Does your state offer low cost Insurance

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Here in ID they have NO programs at all to assist adults with medical insurance short of welfare(and not even a county type of hospital or low cost hospital either) although I will say they are very good about making sure children can be insured either thru them or thru a low cost premium program.

Does your state offer any assistence with medical or low cost premiums?

 

[Buckskin gal]

We have the CHIP program for low income families children and there is always medicaid for those who really are unable to pay their way. Health insurance is so important to us and we do have to budget hard to pay for it but we also would have too much to lose if we didn't pay for it. I think a lot of people have to consider the jobs they are working at and find those who do have plans, I know our kids work at places where they can at least get part of their premium paid by their employer...a lot of people have to have a job just to have medical coverage. I think it will become harder and harder to find emplyers who will be paying for their employees medical insurance because it is getting so high in costs. I about croaked when I seen our last health insurance bill because another big jump took place. We are old enough to be on medicare and do pay for that but we also have to pay for the supplement and our prescriptions which are very costly, some of them as high as $175.00 a month! Yep, it takes lot of hard work and planning to keep up with everything. Budgeting for the necessities was always difficult but we manage to take care of ourselves and just hope we don't ever have so much taken away from us that we won't be able to. Mary

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Mary I realize that budgeting ect is needed for households but when it comes to insurance sometimes it is just simply not available at anything close to reasonable or even unreasonable when you have pre exisiting conditions

I know inCA they had County hospitals and clinics which were of course really a camping trip type of thing you were there FOREVER but they allowed you to pay on a sliding scale if you were unable to get insurance

Here in ID there is medicaid for adults however you must be on welfare to get it so they pretty much tell you to quit your job go on welfare and get food stamps as well as medicaid instead of offereing medicaid or something simular at a decent cost

 

[Buckskin gal]

Lisa, I fully realize that health insurance is something that seems not even close to reasonable!! And I also know what preexisting conditions do to coverage...been there done that for sure. I didn't like giving up things I would have liked to have had in order to have insurance but to me it was a necessity and did go without luxuries in order to pay our way. I waited for a lot of things I would have liked to have, while raising our family. It is all about budgeting and going without in ordeer to pay for the necessities, in my opinion. If national health care is needed Clinton is the one to vote for but I really would like to be able to take care of ourselves financially rather than depend on the government and paying more taxes. I know it can be tough but it is our choices that make a difference. Do you have an full time job that helps with health coverage? Mary

 

[mininik]

I'm not sure what Washington state offers, I haven't really looked into it. I think Oregon offers something... I just know that I am not making enough at my business to pay for my own health insurance (yet) and I am young with no preexisting conditions that I know of. I also don't have the time or energy to go out and get a second job that would provide for it. If I rehomed our pets I could pay for it now, but I'm not willing to do that.

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Yes Mary I have a full time job in fact I work more then full time. I am not a free loader nor am I expecting anyone else to pay for me.

So really no need to question my choices or talk to me about budgeting but thanks for your concern on my life decisions though

It really was a simple question I asked no judgements needed- I simply was very surprised that our state offers nothing in the way of medical help unless you are on welfare. I really thought every state had a version of a County hospital just Very different from the state I came from was just wondering what other states had

 

[Buckskin gal]

Lisa, I did not question your choices just asking about whether you worked full time or not. sometmes a change is needed if there are necessities, is all I am saying. A different job could provide you with health coverage but yes, it is up to you what you do and glad you are able to pay your way, knowing it can be difficult at times. Sorry you took it as me making judgements!! Mary

Yes Mary I have a full time job in fact I work more then full time. I am not a free loader nor am I expecting anyone else to pay for me.

So really no need to question my choices or talk to me about budgeting but thanks for your concern on my life decisions though

It really was a simple question I asked no judgements needed- I simply was very surprised that our state offers nothing in the way of medical help unless you are on welfare. I really thought every state had a version of a County hospital just Very different from the state I came from was just wondering what other states had

 

[Buckskin gal]

Here in ID they have NO programs at all to assist adults with medical insurance short of welfare(and not even a county type of hospital or low cost hospital either) although I will say they are very good about making sure children can be insured either thru them or thru a low cost premium program.

