Really need help..

[Karried]

Hey all, finding ourselves self employed for the first time in our entire's lives, my husband and I are shocked by the cost of health care for our family. I currently have a short term policy in effect ( interim ) it's costing me $300 a month and covers nothing under $1000, only if we have a catastrophic emergency or car accident it will cover our family.

Needless to say, I can't rest until I get a policy that I feel good about.

Can you lead me in the right direction? I've researched different companies and such but I need to have someone who purchases as a self employed person - not through a company.

I have had Blue Cross and HMO-Kaiser in Northern CA my entire life if that helps at all.

Thanks!

[PUGalicious]

As a small business owner, my business partner and I are essentially self-employed as well. She has a very basic health insurance plan for only herself. I don't have any health insurance because the cost is too high with very limited return.

I haven't yet found a good health insurance for the self-employed that meets our family's needs without killing our budget. I'm taking a big risk by not shelling out the bucks for health insurance, but when I run the numbers, I'm better off without it (as long as something catastrophic doesn't happen). Then I'll just deal with it as it comes.

The self-employed and uninsured are being squeezed in two ways: sky-high, cost-prohibitive premiums from the insurance company and no relief from Congress if a family is suddenly hit with catostrophic health costs with no possibility of medical bankruptcy, thus crippling them with debt for the rest of their lives.

[Karried]

Scribe, let's move to Canada...just kidding but I can't believe that a family in this country has to go without health insurance! I have short term coverage for a major emergency that pays up to 2 mil for our entire family. That should cover a week's stay!

Well, I am seriously considering working at the school district in a part time capacity so I can still have time off with the kids and do Real Estate. I'm a full time Realtor but there are 24 hours in a day and I work mainly weekends and evenings anyway. If I can get health benefits for myself and discounted for the kids and husband, it might be worth it.

Isn't that sad? Right now the cost will exceed $600 a month. That's over 10K per year.

[rxis]

I've been looking around for insurance for my uncle's family. I'm sort of their household manager by default. Quote for two adults and two children with dental was about $500-600 a month. It may actually exceed 600 a month because one of the children needs extensive dental work. My uncle has already paid about $8000 in medical bills for his son this year and maybe about 1000 for his daughter.