Health Insurance

[Bart Elliott]

Many of you may have your Health Insurance provided for you. If you don't, what type of insurance do you have and with whom? Explain why you've chosen the particular company you now use.

This is really a means to provide information for those individuals seeking out Health Insurance because it is not provided by an employer. The thread is not about probing into your personal life. Chances are that if you are self-employeed, music business or not, there comes a time when most of us will need some sort of health plan. What do you do?

[sidereal]

I finally broke down and got Blue Cross health and dental. Yeah, it's an expense that's difficult to deal with as a freelancer. But when I hear horror stories, the peace of mind is well worth it.

What I did was get the cheapest PPO program from the most reputable carrier I could find. I'm still fairly young and healthy, so it's good enough for me.

[felix]

Ditto with side...my wife gets to keep her drs.  I never go anyways cause they always find something wrong...so unless it's serious.

Like my  dad was an hour from dying about 3 years ago...we all thought he was a goner but anthem blue cross/shield did an awesome job of covering the big money/bills when they hit...so we all stuck with them in our family.

[BO733]

The group I play in opened for a group called "The Dismemberment Plan" from Washington D.C. They have a good link on their website to an organization specializing in this very issue - musicians and health insurance. Here is the address if you are interested:  http://www.futureofmusic.com]www.futureofmusic.com .  It's interesting. bye

[Bart Elliott]

I searched for quite awhile for insurance a number of years ago. I ended going with a group plan offered by the  http://www.nationalbusiness.org]National Business Association . After a year or so, the NBA plan dropped the Wellness clause ... which really seems silly. Unfortunately, their prices also continued to steadily increase, so a little over a year ago I started looking again.

I found the The National Association For The Self-Employeed ... whose rates were a little bit better, offered a few more unimportant services, but had REALLY LOW caps on everything. I have just been getting Major Medical covered, but the NASE had such low minimums that it just didn't make sense. If you are in a terrible accident and pratically loose an arm ... you can't have a policy that's going to run out within the first month because of costs. So if you need cheap insurance, they were the cheapest ... but if you really NEED to use the insurance, God forbid, then you probably don't want to use them.

So I'm still looking for something other than what the NBA provides.

Once I move to Nashville, I'll more than likely check with the Music Union again to see what kind of group plan they have. I'm currently a union member, but will just wait until I finish the move.

Don't be fooled with all the little extras that insurance companies offer. I've been ripped off in the past when it comes to Dental and Optical plans. You get quoted low rates, even get a little booklet which outlines the prices for every procedure known to mankind, but that just gives them the opportunity to "nickel and dime" you to death with this, that, and the other. I recently bought glasses and contacts ... my insurance doesn't cover that ... but I got just as good of a rate by walking in. I still got my frames for 50% off, and lens were 20% off.

In addition to the health packages, these organizations offer "cheap rates" and "discounts" on things like car rentals, airline ticketing, hotel/motel rates, etc. Don't be fooled! Being with the National Business Association and the American Federation of Musicians ... I can beat ALL of their "member discounts" just by getting on the Internet and checking places like Expedia.com or Priceline.com. There are BIG differences in the discounts as well. I'm still clueless as to why these organizations still offer this stuff when anyone off the street can do better ... and you don't have to be a member!