Health/Medical Insurance for Piano Techs?

[Greg Newell]

Tom et. al,
    I don't know who you have your plan through, Tom, but my deductible is only
$3,000 and once one of the family fulfills it it's satisfied for all. After the
deductible we pay nothing. 100% is covered. No if ands or buts about it. Check
out Golden Rule.

Greg

Tom Servinsky wrote:

> Once your deductible is met ($4800) than it's like any other insurance plan.
> Something like %80 coverage, and so much for hospital stays, etc. .
> The big difference, as stated earlier, is if you don't need to use the money
> than it remains with you. You get the benefit of deducting the contribution
> amt. from your taxable income, plus this is an interest bearing/tax free
> account, much like an IRA.  Plus at 65 you can take it out and use it for
> whatever needs you may have.
> But back to the original question, what if you don't have much savings built
> up in the account? You can prepay up to one full year in advance ($3600) or
> if you are signing up during the course of the year, than only those
> remaining months could be paid for. That money is to be used for the
> incidental expenses ( doctor visits, eye exams, dental exam, etc).
> If you take a close look at all the medical expenses the average person pays
> through the course of a year, plus the premiums paid, plus, plus, plus...the
> amt. spent will generally far exceed the MSA basic premium amts.
> The thought behind MSA is that if you have only so much money to work with
> you are more likely not to use medical services unnecessarily. The harsh
> reality is that many feel most insurance plans are an open pit for services
> and the payment for services are mysteriously provided. Those costs are
> spread out over everyone's premiums, thus the steady inclination in premium
> charges.
> Again, give credit where credit is due. Congress, IMHO, has taken a bold
> stance in supporting our desire to curb out-of-control health care costs.
> Tom Servinsky,RPT
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Barrie Heaton" ?piano@a440.co.uk?
> To: ?pianotech@ptg.org?
> Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2002 2:42 PM
> Subject: Re: Health/Medical Insurance for Piano Techs?
>
> ?
> ? So what happens if you get a  long term illness and you have only had
> ? the card of a year or so
> ?
> ? Barrie,
> ?
> ? In message ?006d01c1e4de$89d38d20$903d2a3f@compaq?, Tom Servinsky
> ? ?tompiano@gate.net? writes
> ? ?Dittos,
> ? ?Can't agree more.
> ? ?We just signed up for the MSA account and the offerings, especially if
> you
> ? ?are basically healthy, will leave more money in your pocket.
> ? ?For those who are not aware of the MSA,this was Congress's attempt to
> give
> ? ?control the individual the opportunity  manage their own healthcare.
> It's
> ? ?not a perfect situation but it's pretty darn close.
> ? ?You are allowed to put up to $300/monthly ( $3600) with the addition of
> the
> ? ?premium ( ours is $1300 quarterly, family of 6). Altogether we'll pay an
> ? ?average of $650/month. You are given a plastic debit card which works
> very
> ? ?much like a VISA card.
> ? ?The big difference between most health insurance plans and the MSA is the
> ? ?MSA covers anything related to health related expenditures. Dental, eye
> ? ?care, health care...it doesn't matter, providing you have enough reserve
> ? ?built up in your account.
> ? ?Remember these are all tax free contributions and the account will
> resemble
> ? ?much like an IRA account.
> ? ?Give Congress credit for designing a plan that gives the power back to
> the
> ? ?user.
> ? ?Tom Servinsky,RPT
> ? ?----- Original Message -----
> ? ?From: "Greg Newell" ?gnewell@ameritech.net?
> ? ?To: ?pianotech@ptg.org?
> ? ?Sent: Friday, April 12, 2002 11:42 AM
> ? ?Subject: Re: Health/Medical Insurance for Piano Techs?
> ? ?
> ? ?
> ? ?? Check with your local insurance agent to see if they can handle an MSA
> ? ?? (Medical Savings Account) . You'll end up paying about the sam but part
> of
> ? ?? the money is yours to use on medically related expenses. Have them
> explain
> ? ?? it all to you. They can do it better than I can. I think the best
> company
> ? ?to
> ? ?? have one with is Golden Rule. The portion of the premium that is yours
> is
> ? ?? put in an interest bearing account with checks you can use. Remember
> the
> ? ?? overall payment is the same as everybody else but in this case some of
> it
> ? ?is
> ? ?? yours!
> ? ??
> ? ?? Greg
> ? ??
> ? ?? Richard Oliver Snelson wrote:
> ? ??
> ? ?? ? I have a 55 lady (smoker/my wife's sister) who wishes to learn the
> piano
> ? ?? ? tuning and repair business. I have checked on getting health
> insurance
> ? ?? ? for her and got a large wakeup. So for it looks like $550 to $700 a
> ? ?? ? month for basic coverage.
> ? ?? ?
> ? ?? ? What are you folks doing, that must provide your own health
> insurance?
> ? ?? ? I have a wife that teaches school and is covered there. I'm over 65
> and
> ? ?? ? have coverage. I had no idea that the costs were so high! How do
> folks
> ? ?? ? manage this. This is a real deterrent to someone wanting to go into
> ? ?? ? business for themselves.
> ? ?? ? Richard Snelson
> ? ?? ? Oliver Piano Service
> ? ??
> ? ?? --
> ? ?? Greg Newell
> ? ?? mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net
> ? ??
> ? ??
> ? ?
> ?
> ? --
> ? Barrie Heaton      PGP key on request           http://www.a440.co.uk/
> ? AcryliKey Ivory Repair System UK ©
> http://www.acrylikey.co.uk/
> ? The U.K. Piano Page ©                           http://www.uk-piano.org/
> ?                                  Home to the UK Piano Industry

--
Greg Newell
mailto:gnewell@ameritech.net