# What's the best way to buy health insurance? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 29, 2004, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-buy-health-insurance/262032 "2004-08-29T01:42:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-buy-health-insurance/262032/1 "2004-08-29T01:42:36Z")
In the near future I’m going to be leaving the safety of my office job and starting a business (actually working with my wife who started the business a couple of years ago; there are no other employees). Anyway, once I do that, I’ll no longer have health insurance. I figure there must be some places where small businesses or independent consultants can get health insurance, right? We have 3 kids (all under 10) and I can’t take any risks with not being covered. Currently I’m going through getting some quotes on the web, but this really isn’t the sort of thing I want to go into blindly. Anyone have any recommendations? Or suggestions as to the best way to do this? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-buy-health-insurance/262032/2 "2004-08-29T03:21:35Z")
If you have an agent who does your Home & Auto & Life ins, start there. If you don’t have an agent for \*those \* things, then your whole insurance situation is already screwed up IMHO. Your agent may sell the stuff and you don’t know it. Else you can look through the phone book & go through a broker. Just make sure you understand the basics of what you’re getting: Max lifetime benefit Deductible/person Deductible/Household Coinsurance (80/20? 90/10? 50/50?) Stop loss limit? Anything NOT covered? (Birth control? voluntary procedures? Mental health?) ---
**Author:** ![Moe\_Mentum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@Moe\_Mentum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe_Mentum)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-buy-health-insurance/262032/3 "2004-08-29T05:39:34Z")
You might want to talk to your doctor about which insurance plans he accepts and ask if he has a recommendation. My wife and I purchase our own health insurance. Because we live in a rural area, and aren’t close to a major city, we really only have a couple of plans to choose from. There really wasn’t much of a decision to make. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-buy-health-insurance/262032/4 "2004-08-29T05:44:51Z")
I have GHI; it’s not too bad. Empire BCBS is pretty expensive, but it’s do-able. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-buy-health-insurance/262032/5 "2004-08-29T14:29:49Z")
I was all set to send you to the [NASE](http://www.nase.org/), but then saw that you live in NY State, where they do not sell. My husband Weirddave works for NASE, and they’ve got great coverage for not a lot of money. I know that our family health insurance runs about ~$300 for three people. ---
**Author:** ![Running\_with\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Running\_with\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Running_with_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-buy-health-insurance/262032/6 "2004-08-29T14:45:11Z")
I do live in NY, but we’re moving everything to Florida. So any recommendations you have for down there are welcome. Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-buy-health-insurance/262032/7 "2004-08-29T15:17:04Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Anything NOT covered? (Birth control? voluntary procedures? Mental health?) Or perhaps injuries incurred while running with scissors? Sorry, I have nothing practical to add, but your question and username together made me giggle. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-buy-health-insurance/262032/8 "2004-08-29T17:53:53Z")
Email me with your specifics- weirddave0 at hotmail dot com- and I’d be happy to help you in any way I can. I’ve helped other dopers with this issue before, and am happy to do it again. Include your phone number if you can because I am really, REALLY not a good enough typist to give you all the information VIA email only. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-buy-health-insurance/262032/9 "2004-08-29T18:04:58Z")
> [@lorene](#): > > Or perhaps injuries incurred while running with scissors? > Sorry, I have nothing practical to add, but your question and username together made me giggle. :dubious: That perhaps the three boil down to the same thing? "'Ello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my semen. Prepare to die! ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-way-to-buy-health-insurance/262032/10 "2004-08-29T21:02:16Z")
> [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > :dubious: > > That perhaps the three boil down to the same thing? > > "'Ello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my semen. Prepare to die! Oh, no no no. I’m sorry! The **OP’s** question and username made me giggle, not yours. Sorry to have been vague.