Health Insurance for small business owners - help!

Long story short, I had my hip replaced 2.5 years ago and it is still giving me problems, but it's a ton better then pre-op.

Only thing now that I'm on my own business wise, I no longer have health insurance... but I am going thru my goals for 2006 and I really wanna factor that into my figures... Only thing, I know alot of the big name companies do not offer individual policies..

So, who do you use?? I don't have any employees... it's just myself.

On the flip side, anyone have a spare hip I can bum off ya?!?


RoAcH

try blue cross they have some plans that will cover yourself and family members

Clarica

Blue cross and blue shield do offer insurance-but having a pre existing condition its gonna be high. They will put you in the high risk pool-i stopped paying it last year when it reached $1500 per month! your best bet is to get catastrophic insurance-it doesnt cover doctors visits or prescriptions -but it will pay in case of a major event-heart attack etc.

It will be an issue getting affordable coverage with your history.
You can try to get on with group coverages such as the SBA, Local Chamber, AARP if your an old fart, and so on.

So what if you have to pay a yearly fee to belong to the group if its offsets you insurance.
If there are family members that need insurance you can get a business group that will will be less for you then going solo.

Research, research, research.......

I'm not even half way to being old enough to join AARP! I just happen have had gotten a bum hip when they were passing them out.


I checked a couple places.. I'll look around more tomorrow. They seem to have a clause for pre-existing - any place from 6 months to a year wait before. May 25th was the last time I was seen.. so I probably will try and tough it out until then before going to see him. (As long as nothing major comes up... so skiiing will be out this season.)

get a part time job at fed ex or ups, as little as 15 hrs per week and you get on their group ins.

did you try the National Association for the self employeed

Ive got these jackasses coming by daily I'll get you some cards

I'm generally healthy, except for my hip, which if it's giving me problems now at 2.5 years post-op, I can only guess how the next few years are going to go. :(

I can handle xrays and office visits, but if I need something major, there's no way I can afford it and it would probably put me under financially...


I'll check out those other two you mentioned and see what they offer..


Ugh..

We carry Blue Cross, but i sware it goes up every month.

That's what I have also. But they aren't cheap either.

What TigerStripe is stating makes since. Then once you get on with their insurance stay there for a year. I don’t know really how long but I am sure twelve months of coverage will work probably a lot less. Then start shopping for insurance a few months before you plan to leave. When you do you will get a statement from the insurance company indicating that you had coverage up until xyz date. At this time you cannot be denied coverage but you only have (if I remember correctly) 30 days. After that you be effed. This also works for preconditions that would disqualify you from insurance period. (Took an insurance class last year) At least that way in FLA.

Who's got time for a part-time job?

I think the IWFA used to have a group plan for it's members??? It's been a while since I looked into it you might want to check and see if they still have it...

Sometimes you just gotta suck it up and do what you gotta do.

I have one thru NCFB which carrys my auto/home/life and they got me a great deal for health.

ins is on the rise for 2006 with most major companies. but by far anthem blue cross / blue shield will cover the best....

Sorry to hear about your hip giving you trouble. Check with your tax person, but your health coverage may be tax deducable, and there are tax free spending accounts for medical reasons. Look into it. It might help alittle. Good luck with the insurance companies.

I work at the local hospital midnights as a Emergency Technician. My original plan is to go to school to be an RN. The benefits at the hospital a bar none the best you can get. Although I'm only 28 I still have my whole life ahead of me to worry about big catastrophic problems. This past summer I got into window tinting and I'm going to purchase a plotter at the end of the month. A fellow nurse whom I've been workign with for the past 10 months now has his Masters in Business. He has alot of stuff on the side and works as an RN at the hospital for the insurance. Since he's been a nurse for umpteen years he keeps telling me my idea of a tinting/vinyl business and workign for myself is the way to go and to not bother with school to become an RN. I see his point 50/50 and have my doubts. It's hard cause I'm not very good in school and I need to be on top of my game in school but tinting for me is fun. I love doing it and I love the look on customers face when they see my work. Yet I also love helping patients and seeing the look on thier faces when they are cared for. I'm in a hard decision spot and basically going with the flow to see what god has instore for me.

Since I got off track...... Get your self a part time job at the hospital as an environmental and clean rooms or sweep floors or do maintenance. Theres LOTS of odd jobs in the hospital that don't require degree's or any medical knowledge and you get the same benefits as the health workers. Plus you might find a better ortho doctor than the one you had and you wont have those problems anymore

try checkin' out http://www.oneshopinsurance.com they have a couple of insurance companies here. they're like brokers so it's cool. hope this helps.

1.Fee-for-Service
These plans generally assume that the medical professional will be paid a fee for each service provided to the patient. Patients are seen by a doctor of their choice and the claim is filed by either the medical provider or the patient.

2.Managed Care
More than half of all Americans have some kind of managed-care plan. Various plans work differently and can include: health maintenance organizations (HM0s), preferred provider organizations (PPOs) and point-of-service (POS) plans. These plans provide comprehensive health services to their members and offer financial incentives to patients who use the providers in the plan.