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Questions tagged [health-insurance]

For questions about health insurance policies, including relevant terminology, types of policies, how to evaluate a health insurance policy, etc. Questions should be tagged with a country-specific tag in most cases, e.g. "united-states" or "canada".

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Short term health insurance between jobs

My wife is changing jobs- her and the kids are currently on her employer's group health plan. She is changing employers unexpectedly- she has only been at this employer for about four months. She has ...
David's user avatar
  • 355
2 votes
1 answer
159 views

Break even point for HDHP plan vs being uninsured?

I just learnt about nearby hospital's "uninsured patient discount" policy document that states: The Uninsured Patient Discount will not apply to any item or service provided to a patient ...
user389238's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
117 views

What Schedule C Health care Expenses can I deduct?

I am helping my daughter do her taxes, and have a question about what deductions are appropriate. She is on her own, not a dependent anymore but still on my insurance as she's under 26. Her income is ...
JTP - Apologise to Monica's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
91 views

Should I claim medical expense before insurance made final determination?

A family member has had a surgery at the end of last year. So far the insurance claim has been rejected because the doctor did not report it properly. I have no idea when that will be resolved and ...
taxpayer2022's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
49 views

Dr. office moved my payments around and now double billing me?

I had to pre-pay for treatment until insurance kicked in; insurance totally messed up all the claims and paid where they should not have which made doctors billing dept. move my payment to other ...
Sick of Billing's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
57 views

Can I receive APTC if I am on F1?

Last year I used the marketplace (healthcare.gov) to get health insurance for myself (F1) and my dependents (F2). Based on the information and documents I provided, they found me eligible and gave my ...
Mohammad Hassany's user avatar
-3 votes
1 answer
123 views

Is it legal or ethical for the insurance company to increase the cost of the service from the service provider to the patient?

I visited the emergency room, out of state, for lower back pain. My bill was $1,013.08. The providers bill showed Florida Blue Cross/Blue Shield paid $129.91 but also INCREASED my bill in the amount ...
Bill's user avatar
  • 1
2 votes
0 answers
87 views

Who pays for costs of organ donations?

If person X's advance directive for healthcare has them listed as an organ donor, who pays for life sustaining treatment to ensure that the organs remain viable before harvesting? Is it person X's ...
heretoinfinity's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
142 views

Lab repeatedly submitted bill to wrong insurance. How do I resolve the issue?

I am handling the estate of my late step-father. In November 2021 he was in the hospital and had lab work done. The lab company sent the claim to the wrong insurance. My mother & insurance company ...
Minerva1us's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
58 views

Does my spouse's income count the income calculation for the Affordable Care Act? (See details)

Scenario: I plan to retire before I am eligible for Medicare My wife is eligible for and plans to sign up for Medicare when I retire My wife has income from social security We file our taxes as ...
JohnFx's user avatar
  • 52.3k
2 votes
1 answer
185 views

Health insurance company went out of business; what am I on the hook for?

In June 2020, I had a biopsy (negative). At the time, I was “covered” by ACA-compliant insurance that was paid in full, in good standing, etc. I paid the required co-pay on the day of the procedure. ...
AndreaDoria's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
199 views

Paying too much for health insurance - is there a crisis-only policy avaialble?

Say there's a family of four living on one income. The income level is moderate, say in the $80-100k per year range, they live simply and budget carefully, and have a relatively comfortable, debt-...
nuggethead's user avatar
  • 1,687
1 vote
2 answers
84 views

Are there any tax/general implications to adding my fiance on employer sponsored insurance?

I recently started a new position and am working on declaring/electing benefits with my employer. To my surprise this employer allows "domestic partners" to be insured for various forms of ...
KDecker's user avatar
  • 1,108
0 votes
2 answers
111 views

Pre-existing conditions on short-term health insurance

Despite the many answers on this site saying pre-existing conditions are a thing of the past, there are non-marketplace US insurance plans that exclude pre-existing conditions on a 12 month or 24 ...
Dragonel's user avatar
  • 797
11 votes
3 answers
3k views

Can you just cancel a health insurance plan and buy a new one at any time?

So I need to buy insurance for myself. I picked one of those plans where you pay a huge premium monthly and also get to pay for all the healthcare too. My question is, can I just cancel my plan and ...
DotNetRussell's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
342 views

What does a negative plan discount mean on a medical insurance claim in the United States?

I saw the following medical insurance (Aetna) claim in the United States: What does the negative plan discount mean?
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
24 votes
8 answers
8k views

Dental insurance isn't really a type of insurance?

The central tenet of insurance is to pay slightly more on average while getting protected from paying very large amounts of money should disaster strike. In essence it's paying a premium to lower risk....
Kevin Kostlan's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
152 views

Is the hospital illegally using "balance billing" of primary and secondary health insurance to charge us too much?

