Health-Plan Options

[swsop]

Study Health-Plan Options Carefully This Open Season

For the next four weeks, federal employees and retirees will select their health insurance coverage for 2007. Many will escape the sticker shock of past years, as federal officials say 63 percent of enrollees in the federal employee health insurance program will see no increase in their premiums next year.

But policy analyst Walton Francis , who tracks premium and benefit changes in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, cautions against falling into open-season complacency. Full Story

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/12/AR2006111200777.html?referrer=email

 

[weatherweenie]

Study Health-Plan Options Carefully This Open Season

For the next four weeks, federal employees and retirees will select their health insurance coverage for 2007. Many will escape the sticker shock of past years, as federal officials say 63 percent of enrollees in the federal employee health insurance program will see no increase in their premiums next year.

But policy analyst Walton Francis , who tracks premium and benefit changes in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, cautions against falling into open-season complacency. Full Story

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/12/AR2006111200777.html?referrer=email

If only I wasn't going to see an increase in my health care premiums. Mine are going from $130 to $210 per paycheck!

I'll be switching plans.

 

[Scout333]

Just a heads up. I was reviewing the Blue Cross plan information last night and I noted that there were some very significant reductions in coverages for the Standard and Basic plans but especially with regard to the Basic plan coverages. Those of us with the Basic Blue Cross plan should take a very close look at the prescription coverages (especially the mail order prescription plan). Looks to be a significant increase in the amounts we will have to pay out of pocket. None of these changes were discussed by the Blue Cross representative. There are also significant changes in amounts the employee will have to pay for out of network services (100 % of the cost in many cases).

 

[ChemEng]

Quick question -- Do you have to re-elect coverage if you want to same plan? Or is it just if you want to change you plan?

 

[EW_ret]

Quick question -- Do you have to re-elect coverage if you want to same plan? Or is it just if you want to change you plan?

You do nothing if you want to stay with your current federal health plan. That's unlike the health care flexible spending plan where you have to apply every year.

 

[ChemEng]

Thanks... I was thinking about doing an FSA. Does anyone here have one? Have they wide released the debit card feature yet? How much hassle in general is it to use it?

(If people dont want to talk about it in this thread, then please pm me. Thanks!)

 

[CountryBoy]

Chem Eng,

It's no hassle at all, Ya can sign up on line, I haven't signed up yet this year, so I'm not familiar with the debit card feature. Everything is taken care of electronically, paycheck withdrawals and payment. I just get an email from them when they pay a bill.

CB

EDIT: I use BCBS also.

 

[FundSurfer]

Extremely easy if you pick a health care provider that has paperless reimbursement. I use BCBS and the program automatically deposits co-pays for doctor and drugs into my bank account. If you were going to claim OC drugs you'd still have to submit the paperwork for those.

I try to shoot for an amount I know I'll use in the year with co-pays. I keep all my drug store reciepts with OC in a file just in case I don't use enough money that year. So far I've always undershot and not had to deal with the reimbusement paperwork. Since they now let you carry over a couple months into the next year you can always alter at the next open season and be ok as well.

The tax savings is very good. You end up paying medical bills with pretax dollars.

The debit card is a pilot with GEHA next year.

 

[ChemEng]

I think Im going to give it a try this year. We dont make much use of our health insurance (thankfully) so it wont be much, but pre-tax not much is better than post-tax less. I also use BCBS (plan 105), so hopefully the process will be as positive as mentioned. Thanks!

 

[airlift]

Weatherweenie and Scout333 have posted important cost-rises and also BCBS increases. Help anyone! Can someone give a summary of the best Health-Plan option. I've always been with BCBS for my wife and me, and I don't like the HMO thing. Rather I have the preferred physician or PPO ( don't know the exact name). I also am re-enlisting in the FSA (Fexible Savings accounts) for 2007. So far it's working well, as explained by Fundsurfer. Now I am looking to join the new dental plan. Has anyone compared which is the better Dental Plan? I heard say that BCBS was not selected as an intermediary for this. Thanks in advance for your opinions!

