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Serving Over 20,000 US Medical Transcriptionists

Question about insurance

Posted By: needalternatives on 2009-05-04
In Reply to:

Has anyone tried to get health insurance privately instead of with the company they work for? Was it cheaper or even close? Do you have to have a physical, answer questions, etc.? Do you just call the major insurers up? Not sure where to start but they just raised my rates so I need a plan b.


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I bet other insurance carriers have insurance for their employees. Why not Wal-Mart? nm
:+
Insurance

If you don't have insurance (dental, vision, prescription, chiropractic, and some locations medical) and don't have a lot to spend on insurance, ask me what I signed up for if interested.


There's a lot of information to tell and I don't want to ramble on if no one's interested.


Talk to ya later,


Andrea - Medical Transcripionist (Nashville, TN)


How can MQ take away the insurance

when the MT is paying for it also?  Does that not count for anything?


Insurance
I didn't mean they were taking it away. What I meant is taking it over not making quota. Sorry.
wish I could help on that one - I have no insurance, however, -
I work for one of the TOP docs in NYC who is internationally known, so whenever I am sick, he has taken care of me, called in favors from other specialists, etc. The only bill I have to pay is the lab bill. If you work for yourself, that might be a route to go. I even got my bill at NYU Medical Center 75% off!!!

At one time Aetna was pretty good as far as rates for individuals.

Pet insurance....sm
No flames please, but how do you go about getting pet insurance? When you say "pretty inexpensive", what range are you talking about? Please, any info greatly appreciated. TIA
UPS insurance
I have sent packages via UPS that I have packaged myself and was still covered under their automatic $100 worth of insurance.  I wonder if someone at the UPS store is giving you incorrect information?  I had an ebay package damaged and they paid for the item even though I packaged it myself.  Can you call the main UPS number and ask someone else?
Insurance
I am just curious about liability insurance for people that have IC status.  Is it required and if so where can I find out some info on this?  TIA
IC insurance
I have researched this myself and found that going through your local Chamber of Commerce is probably the most affordable way to go.  If you become a member you are then eligible to get a good rate in health insurance and they offer many different options including HSA (health savings accounts). Check out different Chambers near you though because the membership fee can vary.
Insurance
I have a liability policy for which I pay $164 annually.  This does not cover errors and omissions.  For this type of insurance the cost would be sky high, or so I've been told.
insurance
I agree.  I've had mine for 9 years as it was required and I've never used it.  The only use it is, is for a write-off as a business expense for me.
insurance
there are several companies who now offer individual plans, depending on where you are, I had BC/BS - paid higher premium because I wanted good coverage, but can usually find something for around 100.00 a month if you don't have medical problems, copay for prescriptions may be 30-35.00.
insurance q
If you're someone with few health risks (non-smoking, etc.) and no major illnesses, you can probably get a good policy with any one of the major insurers, but ask specifics and shop and compare. When I was working as independent I tried to get one myself but they want to often put you in a $5,000 annual deductible which means you really have to get bad sick or hurt to even really see any benefits paid on your behalf and sometimes if you have a common condition like thyroiditis they would put an exclusion in for the first 6 months to 12 months that you have happen to need surgical treatment for that condition, i.e. thyroidectomy, you are practically on your own because it's pre-existing. I would suggest first applying for low-key health insurance, say $50,000, and then along with history-taking, they generally do a blood draw and EKG, along with perhaps even an HIV test among others, then you've got some "evidence" if you will of your health status before applying for major medical. Then decide later, if you are approved that is, if you want to keep the life insurance as you go independenty, or get life insurance and health insurance with a prospective employer if you happen to go that route instead of independent. This way family considerations also are taken into account. Overall it's best to go beyond the hand-outs which look so colorful and shiny with smiling faces, and look at the contract benefits, exclusions and limitations of any policy, which they hesitate to show unless you pay your money first. Hope you find the right one.
Insurance

I need to find out if Errrors and Omissions insurance is needed for a contracted medical transcriptionist?


Please let me know if you carry it and how I can obtain it?


Thanks...


