Part II of III: Shopping for Individual Health Insurance — How to shop for an individual health insurance carrier

Did you consider whether or not you qualify for public programs?

Medicaid is generally for low-income individuals and families with specific health condition(s) or family arrangement. Or Medicare is generally for 65+, some disabled, or all end stage renal disease persons.

In progressive locales, governments may have local health coverage for its residents. In San Francisco, Healthy San Francisco offers basic health needs to all residents by formalizing the fragmented safety net care.

If the aforementioned are not applicable and no insurance is out of the question, then shop for an individual health insurance plan.

Since the individual health insurance market is unregulated, comparison shopping sites like ehealthinsurance.com has not changed much in the last decade.

Part I of III: Shopping for Individual Health Insurance — You are leaving your job and concerned about health insurance coverage

After a company buy-out, my friend decided to take company severance and work as an independent contractor. The freedom and liberty to go as he please comes at a price, one being affordable health insurance.

Before delving into the individual health care market, first read Insure.com’s tips for buying individual health insurance.

Then, consider if these options are viable:

Spousal coverage
If your spouse is employed and has group health insurance, have him or her extend insurance to you.

No spouse, then no consideration. Rarely have I heard of marriages for health insurance, well except for U.S. citizens with Canadian citizens getting a piece of across the border health care. That is not likely to happen if you can not and do not frequent Canada.

COBRA coverage
Within a 63-day period, if your company is required to extend your current health insurance upon your departure, you can pay the full premium to maintain the same coverage. Depending on how lenient your company is, you may forgo the additional 2% administrative cost. In total, you pay up to 100%-102% of the full premium. You can be insured up to 18 continuous months. After that time period, if you are still in the individual health insurance market, then you are back to square one.

In the case of those who have been independent contractors for some time, COBRA coverage does not apply.

Group coverage through associations
Individual health insurance is priced differently from group insurance that one receives through employers, and oftentimes, the pricing can be much higher for the un-savvy shopper. Look for insurance offers from your alumni club or trade organizations, which sometimes, but rarely, have premiums set at group insurance levels.

If none of these apply, then read the next entry on selecting a health insurance plan suitable for you, the independent employee working for the company of one.

Down to personal health

Earlier this month, I received my annual exam results, and I had one stunner. I have high cholesterol that shot past the normal total blood cholesterol level.

209 mg/dL

108 from HDL (good, >40-50)
92 from LDL (bad, <130)

Remember that ad back in the 90s. This slim and bodacious gal in her little black dress flings the limo door open. She proceeds to strut down the red carpet as the paparazzi camera flashes go on a blitz. The gal then trips and falls because even though she looks thin, her cholesterol is off the charts. I am a poster child for that ad’s cause.

So for this past week, I took my diet one step further and decided to cut out all dairy, cheeses, and butter. I realized how little sensitivity restaurant foods have for the lactose intolerant. Just evening ordering a crepe made me cringe. Nothing on the crepe menu is without cheese. So take that cholesterol.

Instead of eating out, I am doing a 180 and being more hands with foods that goes into my body. Salads twice a day, 7 days a week is just not that appetizing. I must cook and make wise selections.

I dread this because who has the energy to cook after a 12 hours day at work? Let’s see how this experiment goes. And let’s see how self-cooking will impact my pocket book in exchange for health.

Let the tongs clang!!!!!!!!!!