Wife just learned the true meaning of "$6500 deductible"

Jayne

Jayne

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The wife broke down and went to the doctor today, and she texted me from their office saying "the doctor is saying there is no co-pay at all". I kept pointing out that our new insurance sucks and has a $6500 deductible and that there is no co-pay because you pay ALL of it. That's what a $6500 deductible means and why I keep saying we have essentially no insurance beyond catastrophic coverage.

Then she left and they didn't give her a bill. Right, eventually they'll figure out how much they want to charge and then mail it to her.

Sigh.
 
Ouch. That's gonna' eat up some ammo money.
 
Yup, we are in the same boat. The only saving grace (if even is one) is the negotiated rate that the insurance has with the doctor so hopefully it is manageable. I crack up when I see doctor's charge and what the negotiated rate that I end up paying.
 
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I think you can use pre tax $ to pay that deductible, so at least that's something.

I heard of folks using HELOC $, then writing off the interest.

Is the $6500 for each person or a family deductible?
 
12151791 said:
Yup, we are in the same boat. The only saving grace (if even is one) is the negotiated rate that the insurance has with the doctor so hopefully it is manageable. I crack up when I see doctor's charge and what the negotiated rate that I end up paying.
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A lot of times I think this is a gimmick. The doctor wants $100 so they bill for $500 and the insurance that costs you $700 knocks it doen to $200. o_O So @Jayne you may end up paying more than you should via the negotiated price.

Often times you can get an even cheaper rate by not giving them insurance info and paying the uninsured cash price.
 
Obamacare has wrecked insurance and healthcare for everyone, except for the FSA - which was the whole point all along.

The next time one of your SJW, pinko acquaintances tells you how wonderful it is, tell them to pick up the difference between current "coverage" and the doctor and insurance you didn't get to keep. If you're hesitant to be forceful, it eases the conscience to remind yourself that every one of them is complicit and they sure do like force.
 
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Jayne said:
The wife broke down and went to the doctor today, and she texted me from their office saying "the doctor is saying there is no co-pay at all". I kept pointing out that our new insurance sucks and has a $6500 deductible and that there is no co-pay because you pay ALL of it. That's what a $6500 deductible means and why I keep saying we have essentially no insurance beyond catastrophic coverage.

Then she left and they didn't give her a bill. Right, eventually they'll figure out how much they want to charge and then mail it to her.

Sigh.
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As bad as this is.... it has a GOOD part. I will guarandamntee you that you will look over this bill with a fine tooth comb AND will do what people do in EVERY OTHER AREA OF CONSUMABLE CONSUMPTION.... You will learn to negotiate prices.

Believe it or not, an aggressive, quibbling, confrontative, and competitive public is the ONLY thing that will make prices stable (or go down).

It is the removal of payment from the payors that has allowed a ridiculous tiered system of medical delivery services.

The system has been busted for a long time. We are just seeing the results of it now.

Don't want to sound callous and uncaring, but them's the facts. We are in the same boat, by the way. It is why I tell people that all but emergency treatments are in Mexico for me. I have had to shop this stuff for a long time, as I am self employed.
 
tanstaafl72555 said:
It is why I tell people that all but emergency treatments are in Mexico for me. I have had to shop this stuff for a long time, as I am self employed.
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Medical tourism is a big business, and for anything 'normal,' I'd consider it as well. For the biggies--cancer, cardiac, and neuro--it's all US for me.
 
tanstaafl72555 said:
As bad as this is.... it has a GOOD part. I will guarandamntee you that you will look over this bill with a fine tooth comb AND will do what people do in EVERY OTHER AREA OF CONSUMABLE CONSUMPTION.... You will learn to negotiate prices.
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To do that, we should get an estimate up front or some sort of written menu. You don't just go to a mechanic and say "just fix whatever you think it is and charge me whatever you want and then I'll negotiate with you 30 days from now when I get the bill". Exam costs $X. Then they suggest tests Y and Z for $more, etc.

She walked out of there today not knowing what the bill is at all or what "services" were performed. What's additionally annoying is that I PAY her insurance yet I can't see the bills on-line. It just shows me that she went somewhere and what the charge is but I can't see any of the details. So privacy laws say it's fine for me to pay, but not fine for me to even know what I'm paying for.
 
Slacker said:
I think you can use pre tax $ to pay that deductible, so at least that's something.

I heard of folks using HELOC $, then writing off the interest.

Is the $6500 for each person or a family deductible?
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Only if it is in excess of a certain percentage of your total income. Don't remember the percentage but we've reached it a couple of times over the last couple of years. Yaaaaay us.
 
Yeah, my ultra liberal sister-in-law got a rude awakening when her oh so wonderful Obamacare insurance left her with a $16,000 bill for knee surgery. Haven't heard a squeak out of her since about Obamacare
 
Jayne said:
What's additionally annoying is that I PAY her insurance yet I can't see the bills on-line. It just shows me that she went somewhere and what the charge is but I can't see any of the details. So privacy laws say it's fine for me to pay, but not fine for me
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Look ink the options of putting a HIPPA release on file with the insurance company or even better, get a medical power of atty, which is really one of the five key documents every couple should have.

