We have Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois and I've never had an issues with them. Now the nurses at my Doctors officer thats another manner. I have to say that the company they use for Mental health stuff therapy and such is Crap ASL I think its called and they make it impossible to get anything done especially if someone is emotionally or mentally falling apart at the time and really need to see a therapist.

I figured most people would disagree with me and say that BCBS is the devil, but I really have never had any issues with BCBS-IL.

years, regular insurance when I needed it and now supplemental for Medicare. I've never had a problem. I also have their dental plan.

(as a Mutual Legal Reserve Company ).

http://bcbsil.com/company_info/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_Care_Service_Corporation

It explains so much.

My employer provides it to me (for a healthy premium). BCBS-IL. I think a lot of it has to do with the actual plan my company paid for.

It's a PPO and I've never had them deny anything or any other shenanigans.

as opposed to coverage with Aetna subsidiary when I was a contractor before becoming an employee, which was 5000 a year for one person and lousy coverage.

As a disabled person, you don't really hear from people like me who are on Medicare. I have a choice from a number of Insurance carriers and they are pretty much all the same.

Though I wish I had dental insurance. Which I have no insurance on.

quality of BCBS can vary locality to locality, but here it's been great.

but I have mine in Ontario Canada.


Imagine going in the doctors office and not getting a bill...Or having 3 brain operations, chem, radiation, blood transfusions, intensive care for 2 weeks, palliative care in the hospital for a week...and no medical bills.

Imagine getting stem cell transplant harvesting for your month long in hospital chemo treatment, one operation, radiation , another chemo and nurse visits to the house and 3 months palliative care in the hospital and no medical bill.

Imagine seeing an optometrist, sent to an eye surgeon and getting laser operation for a detached retina, all in the same day... and no medical bills.

number one was my son, number two was my husband and number three was me...and I got the travel grant cheques, 3 for 80 bucks each and one for 278 bucks. pays for gas and accommodations...

God bless Canada....July 1st is Canada day....We are proud and very happy AND free.

socialism and so forth.

sooo lucky in sooo many ways.

Mine is not that great, but luckily I haven't had to use it except for normal checkups and the sort.

BC/BS - $14,400 a year for a small family. That's a big chunk of our net annual income. Service has generally been good, but it should be at that price.

I am insured through my wife's employer. She has MS, which is a $50,000 a year disease without insurance. $2,500 a month for her daily injections, we pay $50 a month thanks to her insurance. $7,000 a pop for MRIs, which she needs at least twice a year. We don't pay for those at all thanks to her insurance.

I take two medications for high blood pressure. Total monthly tab for my medicines is $6.50 thanks to her insurance.

I could go on, but you get the point.

and lab work now has to go against the deductible. Big change for me. I liked it better before.

Actually, very generous coverage until recently-- it was a PPO, and I think it was what they were calling a Cadillac plan and thus eventually subject to higher taxation. They recently switched to one of those new high-deductible health insurance plans with a seeded HSA. Everything was great if you stayed in-network, with doctors who billed the insurance company directly.

But...

If you ever went out of network, or otherwise found yourself in a situation where you paid for coverage yourself and then filed a claim, the insurance company frequently came up with some reason to deny your claim, which led to endless phone calls and arguments. It's then that you realize that no matter how generous the plan, the insurance company's objective is still to spend as little as possible on you.

It's Empire Blue Cross Blue Shield.

both under my dad and later on my own with no problems.

i have united health care now, pay $100 a month through work and don't use it a whole lot other than my annual and seeing my psych. my biggest complaint is that my psychiatrist is considered a specialist, so i have to cough up a $60 copay every visit. i'm going every three weeks right now, so it's getting a bit expensive.

wish i could afford to get my husband on my plan, but that was an extra $400 a month that we don't have.

who have responded so far!!!

You know, it just occurred to me, maybe this question could be posed in all 50 *places* here in DU where we can compare notes on the state level too! What do you think?

The catch: It is only available to Active Duty or Retired Military and their families. (in my case, I'm the spouse of a retired AF member)

So we pay south of a thou...

It doesn't come any better than that.

You have no idea how good a deal you're getting, and how ripped-off many of us who don't have a military/federal plan really are.

the health care I need. I hate going to the hospital. So I'm bad about keeping up with what I'm supposed to do and Blue Cross scolds me and bugs me. So does my PCP.