 

[ATCJeff]

Weatherweenie and Scout333 have posted important cost-rises and also BCBS increases. Help anyone! Can someone give a summary of the best Health-Plan option. I've always been with BCBS for my wife and me, and I don't like the HMO thing. Rather I have the preferred physician or PPO ( don't know the exact name). I also am re-enlisting in the FSA (Fexible Savings accounts) for 2007. So far it's working well, as explained by Fundsurfer. Now I am looking to join the new dental plan. Has anyone compared which is the better Dental Plan? I heard say that BCBS was not selected as an intermediary for this. Thanks in advance for your opinions!

I'm real interested in what you find out about dental. My children are now older and they don't need as much medical attention as dental. I'll have two kids with braces next year and the FSA will help but I could use a better dental plan than BCBS 105 offers. BCBS dental really %^&@!

 

[VirginiaBob]

Reading through the 2007 BCBS plan brochure, I didn't notice any of the reductions as the previous posters have said. Not sure what they mean.

 

[airlift]

Some persons have responded positively. Read Weatherweenie's thread, as an example. Hope someone else can shed additional light on this area! I have BCBS, but am going to need extensive woek and they are very limited. In fact, BCBS was not selected for this as an internediary by OPM. There are others such as MetLife, Aetna, and others.

I'm real interested in what you find out about dental. My children are now older and they don't need as much medical attention as dental. I'll have two kids with braces next year and the FSA will help but I could use a better dental plan than BCBS 105 offers. BCBS dental really %^&@!

 

[Show-me]

I'm real interested in what you find out about dental. My children are now older and they don't need as much medical attention as dental. I'll have two kids with braces next year and the FSA will help but I could use a better dental plan than BCBS 105 offers. BCBS dental really %^&@!

All dental plans have a 24 month waiting period for orthodontia.

I was not impressed by the dental or vision plans but they are in it to make money.

 

[weatherweenie]

Weatherweenie and Scout333 have posted important cost-rises and also BCBS increases. Help anyone! Can someone give a summary of the best Health-Plan option. I've always been with BCBS for my wife and me, and I don't like the HMO thing. Rather I have the preferred physician or PPO ( don't know the exact name). I also am re-enlisting in the FSA (Fexible Savings accounts) for 2007. So far it's working well, as explained by Fundsurfer. Now I am looking to join the new dental plan. Has anyone compared which is the better Dental Plan? I heard say that BCBS was not selected as an intermediary for this. Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Don't know about MetLife, but after getting refills on some prescriptions, I think I might end up going with the Basic option of Aetna's Open Acess HMO.

 

[Show-me]

Crunch time! Now, I use my benefits quite a bit due to my on going battle.

BCBS has been good to me in this area. A plethora of providers and for Postal folks rates are going down 2.9%. I have trouble with the other plans because I live in a very rural area. Missouri is "undeserved".

My suggestion is that before you make a decision, make sure you have providers in your area. A lower premium is muted by not having providers. I open each Insurer in a different window and go to the "find a Physician" page, type in the zip and wallah.

All of the dental plans in this area...........forget it. Two plans had Dentists in my area. One had only one and the other had two. This is to hard to manage IMO. BCBS has basic coverage w/there Standard Plan. I think I could make money if the plans had more providers, but I will use my FSA instead.

Vision plans..................seems cheap. BCBS @ $135.27 for the High Plan, but it goes back to where are the Providers. Don't forget 27 PP this year. I skimp on glasses and use my FSA. I think I will give the BCBS Plan a try this year.

FSA............27 Pay Period will take a little edge off of the amount withheld. Big, huge, enormous fan of the FSA. Got kids that need braces..........need I say more. FSA has extended their time by I believe 2.5 months and are going to the "Debit Card" type system. Excellent way to lower Taxable Income. I have used it every year.

