Ouch!!!!!

[Teggie]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? Texas

Wowza, I am blown away. I work part time because the pay is a lot better and no full time positions are availible at this time. Although I often work the same hours as the full timers. I live in a rural area so commuting to a bigger facility would really be an issue. I have two small children ages 4 & 6. Since part time gets no benefits I went to find a affordable health policy for just my kids. I found one I thought would be good, (stupid me!), at a decent monthly premium, high deductible but according to the way it was worded I thought that preventive care visits would be covered. I wanted to take my kids in for checkups, wanted to make sure it would be covered before going so I called them and found out that the entire deductible would have to met before they cover anything at all, even preventive care. Ouch!! thats 5,000 dollars per child. Seems this insurance is only usable if a child is critically ill or something I make just over the cap to try to get CHIPS (the health dept insurance for kids) and I'm afraid to not have some kind of coverage on my kids, you never know what might happen. I checked into other plans, even just to get one that is reasonable would cost me over half of my paycheck. Thats an issue when you have to pay rent and buy food keep your car running, clothes on your kids, not to mention dental care etc, etc.
I wish there was some alternative for people like me. It's not like I'm a flake or anything, I work, I work hard for the money. Are there others out there like me? And what do you use? Looking for any options.... /end rant
Thanks! Teggie

 

[cbg]

I don't have an answer for you; I just want to let you know that unless you have some form of managed care, what you describe is the rule rather than the exception. If it's an indemnity plan, you're lucky that preventative care is covered at all.

I'm by no means unsympathetic; I'm to a certain extent in the same boat. If anyone has any suggestions for you, I'll probably follow up on it myself. But I've worked with health insurance plans for 25 years and indemnity plans stink. I'd personally much rather have a limited network of doctors and not have to deal with a deductible, than have to worry about filling that deductible. Unfortunately, since Congress voted to let managed care go for-profit (which was one of the worst decisions ever made) managed care, which DOES work if you let it, has gotten to be out of sight financially.

Sorry I can't help, but I wanted to let you know you're not alone.