# I need to shop for health Insurance. Amy Suggestions? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 24, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647 "2011-10-24T17:27:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/1 "2011-10-24T17:27:29Z")
I need to shop for health Insurance for my husband and myself. I’m 55, husband is 54. Anyone have any suggestions. I currently am paying almost $400.00 a month just for him. I’ve been offered cobra/kaiser for myself at a cost of $600.00 a month. I just can’t afford that. We’re in northern California, if it matters. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![thatguyjeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6de8d8/32.png) [@thatguyjeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thatguyjeff)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/2 "2011-10-24T19:09:38Z")
I would just call an independent agent in your area. And if you already have a relationship with one for your home/car/life insurance or whatever, just call them. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/3 "2011-10-24T19:28:41Z")
Contact an independent broker in your area. Make sure when they are showing you new plans that you are comparing apples to apples (for example, don’t be super excited to see a plan for $600 for the two of you only to find out that it has a $10,000 deductible that your current plan doesn’t have) and don’t be surprised if you have trouble finding a plan that is cheaper than what you’ve got access to now. Best of luck! ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/4 "2011-10-24T20:27:36Z")
[Amy Alward - Allstate Agent](http://agents.allstate.com/USA/ME/amy-alward.html) [State Farm Agent Amy Eslinger](http://www.amyeslinger.com/) [Amy Hallquist - Farmers Insurance Agents](http://www.farmersagent.com/ahallquist) ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/5 "2011-10-25T10:10:16Z")
Thanks you guys. I hate insurance shopping. ---
**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/6 "2011-10-25T12:42:14Z")
You could also look into cost sharing plans, which are substantially lower in monthly costs, most seem to require being part of a local christian church, though perhaps there are some that don’t have that requirement. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/7 "2011-10-25T13:01:34Z")
Let us know how you do. I was rejected for private health insurance earlier this year. I’m a 31-year-old female and my only pre-existing condition is hypothyroidism (medication costs about $20 a month). The so-called “reason” for rejecting me? A bout of mastitis earlier in the year. That’s like rejecting me for having had a sinus infection. I’ve sort of wondered if anyone except healthy, skinny, young men can get private health insurance, since then. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/8 "2011-10-25T14:15:57Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > Let us know how you do. I was rejected for private health insurance earlier this year. I’m a 31-year-old female and my only pre-existing condition is hypothyroidism (medication costs about $20 a month). The so-called “reason” for rejecting me? A bout of mastitis earlier in the year. That’s like rejecting me for having had a sinus infection. > > I’ve sort of wondered if anyone except healthy, skinny, young men can get private health insurance, since then. This really pisses me off Sattua. :mad: I am cranky today anyway, but this whole topic is just really really making me angry this morning. That you would be rejected for anything at all is just wrong, IMO. This is America…we’re supposed to be better than this. Smarter than this. It should not cost $1000.00 a month for insurance that is really nothing more than catastrophic coverage. No one should ever be turned down. Seriously, how the fuck is that fair? It’s obscene. I wish the Occupy people would get their shit together and start asking for something that would really make a difference to the lives of the 99%. They have some real potential to affect policy in this country (and others), but they need a plan, a leader. I really do worry about the future of our species. sigh, I told you I was cranky. I’ll let you know if I have any luck. Kanicbird, I doubt a Christian Church would let me in, but thanks for the suggestion. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/9 "2011-10-25T14:17:48Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > [Amy Alward - Allstate Agent](http://agents.allstate.com/USA/ME/amy-alward.html) > [State Farm Agent Amy Eslinger](http://www.amyeslinger.com/) > [Amy Hallquist - Farmers Insurance Agents](http://www.farmersagent.com/ahallquist) Man, I’m slow today…I just saw my typo. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/10 "2011-10-25T15:49:12Z")
I have seen [ehealthinsurance.com](http://ehealthinsurance.com) cited elsewhere as a useful online clearinghouse of health insurance plans. I have no idea whether their pricing and range of options is better or worse than what one might find elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2011, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/11 "2011-10-25T17:00:32Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > You could also look into cost sharing plans, which are substantially lower in monthly costs, most seem to require being part of a local christian church, though perhaps there are some that don’t have that requirement. FWIW cost sharing plans have nothing to do with churches or other particular organizations. They are simply a plan with a deductible, meaning that you agree to pay part of the cost of your medical care over the course of the year in exchange for a lower monthly premium. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/12 "2011-10-26T06:20:00Z")
I hope **Not What You’d Expect** doesn’t mind, but I have a question too since I’m probably going to be health insurance shopping soon as well. When plans say that they don’t provide “mental health coverage” does that mean I wouldn’t be able to get a doctor to prescribe me ADHD meds? Though I was diagnosed with “hyperactivity disorder” by age six, I’ve never taken anything for it and I’d like to try… but it seems that most people I know on them get them from a therapist’s script not their GP’s. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/13 "2011-10-26T12:16:14Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I hope **Not What You’d Expect** doesn’t mind, but I have a question too since I’m probably going to be health insurance shopping soon as well. When plans say that they don’t provide “mental health coverage” does that mean I wouldn’t be able to get a doctor to prescribe me ADHD meds? Though I was diagnosed with “hyperactivity disorder” by age six, I’ve never taken anything for it and I’d like to try… but it seems that most people I know on them get them from a therapist’s script not their GP’s. I don’t mind at all. I hope someone that knows will chime in. Anthem has a plan that I may apply for, if I can find all the information they want, which is ridiculous, by the way. It is $374.00 a month. A $7000.00 deductible, $9000.00 maximum out of pocket and $40.00 co-pay for 2 diagnostic Dr. visits a year. No charge for annual tests like mammograms and stuff. Pre-service reviews are part of the plan. Don’t like that, but they all seem to have that clause. Of course, they may turn us down for this plan. So, we’ll see. ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2011, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/14 "2011-10-26T13:28:19Z")
> [@elfkin477](#): > > I hope **Not What You’d Expect** doesn’t mind, but I have a question too since I’m probably going to be health insurance shopping soon as well. When plans say that they don’t provide “mental health coverage” does that mean I wouldn’t be able to get a doctor to prescribe me ADHD meds? Though I was diagnosed with “hyperactivity disorder” by age six, I’ve never taken anything for it and I’d like to try… but it seems that most people I know on them get them from a therapist’s script not their GP’s. IME most plans are required to cover 30 mental health visits per calendar year, though that may be specific to plans that are available in NY and your state may be different. As far as your prescriptions go you can check your insurance carrier’s formulary list (the list of drugs they cover on their prescription plan) and see if your specific medication is on there. If so your plan may cover it like any other prescription even if it is written by a doctor outside of their network. If they don’t cover that medication at all you will have to pay that cost out of pocket. ---
**Author:** ![MrInformation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@MrInformation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrInformation)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/15 "2011-11-14T21:40:52Z")
Actually the prices the OP is paying might not be as outrageous as they sound, according to the way I understand it, the older you get the more your premiums skyrocket. I suggest you read up on this topic some more, here are the [average health insurance cost per month.](http://www.quotes-center.com/average-health-insurance-cost-per-month/) ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2011, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-need-to-shop-for-health-insurance-amy-suggestions/600647/16 "2011-11-14T21:43:36Z")
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