earlyretirement wrote:I was

[bearishgurl]

[quote=earlyretirement]I was just thinking about what other options are out there for healthcare coverage…[/quote]

ER, you seem like you might be a good candidate for an HDHP.

$1600 mo seems high to me for an HMO for a healthy young family of four. But of course, I am not your underwriter.

I’m guessing, of course, but if you all are truly healthy, I would think you could get a ~11K/$20K ded HDHP plan for ALL of you for $600-$800 mo.

I don’t know about the other carriers, but with Aetna Advantage, you can STILL get preventative health services for $0 (no copay/no ded). In CA, as of July 1, 2012, pregnancy is treated like any other medical issue . . that is, ins cos can no longer refuse to cover it.

http://www.littler.com/publication-press/publication/stork-has-landed-california-employers-must-maintain-and-insurers-must-

This bill, commencing July 1, 2012, would require every individual
health insurance policy to provide coverage for maternity services for all insureds covered under the policy.
This bill would become operative only if AB 210 of the 2011-12 Regular Session is also enacted.

see: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_0201-0250/sb_222_bill_20110912_enrolled.html

and: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/asm/ab_0201-0250/ab_210_bill_20111006_chaptered.html

I even got a rate hike of $34 mo commencing July 1, 2012, with a nice letter telling me how I now have maternity benefits :=D

I just wonder who was helping to pay MY healthplan premium when I was in family-raising mode! Alas, it was likely no one but me and my employer :=0

With an HDHP, you certainly would have no problems seeing a specialist as there are no “gatekeepers” in PPO plans.

IOW, if you were diagnosed with cancer and wished to be treated by the Mayo Clinic in MN or the MD Anderson Cancer Center in TX, you would certainly be welcome to do so, without interference from your carrier. In addition, if any of these providers were “in network,” you would receive the “in-network” benefit as opposed to the out-of-network benefit.

A big difference from your HMO would be $40 (PCP) and $50 (Specialist/urgent care) copays as your HMO copays are likely much less.

If you were a healthy family, you would have to go to the doctor 1-2 times per week, per person in order for your $1600 monthly HMO premium to really be worth it, IMO.

This is just my .02, for whatever it’s worth to you, ER.