My wife and I live in New York City and recently we had a baby and my wife stayed in the hospital for two nights. She has insurance through her employer, which is her primary insurance, and she is ...
Clem Marshall's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
151 views

Private health insurance in Germany

I moved to Germany as a university professor two months ago. This month, I discovered that I am partially issured through the so called 'Beihilfe,' and that I have the option of choosing between ...
RobUn's user avatar
  • 33
2 votes
0 answers
50 views

Dual citizenship. Live 1m in Florida, 1m in Buenos Aires, 1 month in Florida, and so on. I'm covered in Argentina. What should I do while in the US?

Dual citizenship: American and Argentinian. I'm covered in Argentina, but does not have health insurance in the US. I would like a catastrophic plan, but they aren't offered to 46 years old. Do I have ...
Roger Kasinsky's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
1k views

From a customer standpoint, does it make any financial difference to go to a non-profit hospital or a for-profit hospital? [closed]

From a customer standpoint in the US, does it make any financial difference to go to a non-profit hospital or a for-profit hospital?
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
37 views

Are COBRA plans subject to the same special enrollment rules as non-COBRA group plans?

I recently elected COBRA coverage, and a few weeks later my wife left her job. She has access to her own COBRA coverage from her job, but we'd prefer her to be on my plan rather than hers. My COBRA ...
TAGraves's user avatar
  • 123
-4 votes
3 answers
209 views

Why do some medical insurances only allow their insurees to buy 30 days worth of some pharmaceutical drugs (not a narcotic) at once?

I have a 90-day prescription for a pharmaceutical drug (which isn't a narcotic) in the US. By default, my medical insurance only allows me to buy for 30 days, i.e. I'll have to go 3 times to the ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
82 views

Can an Orthodontist charge you more later on due to over calculating?

I went to the dentist for a cleaning March 2020. I had said while there that my mouth hurt as well as my jaw. The dentist recommended I see the orthodontist and asked if I had time that day for a ...
Samatama1's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
136 views

Did the Hospital Mis-Bill My Insurance Plans?

Some months ago, I received treatment at a hospital in New York City. While I was there, I provided them with the insurance information for two plans under which I was covered. Company A sent me an ...
szkoda's user avatar
  • 51
1 vote
1 answer
141 views

Do you qualify for Medi-Cal if you are wealthy and just don't work?

If I'm reading the descriptions of Medi-Cal correctly, low income alone is enough to qualify you for free medical coverage. So, if you are taking a sabbatical, working on your own startup (that isn't ...
MWB's user avatar
  • 531
1 vote
0 answers
444 views

If I meet my Out-Of-Pocket Maximum, but not my deductible then what happens to my medical bills?

Out-Of-Pocket Maximum is the amount you pay including any cost sharing payments such as coinsurance, copayments and deductible amounts. Usually copayments don't get counted toward deductibles and ...
LeanMan's user avatar
  • 271
0 votes
1 answer
43 views

What are the minimum financial benefits a long-term care insurance must have to allow a Washington tax resident to opt out from the long-term care tax

Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 48.83.020 (mirror) states: "Long-term care insurance" means an insurance policy, contract, or rider that is advertised, marketed, offered, or designed to ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
256 views

Which insurance is primary when you have coverage through two employers?

If someone has health insurance coverage in the U.S. through two separate employers, which is considered primary for the coordination of benefits? How is this determined?
Daniel's user avatar
  • 5,290
-2 votes
1 answer
103 views

Is it allowed to change one's qualifying long-term-care insurance after opting out from the long-term care payroll tax in Washington?

After opting out from the long-term care payroll tax in Washington by purchasing a qualifying long-term-care insurance, one has to keep a qualifying long-term-care insurance, other one may get in ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
77 views

To opt out from the long-term-care payroll tax in WA, does the LTC insurance have to be active by Nov 1, 2021, or simply be purchased by Nov 1, 2021?

To be allowed to opt out from the long-term-care payroll tax in Washington state, does the long-term care insurance have to be active by November 1, 2021, or simply be purchased by November 1, 2021? ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
49 views

Should retiree take insurance from employer or should he/she take from external insurance organization?

My dad is retired bank official in India. I want to know if he should go for health insurance provided by his employer or he should go for other insurance organizations, given say the cover is exactly ...
Rnj's user avatar
  • 131
22 votes
7 answers
6k views

Are the HSA and FSA bad deals?

As I understand it, the HSA and FSA accounts are intended to provide individuals with a way of not paying tax on money they spent on healthcare. The individual sets up the account to receive a portion ...
Melissa P.'s user avatar
57 votes
7 answers
14k views

Is US health insurance just a terrible deal overall for a healthy young adult?

