firedude
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Bumpyroad wrote:I currently use a HMO but obviously that wouldn't work if full timing. a PPO type with lots of members would work, but is Blue Cross/Blue Shield usable across the states? I thought they were actually state or regional programs.
bumpy
I have a Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO and it's pretty much good anywhere I go as there are providers most everywhere. Mine anyway is not restricted to a region or state and have been told it would even cover me if I was traveling in Canada. I believe Dianne and Terry are on the same thing and she may have some better input.
Tony
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sumerduck8
Virginia
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Hi, if you served in the military, you can us the VA system. Does not cost nothing and it's there for you for serving this great country. Your friend Houston
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cad2
Royersford, PA
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Houston,
How do you go about getting VA benefits? Thanks
cad2
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Ron Schulz
Hamburg, NY
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Getting VA benefits is not as easy as it once was. The system is being overtaxed w/all the wounded from our current wars and they get first priority, as they should. I get VA benefits only because I was exposed to asbestos in the Navy and now have Asbestosis. It took almost a year for me to get coverage once I applied. During that time I had physicals, multiple x-rays and breathing tests. When the diagnosis was confirmed I was covered. In order for any Vet to get coverage now, you have to prove a medical problem developed due to military service. By the way, if your a Vietnam Vet, you should get tested for exposure to Agent Orange. You may be entitled to benefits..........
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Clay L
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
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When we first started full timing, DW and I both had to pay for private insurance. We had been covered by company paid Blue Cross Blue Shield for many years and when I retired we used the 18 months of Cobra coverage and paid the company rate which was pretty cheap - $389 per month. After Cobra ran out we had to pay a much higher rate. It was about $1500 per month.
BCBS would only cover us in NH if we were in the state for more than six months each year and had a legal street address (not a mail forwarding address) in the state. We used our daughter's street address and by spending summers in NH just barely met the six month requirement.
When we moved to SD BCBS would not cover my wife (I was on medicare by that time) because of the restrictions above.
She went with Assurant and the rate was lower than the BCBS rate had been.
We found no way to avoid high health insurance rates other than do without and we were not willing to do that.
Clay (WA5NMR), Lee,(Wife) Codi, Brandi (Shelties) and Damncat (damn cat)
Full Timing in a 2004 Winnebago Sightseer 35N, Workhorse chassis, Honda Accord toad
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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so could one actually move to south dakota, buy a cheap house or even rent and establish true residency there. get Blue Cross, Blue Shield, then switch to a mailbox address?
bumpy
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lap527
Ocala, Florida
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My .02...a friend retired from the school system with insurance from BCBS. Everything went fine and then she moved to Georgia. Apparently when she moved to GA from FL her BCBS will only pay 60% because she is out of state and the doctors are out of network. I really think that stinks because she is still paying her part of the insurance with the school system kicking in $150 a month. She only found that out after she had bought a place in GA. I guess we will have to read the very small print on everything. That would not of crossed my mind but it happened.
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Bumpyroad
Virginia
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lap527 wrote:My .02...a friend retired from the school system with insurance from BCBS. Everything went fine and then she moved to Georgia. Apparently when she moved to GA from FL her BCBS will only pay 60% because she is out of state and the doctors are out of network. I really think that stinks because she is still paying her part of the insurance with the school system kicking in $150 a month. She only found that out after she had bought a place in GA. I guess we will have to read the very small print on everything. That would not of crossed my mind but it happened.
but can't she switch coverage to BC/BS of GA?
bumpy
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beavergod1
austin, texas, usa
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Hi, if you served in the military, you can us the VA system. Does not cost nothing and it's there for you for serving this great country
Not true. Catagory 8 was taken away for cost savings by GW some while back. Now a veteran joins the other uninsured 47 million people in this 'great' country. The only civilians getting military care are disabled vets, iraqi, afgan civies, and gitmo prisoners.
You may be a Cat 8 but you were probably grandfathered in before 2003(if memory serves me correctly), when the changes took afect.
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DianneOK
Donnelly, ID
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Firedude wrote:
I have a Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO and it's pretty much good anywhere I go as there are providers most everywhere. Mine anyway is not restricted to a region or state and have been told it would even cover me if I was traveling in Canada. I believe Dianne and Terry are on the same thing and she may have some better input.
We do have CaHP Blue Cross, part of the retirement package. We have used it all over. We had a CA address, then moved to SD five years ago. We just needed to change addresses. It covers us anywhere. We get online and find facilities/dr/lab where we are, then go from there. We have also used urgent care.
Dianne
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