Insurance Increase/How to Cancel

[citygirl]

I just got a letter from Swiss Medical saying that my monthly health insurance costs will be going up 15% as of Aug 1.

That means in 18 months, my health insurance costs have almost doubled - from $350 per month to $640. That's insane.

I'm going to be canceling my plan with Swiss Medical. Having not canceled before - are there any specific steps to follow or can I just tell them at the Swiss Medical office when I go next week to pay my bill? I'm planning on canceling it as of July 30th.

 

[steveinbsas]

I canceled my Swiss Medical at their office on Aranales near Callao when I switched to Medicus to get the expat group rate (50% off). It's easy and you are correct to go early in the month. If you cancel after the 15th you may be obligated to pay for an additional month.

 

[SaraSara]

Make sure of the cancellation cutoff deadline - insurance companies will charge you for the next month unless you cancel before a certain date.

Also, don't be surprised if they offer to roll back part of the increase - some firms "test" their increases, and see how many people cancel. Fibertel does that all the time.

 

[Ashley]

I cancelled my swiss medical the day before yesterday (which was going up in leaps and bounds...like yours). Just go into a branch with your card, they make you sign a couple of papers and it's done. You should go in as soon as possible though to avoid paying the extra month. I got on my husbands policy...which was very convenient. If you live with a partner, you're also entitled to be on their insurance. If not, I've heard great things about Medicus too...and I don't think they put up their prices so much every few months like Swiss.

 

[steveinbsas]

I've heard great things about Medicus too...and I don't think they put up their prices so much every few months like Swiss.

Medicus is great. The staff and the facilities are impressive and almost all expats can get the Medicus group rate with a 50% discount.

 

[syngirl]

before you cancel your original plan you might want to check how long you have to be with another company before they'll cover certain procedures etc. If you're in good health and don't anticipate any developments don't worry, but just realise that a lot of the companies do refuse to cover some treatments until after an allotted time frame has passed.

 

[AlexfromLA]

Hospital Aleman also has some good options.

http://www.hospitalaleman.com/index.htm

Almost all places have a cut off date as to when you can cancel a service. That is usually the 15th of the month. As long as you cancel within the first 10 days of the month you should be fine.

And yes prices are going up rather quickly. But don't complain too much. Just think what you would be paying in the States.

 

[Ashley]

Hospital Aleman also has some good options.

http://www.hospitalaleman.com/index.htm

Almost all places have a cut off date as to when you can cancel a service. That is usually the 15th of the month. As long as you cancel within the first 10 days of the month you should be fine.

And yes prices are going up rather quickly. But don't complain too much. Just think what you would be paying in the States.

I'm from the UK where healthcare is free and a lot of companies offer reasonable private deals to employees so I can't really comment on health insurance costs in the US...but for those of us who earn in pesos, the increases in insurance costs here are absolutely through the roof and I think that the more people that shop around, the bigger a message gets sent out to these companies about ludicrous rates of inflation. When I took out my policy with Swiss just over a year ago, I paid about 1/8 of what I earned in insurance costs. In a year, the cost of my policy has increased by over 80%...and my salary by 0%! I say definitely complain - and switch to a more competitive policy!

 

[AlexfromLA]

This is Argentina, complaining will get you nowhere. But I understand some people need to do it. It's called catharsis.

I'm from the US, I would be paying 3-4 times as much as I do here for the same plan. Rate increases in California are going up 14% - 20% this year alone. I am not Argentinian, I am American and yet I still get to take advantage of their great level of medical care for a fourth of what I would be paying in my home country. So no, I won't complain.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/06/30/BARI1E7JK7.DTL

If your plan gets too expensive for you or you are unhappy with the care, switch providers. That's capitalism.

Btw. Health care in Argentina is free as well. The locals here who " earn in pesos ", and can't afford private insurance, use it. But I don't think most expats would use the public health care system, hence the premium.

 

[citygirl]

Mira, having health care costs double in 18 months is outrageous. We're not talking about 15% a year. We're talking 100%. Again, since Jan '09, my costs have gone from about 340 a month to 650 a month. That's for a single person, in good health. That's a huge increase.

Yes, I will be looking at other plans and yes, I am lucky enough to have options and be able to afford it but it's quite frightening to see that kind of increase.