Web DebtSmart.com
DebtSmart.com
Friday, March 29, 2024   
 

Survey Results: Health Insurance
by Scott Bilker
Scott Bilker is the author of the best-selling books, Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt, Credit Card and Debt Management, and How to be more Credit Card and Debt Smart. He's also the founder of DebtSmart.com. More about and DebtSmart can be found in the online media kit.
Printable format
FREE subscription to DebtSmartŪ Email Newsletter and FREE software too!

Scott Bilker This survey originally ran in the 2/12/03 DebtSmart Email Newsletter.
To take the survey click here.

How many individuals live in your household?

5.26% of respondents said 1
31.58% of respondents said 2
24.56% of respondents said 3
17.54% of respondents said 4
12.28% of respondents said 5
1.75% of respondents said 6
3.5% of respondents said more than 6

Do you, or your family, have full health insurance coverage?

52.63% of respondents said Yes
40.35% of respondents said No

"Husband laid off - we will lose our dental and vision coverage after Cobra ends - and in the meantime have to pay a higher premium - I have the health insurance through my work"
--Anonymous

"Both of my children are on a Medicaid based insurance program and my husband and I have no insurance coverage due to the outrageous cost."
--Kristina

"Try being SINGLE and without family; female, older, low earning; there is nothing out there we can afford."
--Anonymous

"I can no longer afford the increased premiums coupled with higher deductibles."
--Anonymous

"I have health insurance, my mother and stepfather do not."
--Anonymous

"My children are covered by Medicaid, but my husband and myself aren't covered at all."
--Terri

"More like accident insurance, but still very expensive."
--Anonymous

"We just got out of the military and are not used to deductibles and co-pays and such. I was not aware of all of the fees in regards to healthcare and I am feeling a bit overwhelmed!"
--Jodi

"When my husband lost his job, we lost our insurance. The state now pays for our two young sons, but my husband and I have no insurance, and no way to pay our doctor bills. I've checked into insurance coverage, and if the monthly premiums are cheap, then we get socked with huge deductibles and co-payments (and vice versa). We just can't fork over a couple of hundred dollars a month for "just in case". My husband lost a job of 27,000. gross income to take a job making 16,000./year and supporting all of us a truck driver (and people think truck drivers do okay!?)"
--Karen

My husband has insurance through his union. He is on disability and has medicare primary backed up with BlueChoice. He has no problems. I have insurance through my job. Because my husband was married (his first wife is deceased) his union will never cover my insurance. New York State allows them to do this. I have to keep working to pay the insurance. Otherwise I'd have cut back long ago. Most of the older people I work with here in NY are the same."
--Mary

"Children have coverage through the state DSHS."
--Anonymous

"Due to the cost, our health insurance is split up in different companies. My son and I are on one plan with one company, and my husband's is totally different."
--Anonymous

"It's a PPO plan with huge deductibles and only pays 70% of any bill (including hospitalization.) We pay the other 30%."
--Anonymous

"My spouse and I have independent ins coverage and our 4 children are covered by state funded childrens ins."
--Anonymous

If yes, are you happy with your current coverage?

35.08% of respondents said Yes
29.82% of respondents said No
35.01% of respondents said n/a

"Happy with Kaiser but hardly any of the plans available have dental coverage - we've always had to buy extra dental insurance through husband's work."
--Anonymous

"I pay over $90 every 2 weeks for my medical coverage and close to $20 every 2 weeks for my dental coverage."
--Anonymous

"My husband and son are on one policy and I have to be on another because they will not accept me because of a medication I am on."
--Liberty

"My husband is retired and in 7 years the rates have increased over 100%. We have minimal dental coverage too."
--Anonymous

"The billed price goes up every billing cycle, and they don't cover much. It is a gambler's world- will I get so badly hurt that my home will be at risk? Should I keep the insurance?"
--Anonymous

"Too expensive."
--Max

"They suck"
--Joe

"Huuuummmm, do we buy health insurance or eat?"
--Karen

"My company changed to Cigna from Blue Choice two years ago. Many of the doctors do not accept it so many of my co-workers have had to change to a doctor who accept Cigna. Also Cigna has a very bad reputation for paying little and late. They regularly loose doctors because of this."
--Mary

"Cost is getting too expensive for the coverage you get!"
--Anonymous

"Since my spouse and I have pre-existing conditions, we cannot find any health insurance plans that will take us as individuals. They say that we are high risk. The plan that I have now is through my employer and it is the only plan that they offer."
--Anonymous

"Neither happy nor unhappy with coverage."
--Anonymous

If you don't have full coverage, would you be interested in saving up to 50% on doctor's visits, hospitals, dentists, prescriptions, eyewear, etc.?

56.14% of respondents said Yes
3.5% of respondents said No
40.35% of respondents said n/a

How much would such a plan be worth to cover you or your family?

8.77% of respondents said $200 per month
8.77% of respondents said $150 per month
10.53% of respondents said $100
7.02% of respondents said $75
26.32% of respondents said $50
38.6% of respondents said n/a

Would you prefer to pay for such a plan in one payment if you received two months free? 

33.33% of respondents said Yes
22.81% of respondents said No
43.86% of respondents said n/a

"Would prefer to purchase piece meal portions, such as vision or dental. Would the premiums be pre-tax?"
--Anonymous

"I would like that option but wouldn't be able to afford a big lump sum up front."
--Vicki

"Limited budget. Very hard to make one payment of anything."
--Anonymous

"This might be a great idea, except for folks with chronic conditions that require frequent doctor visits and numerous prescriptions."
--Anonymous

"If it allowed me to stay in my budget than yes, I would be happy to pay for it in one payment."
--Anonymous

"Health Insurance is ridiculous. Its great for those that don't need it. They have no problems. But for those of us that really do need it we can't get it or we have to pay an arm and a leg for it."
--Liberty

"Yeah, I would love to be able to pay premiums up front. In our situation, that's about impossible. I chose to stay at home with my children, we're with one income, I chose my children over MONEY. In the meantime, that means I guess my husband and I will have to wait for insurance coverage unless the payments are relatively inexpensive and the premiums are on a monthly basis-then we may be able to swing it."
--Karen

What do you Think?
Fill out the Survey

Reader Comments

"Love the newsletters! Thanks so much."
--Tammi

"In the months that we have received your newsletter I have learned a lot about things and appreciate the news. Thanks."
--Ema

"Great newsletter. I look forward to reading every issue, and enjoy taking the DebtSmart quizzes!"
--Anonymous

"As always, keep up the great work!"
--Anonymous

"Thanks for the newsletter. I enjoy each issue."
--Anonymous

--End--

 

Subscribe FREE and start finding new ways to save money and pay off your debt.

"The DebtSmart Email Newsletter is packed with cutting-edge strategies for solving credit problems. I highly recommend it."--Gerri Detweiler, radio host and author of The Ultimate Credit Handbook




DEBTSMART MEDIA MENTIONS
NBC 10 News:
Money King Secrets
<Photos and Video>
CN8:
Art Fennell Reports
<Photos and Video>
CNN: CNN Newsroom
<Photos and Video>
CNN: American Morning
<Photos and Video>
ABC: Action News
<Photos and Video>
CNN/fn: Your Money
<Photos and Video>
<See all Television Interviews>

Subscribe to the DebtSmart® RSS Feed
     
   Add to Google