 


insurance
No you do not need it and if you did, error and omission insurance is VERY expensive.  I work for a company who requires general business insurance (tho I don't know why) and it costs me $168/year which I write off as a business expense but is still a waste of money in my opinion.
PIP INSURANCE

Everyone who lives in Florida should be aware that the PIP insurance as we know it is soon to expire on 10/1/07.  Please go to the web site http://www.wpbf.com/index.html.  In the center, scroll down a little in the middle is a survery that asks Do you think personal injury protection (PIP) should be eliminated?  Please go on line and vote NO.  Send this email to everyone you know.  We want hundreds of votes.


Also, please send a letter to Governor Charlie Crist,o to Speaker Marco Rubio and Senate President Ken Pruitt.  You can find their email addresses on MyFlorida.com.  It is very important that they add this to their agenda on 6/12/07 for their special session.


 


Thanks for your help. 


Insurance
I was in a similar position, needed insurance for just a short period until new insurance kicked in.  I went to the United Healthcare insurance site and they have "gap" insurance that you can use for anywhere from 1 to 12 months I believe.  It sure beats the high expense of COBRA and should get you through.
insurance

 


Yes, unfortunately I do know what happens!  My husband has no insurance, but usually gets care through the VA.  In April, he had an emergency, ended up with a pacemaker, a gazillion tests, doctors, two hospitals, ambulance, etc.  Over $59,500.00 out of pocket expenses.  If the VA does not pay (it is with their review board), we will be paying until we die.  Some are taking as little as $25.00 a month, others are waiting for VA and then may reduce the charges somewhat.  It is very scary to be without insurance.  Try to get something for major hospital stays, surgeries, etc.  Also, short term and long term disability are good.  If you have any type of chronic condition, forget it.  I have diabetes and hypertension both - cannot get coverage anywhere - I have tried several times, so I can be flexible/part time.  Good Luck and God Bless You.


E&O Insurance

I bought a policy from State Farm.  It cost me $257 for the year.  I really have never heard of being able to cover it from home owner's policy, not unless it is for a small amount.  My policy consists of $250,000.


I would call SF and ask them about it.


 


Good Luck!!!


E&O Insurance

Are you a contractor for the hospital?  First, you need to make sure you know what limits they are requiring.  If they are requiring E&O ins., then they should have something in writing about the limits.  This is expensive insurance.  I used to be a CSR for an insurance agency. 


It's not something that can be obtained through your homeowner's insurance.  Homeowner's insurance is occurance-based general liability (and property) insurance, whereas E&O insurance is claims-made liability.  Specifically it covers you if you get sued because of an error or an omission that you do that causes harm to someone. 


It surprises me that the hospital is requiring it, though.  The doctors have to sign off on the reports that you type, thereby removing the liability from you and placing it on themselves.


E&O Insurance
I believe that $100,000 is sufficient, but I believe that most companies do not want to be involved in a lawsuit if something happens.  They only want the contractor to be responsible.
Insurance
Why not just contact Aetna directly? Blue Cross/Blue Shield is pretty approachable. They will send you brochures detailing their policies.
Insurance for ICs
What insurance co. does anybody use as an IC?  I will be having to find something soon.  Thanks
Insurance for IC
If you're 50 or older you can get ins. through AARP if you're a member. Premiums aren't great, but probably better than most private polices.
Regarding insurance for individuals..
Speaking as a self-employed transcriptionist and a former medical insurance billing person, I can tell you that Mega, Fortis, which I think are both offered by NASE, are not great insurance plans. They hardly pay for anything and their preminums are no cheaper than your local Blue Cross. I worked in a doctor's office and did billing to these companies and felt bad for the patients with these insurances. They ended up paying a lot out of their own pockets. Personally, our family got a rate quote with our local Blue Cross and it was cheaper and better coverage. They do have PPO plans with copays etc.. let me know if you have anymore questions.
questions about MQ insurance
I am an IC right now and for my insurance I had to name just about every illness or hospital visit I ever have had, and if I made an 'oops' or if there is a discrepency, they can drop me at their leisure, which is scary, so i've decided to join MQ full time to get benefits.  Will this insurance cover preexisting conditions, no questions asked, since i'm a full time employee with a company?  Do I just choose what coverage I want, and what are the choices?  If any of you who have insurance with MQ can tell me what to expect, i'd appreciate it, thanks! 
Re: Health insurance
Of note: When I was working in a doctor's office, we had a patient, who went to a hospital ER approved by her insurance, unfortunately, the doctor treating her did not accept her insurance. It was still in litigation the last I was aware. So tell me; how are you suppose to protect yourself in this instance....say you are comatose or unresponsive upon arrival....???
Health Insurance

Does anyone have any information on health insurance for ICs? I am a new MT and have only been working for three months, and unfortunately the company that I work for does not offer benefits.  If anyone has any information I would really appreciate it.


