RVer selecting health insurance

RVUSA wrote:
it came from here

Look at the bottom of the web page - that information dates from 2009.

bigdogger wrote:

dahkota wrote:

camperkilgore wrote:


This makes me wonder that under Obamacare if a person has no insurance and suddenly has to go into the hospital........can that person get a relative to purchase a policy that day and have it cover the expenses incurred by the hospital stay?

The correct answer to this is No.

More Information

Actually, that has a loophole written into it, because it only applies to policies purchased through the insurance exchanges. You could still go directly to the insurer at any time and enroll. That enrollment will not be eligible for government subsidies, but you can buy insurance anytime. Not sure what the exclusion and waiting period would be, but if you developed a long-term health problem, that insurance would cover it after the waiting period. And, of course, the hospital and doctors will still be required both morally and legally to treat uninsured patients. The intentionally uninsured won't be dying on the hospital lawn.

So that was an interesting comment about private insurance and waiting periods and I went looking.

I came across something interesting and dont quite know what to make of it. It certainly doesnt match the claims of obamacare. Anyone have a guess?

What happens if I have pre-existing conditions?

Pre-existing conditions are usually handled in a variety of ways. Largely it depends on what the condition happens to be. In general, depending on that condition, an insurance company may rider it for a specific length of time, rate it up higher (means higher premiums), exclude the condition or decline to insure you.

The definition of a pre-existing condition is something you have visited the doctor for and/or have been treated for within the last 12 months prior to the proposed start date of your insurance. An agent can't do anything to change this, and it's important to inform the agent of all your pre-existing conditions.

it came from here, clicky

dahkota wrote:

camperkilgore wrote:


This makes me wonder that under Obamacare if a person has no insurance and suddenly has to go into the hospital........can that person get a relative to purchase a policy that day and have it cover the expenses incurred by the hospital stay?

The correct answer to this is No.

More Information

Actually, that has a loophole written into it, because it only applies to policies purchased through the insurance exchanges. You could still go directly to the insurer at any time and enroll. That enrollment will not be eligible for government subsidies, but you can buy insurance anytime. Not sure what the exclusion and waiting period would be, but if you developed a long-term health problem, that insurance would cover it after the waiting period. And, of course, the hospital and doctors will still be required both morally and legally to treat uninsured patients. The intentionally uninsured won't be dying on the hospital lawn.

camperkilgore wrote:


This makes me wonder that under Obamacare if a person has no insurance and suddenly has to go into the hospital........can that person get a relative to purchase a policy that day and have it cover the expenses incurred by the hospital stay?

The correct answer to this is No.

More Information

Here in MN we have had for some time a way to pay temporary emergency care for people that have no coverage through our state system. For example the smoker I talked about earlier that got pneumonia at 28 years old was able to get a 3 month coverage to cover his 125000 bill because he had no health insurance. As far as I'm concerned if they want to deduct from his taxes because he has no coverage that seems OK to me. I know not all states have systems like this in place. I'm under the impression that in some states if you get pneumonia go to the hospital and have no coverage they tell you to just go home. That would be a shame. I'm glad my friend was saved.

camperkilgore wrote:

TucsonJim wrote:

dahkota wrote:

camperkilgore wrote:
Very high deductibles would seem to dictate that one would be better off with no insurance until something happens.....then buy a policy. Since preexisting conditions will have to be covered. I think that is probably what most young people will do. May be something wrong with this reasoning, but it seems to be logical given the situation today. I am like most people, I have no idea what to do.

That would work, if you could wait until January 1 to get treatment. You can only sign up once per year (during open enrollment) for insurance effective beginning January 1. The only exception is if you loose your current insurance (a life changing event - being fired, spousal death, etc.).

So if you are diagnosed with a brain tumor, or fall on a slippery sidewalk and end up in a coma, or have a heart attack while shoveling snow, can you wait for treatment until your insurance kicks in?

Health insurance is like car insurance - just in case the worst happens. My total out of pocket max is $5500. The insurance company pays 100% after that. I can afford a $5500 hit if I have a major medical emergency. However, I cannot afford a $250,000 bill like a friend of mine recently racked up. Luckily, she had insurance that covered 97% of it.

