Anyone planning to forgo health insurance in 2018 due to cost?

boomie said:

I haven't read all of this, so excuse me if redundant, but Shoshanna the two in college should be able to get a catastrophic plan very cheaply through their schools.   There is also a plan in NJ for kids who are uninsured.   These are not permanent solutions but just wanted to mention, they could factor into your planning.

Thanks for this suggestion. Yeah, I'm looking into college plans. It doesn't help much because my husband and I as a couple are still expensive to insure. We're in that place, the 10 years before Medicare kicks in. That's the most expensive place to be in.

shoshannah said:

boomie said:

I haven't read all of this, so excuse me if redundant, but Shoshanna the two in college should be able to get a catastrophic plan very cheaply through their schools.   There is also a plan in NJ for kids who are uninsured.   These are not permanent solutions but just wanted to mention, they could factor into your planning.

Thanks for this suggestion. Yeah, I'm looking into college plans. It doesn't help much because my husband and I as a couple are still expensive to insure. We're in that place, the 10 years before Medicare kicks in. That's the most expensive place to be in.

Yes indeed.  I am in the same place.   I am forever grateful for the incredible benefits I have, but always aware of the fact that it could end too.

My college kid gets health insurance through her school for about 1600/year that is fairly comprehensive.

sac said:

My college kid gets health insurance through her school for about 1600/year that is fairly comprehensive.

Same here. It's great for a one-person solution. But you have to look at it in the context of the entire family. It doesn't reduce the parents' premium enough to make it worthwhile. Our premium would be reduced by only about $100/month. Add in the cost of the two college premiums. Plus consider that there would then be three separate deductibles instead of one family deductible. The math doesn't work.

shoshannah said:

sac said:

My college kid gets health insurance through her school for about 1600/year that is fairly comprehensive.

Same here. It's great for a one-person solution. But you have to look at it in the context of the entire family. It doesn't reduce the parents' premium enough to make it worthwhile. Our premium would be reduced by only about $100/month. Add in the cost of the two college premiums. Plus consider that there would then be three separate deductibles instead of one family deductible. The math doesn't work.

That was true for us when we could insure both of our kids, but our older one hit age 26 this year so she is now out of the equation.  Also, there were some issues with younger kid on our insurance in a somewhat distant location.  While our insurance did cover in most cases, there were problems at times with billing and confirmation of coverage.  Also, her college plan includes dental, so when the costs became more or less equal, she decided to go with the college plan.