Thread: Health-Plan Options

Originally Posted by swsop

Study Health-Plan Options Carefully This Open Season

For the next four weeks, federal employees and retirees will select their health insurance coverage for 2007. Many will escape the sticker shock of past years, as federal officials say 63 percent of enrollees in the federal employee health insurance program will see no increase in their premiums next year.

But policy analyst Walton Francis , who tracks premium and benefit changes in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, cautions against falling into open-season complacency. Full Story

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...referrer=email

If only I wasn't going to see an increase in my health care premiums. Mine are going from $130 to $210 per paycheck!

I'll be switching plans.

Just a heads up. I was reviewing the Blue Cross plan information last night and I noted that there were some very significant reductions in coverages for the Standard and Basic plans but especially with regard to the Basic plan coverages. Those of us with the Basic Blue Cross plan should take a very close look at the prescription coverages (especially the mail order prescription plan). Looks to be a significant increase in the amounts we will have to pay out of pocket. None of these changes were discussed by the Blue Cross representative. There are also significant changes in amounts the employee will have to pay for out of network services (100 % of the cost in many cases).

Quick question -- Do you have to re-elect coverage if you want to same plan? Or is it just if you want to change you plan?

Originally Posted by ChemEng

Quick question -- Do you have to re-elect coverage if you want to same plan? Or is it just if you want to change you plan?

You do nothing if you want to stay with your current federal health plan. That's unlike the health care flexible spending plan where you have to apply every year.

Thanks... I was thinking about doing an FSA. Does anyone here have one? Have they wide released the debit card feature yet? How much hassle in general is it to use it?

(If people dont want to talk about it in this thread, then please pm me. Thanks!)

Chem Eng,

It's no hassle at all, Ya can sign up on line, I haven't signed up yet this year, so I'm not familiar with the debit card feature. Everything is taken care of electronically, paycheck withdrawals and payment. I just get an email from them when they pay a bill.

CB

EDIT: I use BCBS also.

Extremely easy if you pick a health care provider that has paperless reimbursement. I use BCBS and the program automatically deposits co-pays for doctor and drugs into my bank account. If you were going to claim OC drugs you'd still have to submit the paperwork for those.

I try to shoot for an amount I know I'll use in the year with co-pays. I keep all my drug store reciepts with OC in a file just in case I don't use enough money that year. So far I've always undershot and not had to deal with the reimbusement paperwork. Since they now let you carry over a couple months into the next year you can always alter at the next open season and be ok as well.

The tax savings is very good. You end up paying medical bills with pretax dollars.

The debit card is a pilot with GEHA next year.

I think Im going to give it a try this year. We dont make much use of our health insurance (thankfully) so it wont be much, but pre-tax not much is better than post-tax less. I also use BCBS (plan 105), so hopefully the process will be as positive as mentioned. Thanks!

Weatherweenie and Scout333 have posted important cost-rises and also BCBS increases. Help anyone! Can someone give a summary of the best Health-Plan option. I've always been with BCBS for my wife and me, and I don't like the HMO thing. Rather I have the preferred physician or PPO ( don't know the exact name). I also am re-enlisting in the FSA (Fexible Savings accounts) for 2007. So far it's working well, as explained by Fundsurfer. Now I am looking to join the new dental plan. Has anyone compared which is the better Dental Plan? I heard say that BCBS was not selected as an intermediary for this. Thanks in advance for your opinions!

Originally Posted by sponsor

Weatherweenie and Scout333 have posted important cost-rises and also BCBS increases. Help anyone! Can someone give a summary of the best Health-Plan option. I've always been with BCBS for my wife and me, and I don't like the HMO thing. Rather I have the preferred physician or PPO ( don't know the exact name). I also am re-enlisting in the FSA (Fexible Savings accounts) for 2007. So far it's working well, as explained by Fundsurfer. Now I am looking to join the new dental plan. Has anyone compared which is the better Dental Plan? I heard say that BCBS was not selected as an intermediary for this. Thanks in advance for your opinions!

I'm real interested in what you find out about dental. My children are now older and they don't need as much medical attention as dental. I'll have two kids with braces next year and the FSA will help but I could use a better dental plan than BCBS 105 offers. BCBS dental really %^&@!

Reading through the 2007 BCBS plan brochure, I didn't notice any of the reductions as the previous posters have said. Not sure what they mean.