Benefits

[gramps73]

looking at getting benefits for myself as I don't have any at work
what are some providers and your experience with them

thank you

[Dean2]

Checked Blue Cross and Met Life when I was 54 and a couple of times since. For two of us, would be about $4,000 a year in premiums, Blue Cross had better coverage and cheaper premiums. Figured I would wait till I hit 65 when Blue Cross is free. Between the two of us, for medical and dental we don't spend even a quarter of that so I just claim the expenses on Income tax and call it a wash.

[StiksnStrings]

Just went through this myself as I retired last Oct. I checked with Manulife (provider with my last employer) and Blue Cross. To me neither were worth the premiums but, my dental and medical costs are currently very low. FWIW I'm 59.

[walleye guy]

I'm recently retired and was surprised by the cost! Blue Cross is around $3500.
yr. But once you turn 65 premiums will be reduced.
If I remember correctly, if you currently have benefits with your employer regardless of the carrier, it will be cheaper to get coverage from Blue Cross once you retire no matter of any preexisting medical conditions. But once you go without insurance even for a day, the game changes completely. And heaven forbid you should become seriously ill, you will find it very difficult or expensive to get coverage after that.
I know lots of people opt out of private coverage, stating their present yearly medical costs are substantially less than premiums. But I have lived in the same house over 30 years and only ever one claim (hail damage) and I still buy insurance every year. And medical insurance premiums can be tax deductible depending on your situation.

[wannabe]

Are you going to spend $3500-$4500+ on medical each year?
If not then don't pay for blue cross etc.
I haven't had benefits for 20 years.
We do regular dental check ups, cleaning, cavities, one kid is on 2 medications, another has asthma, uses 2 inhalers a month. Even with all that It's cheaper not to have any coverage for us.

[35 whelen]

Are you going to spend $3500-$4500+ on medical each year?

If not then don't pay for blue cross etc.

I haven't had benefits for 20 years.

We do regular dental check ups, cleaning, cavities, one kid is on 2 medications, another has asthma, uses 2 inhalers a month. Even with all that It's cheaper not to have any coverage for us.Till you have a medical incident

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[wannabe]

Till you have a medical incident

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Like what?

[Dean2]

Till you have a medical incident

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Go read the Blue Cross website. There are no medical exclusions or exclusions of preexisting conditions. There is a waiting period for benefits to kick in but that is true for all new plan applications.

One thing I did notice is the premiums for the non-group plan has come down a long ways for the basic medical it is down to 118 a month for family. That has no dental or any other coverage but it does cover hospitalization, prescription and the like if you use those.

[TBark]

I just applied for Blue Cross to supp my company coverage (Sunlife) solely for prescriptions, it’s $118/ mo.
The wife is on an expensive med and the company covers 80%,
Still ahead even tho the BC cover will cost me $1400 annually.

TBark

[Outbound]

.....I was told healthcare in Canada was free and that's why Canada is better than America.

[CNP]

.....I was told healthcare in Canada was free and that's why Canada is better than America.

How old are you and do you have any health issues (rhetorical)?

Many things are not covered by Canadian universal healthcare (drugs/vision/ambulance/hearing/dental). I'm hoping that you experience none of these in your journey :)

[Outbound]

How old are you and do you have any health issues (rhetorical)?

Many things are not covered by Canadian universal healthcare (drugs/vision/ambulance/hearing/dental). I'm hoping that you experience none of these in your journey :)

32 and I don't have health issues. The one time I needed a certain type of scan done, I went to the States and paid $300 to get it done the next day rather than wait in pain for our socialist system to get around to me a year later.

I just chuckle that Canadians go on about how great our "free" healthcare is, only to turn around and pay extra for more coverage.

My friend in Oregon pays $4000 per year for health insurance for his family of 3 in the US. Drugs/vision/ambulance/hearing/dental are all included, along with critical injury and long term illness coverage (eg he crashes on his mtn bike and becomes paralyzed, gets cancer etc).

[35 whelen]

Like what?

Could be any illness, Kidney Disease for example, my wifes perscriptions are close to $10,000 a year IM sure glad we had great coverage ,Just one of many things that could happen and if no coverage you aint getting after.

