Is anyone single and not on parents health insurance? Im looking for new health insurance and wondering what others have and how much per month does it cost?
Hi Sue,
I currently have Aetna. They have been great so far with all of the Diabetes stuff. But I live in NY, so I don't know if that's available in PA. It is a work plan so the cost is pretty low (about $100/mth).
I used to live outside of Philly, and when I did I had Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Very expensive (almost $400/mth) but they covered everything for the diabetes too, and I even got a pump while with them.
Hope this helps!
With T1, I've never heard f affordable insurance unless you get it through work or school where they allow for a pre-existing condition. I've had no problem with the various BC/BS ones I've been on.
Are you working now?
I was on my parents before i finished school, it was United Health Care. It covered ALL my pump supplies, and a percentage of all other medical costs. Upon graduation, I started a job and got my health insurance through them ($30ish/pay period...$60/month) This plan is also United Health Care but it's a different contract my employeer has than the one my parent's company had. They only pay PART of my pump supplies and a percentage of all other medical costs. I just switched from humalog to novolog to cut costs... and i'll take things from there.
oh yea...my boyfriend has his own policy through Anthem, as an individual not through work.. he is 100% healthy. no diabetes, no obesity, no smoking...no glasses...nothing (that we know of yet...) he pays about $185/month as a HEALTHY individual.
Sue:
It's almost impossible, if not 100% impossible, for a T1 to get health coverage that's not through a company/employer. When you have a job, the employers health company has to take you on, even with a preexisting condition. But ONLY if you have proof that you were insured right up until the day that your new coverage would start. If your coverage lapses for whatever reason, the new insurer can decline you. So never never never never never let your health insurance coverage lapse.
I am actually dealing with some insurance situations right now. My husband is looking into accepting a new job but the insurance coverage is totally sucky compared to the plan we have through his current employer. So we inquired with our current health insurance co if we could just get our own plan and they said no...they would accept my husband and my son but not me because of my T1.
And I've dealt with several situations like this over my 30 yr diabetic career. And one thing I've learned is health insurance is critical. And to never let it lapse or you'll be up the creek (with a LOT of medical/prescription bills) !
I am not working right now. I was laid off. I am using Cobra through BC/BS and paying $99 a month but at the end of the year it will go up to $288 a month. But I hear Obama is making expending the Cobra insurance along with unemployment again. Im just thinking ahead in case its not extended. I dont want to pay 288 a month.
Thanks for responding. I will look up some of the names of companies that were mentioned.
Whatever you do, don't let your Cobra end without having a new job and/or health coverage.
$99 is unbelievably cheap. My husband and I are currently paying $600/month for our portion of his company's health insurance.
I have United Health Care through work. It's good. I pay around $100 for my daughter and I. She'll be falling off next year after she graduates from college! Covers everything so far anyway.
For any young diabetics out there, get a college degree so you can get a good job with health insurance. Could make all the difference. You can't count on the government taking care of you. Hopefully something good will come of the legislation currently being considered, but don't count on it.
[quote user="Adam"]
Hi Sue,
I currently have Aetna. They have been great so far with all of the Diabetes stuff. But I live in NY, so I don't know if that's available in PA. It is a work plan so the cost is pretty low (about $100/mth).
I used to live outside of Philly, and when I did I had Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Very expensive (almost $400/mth) but they covered everything for the diabetes too, and I even got a pump while with them.
Hope this helps!
[/quote]
I am also currently on Aetna and previously had BCBS PPO. There are pros and cons to both. The reason I have Aetna now is because my employer switched from BCBS because it was too expensive and we're trying to cut costs as an organization I guess. But Aetna has been great so far as far as pump supplies go. With BCBS I had a $220 copay everytime I ordered pump supplies...with Aetna, it's about $70.
The only thing I don't like about Aetna is that for bloodwork, they only contract with Quest Diagnostics. The hospital where I go for my endo appointments (Johns Hopkins Hospital - baltimore) does not contract with Quest so having just switched to Aetna and not knowing the whole bloodwork thing, I had to get some bloodwork done so I went to Hopkins only to be told "Sorry, we dont' work with Aetna, you'll have to go to Quest." The closest Quest to me is about 30 minutes away so now, instead of only missing 2 1/2 hours of work, I have to skip out on the whole afternoon in order to get the bloodwork done.
It's not Aetna's fault by any means, it's just a minor inconvenience. But yeah, I like Aetna so far...good copays and decent monthly rate
I recently was told that with my Aetna I can go outside of Quest if I have a reason, and I have tried this the last time I needed to have blood drawn. I went to Lab Corp instead because they use better and safer equipment (happens to be the line of work I'm in). I will let you all know if Aetna gives me any hassles over it!
It wasn't Aetna who gave me hassles...it was Hopkins first. "Sorry we aren't partners with Aetna, you'll have to go to Quest Diagnostics." And then I tried my physician's office because I figured they could hook me up and was told "We understand you got some bloodwork here last time, but we normally don't do that. Sometimes he'll do it as a one time favor, but you'll have to go to Quest, sorry."
The only good thing is it's right next door to the red cross where I give platelets, so perhaps I can kill 2 birds with one stone next time