Does your state offer any assistence with medical or low cost premiums?

I just checked what we have locally for adult medical services for those who have no income or low income and found out there is what is called the Deering Clinic which provides medical services for free or on a scale according to low income. We have two big hospitals here in Billings, one of them being St Vincent and they do not turn away any person who doesn't have the money to pay. We do pay for this service by paying higher rates to cover those who do not pay. I didn't know you were just asking because you found it to be a surprise that Idaho doesn't offer anything, I thought maybe you were asking because you wanted help....sorry for the misunderstanding. I do know people have come to Montana from California thinking we had what California offered in free services and once they found out we didn't they returned to Ca.

Lisa, I was making a point that when, free for other people, services are offered the rest of the people have to pay for it and my concern is that before long there will be people who cannot pay for more and will end up being on the free services list and I would like to avoid this and be able to take care of ourselves. Nothing bad intended and sorry you took it that way. Mary

 

[Jill]

I do not think that VA does have anything along those lines.

Recently, I switched our company's group plan, which just covers myself, my father and my mother. Our premiums are over $2,500/month. Which is actually a good savings over our old plan.

That said, I think I'm a loosing client for our health insurance company at this point. With my medications and all my doctor and eye doctor visits, I couldn't be a favorite (but Athem / Blue Cross is of course a giant).

 

[runamuk]

Washington has a basic health program.

I just looked at the site

For me it would run around 50-60 month based on our income, and it is similar to what hubby gets through work, copays, deductibles and caps wise. Our income qualifies our kids for medical insurance through the chips program.

Growing up my parents NEVER had medical insurance, I also NEVER went to the doctor as a child, even now I rarely see a doctor for any reason...........some employers my hubby has worked for have had great insurance programs and it was nice to have it, but not all employers can afford to offer insurance let alone the really good plans........

For me I can budget all I want if the money isn't there well it isn't there

we get by on a very minimal income compared to most. Besides with the taxes we pay here, health insurance is about the only way I will ever see any benefit

 

[Buckskin gal]

Yep, taxes can eat a person up but usually low income doesn't pay as much taxes, if any. We do benefit a lot from the taxes we pay for we have schools, fairly decent roads to drive on, libraries, etc. which all comes from our taxes. Of course all people benefit from these things not just low income. We are one of the two states? that does not have a sales tax so we get hit very hard on property taxes and income taxes which leaves those who rent or not working out of the tax paying scene. I know some people who get more back in taxes than they pay in because of the earned income tax credit thing....You are very fortunate to be able to get health coverage for $50 to $60 and have your kids covered. Mary

Washington has a basic health program.

I just looked at the site

For me it would run around 50-60 month based on our income, and it is similar to what hubby gets through work, copays, deductibles and caps wise. Our income qualifies our kids for medical insurance through the chips program.

Growing up my parents NEVER had medical insurance, I also NEVER went to the doctor as a child, even now I rarely see a doctor for any reason...........some employers my hubby has worked for have had great insurance programs and it was nice to have it, but not all employers can afford to offer insurance let alone the really good plans........

For me I can budget all I want if the money isn't there well it isn't there

we get by on a very minimal income compared to most. Besides with the taxes we pay here, health insurance is about the only way I will ever see any benefit

 

[LindaL]

Oregon has the OHP (or at least they did...I haven't heard much about it lately and I know they were having problems keeping it "funded"...which really doesnt surprise me....given the fact that (and as I say this, I want to clarify that I am in NO way bigoted or prejudiced) OPH offered FREE health care to anyone who was considered Hispanic descent. Um....why???? So, because (at the time) my kids were living with me and I was getting child support...even tho they were covered by their dad's insurance, so they wouldn't need OHP, *I* could not get insurance thru their program because WITH the child support I made TOO MUCH (even tho I was considered poverty level)...what???

I have checked on low cost insurance for just myself recently and the cheapest Ive come up with is $134/ month, but that has a $5000 deductible, which is OK if you go into the hospital, but for everything else...You'd never end up putting in a claim, because who ever pays out $5000/ yr for Dr visits??? *sigh* It also doesnt cover mental health, so that doesnt help me either...and I pay a sliding scale rate for my therapist... OH!

