Re: Medicare and moving

Gooday · ‎03-23-2010

WOW! Who dumped in your cereal bowl. Excuse me for adding my 2 cents and POSSIBLY sharing information be it off track.

Have a wonderful holiday.

Gooday · ‎03-23-2010

@OfCourse wrote:
You don't have to buy in the ACA marketplaces. You have the option of buying directly from insurers if it's cheaper. I've always purchased my own health insurance and that's what I've done. An important proposal that's been discussed for two decades is allowing self-employed individuals and small business employers to band together and form associations. This way, they could hire professionals to negotiate with insurers and get deals more comparable to those employees of large companies and government workers get. Blue Cross doesn't care whether I like the price they give me. I can take it or leave it. If I was part of a large group of customers represented by professional negotiators like large employers have, it would be a totally different ballgame. We could get economies of scale and the kind of deal only a professional could negotiate. Sigh!

You are incorrect. If you do not work, have a middle or higher class income, are unable to get coverage through a spouse, you MUST purchase through the Marketplace, otherwise known as the ACA or O-care. Trust me, I found out the hard way. Why do you think people were so ticked off when they only had a few options depending on your state. We are unable to purchase across state lines. My state has only 1 company available and that's BC/BS. Now, you have the option of 4 plans through BC/BS and they are all HMO's. That's why people were bemoaning the phrase, "you can keep your doctors" and "you're premiums are going to go down".

SORRY for certain posters if this is off the Medicare/Moving topic.

ccassaday · ‎10-21-2010

@Gooday wrote:
@OfCourse wrote:
You don't have to buy in the ACA marketplaces. You have the option of buying directly from insurers if it's cheaper. I've always purchased my own health insurance and that's what I've done. An important proposal that's been discussed for two decades is allowing self-employed individuals and small business employers to band together and form associations. This way, they could hire professionals to negotiate with insurers and get deals more comparable to those employees of large companies and government workers get. Blue Cross doesn't care whether I like the price they give me. I can take it or leave it. If I was part of a large group of customers represented by professional negotiators like large employers have, it would be a totally different ballgame. We could get economies of scale and the kind of deal only a professional could negotiate. Sigh!
You are incorrect. If you do not work, have a middle or higher class income, are unable to get coverage through a spouse, you MUST purchase through the Marketplace, otherwise known as the ACA or O-care. Trust me, I found out the hard way. Why do you think people were so ticked off when they only had a few options depending on your state. We are unable to purchase across state lines. My state has only 1 company available and that's BC/BS. Now, you have the option of 4 plans through BC/BS and they are all HMO's. That's why people were bemoaning the phrase, "you can keep your doctors" and "you're premiums are going to go down".

SORRY for certain posters if this is off the Medicare/Moving topic.

This is not true.

Blingqueen023 · ‎03-09-2010

I don't get this thread at all. I don't have Medicare, but have Federal Blue Cross and I can be in tim buck two and still be covered. Medicare is universal also

OfCourse · ‎08-26-2017

@Gooday wrote:
@OfCourse wrote:
You don't have to buy in the ACA marketplaces. You have the option of buying directly from insurers if it's cheaper. I've always purchased my own health insurance and that's what I've done. An important proposal that's been discussed for two decades is allowing self-employed individuals and small business employers to band together and form associations. This way, they could hire professionals to negotiate with insurers and get deals more comparable to those employees of large companies and government workers get. Blue Cross doesn't care whether I like the price they give me. I can take it or leave it. If I was part of a large group of customers represented by professional negotiators like large employers have, it would be a totally different ballgame. We could get economies of scale and the kind of deal only a professional could negotiate. Sigh!
You are incorrect. If you do not work, have a middle or higher class income, are unable to get coverage through a spouse, you MUST purchase through the Marketplace, otherwise known as the ACA or O-care. Trust me, I found out the hard way. Why do you think people were so ticked off when they only had a few options depending on your state. We are unable to purchase across state lines. My state has only 1 company available and that's BC/BS. Now, you have the option of 4 plans through BC/BS and they are all HMO's. That's why people were bemoaning the phrase, "you can keep your doctors" and "you're premiums are going to go down".

SORRY for certain posters if this is off the Medicare/Moving topic.

@Gooday I've been buying directly from Blue Cross because I'm self-employed. The ACA did not affect that. Perhaps it varies by state.

FrostyBabe1 · ‎05-09-2016

@OfCourse wrote:
@Gooday wrote:
@OfCourse wrote:
You don't have to buy in the ACA marketplaces. You have the option of buying directly from insurers if it's cheaper. I've always purchased my own health insurance and that's what I've done. An important proposal that's been discussed for two decades is allowing self-employed individuals and small business employers to band together and form associations. This way, they could hire professionals to negotiate with insurers and get deals more comparable to those employees of large companies and government workers get. Blue Cross doesn't care whether I like the price they give me. I can take it or leave it. If I was part of a large group of customers represented by professional negotiators like large employers have, it would be a totally different ballgame. We could get economies of scale and the kind of deal only a professional could negotiate. Sigh!
You are incorrect. If you do not work, have a middle or higher class income, are unable to get coverage through a spouse, you MUST purchase through the Marketplace, otherwise known as the ACA or O-care. Trust me, I found out the hard way. Why do you think people were so ticked off when they only had a few options depending on your state. We are unable to purchase across state lines. My state has only 1 company available and that's BC/BS. Now, you have the option of 4 plans through BC/BS and they are all HMO's. That's why people were bemoaning the phrase, "you can keep your doctors" and "you're premiums are going to go down".

SORRY for certain posters if this is off the Medicare/Moving topic.
@Gooday I've been buying directly from Blue Cross because I'm self-employed. The ACA did not affect that. Perhaps it varies by state.

I purchase directly from BCBS as well. The plan IS available in the marketplace, but I’m not required to purchase it that way. I could, but why add the hassle of the middleman if it’s not necessary?

~The more someone needs to brag about how wonderful, special, successful, wealthy or important they are, the greater the likelihood that it isn't true. ~

Gooday · ‎03-23-2010

You just made my point. You STILL work AND are self employed. Were you neither, you would have to buy insurance through the Marketplace. Trust me... I called 4 insurance companies only to have this verified. That's why everyone except those who qualify for subsidies are livid. However, when you go on Medicare, supplemental insurance is a different ball game.

FrostyBabe1 · ‎05-09-2016

@Gooday wrote:
You just made my point. You STILL work AND are self employed. Were you neither, you would have to buy insurance through the Marketplace. Trust me... I called 4 insurance companies only to have this verified. That's why everyone except those who qualify for subsidies are livid. However, when you go on Medicare, supplemental insurance is a different ball game.

Still not true, at least in my state. I am not self employed and I do not work. I buy my policy directly from BCBS. The ONLY instance that would require me to use the Marketplace is if I qualified for and wanted to receive a subsidy. I don’t qualify.

~The more someone needs to brag about how wonderful, special, successful, wealthy or important they are, the greater the likelihood that it isn't true. ~

novamc1 · ‎07-02-2015

@Gooday

Whether one has to purchase health insurance through "the marketplace" doesn't have much to do with whether one is still employed or is self-employed.

Check your facts again with some appropriate authority or advisor. If you need to buy this insurance, you need to make sure you get the best advice available each time you have to sign up for or renew a plan.