Oh! By the way I know about Blue Cross Blue Shield, and will not consider going through them. They are way too expensive and they do not cover any pre-existing conditions.


 


health insurance
I'm afraid your stuck honey! There are NO companies that provide health insurance for ICs. Sorry ):
THIS IS AN MLM PLAN, NOT INSURANCE.
MY FORMER COWORKER TRIED TO RECRUIT ME FOR IT.  I'VE SEEN ALL THEIR INFORMATION ON THE "INSURANCE".  I REPEAT, IT IS NOT INSURANCE.  IT IS A DISCOUNT PLAN; HOWEVER, NOBODY IN MY ENTIRE STATE ACCEPTS IT.  PEOPLE ARE JUST TRYING TO RECRUIT OTHERS TO MAKE MONEY OFF OF THEM.
Health Insurance
I just enrolled my 12 year old daughter in an AETNA insurance plan. They offer plans just for children and offer 3 different HMO's.  I picked the best of the 3, with a 10.00 copay and no referrals, for $105.00 per month. Can't beat that!
But Ga, I got stung really bad by MQ with insurance. They would

decent (decent being the key word here) reports to make the require 12,000 lines per pay period, and I would have $300-$400 lines suddenly taken out of my pay, and then it would take several pay periods before I'd be allowed back with insurance that was co-payed with them.


Also, it always struck me odd, that they never raised my pay when I told them to change me from EMPLOYEE to Statutory Employee.  I asked and asked and no answer.


The other day I asked for anything written with description of their policies on insurance, "no" work situations for both Employee and SE, and they denied being able to provide either.


I'd be real careful when going to work for this company. 


Needless to say I don't work for them anymore.  I was left high and dry way too many times, with no contract from them or things in writing of company policies when I was employee.  The contract they sent for the SE classification was invalid and they would never send anything in writing that I cared to sign that represented the conditions they wanted me to work under from the get-go.


Can anyone tell me what Medware insurance
rates are for 2 people (me & hubby)?
Thanks!
Medical Insurance??

I am looking at moving back to working from home, I am currently 'in-house' working for a hospital clinic but I need more flexibility for my children's schedules.


I have a decent lead on an IC position, but I am trying to figure out if I can find/afford health care.  I really only need catastrophic type care and plan to pay for my own routine care.


Does anyone know of a decent insurance company??


 


Thanks VT_MT


Health insurance - HELP?!!
Does anyone know of any health insurance I can get? 55-year-old MT (good health)& asking through web and/or phone is a nightmare.  Does anyone have GOOD health insur. for a nominal cost? (& dental/vision if have). A few yrs ago I heard of some "upcoming" health ins. for MTs for 1-200/mth (!!?) but never heard again.  I really need health insurance.  Please help if you can; am sick of brokers & agents who do nothing but give the runaround.  Currently in San Diego but may go back to KY next year (home).  Thx again!
Do any MTs just go buy their own insurance, is so which companies do you
nm
How are their insurance rates?
nm
Insurance - Healthy NY
Has anyone ever used this company for health insurance?  Hypertype told me their girls use it as IC's - that the rates are good.  But I see you can't make more than 23k per year.  How can you use plan and work f/t doing MT ?   thanks guys
Pet insurance question
We just adopted a lovely little Lab mix from the SPCA and she came with a free month of pet health insurance.  I debated whether to get it with our last dog, who turned out to have a zillion health problems and cost us a mint before we finally had to put him down at age 2-1/2.  I'm tempted to keep this insurance on this new dog.  It's really pretty inexpensive and covers 6000 different illnesses and situations including surgeries and accidents.  Anybody ever had pet insurance and did it turn out to be worthwhile?
insurance agents do this