My PCP has been bugging and scolding me for four years to get a colonoscopy and I keep "forgetting." The other week, I got a call from the gastrointestinal practice associated with the same group, asking when I wanted to schedule! I was caught, and finally threw in the towel. I hope that after suffering that indignity in a few weeks, they'll stop bugging me!

Now you have to drink that stuff. It starts out fine. And by the end you're planning murder in detail. WTF?

Beat me, chain me, cut me open ... but don't make me drink that stuff!

I'd been putting off a colonoscopy for 10 years because I'd read that they were coming up with an easier test. It's never happened. I have trouble drinking more than a few ounces of anything at a time, but "that stuff"? I'm really dreading this.

I'll have to think of a reward for myself afterward if I can manage to get it down.

too long and had a pre-cancerous polyp that required intestinal surgery, removed part of my intestine. Yep, don't put if off. I made out OK, but it was close. Dr. said another year or sooner I would have had full blown cancer.

But glad they caught it early enough to fix. Now you've got me a bit nervous, however.

But I'm not sure exactly what the point of recommending it would be, since it's offered through my husband's employer (a nonprofit institution of higher education) as a group plan; and since each employer picks different benefits, I'm not sure you would be able to replicate the same insurance with the same company anyway.

At any rate, here goes. It's a Cigna HMO policy. We used to get the PPO, where we could choose our own doctors at will. But it started getting high deductibles. So next time benefits signing-up time we decided that since all of our doctors were on the HMO provider list anyway, and since there were NO deductibles, and it offered 100% hospitalization coverage rather than 80% ... and since the premium was even less, why not try that.

The only downside is that we have to get a referral from our primary care physician for most everything that is not routine, which is kind of stupid. In other words, I have to go to my internist to say, "I've had this thing on my face for six months that won't go away," and he says, "you should go to the dermatologist," which I knew; so he has to write up a referral, etc. But hey, the cost is less. Perhaps I think it's stupid because I'm the kind of person who doesn't see a doctor for every little thing: I usually have to be dragged kicking and screaming, or already know something is wrong. In this case, I waited past the point I should have to have a skin cancer taken care of. I guess it's the primary care physician's job to weed out the non-serious complaints, so as not to incur specialist visits, etc. for people who don't need it. That is what keeps costs down.

At any rate. We'd never been big users of health insurance for the first 50 years of life or so, but glad to have it. Now that we've both hit 60, shit happens, and we find ourselves using more medical care. Our policy has paid for pretty much everything without question over the last few years: from a host of things from a serious bicycling accident my husband had, that required a lot of specialist visits plus ultimately surgery and rehab, to my skin-cancer surgery, a hernia surgery for the hubby, etc. etc. The few times we've had questions and had to call, they've been very helpful and straightened everything out right away.

So I can't say I'm unhappy with our insurance. It's worked for us.

co-pay for office visits only. No other charge except medicare premiums.

Would I rather single payer? You bet I would.

But that's fantasy land for the time being. And I'd rather be insured and hating my carrier than uninsured and in deep fear.

The prices are a little high but I have complained about the prices for 25 years.

We covered very well including all preventive health care.

Blue Cross/Shield provided through Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan. (Lucky.)

Deductible is $2000 per person. For a family of three.

What procedures, etc. they cover is okay. How much they cover is not nearly enough given the high and rising monthly premiums.

Love it. Only issue I've had is that Medicaid in my state dropped dental coverage a while back.

One time I needed a ride home from the ER at like 4am. Medicaid provides some transportation vouchers and they use local taxi services under those circumstances.
At the time there was only one taxi service her and they also provided limousines. For some reason all of their regular cars were extremely busy. So, they sent a limo.

I have Highmark BC/BS through my employer, but I do pay around $150/ mo. for a family plan... which for us is only 2 adults. We had a choice of three options; I chose the "cadillac" plan. I have only a $5 co-pay on office visits and most prescriptions. I think it's $20 for emergency room (not sure, haven't used that benefit).

My dental and vision plans suck though.

thru my CalPers retirement. I pay less than $500 a year, $10 copays, and diabetes meds/supplies are free. The clinic offices are convenient, only about a mile away.

Downsides: I do have to get a referral for specialists, and they have fought me over getting a colonoscopy (i had to take it higher, and won). Also, there is a pretty high turnover rate in primary care physicians, so you don't get much choice (mostly young and Asian). My PCP, who I really liked, just left last week, so now I'll have to be assigned another one . It's always a crapshoot as to whether I'll like them or not.