 

[airlift]

Show,

I want to thank you for the thorough comparison that you have done. Now I understand certain important or critical aspects that make the difference between a theoretical offering and a reality check due to the lack of physicians in certain areas as you have pointed out. I live in a more urban area so there are more choices of dentists. In my case, I will probably go with MetLife for the dental health plan, because it offers me a higher amount in the capping area, around $3,000 maximum. I did not personally do the comparison, but someone in my office assured me this was the best for me in my area. In regard to the Federal Savings account (FSA) you are absolutely correct, it is a good choice for income tax purposes also, and I have until next March to spend the balance of the amount chosen for the 2006 tax year. Since you stated that you have extensive dental work for your kids, but that you don't have good dental providers in your area -- I recommend that yo take the maximum of $5,000 cap allowed by the FSA plan, so that you can have the cushion provided by FSA. Nevertheless, you should find out if some of the dentists in your area do braces, because there should be an additional tax saving and out-of-pocket savings if you are able to combine the FSA and the BeneFeds benefits. My best wishes to you!

Crunch time! Now, I use my benefits quite a bit due to my on going battle.

BCBS has been good to me in this area. A plethora of providers and for Postal folks rates are going down 2.9%. I have trouble with the other plans because I live in a very rural area. Missouri is "undeserved".

My suggestion is that before you make a decision, make sure you have providers in your area. A lower premium is muted by not having providers. I open each Insurer in a different window and go to the "find a Physician" page, type in the zip and wallah.

All of the dental plans in this area...........forget it. Two plans had Dentists in my area. One had only one and the other had two. This is to hard to manage IMO. BCBS has basic coverage w/there Standard Plan. I think I could make money if the plans had more providers, but I will use my FSA instead.

Vision plans..................seems cheap. BCBS @ $135.27 for the High Plan, but it goes back to where are the Providers. Don't forget 27 PP this year. I skimp on glasses and use my FSA. I think I will give the BCBS Plan a try this year.

FSA............27 Pay Period will take a little edge off of the amount withheld. Big, huge, enormous fan of the FSA. Got kids that need braces..........need I say more. FSA has extended their time by I believe 2.5 months and are going to the "Debit Card" type system. Excellent way to lower Taxable Income. I have used it every year.

 

[Rydogg]

I looked into the Dental plans pretty intensely but they aren't really worth it IF you're just going in for routine dental work/cleanings. Use your FSA for that you'll be ahead of the game.

If you're having some type of surgery or crowns or something, then I'd say go for it. I got the Metlife High plan and I'm having one crown put in next year and it's actually paying me back double :nuts: my annual premiums.

If you're going for orthodontics WATCHOUT, you need to have coverage for two years BEFORE you get braces or they don't pay out anything. Even with that the plans only cover ~$1500 total. Not worth it in my opinion.

As far as the Vision Plans are concerned, Spectra Standard is what I'm going with. I actually set up a spread sheet with all the costs + FSA discount and it ended up being the cheapest overall and you get a new pair of glasses each year... if that's your thing. I'd HIGHLY advise you set up your own spread sheet though, EVERYBODY has different needs and my plan might not benefit you as much.

Hope this helps.

 

[airlift]

Thanks for you input. My wife and I need to have a couple of crowns done , so I'll go with Metlife.

I looked into the Dental plans pretty intensely but they aren't really worth it IF you're just going in for routine dental work/cleanings. Use your FSA for that you'll be ahead of the game.

If you're having some type of surgery or crowns or something, then I'd say go for it. I got the Metlife High plan and I'm having one crown put in next year and it's actually paying me back double :nuts: my annual premiums.

If you're going for orthodontics WATCHOUT, you need to have coverage for two years BEFORE you get braces or they don't pay out anything. Even with that the plans only cover ~$1500 total. Not worth it in my opinion.

As far as the Vision Plans are concerned, Spectra Standard is what I'm going with. I actually set up a spread sheet with all the costs + FSA discount and it ended up being the cheapest overall and you get a new pair of glasses each year... if that's your thing. I'd HIGHLY advise you set up your own spread sheet though, EVERYBODY has different needs and my plan might not benefit you as much.

Hope this helps.