Health Insurance For Contractors

[vandecamp]

Any recommendations for a good provider for independents roaming the continent?

 

[RichM]

OOIDA has some health insurance plans for independent contractors. I would recommend you stay away from MegaLife and Health Insurance..

Another method that will work well everywhere you go, is to grow a mustache,learn to speak Spanish,change your name to Pedro and you will get free health care at any hospital in the USA.

 

[nightcreacher]

most hospitals will take you in,just dont pay the bill,same as having insurance

 

[cheri1122]

If you believe that people can use the local hospital's Emergency Dept in place of a doctor, for minor complaints, then you've never tried it yourself, lol.
Most hospitals are 'for profit' enterprises, and they take that part of their mission very seriously. They are obligated to treat you ONLY in a life threatening situation, and if you are uninsured, they'll do the least amount necessary to send you on your way, and then bill you unmercifully. (Many hospitals bill uninsured patients more for the same services than insurance companies, as well.) If the bill is not paid, they send it to a collection agency, and you'll be hearing from them, soon, and often.
If you can't pay for medical insurance, good luck - best you can do is hope you won't need it. But sooner or later, you will.
I know - this is a topic for the Soapbox. It just ticks me off that people seem to believe that free medical care is just handed to whomever demands it - it doesn't work that way anymore, if it ever did.

 

[LDB]

Online you can use www.ehealthinsurance.com for quotes. I got Blue Cross Blue Shield through them.

I hope that was a joke about walking out on the bill. Although I think costs are too high I believe that legitimately incurred debts should be paid.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
Highway Watch Participant, Truckerbuddy
EO Forum Moderator
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Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

 

[greg334]

Cheri,
Just a quick FYI

Hospitals like St Johns, Sisters of Mercy health systems and other Catholic hospitals can not refuse service of any type due to the hosptial's charter and either Quadragesimo Anno or Rerum Novarum which is the basis of Catholic social doctrine.

They will say otherwise but working with Sisters of Mercy on recovery of millions of dollars from insurance companies, we had very clear instruction to write off a lot that patients wpould have been forced to pay.

 

[vandecamp]

I'll bet the folks who lost jobs at the hospitals in AZ and so-CA that went bankrupt because of the unpaid e-room bills from illegals are still yucking it up.
Thanks, I'll check out that ehealthinsurance website.

 

[nightcreacher]

i was being facesous,if thats how you spell it,but my hospital will take you without insurance,and if you are low income ,they even have a plan for assistance

 

[FIS53]

Or become a Canadian and receive free healthcare. Albeit a little slower (ok snails pace) for services than the US, but you can use your real name (or any alias you want).

Since your truck is a moving apartment, pick a truckstop and use it as your address and apply away

Rob Fis

 

[Broompilot]

Lets say your self employed and so is your spouse. (ME)

In this industry people I have not seen any sign of any increase in salary = miles run and as a matter of fact a couple of times I have seen the kitties $ pool shrink.

What I am getting at is our pay is shrinking, not only not by getting any increases (such as my carrier) but some are actually paying less than what they advertised 5 years ago. So with that said just look hard and long at this business.

Now if you have NO ASSESTS, no Net Worth or are self insured (God Bless You), or have resources to pay for your health insurance than the same phrase over again to you, this posts means nothing to you.

But if you are like me with a life time of labor and little bit of a net worth, INFLATIONS is attacking you. Policies can be affordable but are rising at an average of 10% a year, so what was once very affordable is now turning into a very large portion of my gross income especailly when freight is as slow as it is today.

Being insured in my opinion is more responsible than paying your Taxes. I do not want to ever be a burden on society or to my children, to be my care takers and niether should you. With out coverage the chances of an inujury or illeness is around 80% before you reach retirment. There is some chance that you will have a hospital bill of $20K sometime before age 67. Can you afford that?

It has already happened to me but not quite 20K now with inflation today it probably would be that much.

To answer the question Blue Cross Blue Shield will run a 45-50 year old male non smoker about $200-250 a month. Female I believe add 20% in that age group, over 50 males get much more expensive than females.
Sorry for the bad news.

 

[romoore245]

We just learned about the need for good insurance the hard way. April almost died back in January from Crohn's. We thought we're young we don't need insurance yet. How wrong we were, now April isn't eligible for affordable insurance. Everyone we call has said 2000 a month and three years without a crohn's problem.
Anyway after a weeks stay in the hospital, they came and asked how we planed to pay. I told them there is a real good chance we won't be able to pay. At that point we didn't even know if she was going to live. They must have worked their magic, because we never received a bill for the stay. Just a few minor bills that we can afford to pay.

 

[Broompilot]

PEOPLE PERFECT EXAMPLE of putting off. I had an argument last week with a good friend of mine in this business. He and his wife (if your reading this Mr. D. have decided if one of them comes down with Cancer than thats it DEATH. His comment either your gona be insurance poor or rich so self insure. Worked good for the poster did'nt it, and now after an illness one has to find out how important insurance really is.

Now thats a real nice thing I can say to my Bride, well sweety sorry but no insurance no Kimo see ya babe. When she has helped me be the Man I am today how arrogant could I be than not to cover myself and her when I can afford to. I would rather have Medical Insurance than the Caddy I have longed for.

Things like the last poster said HAPPEN... If your not without insurance than GOOD LUCK.... He found out the hard way just like my close friend who now owes the Hospital over 30K since his heart problem last year but to him no big deal. But no big deal if one has not worked ones but off to accumlitate a small net worth either. Some of us worked while others partied, and SMOKED.

 

[babs3361]

We go thru a business group that gets a better rate due to having many small business using them they have several companies using them. they also have many insurance companies they work with for the best rate. We live in W. Mich. and the name of the group is W. Mich. business group maybe you have a simular group in you area.