[RandyBoBandy]

I checked out https://www.surehealth.ca/pages/alberta-health-insurance.html and I found Blue Cross was cheaper..BUT it all depends on what you really need, from both them and Blue Cross :)
After reading this thread, I will revisit :)

[nimrod]

Just for information, my insurance guy told me once, he had a best care policy , if you are sick they would find the best doctor to take care of you, I could not afford that policy, but maybe you or anybody could just a thought.

[sns2]

Just went through this myself as I retired last Oct. I checked with Manulife (provider with my last employer) and Blue Cross. To me neither were worth the premiums but, my dental and medical costs are currently very low. FWIW I'm 59.

You mean you have dentures???

Sorry, I couldn't resist.:sSc_hiding:

[EZM]

.....I was told healthcare in Canada was free and that's why Canada is better than America.

Have you lived in both countries? I have.

If you are healthy and don't have any assets - there is no difference.

If you have no coverage, but have assets in the US - I am certain you will quickly realize which health care system is better for you and your family.

[Phil McCracken]

Have you lived in both countries? I have.

If you are healthy and don't have any assets - there is no difference.

If you have no coverage, but have assets in the US - I am certain you will quickly realize which health care system is better for you and your family.

I am now retired and have Blue Cross and Sunlife. Between the two, excellent premiums/coverage.

If I travel outside the country, I simply call their 800 number and notify them. Should I get sick/hurt, they will deal direct with the health people there.

[gramps73]

so limited it down to Blue Cross.

102 a month does not seem that bad but im not sure.

I that a good rate?

[Dean2]

so limited it down to Blue Cross.

102 a month does not seem that bad but im not sure.

I that a good rate?


That sounds like the 80% drug and hospitalization only coverage. No glasses, dental etc. Not a bad rate, pretty easy to figure out what you spend on prescriptions, if it is more than 2000 a year you are ahead. You can still claim the Blue Cross premium, as well as all not covered medical, dental, 20% of the drug cost they don't pay on your income tax.

[gramps73]

That sounds like the 80% drug and hospitalization only coverage. No glasses, dental etc. Not a bad rate, pretty easy to figure out what you spend on prescriptions, if it is more than 2000 a year you are ahead. You can still claim the Blue Cross premium, as well as all not covered medical, dental, 20% of the drug cost they don't pay on your income tax.

It the B plan
Health
dental
Medicial

thats the big thing, I am a healthy guy today and don't spend more then a couple hundred bucks year on perceptions but what about tomorrow

[Madocmike]

I just retired at the end of January. The company I worked for most of my life has Industrial Alliance as our carrier. I was allowed to continue medical coverage with them when I retired for my wife and myself. Only thing is we now do not have dental, just medical and life insurance until I turn 65. For my wife and myself, including taxes I pay $173 p/ month. PITA, however without medical, we would pay $500 p/ month on prescriptions as my wife does have a medical issue that requires prescriptions for her lifetime.

Michael

[stubby99ca]

If you require any prescriptions, be sure to check if there is an annual prescription limit. The limit can vary from plan to plan. I'm with a Manulife plan and have a limit to $1300/year. Other limits I have ran into are $150/yr for vision (exams and glasses). I was looking into CPAP how it would be covered...$250 every 5yrs and that counts towards the prescription limit. I went with Manulife as I was able to carry over from previous employer when I started my own company.

[Big Grey Wolf]

My Buddys daughter had to go to US as doctor when Klein starting blowing up hospitals in Alberta. She is back now, but was so sorry for elderly patients that had to bring their house ($$$) with them to the hospital when they had a major illness. No thanks. Insurance companies only like Young healthy people.

[Dean2]

If you require any prescriptions, be sure to check if there is an annual prescription limit. The limit can vary from plan to plan. I'm with a Manulife plan and have a limit to $1300/year. Other limits I have ran into are $150/yr for vision (exams and glasses). I was looking into CPAP how it would be covered...$250 every 5yrs and that counts towards the prescription limit. I went with Manulife as I was able to carry over from previous employer when I started my own company.


This is accurate info. What you will find with most benefit plans sold privately is you have to be able to max out the deduction limit on at least one major area just to break even and usually two areas, to make the premiums pay off. So for example, if you pay $1300 a year in premiums, plus $600 co pay on your 30% for 70% drug coverage, on a policy with a $1,500 per year drug limit you have just managed to break even on having paid the $2000 in prescription costs yourself with no insurance. To be ahead, you need to get additional benefits from another component of the policy in the same year. That calculation really is the easy way to see if you are getting value for your premiums.