However, unless I move out of California, I'll probably have Kaiser until I keel over. My current coverage should segue right into Medicare when I turn 65 in about 8 years.

It's a six of one, half a dozen of another kind of thing

But every plan is different. Even the hundreds of plans offered by United are different. For me, my doctor and my kids' doctors are all in the network, so annual well visits are all free. I pay $5 for any generic drugs, and have been lucky enough to only use generics and a few times they were cheaper than the $5 co-pay. My kids went to a cardiac specialist as youngsters, no problems. I went to see two different specialist. It was as simple as picking the one closest to me house, and paying the co-pay. I never had a problem. Its been 10 years of great coverage. We have been mostly healthy, but when sick we always had no problems. the biggest costs were the co-pay for the births of my kids and for one surgery I had. but I found them to be reasonable. I switched employment and my new employer offered a similar United plan, so I moved right over and kept all my same doctors.

I work for a large employer and this is their own plan within Aetna. My healthcare coverage (medical, dental, vision) costs $5597 of which I pay $858 of ($16.50/week).

I have a health fund, which the employer puts money in, and my annual deductible is $650, then I pay up to $1500 (15% of each medical need) and then 100% coverage kicks in. So, if I'm in a bad car accident the total cost I would incur is $2150 - excluding prescriptions. And prescription coverage is good too. I pay 10% cost up to $25 for generic, 30% up to $75 brand name, 50% up to $175 for non-preferred brand name. So, I was sick with a sinus infection and my antibiotic cost me $0.17. My NuvaRing is brand name (30%), which I use mail order so a 3 month supply costs $57.

Preventative care has always been included for free.

For the first time in decades, I have fully paid BC/BS from my employer.
What's not to like?
I recently had a short detour to the White Sheet Hotel - I was there for 65 hours total.
Fortunately, nothing serious - I had some tests, little else.
The bill? $38,500.
This would have been a serious hit on the finances, obviously.
I paid $750.
So, I'm one the lucky ones. Health insurance is essential in this country.

Very high deductibles and copays, premiums so high her mom has to help her out, and they deny deny deny deny deny the most amazing things. They tried to deny the MRI her NEUROLOGIST ordered because he suspected she had MS.

She eventually got the MRI covered and guess what? SHE HAS MS. The insurance companies try to practice medicine by overruling the diagnostics ordered by specialists. They ought to be prosecuted for the unlicensed practice of medicine IMHO.

really recommend it to a friend because my coverage is exclusive to state employees. What one persons coverage and benefits can be drastically different even when you share the same provider. Our state negotiating for the benefits it offers it's employees, plus there are other stipulations. All employees must be enrolled or provide proof they are covered somewhere else. It is like a mandate within the group, though not being enrolled has benefits for those who do not need to be. When I was a city employee we had it even better if you were married and both you and your spouse worked for city government, as I did for a while when I was married, our coverage, including dependents was free.

this corporate plan is useless.

I live in the UK; I moved here when I married my British wife. So my healthcare coverage is the NHS, which is paid for through National Insurance contributions and taxation. So medical treatment for the most part is free at the point of delivery; doctor's visits are free, prescriptions are free because I live in Wales, dental coverage has a copay, but it's capped at £209 for a course of treatment to include root canals, crowns, bridgework or dentures. One still retains the option of going private or maintaining private insurance. Overall I'd have to say I'm quite happy with it and would unhesitatingly recommend it to the US government as a better model than the half-arsed healthcare reforms that were enacted, but...baby steps.

And as an aside, my first experience of the British healthcare system came when I was not yet legally resident (I was in the country on a six-month tourist visa); I woke up one day with a migraine (which I get occasionally, but thankfully, infrequently). I was in tremendous pain, and experiencing extreme nausea; I was puking sick from it, and my then-fiancee was quite worried--worried enough that she rang up the NHS Direct service, where the helpful woman on the other end said "well...with those symptoms it COULD be meningitis". So she insisted I go to the hospital, despite me telling her "no, it's a migraine, I've had them before, I just have to wait for it to pass". Ambulance was called for, and off to hospital I went, where I saw a doctor who examined me and after hearing my symptoms and checking my vitals and reflexes agreed that yes, it seemed to be a migraine, and prescribed co-codamol (acetaminophen + codeine). Of course having only had experience of US healthcare previously I was pretty worried about the expense; I was imagining being presented with a bill for several thousand (which...in the US, you'd be looking at a grand for the ambulance, and another couple of grand for the emergency room visit). I had to visit the NHS website and verify that yes, emergency treatment is free even for non-UK residents before I really believed it.

