# Health Insurance for self employed



## gastek (Mar 29, 2011)

I'm trying to look into health insurance and I am wondering what other contractors here are using? It's me, wife, and one son in his last year of HS. 

Looking for ideas on prices etc.


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## THINKPAINTING (Feb 24, 2007)

Depends on state u live in. Here will cost at least $ 1500 a month for a good family plan . Even a single plan will run $ 1000 a month with no prescriptions mind you. Belonging to a trade group can help but still big bucks here. I would say 90 percent of self employed home improvement contractors have no health or workmanship comp here. Being a fully legit contractor in my state is not for the faint of heart costs money , to run a business. 

Try searching health plans for self employed in your state .


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## AmeliaP (Apr 22, 2007)

Check some of the local hospitals. One near us has started their own plan and I'm looking at that.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

My wife works a crappy underpaid job just so we can have insurance. We still pay 120+ bucks a week, and can't afford to use it because of the new higher deductibles. On a positive note, we pay 5 bucks a month and get about 1000.00 dollars worth of glasses each year. That is a good thing.

Don't worry, it will get better... I'm sure.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

Either talk to your regular ins agent or go to ehealthinsurance.com. Have paid my own insurance for about 12 years now..and yeah it sucks! Right now ,for example, I pay $550 a month for a family plan with a $3000 deductible, $6000 max annual out of pocket...no pregnancy coverage.


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## HartConst (Sep 9, 2012)

It varies from state to state. With that being said, I needed to belong to a trade group to allow for discounts to make the insurance more affordable. Having already been a member of one, my insurance through BC/BS is around $1160.00 monthly for family coverage. Would have been $1400ish if I wasn't part of a group. Good luck with your search, the price of most any plan blows!


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## cdkyle (Jul 12, 2009)

Move to Canada.


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## mrcharles (Sep 27, 2011)

When my Dad had 15 employees he gave them a plan through our church network..Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. I think trying to get in a large group plan is probably the most affordable way. 

The NHAB has some group plans available.


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## Cole82 (Nov 22, 2008)

We pay $1700 a month for a family of 3. It's pretty dang good insurance though. 

Cole


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## I Mester (Aug 21, 2011)

I always tease my wife. reason i stay married to her is because of health insurance!! lol she gets it all at her job


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## FGCC (Mar 1, 2012)

We're paying about $2,200 a month for family of 3...basically another mortage.


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## I Mester (Aug 21, 2011)

FGCC said:


> We're paying about $2,200 a month for family of 3...basically another mortage.


my wife pays in at work almost 2400 for a family of 4. thats with dental... its sickening. and still when you go for prescriptions, they dont want to pay for name brands. only generics.


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## Chopsaw Chick (May 6, 2011)

We would have to pay over $1600/month for decent coverage. So, instead (and because we are all pretty healthy) we have "the next best thing to no medical insurance." It's a catastrophic plan that only costs about $650/month. 

The catch is that we have a $6,000 per person/per year deductable. In other words, if any one of us needs to see a doctor or go to the hospital, we pay the first $6,000 out-of-pocket. It's VERY eye-opening to find out exactly how much medical procedures cost! 

We come out ahead though because we only spend a few hundred - or maybe one or two thousand - dollars every year. And if any one of us ever has a major medical issue, then our insurance will pay.


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## VinylHanger (Jul 14, 2011)

Wow. I suddenly feel like we are getting a bargain at 125 a week.


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## summithomeinc (Jan 3, 2011)

Shop around. Some companies will give you a group rate with as few as 3 employees. Your company can pay all of the cost and it's a write off.


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## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Mines $123 a month with $2500 deductible. I done it this way because I rarely goto doctor. The other option was $123 a month and $500 deductible and 20% of anything over that $500. I don't smoke which saved me a lot of money each month. I think it was triple what I'm paying if I smoke from what remember.


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## EmmCeeDee (May 23, 2010)

The family is on my wife's insurance plan through her company. Its pretty steep but the company pays monthly premiums as part of her bennies. It has a high yearly deductible with a company funded HSA to cover out of pocket. (its good to be the boss) 

I am in the National Guard so I have a Army health insurance plan that is pretty good and cheaper than putting me on the family plan. 