On a side note, my parents neighbor was somewhere in Central America and broke her knee that required immediate surgery before the bones started to heal improperly. All said and done, $3k including the hospital stay and the job was as good as she would have gotten here for $30k.
 
Chuckman said:
Cash is king, healthcare is no exception. Most healthcare facilities will negotiate a lower price for cash.
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Yes, got 10% cash discount from my current dentist. I haven’t tried the how much it is for cash with MD because unfortunately we hit the max out of pocket
 
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I was taking to a NY liberal at a neighborhood get together a month ago and he loves obamacare, pays $150 a month because his income is cash from handyman type of work and all he shows is income from a rental property he has in NY
 
12151791 said:
I was taking to a NY liberal at a neighborhood get together a month ago and he loves obamacare, pays $150 a month because his income is cash from handyman type of work and all he shows is income from a rental property he has in NY
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As much as I envy those with "non-taxable" income (my employer thoughtfully rats me out for every nickel), I think you should dime out Mr. Redistribution of Wealth. Let him get treated like the rich folks he despises so much and realise how little income it takes to get thoroughly plundered at tax time and just how voluntarily the system really is.
 
Ikarus1 said:
Just learn to speak fluent Spanish, get some spray tanning sessions, and go to the ER. Works for all our undocumented friends from south of the border
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Well i have dark skin but do not speak spanish - how about just broken english? will that work in the ER?
 
We just swapped to a high deductible and HSA, or one of those savings accounts. The employer contributes to the HSA and our contribution is pre tax. The account rolls over yearly and we get a debit card to use for expenses. A little nervous about it, but if our health holds up it will be a good move.
 
chiefjason said:
We just swapped to a high deductible and HSA, or one of those savings accounts. The employer contributes to the HSA and our contribution is pre tax. The account rolls over yearly and we get a debit card to use for expenses. A little nervous about it, but if our health holds up it will be a good move.
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Is it backed by a major medical or out of pocket maximum in case something serious occurs? This last year I had a "consumer directed" plan that was similar. They gave me $x to work with and I paid full price until a certain point, then I paid 20% for a bit more then it kicks in 100%. Of course, they're doing away with it claiming it's costing them too much. o_O
 
Ikarus1 said:
Just learn to speak fluent Spanish, get some spray tanning sessions, and go to the ER. Works for all our undocumented friends from south of the border
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The 2 times I've been in the ER in the last few years there were plenty of natives (the typical white trash type) in there pulling the same stunt. Most of them were whining about needing pain pills for whatever ailment they were pretending to have.
 
PIsgahboy said:
The 2 times I've been in the ER in the last few years there were plenty of natives (the typical white trash type) in there pulling the same stunt. Most of them were whining about needing pain pills for whatever ailment they were pretending to have.
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Sure but the medical staff wont be as willing to accept fake SSNs and claims of No Habla Englis from white trash pillheads
 
Ikarus1 said:
Sure but the medical staff wont be as willing to accept fake SSNs and claims of No Habla Englis from white trash pillheads
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The problems extend waaaaaaaaay beyond the cost of illegals using the ER for basic medical services. Perhaps one day, we may actually address some of the real issues with health care. I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for that.
 
noway2 said:
All said and done, $3k including the hospital stay and the job was as good as she would have gotten here for $30k.
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Yes, for 90%-95% of medical care, south of the border, north of the border, India, wherever, you are good to go. Even in the US, people should understand that for that same 90%-95% of care, Podunk County Hospital is as good as Duke (or Hopkins, or wherever). Those places make their mark for that weird, odd, and really bad 5%-10%.
 
noway2 said:
Is it backed by a major medical or out of pocket maximum in case something serious occurs? This last year I had a "consumer directed" plan that was similar. They gave me $x to work with and I paid full price until a certain point, then I paid 20% for a bit more then it kicks in 100%. Of course, they're doing away with it claiming it's costing them too much. o_O
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BCBS Tenn. We get the cost benefit of negotiated prices. We cover to the deductible, then it reverts to 80% insurance and 20% we pay. We still get 100% coverage on preventative service. My employer puts in about $1300 per year into my HSA and we put what we want into it as well. It sounds like a solid plan, but change is always a bit stressful.
 
chiefjason said:
BCBS Tenn. We get the cost benefit of negotiated prices. We cover to the deductible, then it reverts to 80% insurance and 20% we pay. We still get 100% coverage on preventative service. My employer puts in about $1300 per year into my HSA and we put what we want into it as well. It sounds like a solid plan, but change is always a bit stressful.
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Sounds a lot like what I have/ had this year. The put in $1250, then you hit the deductible and they pay 80% until you hit the max out of pocket. The deductible was like $1,600 per person for two of us. The out of pocket max was lower than the PPO plan which is what enticed me, along with the lower monthly cost.

