Healthcare.gov still needs work

[tucker6]

Okay, so my wife dies last month, and she was primary for our health coverage. Sucks for me in that regard, as upon her death, the state of PA floods me with letters saying I'm screwed, have a nice life. It was a platinum plan that we paid $450/yr to have as part of her state pension (the only good thing I've ever gotten from govt :D ). Pennsylvania wants me to pay $887/mo to keep the plan. I turn 50 next month, so I'm thinking a catastrophic plan is the way to go for coverage.

So, I hop on healthcare.gov and look at the plans for where I live. They ask me the mundane questions about where I live and what my age is. TWICE. The screen went buggers and came back and asked the same questions again! Then I asked to review the plans. First one out of the gate is a bronze plan that has the elements I'm looking for. $244/mo premium with $6,250/yr deductible and max outlay. So best case is I pay $3k (premium only), and worst case is I pay $9k (plus deductible). At my age, most years I'm paying a couple hundred for health care, so I'm okay with the risk. So, I'm asked if I want to see the plan details. So, I click on the button. Up comes this screen that is so pitch black I can barely make out the words written on it. To the right, it has a bar that you can scroll the screen up and down, but if you click on it, it dumps you back out. So, I was only able to read the first page of what this plan actually covers.

I haven't got the guts to put my personal info into it yet. This site is still an abortion, and I was only there a couple minutes. An embarrassment really.

[Saratoga_Mike]

Try http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/

It's a private company. I'm in no way affiliated with it. If you aren't looking for the subsidy, you can just buy your insurance on ehealth and I suspect the process will work smoothly. Sorry about your situation.

[tucker6]

Try http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/

It's a private company. I'm in no way affiliated with it. If you aren't looking for the subsidy, you can just buy your insurance on ehealth and I suspect the process will work smoothly. Sorry about your situation.
Thanks Mike. I'm going to try them out right now.

[tucker6]

Try http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/

It's a private company. I'm in no way affiliated with it. If you aren't looking for the subsidy, you can just buy your insurance on ehealth and I suspect the process will work smoothly. Sorry about your situation.
many more choices on that site, and the prices are acceptable. Rates comparable to Obamacare, but it's hard to tell since Obamacare site can't show me the benefit page without kicking me out. In fact, there was one where the annual deductible is $2,600 for only a $100 more a month from the base plan. That may work. :ThmbUp:

[Saratoga_Mike]

many more choices on that site, and the prices are acceptable. Rates comparable to Obamacare, but it's hard to tell since Obamacare site can't show me the benefit page without kicking me out. In fact, there was one where the annual deductible is $2,600 for only a $100 more a month from the base plan. That may work. :ThmbUp:

Please keep us informed on your experience - it sounds like the private sector site may be superior.

[Clocker]

it sounds like the private sector site may be superior.

Impossible!!! The government knows what is best for you. The bad apple insurance companies just want to sell you worthless plans and screw you over. I know that because some one posted that here.

[Ocala Mike]

Sorry to hear about your plight, Tucker, and I hope you have a good outcome. Here's a possibly useful link for you:

http://pahealthaccess.org/

[tucker6]

Sorry to hear about your plight, Tucker, and I hope you have a good outcome. Here's a possibly useful link for you:

http://pahealthaccess.org/
Thanks Mike. I forgot to mention that we moved to SC, so am no longer in PA. I'm used to BC/BS, but is there better out there I should consider from a customer service standpoint. I don't want some insurance company jerking me around about "i's" not perfectly dotted, or "t's" not perfectly crossed. Thanks

[lamboguy]

i think that healthcare.gov needs a doctor

[Ocala Mike]

[QUOTE=tucker6]

I forgot to mention that we moved to SC

{/QUOTE]

Again, sorry about your plight. Politics aside, you are in one of the most strident anti-Obamacare states in the union. They are attempting to nullify the ACA as I write this.

Not to be flip, but if I were you, I would maybe try and get in touch with one of my political representatives and ask him/her for help. Might be your Senator, Congressman, or State House Rep. Sometimes they can actually help.

In the meantime, here's another possibly useful link for you: http://health.usnews.com/health-insurance/south-carolina

[redshift1]

Thanks Mike. I forgot to mention that we moved to SC, so am no longer in PA. I'm used to BC/BS, but is there better out there I should consider from a customer service standpoint. I don't want some insurance company jerking me around about "i's" not perfectly dotted, or "t's" not perfectly crossed. Thanks

BlueCross/Shield in California takes my medicare payment and charges only for medication no co-pay for tests and hospital. They payed my 450K hospital stay in 2012 in full.

IMO, their doctors are not as good as what I had before but the price is good and they provide referral to specialists who cannot charge beyond their BC contract.

At fifty though you might be at a disadvantage getting low cost insurance.