We are blessed with good health. I would not want to have to figure all this out with preexisting conditions.


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## EmmCeeDee (May 23, 2010)

summithomeinc said:


> Shop around. Some companies will give you a group rate with as few as 3 employees. Your company can pay all of the cost and it's a write off.


That's true, my wife's company has three employees and they have a group plan.


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

Wow. My wife must have great insurance for us.

$400 a month for full health, dental & vision. Zero co-pay. $500 deductible. $2000 annual max out of pocket.


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## EmmCeeDee (May 23, 2010)

BamBamm5144 said:


> Wow. My wife must have great insurance for us.
> 
> $400 a month for full health, dental & vision. Zero co-pay. $500 deductible. $2000 annual max out of pocket.


Nice, is it through her job? Any kids?


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## summithomeinc (Jan 3, 2011)

BamBamm5144 said:


> Wow. My wife must have great insurance for us.
> 
> $400 a month for full health, dental & vision. Zero co-pay. $500 deductible. $2000 annual max out of pocket.


I would have thought you would have your own company insurance plan. I think it's good to point out that the company she works for pays the difference. Our businesses should eventually also be able to pay these costs.


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## BamBamm5144 (Jul 12, 2008)

summithomeinc said:


> I would have thought you would have your own company insurance plan. I think it's good to point out that the company she works for pays the difference. Our businesses should eventually also be able to pay these costs.


I offered it to the guys. They didn't want to contribute to any plans and I would still stay on her insurance plan anyway. She works just enough hours to get the coverage. It's her, myself and her daughter.

The birth of our daughter cost us $400.00.


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

BamBamm5144 said:


> I offered it to the guys. They didn't want to contribute to any plans and I would still stay on her insurance plan anyway. She works just enough hours to get the coverage. It's her, myself and her daughter.
> 
> The birth of our daughter cost us $400.00.


Our guys didnt want to contribute either. :no:


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## jomama (Oct 25, 2008)

BamBamm5144 said:


> I offered it to the guys. They didn't want to contribute to any plans and I would still stay on her insurance plan anyway. She works just enough hours to get the coverage. It's her, myself and her daughter.
> 
> The birth of our daughter cost us $400.00.


Consider yourself to be fortunate then, as the birth of our 2 daughters cost me just over $30K in the last 2 years............


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

summithomeinc said:


> Shop around. Some companies will give you a group rate with as few as 3 employees. Your company can pay all of the cost and it's a write off.


Sounds great. Ill just pull an sxtra $5,000 a month out of my azz on top of above average wages, conpany vehicles and phones, tools, ect...


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## summithomeinc (Jan 3, 2011)

Jaws said:


> Sounds great. Ill just pull an sxtra $5,000 a month out of my azz on top of above average wages, conpany vehicles and phones, tools, ect...


I agree. If it were my company, it would be me, my wife, and...I dunno. I do know that If I want insurance I will have to pay for it. Really doesn't matter if it is me personally or my company. I would rather run it through my company. At least then It is another deduction.

OR

I don't have the 5 g's to pull out my azz and I stay uninsured...


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## Jaws (Dec 20, 2010)

summithomeinc said:


> I agree. If it were my company, it would be me, my wife, and...I dunno. I do know that If I want insurance I will have to pay for it. Really doesn't matter if it is me personally or my company. I would rather run it through my company. At least then It is another deduction.
> 
> OR
> 
> I don't have the 5 g's to pull out my azz and I stay uninsured...


If its just you and your wife, it shouldnt be $5,000. My parents pay 700 a month I think.


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## THINKPAINTING (Feb 24, 2007)

Funny thing about life, you can be healthy one day then bam"! You get hit with a medical issue. It's like workmans comp nobody wants to pay for it until god forbid a worker falls off a ladder or roof . Once I hit my early fifties my body started to feel the effects of bridge painting, steel tower painting, ladders , staging lots of falls etc..