Since it is open enrollment period, it is once again time for me and my family to review our decisions about our healthcare insurance. These days, there are quite a few nuances to healthcare insurance ...
Melissa P.'s user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
148 views

After opting out from the long-term care payroll tax in Washington by purchasing a qualifying long-term-care insurance, can one drop the insurance?

After opting out from the newly established long-term care payroll tax in Washington state by purchasing a qualifying long-term-care insurance, can one terminate the contract with the insurance? Or ...
Franck Dernoncourt's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
426 views

Is 0% coinsurance better than a lower deductible?

I have two options for my healthcare provided through work. My employer covers 100% of the monthly premiums for both, and the premiums would be essentially identical anyway (within $2/month), so that ...
Ed Marty's user avatar
  • 177
2 votes
1 answer
62 views

Employer changing Healthcare provider during COBRA eligibility period -

I am currently on COBRA and my eligibility runs for several more months. My employer (who covers my COBRA) is changing healthcare providers. I assume they must let me continue under the new provider ...
DONALD's user avatar
  • 21
2 votes
2 answers
391 views

Can you keep on COBRA for medical and elect only dental and vision coverage from new employer?

Long story short, I am changing jobs and my new employer offers medical, dental, and vision. However, I've had a rough year and have finished paying all of my medical insurance's deductible and am ...
a little pea's user avatar
18 votes
6 answers
7k views

Why is the monthly premium of one medical insurance plan over TWENTY times of another?

After many years of school, I recently started work. I learned about the different categories of health insurance: for an HMO I have to contact my PCP, PPO gives more flexibility, and POS is somewhere ...
Bill Wu's user avatar
  • 181
1 vote
1 answer
90 views

How to respond to CA 2020 tax penalty notice? I forgot to indicate I had health coverage

I received this mail yesterday: PICTURE OF MAIL I am a student with F1 visa status and filed both federal and state taxes for 2019 and 2020. I do have an external scholarship that includes a very good ...
Mike's user avatar
  • 13
2 votes
1 answer
116 views

Is a layoff a QLE allowing one to elect different health plan offered by employer?

If one is laid off, one is allowed under Cobra to continue group based health insurance thru employer. Does the layoff count as a QLE allowing one to change health coverage if an employer offers ...
paulj's user avatar
  • 1,109
3 votes
1 answer
87 views

Reimbursement from insurance after FSA reimbursement received

A couple months ago, I had a dental appointment and, since my dentist is not in-network, I had a substantial bill. I submitted this expense to my flex spending account (FSA) for reimbursement, and I ...
AugerAlpha's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
66 views

Hedging Costly And Unlikely Events With More Than Conventional Insurance

The selling proposition of something like an inflation-adjusted annuity is that the purchaser trades uncertainty for certainty. Even though some simple calculations will show that fixed and regular ...
EDS's user avatar
  • 438
2 votes
1 answer
109 views

Is the employee-paid premium on a health insurance plan that is shared with a non-dependent tax deductible?

My health insurance premium for just me is $0. If I add my domestic partner, however, the premium goes up to $190. I know I have to account for imputed income, on the basis of the additional employer-...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
83 views

Claim money from unused health insurance (set by employer)

Is it possible to claim unused health insurance money after you leave a company? It is basically unused group health in the United Kingdom (England). The health insurance was set by the employer where ...
Datacrawler's user avatar
33 votes
2 answers
5k views

Do I have to pay a medical bill when the ER never submitted it for an insurance claim?

My husband went into cardiac failure while we were traveling. He was taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital ER. I gave his insurance information at the time of service. About a month later, I ...
Donna Lewis's user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
117 views

Does a qualifying life event require changing retroactively to the date of the event?

My employer offers several insurance plans, including both a low-deductible plan and a high-deductible HSA plan. Suppose my family was planning to have a baby in the middle of next year. Would it be ...
Daniel's user avatar
  • 5,290
3 votes
1 answer
92 views

Health Insurance Premium deduction for Husband/Wife LLC

Assume the following situation: My wife and I own a LLC in a community property state. (50/50) We are self-employed and have no employees. Under this arrangrement, business income flows through to ...
tmwn6919's user avatar
  • 107
2 votes
0 answers
62 views

Cobra or catastrophic insurance

I'm about to leave a job and go on a long bikepacking trip. At the end of the trip I will be going to grad school and getting student health insurance. This is all in the United States. I have decent ...
ford prefect's user avatar
30 votes
2 answers
6k views

Insuring body parts

In the past few months I have injured my hands 4 times since I started playing basketball. One break was particularly bad and I wasn't able to use that hand for programming. This slowed down my work ...
Jerome's user avatar
  • 518

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