 

[Marty]

Tennessee offered TennCare. They gave it to most people for free. You could have all your RX for free, free Dr. visits, free operations, and free dental and free braces on your teeth. We never did qualify for FREE and never even applied for the freebie because we were homeowners and had a business but it was offered to all residents for a premium so we did pay for that and it was not much at all, just a few bucks. They were so lenient here that we could have even gotten food stamps if we applied because I swear anyone could have beaten this system the way it was set up and plenty people did. Well, that put Tennessee in the red really really bad so when the new governer took over a few years ago, he got rid of all that. I'm glad because a lot of people were cheating the system and living high and mighty on the government while us poor working slobs paid for them to do it.

TennCare then was reformed and put on a sliding scale according to your income bracket. If you have kids they are taken care of here. We still paid a monthly premium for the kids I think it was like $40.00 per child up to age 18 and for that, they can have everything taken care of. Nothing for the adults, or 18 and over but I did qualify for a discount for my RX somehow because of some other new law they passed and reformed some other program so I get I think it's 20% off the regular price if I go with generic brands. We have our own health insurance through some other company now.

 

[Jill]

Hey, in case this helps anyone since I know how expensive medications are, remember that Walmart in most (all now?) states offers a ton of medications for only $4/month. The list is searchable by the condition the meds treat, or in alphabetical order. If your exact medication isn't on the list but you need to get your costs down, you could ask your doctor if one of the meds on the list is a reasonable alternative. I haven't used their pharmacy but think the low cost prescriptions would help so many people.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp...mPageCatId=5431

A big part of me though would be against someone who has something as luxurious and non-neccessary as horses to get state / government subsidized insurance or other assistance. That really doesn't seem "fair" to me (sorry). If someone can afford to endulge in horses, then....................

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Yep, taxes can eat a person up but usually low income doesn't pay as much taxes, if any.

Well actually I think sometimes dollar for dollar it is the high income people that seem to get away with paying the least.

America will always be a place of the haves and the have nots with everyone always wanting to blame everything wrong in the country on the other.

Again I am not asking for help- (not sure why so many are so very quick to judge and assume)

- I simply found it odd that rather then provide a program where people can PURCHASE insurance thru the state (many employers here do not offer health coverage) and getting some money for it they prefer that you quit your job (and quit paying any taxes) and they will give you cash, food stamps, assistence with your phone and power bills and FREE medical.

I was simply trying to see the logic in that as it makes no sense at all to me but then very little goverment stuff does and was wondering if we were the only very illogical state

 

[Fred]

I understand what you are saying Lisa. In this state insurance is so costly that a lot of doctors [ob/gyn's mainly] have dropped their practices because THEY can't afford health insurance for themselves and family after providing it for their employees. We had self-employed insurance but they jumped it 45% in less than a year. This was for catastrophic which by the way was $5000 deductible and cost over $800 a month for nothing. The problem in this state is that there are only a couple of carriers so rates are not competitive and these companies can charge what they want. I worked in the health care field for years here and had insurance with the county but it wasn't worth it. I still ended up paying just as much out of pocket with the insurance and still had to deal with if you take too much time off [like one day a month in three months] your benefits will be dropped.

 

[Buckskin gal]

