DENIS THOET: Maine farmers have limited options for health insurance
When I turned 65 two years ago, I became eligible for Medicare, having weathered three years without any insurance at all. About the same time, I learned that I was eligible for Veterans Health Care, having been a Vietnam-era draftee.
When I was younger, I was especially abused by a special form of socialized medicine that few people know about: The Jones Act.
In 1980, when I was 36, I broke my forearm working on a fishing boat off the Merrimack River. The break required surgery, a couple of months of recovery time, a second surgery and more recovery time. All of the medical expenses were picked up by the federal government, thanks to the Jones Act, which pays for injuries caused at sea.
Not only were all expenses paid, but the Jones Act also paid me for lost work at the same rate as my fellow crewmen. Socialism at its worst.
I am a happy victim, however, since my worries -- about going bankrupt if I had an accident or major illness -- are pretty much over with. And although we had private health insurance in 1980, I would have lost a bundle of income recovering if not for the Jones Act.
In "The Healing of America," author T.R. Reid says the Veterans Affairs health care model closely resembles British health care, and Medicare looks a lot like the Canadian model. And the rest of the country -- on private insurance provided by the employer -- are in a system resembling the German health care system. (Reid doesn't even mention the Jones Act in his book.)
There are two large differences between American system and the British, Canadian and German systems: They provide health care to all citizens, and the hospitals and insurance companies are nonprofit and carefully regulated by government to keep costs down.
Small farmers in Maine do not have the advantage of employer-provided health insurance, unless they have a spouse who works off-farm, and only a few may be eligible for VA health care. Unlike me, most are probably thinking of retiring out of farming when they get old enough for Medicare.
Cheap Health Insurance With No Deductible - News
I called a few area farmers to see how they were doing with our current health care system. Not well. Two said they were on MaineCare, one had a "sky high" deductible with barely affordable monthly payments, and a fourth was lucky enough to have a
organizations with religious affiliations will have until August 2013 to begin offering employees full coverage of contraceptives, as set out under the Affordable Care Act's provision requiring no-cost coverage for preventive health services.
Founded in 1946, WPS is Wisconsin's leading not-for-profit health insurer, offering affordable individual health insurance, family health insurance, high-deductible health plans, and short-term health insurance, as well as flexible and affordable group
Many employees also do not understand that traditional health insurance does not cover this cost leaving people to spend their 401k's accumulated over a lifetime to pay for long term care. Only then is there government help, with Medicaid kicking-in
CHICAGO, IL, Jan 17, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- No matter what type of health insurance coverage a consumer may have, every year they start from scratch with their deductible. Whether consumers reached their deductible in 2011 or not,
Texas Health Insurance | Health Insurance in Texas
Affordable Health Insurance in Texas is Available If you Eliminate Co-Pays
Posted on January 20, 2012 by Charles F Peeler Jr
Choosing the right affordable health insurance in Texas can be challenging. Unlike the old days when you could find a policy, pay a small deductible and be covered, health insurance plans today are confusing. There are doctor’s visit co pays, coinsurance, deductibles and even excess charges. Who knows what you’re really getting when you pay your monthly premium. Luckily, affordable coverage is available if you eliminate co-pays and simply pay a monthly premium and a single deductible.
Co-pay Plans Can Be More Expensive
Believe it or not, co pay plans can actually end up costing you more money in the long run- in most cases, as much as 20 to 30 percent more. Here’s why. When you purchase a policy that entitles you to pay a co-pay each time you visit the doctor, you’re actually paying more than a plan that applies those charge to your deductible. In other words, every time you visit the doctor, you pay $35.00. If you have a growing family, over the course of a year, with checkups, illness and frequent visits to the doctors, you can end up spending hundreds, even thousands of dollars on co-pays. Keep in mind, you still have to meet your deductible for services not included in the co-payment and the premium for a co-pay plan is typically higher than the same plan without co-pays.
Now consider a plan where you eliminate the co-pay. You visit the doctor and pay the negotiated amount up until the deductible is met but once met you pay nothing. True, you have a higher deductible, but your premium is significantly lower. In the end, the people who purchase the plan with co-pays may end up spending 30 percent more for the same services. We have documented evidence ( our own personal claims) that by the time you pay something like a $30 co-pay there is about $30 or $40 left for the medical plan to pay. That’s not much.