Question for Maine Small Business Owners

I go with Anthem "high deductible." The rates are published.

NASE has some insurance, but the rates aren't that much less, and for the small difference, I think you're better going with a larger carrier.

I assume you factor the HSA thing in, or is that no more?

I used to, but I can't since I raised my deductible to $15,000.

HSA includes what they call "high deductibles" but they're really medium deducibles. They need to expand the limits on the HSAs to cover that. They are a good thing to have if they fit your plan.

Having been self employed for 10 years, I can tell you that the only real option at present is Anthem, and it's pretty pricey.

Eagleisland -

Yep.

Family of 5, low deductible ($2k per person, $4k per family, BC covers 70%) : almost $10k per year

Highest deductible: $12k per person, $24k per family, BC covers 70%): about $5k

3 more deductbles in the middle fall in between those 2 numbers.

Sheezus........ Mainers are incredibly dumb to get to where this is the only gig in town. I could even hear it in the sales person's voice "You get what you VOTE for, SUCKERS".

Incredibly dumb? Well, yes and no. Bear in mind that 25% of the state is on Medicaid, and they don't care what health care costs. And probably another 20% is on Medicare, and most of them don't really care what it costs, either. And probably 35% of the state works in a situation in which they're on a group plan, and they're only pissed off at the boss for not giving them a raise in three years and adding to the amount of HCC pulled from their paycheck. But they're in a group plan, which is cheaper anyway, and beyond that they don't care what it costs.

Us self-employed folks? Damned right we care. But we're in the minority - the TINY minority. We're among the few who really see this stuff first hand.

Most of my friends don't believe what plans for small business owners cost. It's absurd.

As I've suggested before, the first step to reform is to make local and national legislators pay, out of pocket, the rates facing your average small business owner. Maybe then we'd see interest in actually trying to figure something out.

I don't know about now, but a few years back, NASE/Mega-Life was a total ripoff.

They should not be able to write insurance in this state.

Eagleisland sums it up quite well, take a lot of Omega 3 and trust in your and your childen's gene pool

Many in group plans are paying 7 to 10 k, go figure, meaning figure if you can pick up the costs

Also goes to the decisions in life, when the private sector was making good money and didn't want to be restrained by a government job or union job. Damn those dead ends in government services caught up with us and surpassed us at many points.

I have been self employed for 12 years. I had to drop health insurance for my wife and I when we need it most. I'm almost 50 and my wife is over 50. She now has a job out west with a much better policy than we had here in Maine where I was paying almost 14k per year with a high ($7500?) deductible 3+ years ago. It was going up by another $1500, so I was forced out of the market if I wanted to keep paying our mortgage. We are saving over $6000 (at least) even after adding in our condo rental, and 4 to 6 trips for me to travel back and forth. It is a temporary solution as skype and unlimited cell phone minutes are not quite the same as the real thing.

Our Maine town pay nearly $10,000 per for employee-only coverage. The employees pay nothing! The policy is thru the Maine Municipal Association group.

Punk: Family of 5, low deductible ($2k per person, $4k per family, BC covers 70%) : almost $10k per year

Consider yourself lucky. Family of 2, both age 64, middling deductible: $26,000 per year ($2,200 per month). That's not a misprint. It's from the last time I was able to look up prices on Anthem's website. Today it says:

... If you don't get health insurance through your employer.

We are glad you are considering one of our Individual health plans! Plan information will be available on this site soon. Until then, contact your producer or call us at 1-800-585-0099 and let us help you find health care coverage to meet your needs.

We have been with NASE/Mega, only $700 per month, for 3 years and are keeping our fingers crossed to stay reasonably healthy until next year, when we crawl onto Medicare. If it still exists. If we can find doctors and hospitals that still accept it.

My advice: Don't get any older than you already are. (It may be difficult to follow that advice.)

Consider yourself lucky. Family of 2, both age 64, middling deductible: $26,000 per year ($2,200 per month).

Medicare will help you substantially, and you're almost there. At that point most opt for Medicare B, (about $1,200 a year) and a "medigap" policy, which I think is in the $2,600 range. That will cover just about all of your medical expenses, other than optical and dental.

Yes, Tom C, those are the numbers I found, more or less. My IF's still apply, however. And I will be one of the very few who will know precisely what someone else is paying for my coverage. Early thanks to all you youngsters.

Your out-of-pocket will still be substantial.

I have many old clients who are surprised they hit the 7 1/2% floor for medical deductions. I'll add it up for them - a typical older couple will be paying about $1,200 each for Med B, around $2,500 each for the medigap, then typical expenses - say glasses, ($500) dental work ($1,500) and out-of pocket drug, ($500) plus medical mileage, and they're close to $10,000. Add long-term care, and you're getting up there.

And that's if they are healthy.

Punk -

I just sent an email to some friends in the health insurance business, asking them to take a look at your post, the other posts here, and to see if there isn't some new info available. As soon as I hear back from them I'll let you know.

Best,
skf

Punk, here's the first response. A look at Anthem's new individual and family health care plans. I believe these are a result of Public Law 90 enacted just this last Session. Other provisions of that law are yet to kick in.

http://www.anthem.com/health-insurance/plans-and-benefits/health-insuran...

