Obamacare: I Need Advice

[Skar Fargas]

I am a 70 y.o. US citizen, but have not purchased Medicare "B" coverage (MDs) because I spend so much time outside of the US where Medicare affords no coverage. Medicare "A" (hospitals) is free, but affords no out-of US coverage. Bottom line: I need to buy health insurance to cover me especially when I'm out of the US. Fortunately, I found an agent who was able to provide me with a BUPA (largest international health insurer) policy with great coverage for a comparatively reasonable premium combined with a deductible of 5000K. I am very satisfied and can recommend my Bs As agent if anyone is interested.

 

[ajoknoblauch]

Mayeb to you the posted is "looking at it wrong." But that surely is not a fact. Perspective may be everything here.

How is it a benefot of Bama-care for the privledge of paying a doctor 25 bucks. I prefer to pay the doctor directly. It would be less epxensive than paying a monthly fig of $800-$1200/mo so I can pay a doctor 25 bucks.

With regard to specialists, maybe its 35 bucks assuming you can find one that will see you. If the specialist's reimbursement is not high enough, such as those who under bronze or medicaid, there is no guarantee you'll get care b/c no doctor will take your bama-care insurance.


So I don't see how paying $800-$1200 month for the right to pay a co-pay is a good deal.

And if I get hurt who pays? I do up to first 8-$12K deductable. Tht is what insurance should cover i.e that which I cannot afford. Most can afford a hundred bucks to go see a doctor. But if I don't have an extra $8k-$12k in the bank to cover deductable, then what?

California 70% of doctors are not taking bama-care insurance. Bama-care is not health care - it is mandatory insurance. And it is expensive insurance at that, unless of course you are unemployed or under emplyed.

If you think you will pay a doctor just $25 as a walk-in, you are deluding yourself.

 

[John.St]

The woman we talked to was, for lack of a better word, a complete IDIOT.

Has it ocurred to you, that if you call again, you'll probably get to talk to somebody else?

 

[legilber]

Has it ocurred to you, that if you call again, you'll probably get to talk to somebody else?

Ha, yes this did occur to us. We've called 4 times total. Each time, the same thing. No one knows anything.

 

[Greg2231]

with a deductible of 5000K. I am very satisfied and can recommend my Bs As agent if anyone is interested.

Not sure many of us could afford a 5,000K($5,000,000) deductible if we got sick

 

[ghost]

Ha, yes this did occur to us. We've called 4 times total. Each time, the same thing. No one knows anything.

Go to the damn website and fill it out and it will show you how much of a subsidy you will get. If you are unemployed it will be a large subsidy. You can even choose a plan. But in the end nothing happens until you pay the first month. ie It's not a contract until there is payment tendered. Otherwise stop whining. Nobody here can hold your hand or answer your specific questions about the plan.

 

[Alicia karr]

Not sure many of us could afford a 5,000K($5,000,000) deductible if we got sick

I doubt that ANY of us could afford to pay what it would cost us without the insurance, even with its required deductible. Two days in the hospital (not intensive care) an MRI or two, less than a week of treatment for cancer or paying full price for some chronic prescription medicines for a year will put you over 5K. And THATS the problem. NOT the affordable care act!! Nor the deductibles!

 

[ghost]

I doubt that ANY of us could afford to pay what it would cost us without the insurance, even with its required deductible. Two days in the hospital (not intensive care) an MRI or two, less than a week of treatment for cancer or paying full price for some chronic prescription medicines for a year will put you over 5K. And THATS the problem. NOT the affordable care act!! Nor the deductibles!

Absolutely. The healthcare system is run by Wall Street, AKA too big to fail, quarter on quarter profits, 2008 melt down and the Enron guys. Big Pharma. It's totally fubar. Broken is nice word. Rigged is more accurate. Think redistribution of wealth in it's most brutal form.

 

[franksredhots]

I called the Obamacare 800 number to get a price for what health insurance would cost me if I go back to live in the US permanently. The rep explained that to see if I might qualify for a discount while I am unemployed and looking for a job, I have to apply and give a lot of personal data. I am just inquiring. I don't want to raise any red flags and risk losing my overseas tax exempt status -- I am not too trusting. What's your view? If I fill out the on line application I'll go onto a data base. Will that compromise me? I repeat: I am just inquiring at this point.

Here is the monthly cost of the cheapest plan available for me. There is a $6,000 deductible -- so if no discounts for being unemployed I would have to put out over $12,000 USD before I got any insurance coverage at all! Doesn't sound "affordable" to me....Anyway, what do people think about filling out that application to see if I might get a discount?

APPLY​

DETAILS​

Monthly premium

$549/mo
One enrollee

really? you came on baexpats.org to ask this question? smh. you deserve whatever the government gives you.

 

[franksredhots]

I am perplexed by people who find "Obamacare" suddenly unaffordable.
I have been self employed, and paid for my own health coverage, for 35 years.

Blue Shield/Blue Cross became unaffordable to me about 15 years ago, when premiums for my family of four went above $600 a month, in the late 90's.
I have been on Group Health in Washington State, since then. My pre-obamacare, December bill, was $965 for the month, with a $3500 deductible.
My point being, any real health coverage, pre-obamacare, was in the same ballpark as the new coverage, maybe 10% or 20% less.
if you were really only paying half of the obamacare amounts, I wonder what the fine print on your policy was.

My new, "obamacare" coverage is with exactly the same doctors and plan, but has lower deductibles, and, since both my sons are old enough to be eligible for subsidies, will actually be CHEAPER.

But even if I was paying full freight, its only a bit more expensive than before, but with lower deductible and better coverage, mandated under obamacare.

you do know these rates wont last very long right? lol. youre in for a rude awakening.