Sign up time

It's that wonderful, anticipated time of year..No, not Thankgiving and Christmas....time to re-enroll for crappy, expensive health insurance! Oh Joy!  My current carrier wants to up my monthly premiums by $15 a month.  So, I did some checking to compare the other plans available. I found two that were the same amount as I am paying now, but office visits are a $20 copay, rather than all of it going to the (high) deductibe and basically paying out of pocket for the visit. But in doing the "find a doctor" searches DH's doctor wasn't coming up on the plans.  Kind of surprised, as these are good insurance companies that most doctors in our area have all always taken. (Blue Cross/Blue Shield).

I was on our doctor's website, to get their phone number, to call and inquire about what insurance plans they take and found a page on their website explaining it. They take these 2 insurance companies for plans purchased outside of the exchange, only. Whew...I am purchasing outside of the exchange. The only reason to go through the exchange would be to get a subsidy and I don't qualify for that. Otherwise the prices for the plans are exactly the same, except lots of doctors won't take the plans purchased through the exchange, I am noticing.

I applied today for a plan that is the same as I paid per month this year and will offer $20 office visit copays. DH averages about 2 visits per year, lately. So this year I basically paid out of pocket for his 2 visits, totaling about $250.  DD hasn't needed to go to a doctor in years, but she would like to make a visit (or however many it will take) to check out her toenails on her big toes. They are so thick (always have been) but seem to be getting worse.  I will get her in for an appointment right after the first of the year with my doctor. If she needs a follow up visit she can come home some weekend and just go to the walk in clinic (same office), I guess.

Plus, this health insurance company takes credit/debit card payments, so I can start putting the monthly premium on my PayPal debit card and earning 1% cash back, which will be $4.76 a month. Every little bit helps, right?

Speaking of my PayPal debit card - I posted last Friday about the fraudulent charges that I found on there. I called back this morning to verify that I was getting credited back the $100 and $25 charges. I already had and didn't realize it. I just was having trouble reviewing my activity on the account and didn't catch that they had been credited. The guy I talked to was SO nice and helpful. So was the first guy I talked with last week. I cannot complain one bit about their customer service. It has been top notch and quick to take care of the issue.