Lisa, I don't think any one is doing anything here other than giving you information and opinions. You did give me reason to believe that maybe you were interested in finding some help with health coverage because you said "Mary I realize that budgeting ect is needed for households but when it comes to insurance sometimes it is just simply not available at anything close to reasonable or even unreasonable when you have pre exisiting conditions" You have stated before that you have some health issues and so it was natural to think you were speaking of your pre existing health problems. I think all of us here in the United States feel health insurance is plenty high and there are some of us that fear we will end up paying so much for everyone else that we won't be able to pay our own even though our choices were made to be self supporting. That is not a bad thing, in my opinion. You also said,"So really no need to question my choices or talk to me about budgeting but thanks for your concern on my life decisions though." This also caused me to think you were trying to make some choices about getting health insurance in one way or another. Of course I thought maybe you were looking for suggestions but you say not. I am not speaking of you now so don't be oversensitive about what I say, please. I see many people who have more luxurys than I do and yet get supplements of one kind or another through the government here in the United States. This does cause me some anger for anyone who knows me knows how much I gave up and the choices I made is what makes me independent today. I truly believe a lot of people do make poor choices and that is one reason there are so many on government supplements. Many people don't take responsibility for what they have and want others to pay for it....that is not fair. As for the rich paying less, I don't know. I do know there are people who have been lucky to have been born into richness but on the other hand I know of many people who were born into poverty and made some great choices and are now well to do. I too have seen people who have luxuries in life and yet say they cannot afford to pay for the necessities. I also see people who have to change jobs if they aren't making enough to provide the necessities and that is a wise choice. I was told yeaers ago " it is not how much you make, but how you spend it that makes the difference" and I know for sure that is the truth because I have seen people who can make less and yet do very well for themselves. Now, I would like to ask you, do you think some people should have to pay for the necessities of others when they have worked so hard to take care of themselves? In no way would I let anyone starve and I don't think any hospital would turn away a person who is sick. Just something to think about. Mary

 

[Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis]

Mary I am not sure why everything turns into a major debate with you? But if you are asking me do I think our country is run logically of course not. Do I think rich people on welfare is ol of course not but it happens every day. Do I think that criminals and petifiles being allowed ot live near schools is ok Of course not. Do I think that turning offenders into victims is ok of course not. Do i think living in a country were what color your skin is or your sexual orintation is something others see as cause for death of course not. DoI think living in a society where children are killing eachother daily is fair of course not -- Do I think it is fair that many are off dying daily for our country while others abuse the rights they are fighting for and stand for of course not. Tust me if i needed medical help the last place I would come to look is this judgmental place that is now called the forum. I was simply asking a question as I have said several times already! Do I think most things in life are fair of course not but that is the way it is all we can do is deal with the hand we were given the best we can

I guess I have nothing else to say to you other then Happy Thanksgiving ~if I was a praying person I would pray for you

 

[SweetOpal]

Yep, taxes can eat a person up but usually low income doesn't pay as much taxes, if any.

Being from Ca I am not sure what they offer, but I do believe they offer alot of stuff especially to the illegals (sp?) Anyways, I love it when I hear the rich get richer and the poor get poorer when it comes to taxes, I just don't find this to be true. We are in the 42% tax rate, yes we pay 42% to the gov, then I pay $ 12,000 per year to property taxes, our health ins is over $ 900 per month, thank God our business pays that. We own a trucking company and pay a ton of fuel and road taxes to each and every state that we travel through. Now those are some taxes....

As for the healthcare, I personally know Lisa and know that she is having a hard time. I know several people in several other states, who make what some would consider poverty level income or right above it, and they are able to get reasonable health care for thier families. At $900 a month, that is what people's house payments are, I suppose you could give up your house and be homeless as something that you are going to make a sacrifice to pay for your healthcare, I mean that would be reasonable to be homeless so you can go to the DR. I know that Lisa is not living an extravagant lifestyle, she isn't eating at the Ritz every week much less every year, or decade for that matter, I think it is quiet rude of someone to come on here and tell someone they are basically a looser and get a different job. I don't know anyones situations and not my place to judge them unless they ask me personally for money to fund thier lifes decisions......I would rather pay taxes to someone who is working and paying thier bills to have a lower amount on thier healthcare than to pay for people to sit on thier large bu--s so they can collect welfare everyday!

 

[Jill]

I guess one reason the state doesn't offer insurance is that the state is not an insurance company. If there was such a thing, the lower cost would be offset by higher taxes.

Not sure what the answer is. As I said, we pay A LOT for our insurance. However, not to have it would risk loosing everything we have, or ever might have. A person is just one major illness or car accident away from perpetual finanical ruin if they do not have health insurance.

By the way, the top 25% of the Nation's tax payers pay for 84% of the total federal income taxes. If you have an adjusted gross income of $57,343, then you are in the top 25% of tax payers. With our system of progressive tax brackets, the system is based on the principal that those who benefit the most from living in this country contribute the most to meeting the needs of the nation. And, with the current political climate, I'm not personally expecting to be paying less anytime soon