Hi Alison - You've asked a number of interesting questions, most of which are focused on the cost of buying the insurance. If you're strictly looking at numbers then you could do some financial models based on best case and worst care scenarios.
As far as "red flags" the questions you're asking seem to be coming from two healthy people who expect to continue to be healthy and are concerned about the policy costs. Having watched multiple horror stories unfold during the healthcare reform hearings I would also advise you to take a look at the plans in terms of the caps they may put on how much care can be provided. Additionally, I would want to know which procedures, which hospitals and which physicians are covered and have an understanding of the quality of care the plan provides to those it insures. You can learn more about that aspect of health plans through the nonprofit National Committee for Quality Assurance which provides "report cards" on health plans.
The recession has put pressures on health plans from both individual purchasers and corporate benefits administrators to offer more options and give the buyer more choices. Having more choices from your company doesn't really surprise me, but I think you're very wise to look at all aspects of what your choices mean before you decide which way to go. Good luck! Pat
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Hi Alison - You've asked a number of interesting questions, most of which are focused on the cost of buying the insurance. If you're strictly looking at numbers then you could do some financial models based on best case and worst care scenarios.
As far as "red flags" the questions you're asking seem to be coming from two healthy people who expect to continue to be healthy and are concerned about the policy costs. Having watched multiple horror stories unfold during the healthcare reform hearings I would also advise you to take a look at the plans in terms of the caps they may put on how much care can be provided. Additionally, I would want to know which procedures, which hospitals and which physicians are covered and have an understanding of the quality of care the plan provides to those it insures. You can learn more about that aspect of health plans through the nonprofit National Committee for Quality Assurance which provides "report cards" on health plans.
http://reportcard.ncqa.org/plan/external/Resources.aspx?Header=yes&Tab=HowToChooseAHealthPlan
The recession has put pressures on health plans from both individual purchasers and corporate benefits administrators to offer more options and give the buyer more choices. Having more choices from your company doesn't really surprise me, but I think you're very wise to look at all aspects of what your choices mean before you decide which way to go. Good luck! Pat
December 29, 2009 - 6:14pmThis Comment
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