What insurance provider and plan should I choose?

[brucifer]

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[Battyp]

Bruce I had no problems with bluecross ppo plan until now.  I just found out I was terminated officially from my company for failure to return from leave. I was told I HAD to cobra my insurance at 431 a month for 18 mos before I'd be eligibile for the same plan at 255.  Seems like a scam to me.  if I let my insurance lapse I'm uninursable until I am able to return to a major corporations for work and get on a new plan. I paid 1K out of pocket for my treatment which was in excess of 100k. 

[Gennysmom]

Bruce....I belong to an HMO, and though I hear a lot of people complain about it, I like it.  It's a closed system, so it may be different from a plan offered by an insurance company....mine is not just insurance, it also employs the doctors, nurses, all staff, even runs it's own pharmacy.  So I never even see invoices, it's just taken care of.  I don't have the % to deal with, just office visit, drug, and emergency room co-pay.  It just seems less of a hassle.  It actually costs less a month than what my co-workers pay for Primera/Blue Cross (employees here pay a percentage of the premiums).  And it's the only system at my work that has a retirement medical care system...definitely a bonus...I would check into something that carries over into retirement.  Good luck in making a choice!

[ellenvig]

Due to a job change, we went from BCBS HMO Blue to United Healthcare PPO.  I've had to pay more out of pocket with United, and some places don't take it because United gives providors hassles.  I was happier with HMO Blue's coverage, but not having to get referrals to go to specialists through United is a big plus.

Good luck!

Ellen

[Jim Scott]

My wife and have the Blue Cross PPO plan (there are many variations). With my hospital/doctor/lab bills coming to over $100,000., I paid $3,000. 'out of pocket', as the insurance company terms it. 

I have a $500. deductable.  After that has been met, BC pays 90% of all expenses until I've paid (or owed, as the case may be) $2,500. 'out-of-pocket'.  Once the $2,500. figure has been met (doesn't take long) Blue Cross pays expenses (except prescribed drugs, not including drugs administered at the hospital) at 100% for the remainer of the calendar year (ending at one second before midnight, January 1, 2007).   

This medical coverage, which fortunately included my neurosurgeon as well as all the major hospitals I might ever use in my general area, costs us about $2,200. per year.  I used to resent that expense - but no more.  The thought of a $100,000. hospital/doctor obligation is daunting, to say the least.  I still owe a few hundred to the hospital but should have all my AN surgery-related bills paid off by next spring, at the latest.  Works for me. 

On this basis, I can recommend Blue Cross and would say you've made a good choice.