Comments on: Artists and Health Insurance

By: Colleen Graham

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:12:27 +0000

My family of four will never go without some form of health care! It is our greatest monthly expense and is the most important one for me. We have been in our own business since 2009. We pay $2,200 per month with a $4000 deductible,(higher premium because of our ages). The most challenging aspect of running a small family business has been the entire health insurance challenge.It’s a personal choice.
As a breast cancer survivor(at 50) who knows first hand the incredible cost of treatments and surgery,(over $150,000)it still amazes me when many of my friends are against medical insurance and the ACA. I do not think that it is a luxury & yet I do wish we had a single-payer program like in Canada and Europe.
Having medical insurance in general is really designed for covering catastrophic care and the high cost of life-saving prescriptions. As a self-employed artist as well I have shared my personal studio time to work in our family business in order to receive our(very expensive) health care. But what is the alternative? My 26 year old daughter recently developed a serious medical condition and thankfully she was covered under our small business plan.
So, getting back to ACA, I just had to apply for new coverage starting Feb.1 because we are disqualified as a small business since we are a husband and wife. Really confused…me too!
Meeting with my insurance agent, she was able to help me compare all of the policies available plans offered in NH. The individual carrier for a family of four was cheaper than the government run ACA plans. We will be saving about $400 per month. I have to get a new PCP and my local hospital will not accept the one insurance carrier in NH. However, before the ACA if we wanted to get individual insurance my daughter & I would be turned away because of pre-exisitng conditions.
I had to pay my first premium upfront with a credit card,(because Anthem had misplaced many personal checks) and will not have my insurance cards for a few weeks! The coverage is OK and it has been a real hassle figuring it all out, but thankfully I know we will be covered in case of a serious accident or diagnosis.Thanks for giving me the soap box!

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By: Lis Zadravec

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 14:13:33 +0000

In reply to Kelly Medford.

Kelly, As you can see from the post below. I did not have this experience. I am curious about what program you got, what state you are in etc. I would LOVE a plan like this. How do I get it. I have both been on the phone and in person with someone and no one came up with a reasonable plan like this. If you want to contract me privately . go to my website and you will see my email address. I am desperate here as I have several health issues going on right now.

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By: Lis Zadravec

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 14:09:23 +0000

I do not qualify for Affordable Healthcare or any help with it since I make too little!!! Imagine that! I could pay full price. No help, no tax breaks that someone making 3 times what I make would get. People in my income bracket were to get the new expanded medicaid. However Virginia voted against expanded medicaid. So there is a huge gap. Let’s just say you would have to make less than $550 a month to get medicaid. All the way up to the $44,000 a year I would have to make for a family of my size. That is a HUGE gap. Virginia politicians know it exists. In the meantime I have health issues I am paying out-of-pocket for. Why are the ‘working poor’ who could use the most help, not being helped? By the way, If I paid full price for Healthcare under this “affordable” program, I would pay the same for doctor visits and procedures that I am paying now plus a monthly premium and a deductible. Until they fix this gap. I am going without.

