Heck, if I want to best this, go with an HSA high deductible for Catastrophic Coverage and a Concierge Service on the other end of the spectrum or pay the check ups, soar throat visits etc with Cash out of a Tax Free type pool within the HSA.
If it is the paperwork and lack of competitive price comparison ( GM found this out, they paid anywhere from $2,000 to $400 for a colonoscopy ), then pay cash and put the prices on line so we can shop!
We all know we don't need Fedzilla, we here could figure out how to fix all this craziness in almost no time flat if we could get Disney on the Potomac out of the way...
Martiny and her colleagues can pick and choose, buffet-style, from a dozen or more plans offering insurance at different prices, with low to high deductibles and big or small co-payments, for medical, dental and vision coverage.
“I like it so far,” Martiny said. “It will take a little time to make sure we're choosing the best option for us financially, but I prefer having the ability to make my own decisions regarding my family's coverage.”
Private vs. public
he outsourcing of employer-provided insurance to what are known as “private exchanges” stands to radically transform the way health insurance is provided in the American workplace, experts say. They have been described as similar to a 401(k) plan, and they could someday become as common as the retirement program.
For employers and employees alike, health insurance problem forces tough decisions. But while they offer both employer and employee something desirable in the bargain, the private exchanges also shift responsibility and possibly additional cost to workers, some of whom may not be prepared to handle it all.
“This is part of a fast-evolving strategy in which employers transition from the “defined benefit” strategy they have employed for decades, in which the employer was responsible for providing for a set percentage of the coverage expense, to a “defined contribution” strategy, in which the employer provides a set-dollar amount, said David Bottoms, vice president of The Bottoms Group, an Atlanta employee benefits consulting firm.
“This closely mirrors the evolution in the retirement plan space from defined benefit plans — pensions — to defined contribution plans — 401(k)s,” he said.
The very idea makes some people nervous.
“You've got to do all the legwork,” said Steve Rossey, 42, of Moreland, Ga., who gets employer-provided coverage through his job working for a home restoration company. “I wouldn't be a big fan of it. The common employee doesn't know anything about picking the right insurance, and what they don't know can cost them thousands of dollars.”.......................................