I myself, I'm not concerned about a visit costing $100 or so and don't rely on a "cheap" co-pay. I'm much more concerned with my total cost. I know that makes me odd as so many Americans focus on that low monthly payment and not the real price ....if you catch my meaning.

For 2018 that's no longer available and then defaulted to putting everyone in the "cheaper" PPO plan, but when I looked at it, it became obvious that the more expensive one was actually cheaper because of the price difference in visits and drugs.

Still it costs me $10k in stinking premiums and I'll likely use a fraction of that in care. The risk / cost ratio is so out of whack, but undoubtedly I'm not paying for MY ride, but that of 100 subsidized folks too. Ozerocare was a big middle finger to the middle class.
 
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(I didnt read the whole thread, if its been said already yhten I apologize)




Jayne said:
Then she left and they didn't give her a bill. Right, eventually they'll figure out how much they want to charge and then mail it to her.
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Something tells me that they'll likely negotiate with the insurance company before sticking yall with it
Milk the consumer for all they can
 
We had a WONDERFUL co-pay plan at Duke Energy before the Obozo Clown rode into town. They do split the deductible but it's still in the thousands so yep, it's a very expensive catastrophic care plan. Why these idiot RINOS and Trump will not REPEAL and NOT REPLACE is beyond me. I won't go to the doctor unless they are carrying me there on a stretcher.
 
noway2 said:
I myself, I'm not concerned about a visit costing $100 or so and don't rely on a "cheap" co-pay. I'm much more concerned with my total cost. I know that makes me odd as so many Americans focus on that low monthly payment and not the real price ....if you catch my meaning.
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Yeah, I could triple the office visit cost and still come out better. Because we rarely go. I'm hoping that still holds. WE figured in some of the known costs into what we want to contribute, eye care, wife's visits, prescription meds. WE had a pretty good PPO. But the cost difference between the PPO and HD plan is still significant. Even with our contributions to the HHA and the HD cost we will be cheaper per month and we can hold onto the money for use later. Here's hoping for the best. We would have likely done this sooner but they made some changes for this year that made it far more attractive, employer contributions and roll over HSA being the big two.
 
12151791 said:
I was taking to a NY liberal at a neighborhood get together a month ago and he loves obamacare, pays $150 a month because his income is cash from handyman type of work and all he shows is income from a rental property he has in NY
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Turn him in to the IRS. Make him bear his share of the tax burden.
 
Howland said:
As much as I envy those with "non-taxable" income (my employer thoughtfully rats me out for every nickel), I think you should dime out Mr. Redistribution of Wealth. Let him get treated like the rich folks he despises so much and realise how little income it takes to get thoroughly plundered at tax time and just how voluntarily the system really is.
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"you should get screwed too because we are."????? No kinda way. what we need si about 100 million more like him. The system is already busted. We just need to push it over the edge, not figure out a way to punish leftists with it.
 
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ObamaCare lowered the max contribution from, $5,000 to $2500. 2018 limit is $2650.

Tax Impact Of The New Rules: For a family who contributed $5000 to an FSA last year (2012)
and are in the 28% tax bracket, the health care costs and taxes would increase $891 a year due to these changes.
 
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tanstaafl72555 said:
"you should get screwed too because we are."?????
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Nope. Read the beginning of my post. I wouldn't dime someone out just for keeping more of the paycheck they earn.

He should get screwed because he helped do it to the rest of us. No other reason.

Other than because he's just a stinking hypocrite, but most of the Redistribute the Wealth types only want to redistribute your wealth, not theirs. Their motto is, "What's mine is mine. What's yours is ours."

Sometimes karma needs a little help.
 
And no one has even mentioned prescriptions. I had a liver transplant in July so I have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of my life. Get them thru mail order but my first order was delayed and I ran out. The pharmacy sold them to me for $1/pill so it cost me $24 for two days. My month 360 pills get charged through insurance at 2800 or almost $8/ pill. It’s an absolute racket


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Sleipnir said:
Turn him in to the IRS. Make him bear his share of the tax burden.
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I am more than willing to turn an obama lover into the IRS - any direction on how to proceeedbis appreciated.
 
noway2 said:
A lot of times I think this is a gimmick. The doctor wants $100 so they bill for $500 and the insurance that costs you $700 knocks it doen to $200. o_O So @Jayne you may end up paying more than you should via the negotiated price.

Often times you can get an even cheaper rate by not giving them insurance info and paying the uninsured cash price.
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This is what I believe it the core issue with our healthcare. There doesn't appear to be a "real" price for service X or medication Y; If you have insurance they charge more because "they're charging your insurance, not you". Same with Tylenol being $20/500mg in the hospital but 45cents at the Walgreens 200ft down the street.
 
Cowboy said:
Anyone in concord area there is a great doctor that doesn't do insurance just pay him his fee. His name is Dr. Quigg. Might save some money I think it's 40 a visit.
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Med Practices that don;t take third part payments are the most affordable, They don't have to higher an expensive compliance staff. They don't have to pay for the $thousands every year for the new medicare codes.
You submit the bill you paid to you insurance company who they count it toward your deductible.
 
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