Insurance suggestions, recommendations, advice?
Thread started by
HappyLand at 09.19.09 - 9:00 pm
Since being fired from my much despised job, I've fallen into freelance work, which is really quite a lot of fun, despite the inconsistent hours and pay. Now I just need some insurance just in case I have an unlucky encounter with a car.
I know a lot of you freelance or are employed without benefits, so I was wondering what your suggestions, recommendations, and advice would be. I don't have any health conditions and really only ever need to go to my ENT doctor every now and then when my terrible sinuses act up. I've also tested positive for HPV, which means I need to hit up the gyno every six months instead of every year, so I would like a plan that covers those expenses as much as possible.
To be honest though, I think that HPV is a fucking misogynistic !@#$?phobic conspiracy...but we can have that conversation another time if you are interested....
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Not exactly sure how to interpret your response, as I assume most of us are hippie lefty bike riders with a slight communist bent (I could be dreadfully incorrect, however)...sarcasm? Suggestion? Confirmation?
Regarding the cartoon, however, I don't see how the side effects of "Obamacare" differ so much from privately insured care as it stands. Delayed treatment? Check. Shortage of doctors? Check. Death...well, okay, no death yet, but I've been misdiagnosed by doctors twice, once resulting in a trip to the ER.
If only some agency could be genuinely interested in the health of its fellow man...the word "industry" should never approach one's health, but you can't trust the government either now, can you? If I had to choose I'd pay my taxes for socialized care, just so no one could make a buck off my illness.
HappyLand responding to a
comment by Foldie
09.19.09 - 9:24 pm
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Yes I was joking. Sorry I don't have any experience with individual heath coverage.
Foldie responding to a
comment by HappyLand
09.19.09 - 9:27 pm
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S'all good.
You're lucky! Researching coverage it's like...higher premium for a smaller deductible (That I may not use) or lower premium for a higher deductible (Each visit costs an arm & a leg!)...? Le sigh.
HappyLand responding to a
comment by Foldie
09.19.09 - 9:29 pm
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Just do the same as the illegals
go to the emergency room for health care, they have to treat you,
even if you have no funds.
Dedicated818 responding to a
comment by HappyLand
09.19.09 - 10:14 pm
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Oh how much that would displease my parents! Who came here by sound legal means to pursue the American dream: A two story house in suburbia with not one, not two, but THREE Mercedes Benz parked in the driveway! Of course, not even American Dreams are recession proof.
In other words, my mother detests how I live...because she's Mexican and she's been poor and she's done this whole thing before.... But I don't want to live on my parents' dime.
HappyLand responding to a
comment by Dedicated818
09.19.09 - 10:44 pm
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I don't live on my parents' dime, but I sure as hell am staying on their insurance for as long as possible. But, you can try medi-cal.. I don't know if you qualify. or there's free clinics that will do your pap. planned parenthood of course. but as far as buying actual private insurance, idk.
la duderina responding to a
comment by HappyLand
09.19.09 - 10:50 pm
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I no longer qualify as a dependent on their insurance : {
That's what happens when you get ooold....
HappyLand responding to a
comment by la duderina
09.19.09 - 10:54 pm
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Shuda stayed in school.
My dad's insurance covers me as long as I am in school, up to the age of 24, which is 2 more years, the same number of school years I have left.
The system. I work it.
la duderina responding to a
comment by HappyLand
09.20.09 - 12:06 am
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I had insurance back when I drove with Swift, and then I later got put onto my younger sisters' company coverage.
No injuries I have to worry about aside from gout attacks I've been having since 8!!!
Old mans is a misnomer, sometimes you're born with twisted genetics.
I keep it under control with Colcicine and lots of berries.
bentstrider09.20.09 - 8:10 am
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I've been on a private plan for a while and it's generally been fine.
I can't personally vouch for this, as I haven't looked into it, but check out Freelancer's Union (http://www.freelancersunion.org/). They offer heath insurance. Hopefully, they pool all their members nationwide to get better rates. But meantime, find out who the big private providers are in CA and compare costs/bennies. If you're young and HPV is your only issue, you might be looking at around $200/month for basic coverage. Just a guess.
By the way, I don't want to start a whole debate about health care reform, but I'm looking forward to a bill with provisions to strengthen the rights of people with private plans. Generally, people like you and I who buy private plans are much more at risk of having our policies pulled out from under us when we really need it. Policies through a company tend to be in firmer footing, even though there are problems with that approach as well (stifles workforce mobility, entrepreneurship, pricey business expense).
0gravity09.21.09 - 9:05 am
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People have mix response with this. I have found that Kaiser will take all comers.. I could be wrong about that. They haven't denied my father anything that he needs. I know somebodys parent on her had an opposite experience. Just a suggestion.
No not everybody on here is lefty hippy types. The majority is more like "whats that, don't mix anything with my bike except beer and pot" types.
For those that are politically conscious lefty types, check out www.singlepayeraction.org to organize for effective single payer universal health care.
sexy09.21.09 - 9:17 am
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Just do the same as the illegals
go to the emergency room for health care, they have to treat you,
even if you have no funds.
This is known as the Hannity Plan.
When the hospital contacts you for payment, inform them that you have no money, no job, no hope of employment and are one unemployment check away from being on the street--then ask them what to do. if they make a suggestion, start crying and say "ive tried!"
tortuga_veloce responding to a
comment by Dedicated818
09.21.09 - 9:27 am
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they will declare your visit a loss and write it off on their taxes, while charging everyone else more.
free market liberalism FTW!
tortuga_veloce09.21.09 - 9:29 am
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Ridazz Roulette!
Obamacare FTW