Understood. But they can't (or won't) tell me "your insurance company pays us X dollars" for a pelvic ultrasound, or "if you came in off the street, you'd pay Y dollars it," OR "if you had one today and were on a deductible plan with your insurance company, we'd send you a bill for Z dollars."
I was on a deductible plan from 2004-2005; I can look up some of the lab costs from then and adjust them for price increases. But I didn't have any ultrasounds, dammit.
And my insurance company won't tell me, either.
Yet one of the ways I make my living is designing and laying out wellness newsletters that constantly promote and stress the importance of Health Care Consumerism. It's the latest magic pill that's supposed to solve all of our problems and bring prices down.
So I'm left with over 100 health plans to choose from, and insufficent data with which to evaulate what my actual total health care costs (including insurance) are likely to be under any of them. Well, except for the premium plans that have no deductibles. 'Cause co-pay amounts are reasonably clear. Not perfectly so -- about once a year, I get a refunt check in the mail for a copay they charged me that I didn't actually owe, but I'm not looking for that level of precision. I'm trying to ensure that changing to a plan with a lower premium that I can pretend to afford won't actually end up costing me more than the plan getting hit with the $148/month premium increase.
Much as I personally like the leafy green, "I say it's spinach, and I say to Hell with it!"
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-03-07 05:00 pm (UTC)I was on a deductible plan from 2004-2005; I can look up some of the lab costs from then and adjust them for price increases. But I didn't have any ultrasounds, dammit.
And my insurance company won't tell me, either.
Yet one of the ways I make my living is designing and laying out wellness newsletters that constantly promote and stress the importance of Health Care Consumerism. It's the latest magic pill that's supposed to solve all of our problems and bring prices down.
So I'm left with over 100 health plans to choose from, and insufficent data with which to evaulate what my actual total health care costs (including insurance) are likely to be under any of them. Well, except for the premium plans that have no deductibles. 'Cause co-pay amounts are reasonably clear. Not perfectly so -- about once a year, I get a refunt check in the mail for a copay they charged me that I didn't actually owe, but I'm not looking for that level of precision. I'm trying to ensure that changing to a plan with a lower premium that I can pretend to afford won't actually end up costing me more than the plan getting hit with the $148/month premium increase.
Much as I personally like the leafy green, "I say it's spinach, and I say to Hell with it!"