Health

Health Plans - Example 3

When looking over different health care problems, there were a few things I had to consider. I know I do not visit the hospital or doctor more than twice or three times a year (each), and I do not make enough money working part time to pay high deductibles or high monthly fees. I need a plan that only includes myself, and I need coverage for my prescription. If possible, I would like to keep my current doctor, however I’m confident that in the bay area there is a large choice of doctors from which I would be able to easily find a doctor I like. The three healthcare plans I researched are: Anthem Blue Cross, Kaiser Permanente Copay 50, and Blue Shield Vital Shield 2900.

Anthem Blue Cross (Individual) has no deductible, a very low monthly cost (about $50 through my job), and fairly broad coverage. The office visit copay is very affordable for my budget ($20), and my prescription is covered for $10 for the generic and $30 for the brand name. I prefer the brand name personally due to side effects with the generics, but it will not hurt my wallet to get the brand name instead. The inpatient/outpatient costs are done by 20% of the bill, which I’m not too worried about, seeing as how I am in good health and expect no need for any hospital visits.

Kaiser Permanente: Copay 50 has no annual deductible, and preventive care – such as annual physicals, immunizations, and mammogram screenings – are free. A visit to a primary care physician or specialist is $50. X-rays and lab test are $10 a procedure. Outpatient surgery is $250 a procedure; I’m also not worried about needing any surgeries, my current health coverage covers outpatient, non-cosmetic surgeries completely. Kaiser Permanente’s plan also costs $500 a day for inpatient hospital care, and emergency room visits are $150. I could not find a monthly cost for this plan, however.

Blue Shield: Vital Shield 2900 costs $80 a month. There is a $29,000 deductible. The copay max is $5,900. However, they only offer coverage for generic prescriptions, which would be slightly cheaper for me, but I would rather pay an extra $20 to get the quality without the side effects. Office visits are $40 for the first visit of the year, then $0 after the out-of-pocket maximum has been reached. Lab tests and x-rays are only covered after the out-of-pocket maximum has been reached as well. Emergency room visits are $100 plus 40% after deductible. As stated before, I am in fairly good health and do not expect to be hospitalized or sent to an emergency room, however if something unexpected were to occur and I would need to go to the emergency room, I might not have $100 + 40% to cover the costs. Under this healthcare plan, one accident might cause serious financial problems.

In conclusion, after reviewing the different types of plans, I have decided that the best plan for me is the Anthem Blue Cross (Individual), which happens to be the plan I have been with for the past several years. I am comfortable with my plan, my doctor, my coverage, and I am able to pay for the costs as needed. The other plans I reviewed have either high deductibles or high monthly costs which I would not be able to pay on a regular basis. I rely on the low-cost of Anthem Blue Cross to get the amount of medical attention needed for my lifestyle.