Help me choose a health insurance plan with my new job

Horus

I landed a new job that the company offers 100% cover on different packages they offer. I cannot find these plans online to get a better understanding so I am coming here for some guidance.

I have an option between HMO and PPO but both are 100% covered by the company so I might as well go with a PPO since that's what I have with my old one (self-insured).
Here are my options:
Shield Spectrum PPO (Blue Shield provider)
Zero Deductible
250 Premier
250 Standard
500 Premier
500 Standard
1000
500 Value
750 Value
3000
1000 Value
1500 Value
2000 Value

So far based from talking to people who know about health insurance 250 Premier is my best option if the company has 100% coverage.

Please help this noob :?

dispatch.o

I would read each of them very carefully. Especially with regards to 100% coverage, I didn't think anyone anywhere did that anymore for PPO plans.

Do you have any sort of long standing health issue you need to think about in the future? How old are you?

Horus

They gave me a booklet but only had 250 one which has $25 copay and is decent for me being a healthy person with no serious health issues. The worse thing for me is sinus infection. I am 28 years old. What I mean by 100% coverage is they pay for it instead of deducting it from my paycheck.

Jasconius

Just go for the lowest deductible and copay, and beware of annual and lifetime maximums.

You'd want an annual maximum that would cover a catastrophe.

cabsy

Do you go to the doctor frequently? You want low deductible, low copay, your yearly limit is probably not going to be as high here. If you rarely go to the doctor, and are more of a "just in case" person, you can go with a high deductible plan that will probably have a far higher yearly benefit limit. You always want to be able to choose your own provider, because plans where you have an assigned primary care physician are really not a great idea unless you've had the same pcp since birth and know you're comfortable with them. Check your other limits, as well; I have a health insurance plan with a yearly benefit limit of $30,000, but it only pays out $300 per hospital stay, and if you've ever had a hospital stay you know that covers about 45 minutes. Also check your mental health coverage options. Basically for the best answer you are going to need a semi-detailed description of all the plans available to you. Obviously your employer wants you to go with the 250, but is that because it's the best plan or because it's the cheapest for them?

CroakerBC

You say you don't have any details of the above plans?

http://www.ehealthinsurance.com/ehealthinsurance/benefits/sbg/CA/CABS_A20224_7-09.pdf is a link to the details for the 2000 plan. (I used "shield spectrum ppo 2000 value" in the google search).

I suspect that the same site will have the remaining plans, but you'll need to dig them out.

Ketar

dispatch.o wrote:

I would read each of them very carefully. Especially with regards to 100% coverage, I didn't think anyone anywhere did that anymore for PPO plans.

Do you have any sort of long standing health issue you need to think about in the future? How old are you?

My wife's plan, which I happily piggyback on, is a 100% coverage PPO. Unless you go out of network for something other than an ER visit, in which case it ends up at 80% coverage. The in-network options are extensive though, and we've never had any reason to go out. $40 co-pay on physical therapy sessions was higher than I would have liked, but balanced out against only having a $40 co-pay for each of 2 surgeries and 3 MRIs.

OP, the 250 premier seems like a strong option given that a $250 deductible is virtually nothing for healthcare, but it is hard to evaluate without additional plan details.

Dunadan019

spreadsheet comparison of plans for a from blue of california

https://www.blueshieldca.com/producer/download/public/PlanComparisonTemplate_SG_1-11_Rev1.xls

zero deductible or 250 premier are the best ones at a glance.

you should try to get a benefits summary from HR or the insurance company before you pick one.

tech_hunter

Verizon had 100% paid healthcare and to add a spouse or something was just 21$ that was a pretty sweet deal.