starbridge health plan

Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 430

Is this even worth signing up for? I understand some health care is better than none, but the caps on this thing are crazy low(like 2500 dollars). If you actually get hurt or sick, you'll burn through that in a second. Seems like paying for a checkup once in awhile(at around 2-300 dollars) would be better than paying 500-1500 dollars for this crap. Anyone else have any thoughts? I was going to sign up, but the more I read, the less I think I will.

Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 6045

To me these things are almost a small medical BILL insurance policy. I don't know if I would consider this a health plan .

http://www.dsausa.org/lowwage/walmart/health.html

This might cover an emergency room visit with very limited follow up like to take out a couple of stitches or something.

Right now what they need is what the old Blue Cross & Blue Shield plans were 30 years before HMOs and that was coverage for hospital care only. In other words pay for a catastrophic illness yes, the small stuff no.

Onething that might help you decide is deduct the premiums from the caps and figure what you would wind up paying. When I choose I've always ignored plans or HMOs with free office visits because sometimes the premiums/increases for those can be paid out of pocket. Example if 2 office visits to a GP are 300$ and the plan for free office visit would be 300 more - I don't buy.

The thing is though just to get in the door in a non emergency you can get ripped or denied with no insurance period.

Also alot of places including Walmart have 'clinics' with a RN for minor stuff for like 50-75 a visit. Unless you absolutely need continous care is the quality of life better with or without those premium payments.

How vauluable is 'some' health care to you I guess is the question.

Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 1569 Location: Michigan

At Kmart, most of the part timers skipped on it. Lots of them were already covered by a spouse's plan. There were a couple that had some major problems with Starbridge's coverage when it came time to actually use it.

Their plan is NOT a "Blue Cross"-type plan.

Cost it out: What it'll cost you over a year of making payments, what your medical coverage needs are, if it is cheaper just to pay the doc cash or have them wait for insurance, etc.

I dropped my SHC vision coverage because of that. My coverage gave me a new pair of specs every 2nd year. Paid out $200+ in their premiums, then get stuck for close to $400 AFTER their "coverage" kicked in. (And I'm not talking Gucci frames and an expensive prescription, either, because I knew I'd have to pay the difference anyways.) Next time went without the insurance and paid just over $300 total with exam and new glasses.

Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 515

I'll be honest--I do not understand health insurance, but I've looked at what Sears is offering and it doesn't seem any good.

I don't have health insurance and when I need a doctor, I go to a clinic that provides care for the uninsured/poor. It's about thirty or forty dollars a visit.

Posted: Tue Nov 03, 2009 7:00 am Post subject:

BTW, did your useless HR tell you any of this? Of course not.

http://88sears.com/benefits/docs/10enrollment/2010_new_changing.pdf

Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 2073

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