Health insurance in the US.

[Fuglydude]

I'm Canadian, and we enjoy universal health coverage here in Canada. That being said, I barely use our system. If you take care of yourself, most stuff will heal on its own. I think I've been to the doc 2x in the last 6 years, and one was for a basic physical so I could qualify as a healthcare professional. I have a lot of friends who are residents and if I need a script for something, I just ask them. Its great piece of mind to know that if I do get really sick or have a bad accident, the government will take care of me.

I plan on moving to the US in the next 2-3 years to further my career. I know I'll have to buy health insurance down there. My question is how exactly does this work? They must charge "unhealthy" people higher premiums? Do they do drug screens?

I'm a competitive bodybuilder, sitting at around 185 lbs at 5'8", and plan on gaining another 25 lbs or so, so that I'll probably end up walking around at 200-205 in the offseason at around 12-13% bodyfat at the most. This is considered "obese" as per traditional BMI, and would probably lead to higher health premiums.

Just wondering if they do comprehensive health testing/physicals prior to approving people for policies... I have no idea how it works down there. I find it very odd that hospitals advertise in magazines and stuff like car companies do down in the US. Would greatly appreciate if someone could give me some info.

Thanx.

 

[5string]

Are you going into business for yourself or working for an established company in the US?

 

[Fuglydude]

Are you going into business for yourself or working for an established company in the US?

Gonna do the ICU RN thing for a few years then anesthesia school so I'll be employed with a company/hospital initially... not sure if I'll do a locum (independent contractor) once I'm done gas school.

 

[AAAgent]

On my way to work today i saw a car that had a license plate saying CRNA- Sleep with the best.

 

[5string]

Companies differ when it comes to health coverages. I pay about 200 US per month for my wife and I. It's subject to deductibles and co pays. Has a 2 mil lifetime limit. Includes dental and vision.

Co pay for a doc visit is 20.
ER visit co pay is 150
RX...no more than 40 per prescription

Lots of rules and regs such as seeing docs within the approved network. Hospitals as well.

It's really gonna vary with whatever company you are working for and their particular plan. Make sure to ask them to see their plan guidelines.

 

[Bible_Belt]

They must charge "unhealthy" people higher premiums?

No, not at all. What they do is charge everyone higher premiums. I laugh at people who think we don't have socialism in US health care. We do, we just call it "insurance." The healthy people pay for the sick people in both systems.

Typically, the only policy that most people can afford is a 'major medical' policy. It might cost $250-400/month. Your deductible is something like $1,000, and your maximum out-of-pocket costs will be limited to about $10,000. I think these policies are only worth the money if you have a lot of assets to protect, or if you need expensive prescription drugs that make it worthwhile.

I have never had health insurance as an adult. It's easier for a healthy person to just pay cash for healthcare. The cash price is typically 1/4th of what they bill to insurance companies. The doctors I know are all very sympathetic people who will perform a $10,000 surgery for a couple hundred dollars down and a promise to make monthly payments, even if the promise comes from someone with no job and horrible credit.

My strategy works because, at least on paper, I don't have assets and income against which a collection or garnishment could be attached by a court. If I was in an accident and got a $100,000 medical bill, I could simply pay $300 for a chapter 7 bankruptcy and the bill would disappear.

 

[Fuglydude]

On my way to work today i saw a car that had a license plate saying CRNA- Sleep with the best.

That's funny! CRNAs have been shown to be the most cost-effective means for providing anesthetic care... Not sure why Canada hasn't really considered them yet. To me its the best job in healthcare when you consider length of schooling, stress levels, number of jobs available, demand for services, responsibility and pay.

5-string/BB thanks for the info gentlemen. Its just weird how different healthcare is down there. Here, I need to see the doc, I go to a walk in clinic, and don't have to worry about paying anything.

 

[Midnight_Oil]

At my job you get a discount on health insurance if you had a "health assessment." When I started there the only health question they asked you that affected premiums were smoker/non smoker.

So I went in there thinking that I would be considered obese being 5'8" 205lbs. However, they did a hip to waist ratio, which I had a .8 and they considered anything under 1 to be healthy for men.

 

[Julius_Seizeher]

We also have an atrocity called HIPAA down here, it is a confusing miasma of regulations that make health insurance underwriting an unnecessarily expensive business.

Health insurance coverage is expensive because the health insurance companies have the government riding on their backs. Make health insurance a competitive free market instead of a forced monopoly, and rates will drop severely and you won't hear all the clamoring for free health care. Affordable health insurance does not afford the false belief that health care, or anything, can ever become "free" by the whim of bureaucrats.

 

[Ruster]

I am not a citizen of USA. I have no idea about Health insurance in the usa.

 

[Mike32ct]

Working for an employer in the US, like say a hospital, it would be a flat cost per month (or pay period) for just you the individual, a higher cost to include both you and your spouse, and another cost schedule to include kids.

The individual cost is usually irrespective of your health.

If you bought a individual private policy on you own (ie not through your employer), I think the premiums would be based mostly on age.

The healthy end up subsidizing the unhealthy. Men end up subsidizing women... But that's a whole another thread... lol.