It's absolutely outrageous what they charge for insurance and eventually it's gonna pop. I mean do you really think in the future your business can just keep passing on the cost to customers? all of our overhead costs and material costs have skyrocketed but the average price of the work we do our competitors our doing for 1994 prices.. But I have great faith our politicians will lead us to the promised land( sorry had a monetary lapse of reason) 

My local chamber of commerce has a pretty good discount for members need edging health insurance but it's still very very expensive . Yes it is a write off business expense but in a small company it can be difficult depending on sales. Similar to unemployment insurance in my state the smaller you are the more they whack you!


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## Spencer (Jul 6, 2005)

I am the mill guy at the local lumber yard. "Good Insurance" was supposed to be a big perk coming to work here. They just jacked my deductible from $3,000 to $5,000 and took off maternity now that the owners are done having kids. Bull crap....

When I was self employed two years ago I was paying $360 a month through anthem with maternity and a $3,000 deductible for my wife and I.


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## HomeProConsult (Sep 12, 2012)

My wife worked for Blue Cross for many years so I know a bit about this. Being a small group or an individual policy is very costly but there are things you can do.

Are you a member of any business/trade associations? I know NARI has a plan for members and many other associations do the same. Many Chamber of Commerce's do the same.

Find an independent agent that can shop around for you. Generally, this is a free service as the agent gets paid by the insurance company. 

If you are healthy, explore a high-deductible health savings account (HSA) plan. It will cover you if you have a serious illness but doesn't come into effect until you meet the deductible. There is also a tax savings with this type of plan.


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## Deepwater (Sep 13, 2012)

I thought Obama and Dems fixed all that with Obama Care. No wait..now if we don't buy insurance the IRS fines us.


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## Rob1954 (Jun 22, 2010)

Blue Cross Blue Shield

$525 / month for $10k deductible. All preventative type services are paid at 100%. I pay everything else until I reach the deductible.

I do get the discounted price if I use providers in the network.

The premium does include Dental and Vision programs which are similar to many standard plans.

Myself and three of my kids are included at that price.

I look at it as a backstop/catastrophe type policy. Haven't had any major illnesses or injuries in the last few years.

I put the difference of what I would pay for a $3000 deductible policy (about $400) in the bank every month to cover the years when I may have to pay that high deductible.


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## moorewarner (May 29, 2009)

VinylHanger said:


> My wife works a crappy underpaid job just so we can have insurance. We still pay 120+ bucks a week, and can't afford to use it because of the new higher deductibles. On a positive note, we pay 5 bucks a month and get about 1000.00 dollars worth of glasses each year. That is a good thing.
> 
> Don't worry, it will get better... I'm sure.


Can't get much worse. :no:


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

We are currently covered through my wife's employer. Their plan is generous and is the least I have ever had to pay.

When I purchased our plans through the business I paid about $850 for a modest BCBS plan for my wife and I until 2009. Before that I had a plan with a much higher deductible and no preventative care that was $600 a month.

I recommend you analyze your expectations and your finances well before you decide what you can afford for a monthly payment or deductible. I was willing to sacrifice a low deductible for a lower payment when I was young because I assumed that I would almost never go to a doctor other than for annual checkups. I would rather have paid $8k for one bad year and saved $4k every year. Now that I'm older and have a child we've switched to a lower deductible and hit it every year. 

I highly recommend creating a chart or spreadsheet to compare the actual costs of different plans under different circumstances.

I don't think going without any plan is a responsible choice unless you qualify for medicare or medicaid. I don't have cable tv and I drive an old vehicle but I won't go bankrupt over a broken leg.


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## fast fred (Sep 26, 2008)

no need for health insurance 

it's all a scam like any insurance

I usually goto the hospital refuse to give any personal information, by law I have to be treated then I leave works like charm 1/3 of the population does it so so why can't I?

or I pay a small fortune every month 

when I was 22 it was 48 bucks a month what a deal now I pay 6 times that and the policy is worse than it was 18 years ago........................................


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## onmywayup (Aug 18, 2012)

summithomeinc said:


> Shop around. Some companies will give you a group rate with as few as 3 employees. Your company can pay all of the cost and it's a write off.


