It is gonna get worse.
The current administration is trying to cut existing conditions acceptance as well as starve ACA.
If you have a lotta $$, you might be OK, depending.

More people go bankrupt in America due to health care costs, the vast majority of which have insurance.




It's about 62% isn't it? In addition how many are buying polices they shouldn't be buying? If you can't afford a high deductible plan-get one with a lower deductible. It's either pay them now or later-or go bankrupt. I would venture to say most people who go bankrupt have fewer assets as well.

This is an argument for why the current systems isn't working.

 

[fdcg27]

Is this through your work or something you enrolled in on your own?
Welcome to the brave new world of health insurance.
Twenty years ago, I paid like nothing for family coverage through my employer.
Today, I pay a couple of hundred a month for just me and my wife, since we are now empty nesters.
Twenty years ago, we hardly came out of pocket at all even for scripts.
Today, we pay a substantial amount out of pocket.
The same is true of dental and vision coverage.
Nothing is cheaper and everything costs more.
The ACA has nothing to do with this nor does the incumbent administration.
Costs have increased as standards of care have increased. The population is also aging and a substantial fraction of global healthcare cost is devoted to the elderly as they progress toward the next world.
Anyway, if you bought coverage on your own, you can change plans whenever you want.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Is this through your work or something you enrolled in on your own?
Welcome to the brave new world of health insurance.
Twenty years ago, I paid like nothing for family coverage through my employer.
Today, I pay a couple of hundred a month for just me and my wife, since we are now empty nesters.
Twenty years ago, we hardly came out of pocket at all even for scripts.
Today, we pay a substantial amount out of pocket.
The same is true of dental and vision coverage.
Nothing is cheaper and everything costs more.
The ACA has nothing to do with this nor does the incumbent administration.
Costs have increased as standards of care have increased. The population is also aging and a substantial fraction of global healthcare cost is devoted to the elderly as they progress toward the next world.
Anyway, if you bought coverage on your own, you can change plans whenever you want.
Didn't they do away now with mandatory coverage? If so, it seems he could. However-I don't know how other insurers would look at his situation. The thing is if he cancels he cannot buy through the ACA exchange (until towards the end of the year). He would be on his own. Another poster went over what reasons you can buy through the exchange PRIOR to the end of the year.