as well as doctors and others.  I agree that a business has more value if you are talking about an office with equipment and established client base.  My insurance agent retired last year and sold his business, which was essentially just his client list and their accounts since he ran his business out of his home.  No idea what he sold it for, but I got a letter telling me about the exchange.  There is the risks there that the clients will choose not to stay with the new agent, but many do like me who doesn't want the hassle of looking for a new one.  But I think it is a little different in your situation.  You probably have a contract with your client, which insurance agents don't have, and whomever you sold your client to would most likely have to make a new contract, which the doctor may or may not want to do with someone you just bring it.  Then again, big MTSOs sell off their businesses and it all seems to work out, so maybe it would for you, too. 


Insurance agents

They are somewhat different as your insurance coverage is with a larger company and they only act as the agent and get a commission.   When your policy comes up for renewal that insurance agent gets a commission from that company.  But your actual business is with the insurance company.   One of the companies that I subcontracted with sold out but again they had an office, machines, computers, etc.  They also did not let the clients know that it was being sold to new owners for at least six months because they were afraid that some clients would pull their accounts.    But they had the same people working.  But with a small MTSO we rarely have contracts, on a month to month.  One of mine does stipulates that I do not subcontract out and if I were to quit they would find their own replacement -- it is verbal but I would abide by it.  That is how I got it.  But she is talking about a business work probably a couple of thousand a month income if that, and she is not selling anything tangible except for a client who may or may not chose to stay, I would not go for it.    I like better odds than that when gambling.   Again, that is why I suggested subcontracting for a while to see how everything works out.


 


 


 


if you still have your insurance, go the ER the next time you--sm
are having pain. They will have to work you up and refer you to a cardiologist which would get you in ahead of the others, or even have the on-call cardiologist see you in the ER if they think that is warranted. 
I would take it just for the insurance benefits. sm
Those sound awesome. 
Anyone in CA have insurance through TransHealth?
I would like to know who the carrier is - Blue Cross or Blue Shield? Still waiting on my new employee packet...
Liability Insurance
I carry a $1 million umbrella policy that covers basically anything that happens at my home or in my car, except weather and acts of God.  This policy costs me $213 per year and I feel that it is well worth it.
Actually, they do offer insurance to SM

part-time associates after 2 years.  They also have insurance that full-time associates can get during their 90-day waiting period for their regular insurance to kick in after they are hired.


why is insurance so expensive?

The end of November my husband had two cardiac stents put in.  He was in the hospital from Wednesday late morning until Friday late morning.  We had paid $300 to the hospital, which they said would be his part of the cost.  The other day i received a bill from them.  It indicated that after the insurance had paid, the balance was our responsibility.  It very nicely noted that if we found it difficult to pay the entire amount in one payment, to please contact their office.  The amount was $46,000-plus.  I just laughed - oh, no problem, I'll just write a check out of my pin money.  Of course, the bill wasn't really ours - the insurance hadn't paid at all - but just the fact that it was $46,000 blew me away.  And, of course, that didn't include the doctor and any other ancillary personnal who will be billing the insurance company, too.  Right now I am paying $460 a month for insurance for just myself.  Thankfully I have recently become an employee and my insurance rate is going to be much better, but when atrocious prices such as these are charged, what can we expect other than higher insurance premiums and more and more employers handing off the cost of those premiums to the employees. 


before your insurance runs out....nm

Actually no insurance until April 1


health insurance
Ugggh!!  Any ICs out there have any good advice for obtaining affordable health insurance on your own?  I have gotten quotes which are completely unaffordable !!!  I live in NY state.
medical insurance
Transhealth, by pretty good do you know if you can cover dependents and what office copays are?
I used to do insurance transcription...

The reports that I did were fairly lengthy and wordy.  My reports had a header on the first page that covered about 1/4 of the top of the page followed by text.  The header needed identifying information to be inserted, such as case #, location, etc.  Each report I did was about 5 to 6 pages long, with pages 2 to 6 being almost complete text on the page.


You can macro a lot of things, but you will end up typing out quite a bit and will need to look up names of businesses and people's names.  Some agents used a few normals, but not a lot. 


A lot will depend also on the size of the headers, the font size and type, etc.  Ariel is larger than Times New Roman, etc. 


Hope this helps.