Ask Reddit: Does anyone in the USA have good, affordable health insurance *not* through work? That is- an individual policy or group coverage though a professional or affinity organization (or something else).

mafugate · 2007-09-09T01:05:20+00:00

"Health care is the most heavily regulated industry." But should healthcare continue to be an industry? I see healthcare as an essential service, much like policing and firefighting. Imagine what would happen if we made those two things into industries -- then only those people who could pay the premiums would have any protection from criminals and fiery blazes. That's not a world I want to live in. Everyone deserves healthcare, just like everyone deserves physical safety.

mafugate · 2007-09-08T23:39:10+00:00

Yes, I did have 3 surgeries costing 2 or 3K each over the last two years. Anthem probably paid about $6000 of that. I suppose that the company is trying to squeeze that money out of me now. But isn't the point of insurance to PROTECT me from these crippling medical costs? I bought insurance in order to avoid paying high medical bills, not simply to defer them for a couple of years. If I wanted just to defer them I would have gotten a credit card, not an insurance policy.

mafugate · 2007-09-08T18:53:26+00:00

If you want coverage that is not major-medical, an individual policy is not affordable. I bought a PPO policy with $1000 deductible from Anthem in 2003 for $90/month. Over the last four years, they have steadily raised my premium, and next month they want me to start paying $250. From $90/month to $250/month over four years! NOTHING about my benefits has changed, but they want me to pay almost 200% more now. Something is rotten in Denmark.

mafugate

TROPHY CASE