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By: Kathryn Rutherford

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 18:16:50 +0000

My husband and I are only in our late 50’s.
He works six months of the year for the National Park Service—not entitled to health insurance because this is considered part time.
I am a teacher that replaces teachers out on leave of absence—not entitled to health insurance because I don’t officially work full time. The rest of the time my husband is a self-employed commercial screenprinter and I am a self-employed professional photographic and fine art conservator and painting and portrait fine artist (a forty year old company).
For three years we have been going to a Dr’s Health clinic that only accepts working people that do not have health insurance. Dr. visits are $15 and every bill (even hospital stays and surgeries-which we have needed) are 10% of the total bill. With the prescription card they gave us most medications are $3 to $10. It’s been a dream!!!
I was soooo looking forward to a government health insurance plan as, being a Canadian citizen living in the U.S., I thought it was going to be a national plan that we could purchase affordably instead of shopping around to all the privately owned companies. NOT!!!!!!
The Marketplace is just a place to get a comparison of all the privately owned plans out there. We were offered 65 plans. Sixty of them were $800 per month or more with $8,000 per year out of pocket deductible. At least 80% of the plans are not accepted by any physician in our county. If I am being forced to purchase health insurance, Doctors should be forced to accept the plans even if they are low-end, crappy plans.
The remaining two plans, with the government discounts, are $600 per month one with a 20% co-pay and the other with 50% co-Pay (versus the 10% we’ve pay now).
All lab work is 100% because the plans are not accepted here so my $18 per month blood work that monitors whether or not my meds are damaging my heart and liver will go to $586 per month.
The drug card company we used closed down December 31, (they couldn’t complete, so they gave up and closed their doors) so our drugs have already gone from $3 each to $110 each. There is no prescription plan offered with the health plans we were offered, just the 20 or 50% co-pay.
Where we had everything covered and good medical care we are now looking at almost $600 per month for the plan, $300 per month in meds, $586 per month in blood work, and the Rheumatoid Arthritis Dr. charges $740 per 15 minutes so I would have paid 50% instead of 10% I pay now, but he doesn’t take any of these low end plans so I have to find a new Rheumatologist—there’s a two year waiting period here with only nine Rheumatologists.
Of course, if we don’t buy a plan at all, we have to pay 100% of everything. We were going to just pay the income tax fine of $89 and keep going to our current medical facility, but if you don’t buy a plan the bills from our current doctors flips to 100% of everything. If we do buy a plan we can no longer use our current primary care providers because they do not accept patients with health insurance. SCREWED!
The above prices were with “discounts” using an income figure we made up. If we report the adjusted gross (as we are supposed to) our income is $1,500 short of meeting the minimum required income to qualify for a discount. Since the State of Tennessee opted OUT of Medicaid anyone not making the minimum income has to pay for health insurance on their own and they do not qualify for any government assistance. They must pay full price for it. That makes no sense! You don’t make enough money and you have to pay full price for health insurance.
WE’RE SCREWED NO MATTER WHICH WAY YOU LOOK AT THIS!!!
Our 3.5 acres of commercial and residential buildings and land is up for sale. If a buyer comes along we’re out of here!! We were going to move to another State, but moving back to Canada is rising up the list of places on this planet to go back to.
As a Canadian I’m used to the Government giving orders and telling one how things will be done, but honestly, give us something we can work with. Don’t force me to spend thousands of my hard earned dollars for something no doctor will use and will raise all the prices of services for which I am paying now. ARGHH!

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By: e'Layne Koenigsberg

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 01:49:50 +0000

My partner was able to afford health insurance for the first time in seven years…Obamacare has free navigators that help people sign up in every town…also we have had no problem getting in touch with knowledgeable people on the phone…I have a preexisting condition and will be able to get health care now, too…I want a single payer system but this is a good stop gap…still too much bureaucracy…and drug companies still have way too much power…BUT…I”m grateful for the changes.

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By: Anne Blankson-Hemans

Sun, 19 Jan 2014 17:35:47 +0000

In reply to Donna Fox.

Thank you kindly Donna.

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By: Donna Fox

Sun, 19 Jan 2014 17:02:07 +0000

In reply to Anne Blankson-Hemans.

“Obamacare” is a pseudonym. It’s actually called the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

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By: Kelly Medford

Sat, 18 Jan 2014 23:08:10 +0000

I haven’t had healthcare for 13 years. I called 3 days ago as I was intimidated by the healthcare.gov marketplace coverage options and wasn’t sure which was best for me.
In calling the toll-free line I got to speak with someone immediately, who took the time to answer, in detail, each and every question I had. We worked together and found a great plan for me where I am paying $10/month with a $500 deductible and $750 max yearly out of pocket and copay of $25 for a doctor’s visit and 20% of emergency, surgery, etc after my deductible.
I did this all in 20 minutes, I am still in disbelief. You can’t imagine what a relief this is. Being a self-employed full-time artist can be stressful for so many reasons, lack of healthcare definitely being one of them. I am so happy about this change and thankful that people like me are now finally able to have healthcare.

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By: Barbara Muir

Sat, 18 Jan 2014 17:11:30 +0000

Hi Alyson,
This discussion makes me realize how lucky we are to be Canadian. We pay zero.
Great topic.
XOXOXO
Barbara

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By: Patricia C Vener

Sat, 18 Jan 2014 13:10:39 +0000

I have never had health insurance and wasn’t planning on getting it. It’s never been anything I could afford. when I went to access-ct the numbers came up higher than I can afford so I planned to pay the penalty. Then I decided to meet with the consultant whom I use for my mother’s medicare advantage (my mother also has medicaid but I still have to have the other because her Primary guy doesn’t take medicaid).
Anyway, when she worked though the process, it came up that I was eligible for Husky (CT’s version of medicaid). If it saves me the $95.00 penalty, I’ll take it. Even though it wouldn’t cover Naturopathy. In any case, I have no plans on using it.
I’m hoping for real reform – the end to the health insurance industry in favor of single payer systems such as they have in Canada (and maybe soon in VT?)
On another note, people who get the ACA coverage should be aware that a number of doctors will not be accepting this insurance.

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