Best,
skf

We are glad you are considering one of our Individual health plans! Plan information will be available on this site soon. Until then, contact your producer or call us at 1-800-585-0099 and let us help you find health care coverage to meet your needs.

Has anyone been able to get rate info from that site?

Has anyone been able to get rate info from that site?

I called the number almost 2 months ago and got a promise for a call-back. It hasn't happened yet.

Mr. Editor: Your link just leads to the "We are glad you are considering ..." statement mentioned earlier.

IAC -

Maybe you need to dump your web browser cache file? Here's a screen shot of what I'm seeing at the link I posted above.

And here's the link to download or view the Anthem individual & family plan policies brochure.
http://docs.bcbsga.com/wellpoint/docs/viewDocument?mcItemNbr=MEBR70004HCP

Move to NH.

Editor -

I see the same. The brochure doesn't mention what the premiums might be for the various age brackets. And the links for "compare ..." and "apply ..." all lead back to "Thank you for considering ..."

I'm considering dropping a 'stable' job to go on my own.

I'm laughing at this line. A "stable" job.

lol.

Rather be shoveling it for yourself than someone else?

A long story about NASE.

In 1996, wife and I went to Vegas for our twenty fifth anniversary. While there, my beloved fell down while running to catch the bus and recieved compound fractures to both her wrists. Eight days later, we left Vegas with nothing but two plane tickets and $14000 hospital bills that we expected Mega-Life and Health to cover except for the (high at the time) deductable of $2500 out-of-pocket thet we were promised by the NASE salesman.
After incurring another $3000 in bills here in Maine for follow up care, the bills started coming in.
Many were marked not covered, or partially covered.Another few months went by, and then the hospital started calling to ask if we had made arangements for payment to which I kept replying, "we have insurance that is supposed to pay for all of this".
Finally, I got ahold of the salesman and demanded that he send me copies of all the bills and on each bill, their reason for paying or not paying them.
He resisted that until I finally told him that I would initiate legal action against him personally as well as NASE and Mega Life and Health.
Three days later, I recieved a stack of papers at least two inches thick with all the bills and their reasons and the reference to the fine print in the contract that allowed them to take whatever action they did.
On the back of each piece of paper were transactions that pertained to four other NASE health insurance clients, two of whom were in Maine.
They had copied my info onto used paper that had these other people's health information on them complete with mailing addresses phone numbers, hospital info, and diagnosis information.
We ended up settling with the hospital on a total and went to the bank to borrow the money with a new understanding of how some of these companies work.
Since that time, we run into these vultures at trade shows, fairs, and other functions.
I usually try to avoid them, but once in a while, there is an agressive salesperson that will grab you by the arm and drag you to the booth for an explanation of their package.One of these times, I had a major meltdown and drew quite a crowd to their booth when I explained in no uncertain terms why I would not buy their product and why anyone within earshot shouldn't either.
Since that time, they all seem to recognize my face because I havn't been approached except just once when this lady got in my face, and I mentioned that I was not a very happy customer and she should just let it go.
She asked my name, and when I told her, she said "oh, you're the one they warned us about".

Add me to the list of those who have no faith in NASE or any of its health insurance carriers. Back in 1994 I sold their products. My bride and I went to an awards presentation/weekend in NH. While there, we looked around at our "colleagues" and instantly came to the conclusion that they and we were different, value-wise, and I parted company with them very shortly thereafter. I consider my experience with NASE as part of my life learning process, one that I would not repeat.

Dale Tudor

Does the name "Elias Boles" or "Boyles" mean anything to you?

Editor -

Thanks for that info. I spoke with an Anthem rep and that's the plan that she sent me info on. Literally the ONLY plan available.

Sad.

So, so sad.

If I follow through on this, I will relocate my family to another state and give myself a raise. The insurance options (or lack thereof) really is a show stopper for a prospective small business person with a young family.

The numbers I quoted in my previous post are from that plan with my family's parameters plugged in.

pf

Hey Punk,

I am kind of in the same boat for wanting to start a computer/networking sales & service business. Aside from worrying about healthcare, do you know what may be out there to start a business from a financial standpoint like small business loans, grants, etc? Do you have any resources that may be helpful for me? Thanks!

Call an agent such as Clark Insurance in Portland; ask for the benefits department.
Tell them what you want and they will work up a quote for you.

Punk....

If becoming an entrepenuer is based on health insurance costs, stay at your stable job. Going into business is a risk, of which health insurance and more importantly, future income are NOT guaranteed. Depending on your location, there are some group options available through chambers, there are possibilities of getting a one person group issued....but that is not the real question.

The real question falls in your gut of whether you wish to risk what you have to go into business for yourself. Do you have the marketing/sales savvy to build a client base? The business accumen to manage the business and be a CEO/CIO/CFO? Do you have the financial resources available to you to survive 2 months? 6 months? 12 Months? with little or no income?

In addition to health insurance, have you looked at commercial insurance? Do you need E & O? Product liability? Health insurance is only part of the business insurance package.