Being out of work this long means no coverage.

Of course I'm VA.

I've had BCBS of MA for the last couple of years, and I've been very pleased with their coverage. But unfortunately, my employer is changing insurance plans as of next week, and I don't yet have an opinion of the new coverage, which will be from United Health Care. It's supposed to be a comparable plan. But I'm already cranky that I'm going to have to change primary care doctors, since my old one doesn't accept the new plan.

I have been without healthcare coverage when unemployed. Its a scary feeling.

but once you get in, the care is excellent. (if you can stand listening the faux news on the t v) ( and listen to old farts complain about "the one termer".......) Come to think about it, my Medicare is pretty good.

providers once a year. So if another provider has better incentives, like paying for health club initiation fees or contributes to acupuncture, I can switch.

I would expect everyone in the USA would be really happy to have it too.

On occasion I hear people complaining, mostly about errors in paperwork and having to argue with them.

Once when my nephew was a baby, the insurance company called him and sent him letters. It was hilarious. They got a letter back explaining to them they were writing to an infant.

If not for insurance, I'd be crippled, deaf and BROKE.
Don't fuck with my health insurance...it is fine.

BC/BS of Mass. Very pleased with the plan.

of all prices.

I have Cigna right now...not so good, and overpriced for what it is.

Have to pay deductible of $5,000 and 20% after that.

No deductible on doctors visits, only $20, so not so bad.

medical coverage .. dental was 30 a month ....
Family coverage was 400. a month ... (no kids ... just me and wife)
Since I have Tricare from the military ... I didn't cover the wife with
state coverage ... just had dental for both of us ....

I do pay a bit of the premium myself, it's not completely employer paid-for.

I wish everybody had access to the coverage I have at the price I pay.

At least short of a universal system like other countries have, my own coverage would be pretty good for many people.

The copayments and deductibles however, would be difficult for people of limited income so there should be alternatives for them.

--on how good your fire extinguisher is. Worthless, if you have never been in the 15% of the population that accounts for 85% of all health care expenses. Worthless, unless you have used it on an actual fire.

I love them!!

Especially over the last 6 months as my wife fights cancer. No hassles, no mistakes, no problems in coverage.

Bcbs. They recently went way up on their premiums. But still affordable and provides decent coverage. Much better on prescriptions than doctors visists. Now I'm a teacher and get access to this through the district so some self employeed person is not going to get what I get.

at my previous job, which was CIGNA, it was fine. Affordable and reasonable, I had no complaints. Then they switched to another provider for some dumb ass reason, then rates would go up on a regular bases, which lasted until the end of the project.

when I was laid off, because the project was coming to an end and I was part of a RIF, there were subsides. Both employer based and some others as well as COBRA. But as the subsides ran out, it became terrible unaffordable. Its was a hundred and something for a few months, then a subside would end. It then was well over two hundred and fifty dollars for a few months, then the last subsidy ended which then made it 550+ a month and when the last subsidy was gone, so was my health care.

Since mid to late 2010. I have had no health insurance because it is unaffordable for me. I made over 47K a year for six years, now I might make 13K. When it comes to Health Insurance, I am fucked.

Both my husband and I have Medicare and our supplementary insurance is Stirling & Stirling that we purchase through the Connecticut State Teachers Retirement. We each pay approx $289 per month which includes our premiums for Medicare and Supp. Last year my husband was diagnosed with cancer and had 2 surgeries and 35 radiation treatments and we have yet to see a bill. BTW, our supp insurance also includes Rx, dental, vision, and hearing. (vision and hearing not great but at least it pays for some of the eye exam and glasses.) I sometimes feel so guilty to have such great coverage while there are so many with no insurance at all.

Not that I have anyone else to cover but it would be over $600 a month for a spouse, for example. I literally could not afford it. Fortunately I don't have to. It is not an HMO, so that is good. It is a PPO, so I don't have to have go through a primary care in order to go to a specialist. I just go as long as they are on the list and most are. I haven't used it yet but the copays are fairly high.

Paid for diagnostics that found cancer. Paid for surgery. Paid for radiation and chemo. Not to mention all kinds of doctor appointments and bloodwwork.

Yes I have A monthly payment. Yes there were copays. But I am glad to pay that tiny percentage.

I like my doctors, nurses and others who work there. It's reasonably priced. No frills. Just good healthcare in my opinion.