I spent one day in the hospital, and had a six hour heart procedure. The one day cost for hospital, room, doctors, drugs, etc. was $115,000.00. My final cost was $750. I tried to buy insurance on the open market earlier this year and was refused time after time due to the pre-existing condition.

With the advent of the ACA, I can now buy insurance through the exchanges and have enough coverage that I can retire with peace of mind. Yes, it's still expensive, but at least I can get coverage now.

This makes me wonder that under Obamacare if a person has no insurance and suddenly has to go into the hospital........can that person get a relative to purchase a policy that day and have it cover the expenses incurred by the hospital stay?

Yes, that is why there is a penalty (sorry "TAX") for not having coverage. And it is why the premiums for people who carry coverage regardless is $1000, not $750. The insurance company has to build into the premiums the costs of the people who will jump in only when sick. Not really any different than the current system where the hospital rates were inflated to cover the costs of the uninsured they were required to treat. It is really a zero sum game, for everyone who gets something for nothing, someone pays more and gets nothing.

Insurance is another form of gambling.
You pay high premiums now for better coverage and spend less out of pocket later "when" something happens; or pay low premiums now for less coverage and spend more out of pocket if something happens. Insurance bought today usually is approved and effective within a week or two. Not too many survive the elevator falling because they jump just before it hits bottom. Obamacare will likely hold tax returns hostage or even payroll tax withholding or tax liens to get those who try and escape mandatory healthcare.

camperkilgore wrote:


This makes me wonder that under Obamacare if a person has no insurance and suddenly has to go into the hospital........can that person get a relative to purchase a policy that day and have it cover the expenses incurred by the hospital stay?

That has never worked in the past! It is not like Verizon when you go over your minutes or data and they let you bump up to the next higher plan! Chris

Me Again wrote:
Seems like after 5 winters in Arizona and having a Medicare Advantage plan based in Washington State, that for those of us that what to move around, that a GOOD single payer National health plan would solve a lot of our needs for transparent coverage where ever we are located when a need arises!

We had to use urgent care walk ins while in Arizona several times and the paper work got really messed up once, taking almost a year to straighten it out.

If we want to winter in California then we have exchange privileges at Kaiser. But none in Arizona, and we do not want to winter in California!

I switched to Premera Blue Cross for one year and hated being nickel and dime'd all the time.

Chris

I thought that Single Payer meant National Health Care.....Paid for by the government. Am I wrong?
Is there a single payer system anywhere in the world that is GOOD?

TucsonJim wrote:

dahkota wrote:

camperkilgore wrote:
Very high deductibles would seem to dictate that one would be better off with no insurance until something happens.....then buy a policy. Since preexisting conditions will have to be covered. I think that is probably what most young people will do. May be something wrong with this reasoning, but it seems to be logical given the situation today. I am like most people, I have no idea what to do.

That would work, if you could wait until January 1 to get treatment. You can only sign up once per year (during open enrollment) for insurance effective beginning January 1. The only exception is if you loose your current insurance (a life changing event - being fired, spousal death, etc.).

So if you are diagnosed with a brain tumor, or fall on a slippery sidewalk and end up in a coma, or have a heart attack while shoveling snow, can you wait for treatment until your insurance kicks in?

Health insurance is like car insurance - just in case the worst happens. My total out of pocket max is $5500. The insurance company pays 100% after that. I can afford a $5500 hit if I have a major medical emergency. However, I cannot afford a $250,000 bill like a friend of mine recently racked up. Luckily, she had insurance that covered 97% of it.

I spent one day in the hospital, and had a six hour heart procedure. The one day cost for hospital, room, doctors, drugs, etc. was $115,000.00. My final cost was $750. I tried to buy insurance on the open market earlier this year and was refused time after time due to the pre-existing condition.

With the advent of the ACA, I can now buy insurance through the exchanges and have enough coverage that I can retire with peace of mind. Yes, it's still expensive, but at least I can get coverage now.

This makes me wonder that under Obamacare if a person has no insurance and suddenly has to go into the hospital........can that person get a relative to purchase a policy that day and have it cover the expenses incurred by the hospital stay?