I currently have Independence Blue Cross and Blue Shield Personal Choice. It's the first time in my life I've had coverage where I can see any doctor/specialist at any time and receive at least partial coverage. Almost all local doctors/hospitals qualify for the low in-network co-pay. I've always been in HMOs, which is fine when you are young and healthy, but I would find them very restraining if I had children.
HMOs used to be very good. I remember going to the doctor in the 1980s and the co-pay was $2. Physical? $2. Booster shots? $2. Now the HMOs are buggers. I got an ear infection when I was on a business trip and I had to go to a clinic to receive care. My HMO wouldn't cover me at all, unless I filed it as an ER visit. The ER co-pay was $100 and the clinic charged me $76 = no reimbursement. If I had waited to see my primary care physician when I came back from the trip, I would have paid the $10 co-pay but I would have been more ill. Some "health maintenance". :disgust:
HMOs used to be very good. I remember going to the doctor in the 1980s and the co-pay was $2. Physical? $2. Booster shots? $2. Now the HMOs are buggers. I got an ear infection when I was on a business trip and I had to go to a clinic to receive care. My HMO wouldn't cover me at all, unless I filed it as an ER visit. The ER co-pay was $100 and the clinic charged me $76 = no reimbursement. If I had waited to see my primary care physician when I came back from the trip, I would have paid the $10 co-pay but I would have been more ill. Some "health maintenance". :disgust:
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