More specifically, premiums can be legally paid out using before tax income (i.e. paid for by your corporation/llc, etc.). 

If you tax rate is, say, 15 or 20%, then it's a significant discount to have those premiums paid BEFORE the IRS takes their pound of flesh. 

That being said, I pay $274 a month for my wife and two kids. There plan is decent but not good. I keep myself on a much cheaper catastrophic plan that covers me if S&** really hits the fan, but nothing up to that point.


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## Astrix (Feb 23, 2009)

fast fred said:


> no need for health insurance
> 
> it's all a scam like any insurance
> 
> I usually goto the hospital refuse to give any personal information, by law I have to be treated then I leave works like charm 1/3 of the population does it so so why can't I?


Interesting. I can't speak for the USA, but here in Canada, if you don't have your provincial health insurance card, the hospital will only give you minimum required emergency treatment. This means that you will get stitches for larger wounds, but not smaller ones; and it means that you don't get an anesthetic needle to numb the area before they start sewing. It means no physiotherapy after surgery, no wheelchair, no extras to make the process more comfortable or your recovery easier. Doctors can turn you away from their offices if you don't pay first (or show your card) so no prescriptions to help you with that bad back pain or to fight the flu; you just have to suffer through it.

I'll defer to what you, as an American, says as I have no first-hand experience like you do; however, I find it hard to believe that this is the usual case in American hospitals. I would think it is more likely that sometimes this happens, but most of the time there would be a marked difference in the quality of medical treatment depending on whether you are paying or not (either through insurance or self-paying).


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## Warren (Feb 19, 2005)

Isn't it funny, that here in the USA, a person WITH insurance will think twice about getting something serious checked out, while someone WITHOUT insurance will go to the ER for a sore throat or a cough.


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

Warren said:


> Isn't it funny, that here in the USA, a person WITH insurance will think twice about getting something serious checked out, while someone WITHOUT insurance will go to the ER for a sore throat or a cough.


I don't believe that's really the case. Just because we hear people with insurance complaining about copays and doctors complaining about people using the ER inappropriately does not mean it is the rule.


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## Miss Brown (Mar 30, 2011)

I have insurance, but it's not enough. I need insurance and a lawyer.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

EthanB said:


> I don't believe that's really the case. Just because we hear people with insurance complaining about copays and doctors complaining about people using the ER inappropriately does not mean it is the rule.


It is here, ER is flooded with them. They know they cannot be turned away, they don't have regular Dr., no insurance , no SS card, no paperwork. To them it's free.

It's good community policy to do charity care.
Your insurance will make up the difference. 
I dropped mine $2500 month too much for me.

Friend of mine works at ER desk. Daughter also worked in ER


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## EthanB (Sep 28, 2011)

I reread the post and I should have specified that I don't think that is true for the majority of people. I think media coverage has skewed public opinion to believe that the uninsured gleefully flock to the ER with minor complaints while the under-insured stoically sit at home with open wounds.

There are plenty of people that fit those descriptions but it's better to have catastrophic insurance and pay for regular visits than to constantly worry about going bankrupt if you break a bone.


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## Red Adobe (Jul 26, 2008)

Hello my name is Jose Garcia and I need to see the doctor......I Have no papers and only speak english but do not know how to read nor sign a name.

Honestly tho in I have had the same little opperation 2x in the last decade for the same pyanidal syst and w/ ins it cost me $2200 oop w/o it at a dr office it was $500 after some pre negotiations. I told em I have cash but Im not paying for whats not done nor needed like when i had ins. Best of all i didnt get a staf infection at the dr office like i did at hospital w/ ins ( they had to pay for that but still)

I have a nerve in my neck that will act up and make left arm go numb and the last Dr I went to wanted 3 sets of Xrays ontop of a battery of bloodwork.  I asked him if he really thought an xray would show nerves and what the exactly was the bloodwork going to show about the streched nerve.........to which he had the balls to say "nothing, but those tests are our protocal" That protocal would have added $3500 to my bill then they would have wanted MRI after that for $6500.

A couple hours of research, a new pillow, new shoes, and a few minor changes in eating and sleep and i havent had a problem in 13 months


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