[Hidden-tech] Health Savings Accounts

[Rick Roberts]

I'm in need of inexpensive health insurance (like everybody!) and would 
welcome a presentation by someone that has creative ideas on how to 
reduce costs. My understanding about rising health insurance costs is 
that it's a result of the "experience" the insurance company gains over 
time of the group they're insuring. If there are lots of claims, rates 
go up. Does anyone know a reputable agent that's willing to discuss 
frankly how the system works? If such a person exists, I'd love to hear 
what they have to say.

Rick

On Mar 5, 2005, at 8:37 AM, Bhavin Patel wrote:

>   ** This message was posted by a good Hidden-tech Member
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>
> Ben,
> I believe the whole point to this discussion is that we have not been 
> able to beat down the cost in MA.
> Example: I belong to Mass. Business Association, which is supposed to 
> provide "group" pricing, but even with that, I'm almost up to $800 per 
> month for my family. Imagine if I didn't get the "discounted" or 
> "bargained" rate! (BTW, I strongly believe that you don't get 
> something for nothing - it's obvious that the "baragined" rates are no 
> bargain!)
>
> As Amy and Jeanne have said, I believe we should try and organize a 
> meeting to discover our options. I wonder if getting insurance through 
> a different state might be an option? I had insurance through BCBS of 
> Maine once, and the deal was pretty good, and I had no issues with 
> being out of state.
>
> Thanks,
> Bhavin
>
> On Mar 1, 2005, at 12:05 PM, Ben Liyanage wrote:
>
>>    ** This message was posted by a good Hidden-tech Member
>>    ** who has helped the group by filling out the survey/skills
>>    ** inventory in the member's area.
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>>
>> Yikes!!!  It sounds like you are all paying through the nose for your 
>> health
>> insurance...
>>
>> I get my bcbs through a company I used to work with in MD for 
>> something like
>> 200/mo.  It sounds to me like a bargaining collective is needed to 
>> drive
>> down all of your insurance costs.  I know I most certainly don't cost 
>> the
>> health insurance companies 24k/yr, and I'm not even paying that much 
>> in
>> comparison to you guys...
>>
>> Though I'm not really shopping for health insurance at the moment, I 
>> would
>> be interested in seeing how to set up a health insurance co-op of 
>> sorts that
>> could help beat this fat industry down to size.  How many people 
>> would be
>> interested in this?
>>
>> Ben Liyanage
>> 410.336.2464
>> ben at smartankgroup.com
>> http://www.benliyanage.com
>>
> On Mar 3, 2005, at 10:00 AM, Jeanne Yocum wrote:
>
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>>
>>  Hi,
>>
>>  I would be happy to take Amy up on her request for someone to 
>> organize a meeting on the topic of health insurance if someone else 
>> is willing to jump in and help me.  Any volunteers?  
>>
>>  I was thinking we could do a joint meeting with the National Writers 
>> Union, another group I belong to whose members also struggle with 
>> this issue.
>>
>>
>>  -- Jeanne Yocum
>>  Tuscarora Communications, Ltd.      
>>  413-467-9470
>>  www.yourghostwriter.com
>>
>>
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net
>> [mailto:hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net]On Behalf Of 
>> Jeanne
>> Yocum
>> Sent: Tuesday, March 01, 2005 10:57 AM
>> To: Hidden Tech Discussion List
>> Subject: [Hidden-tech] Health Savings Accounts
>>
>>
>>> From: Christian Lagier <clagier at sprynet.com>
>>> Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2005 17:38:59 -0500
>>> To: Jonathan Dill <jfdill at jfdill.com>
>>> Cc: hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>>> Subject: [Hidden-tech] Health insurance - HSA experience?
>>>
>>> Does anybody have any experince with HSAs in Massachusetts? Who 
>>> provides
>>> them?
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> Having received my April invoice from Harvard Pilgrim yesterday that 
>> showed
>> a 14% increase for the year which takes my insurance  to over 
>> $400/month for
>> coverage for just one person, I called my broker and asked about the 
>> Health
>> Savings Accounts that I had heard were coming.  They told me Harvard 
>> Pilgrim
>> was just introducing one, but the cost of it for me would be over 
>> $500 a
>> month!  Don't mean to be discouraging, but apparently the pricing on 
>> these
>> isn't going to be any more affordable, although perhaps the coverage 
>> is
>> better.
>>
>> Jeanne Yocum
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