Random, but as a Fed what is your preferred health care plan? It’s open season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was BCBS Standard for nearly my entire federal career. We Switched to MHBP Standard that started January this year. Retired recently but sticking with MHBP for the foreseeable future.

DP. I’m switching to MHBP Standard. If you’ve had any experience with their OON claims process, could you please share feedback?

We hade MHBP and they wouldn’t fill my prescription for retin a for after cystic acne because it was also used cosmetically. I think the only way forward was we had to jump to accutane.

[Anonymous]

I love Kaiser! Very reasonable. All labs handled in house. I was very impressed with my prenatal care and birth experience. We now have a truly wonderful pediatrician. So easy to schedule and reschedule appointments in their app. Plus, I get a $500 gym credit and $275 in health funds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love Kaiser! Very reasonable. All labs handled in house. I was very impressed with my prenatal care and birth experience. We now have a truly wonderful pediatrician. So easy to schedule and reschedule appointments in their app. Plus, I get a $500 gym credit and $275 in health funds.

Just double checked and it is $375! And your spouse can also do it.

[Anonymous]

I like Kaiser too, it is simple to get care and the out of pocket expenses are low. I think I paid $100 copay for my MRI and the wait time was within 10 days. My SIL and my son had hard times getting MRI appointments and the copays were $500 - $1000 with their respective plans.

[Anonymous]

Big fan of Kaiser but I understand a lot of people don’t like HMOs. No complaints from me, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:we fled GEHA last year. they are horrendous. i work at an agency that allows enrollment under the Foreign Service Benefit Plan and it is FABULOUS.

Same. It took a little getting used to not having the mostly copay model and rather the mostly coinsurance model. I wanted to be in it for at least a year since apparently you can then have it for life, even if you go to a non-national security agency. It's also made me more aware of how much healthcare actually costs. I switched last year after another significant rate hike for BCBS Standard.

[Anonymous]

Has anyone figured out what makes BCBS standard better than basic? Xxx amount of reimbursement, a certain condition, etc?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone figured out what makes BCBS standard better than basic? Xxx amount of reimbursement, a certain condition, etc?

out of network reimbursement- many of our doctors don’t take insurance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love Kaiser! Very reasonable. All labs handled in house. I was very impressed with my prenatal care and birth experience. We now have a truly wonderful pediatrician. So easy to schedule and reschedule appointments in their app. Plus, I get a $500 gym credit and $275 in health funds.

Just double checked and it is $375! And your spouse can also do it.

Ohhh how do you get the gym credit?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love Kaiser! Very reasonable. All labs handled in house. I was very impressed with my prenatal care and birth experience. We now have a truly wonderful pediatrician. So easy to schedule and reschedule appointments in their app. Plus, I get a $500 gym credit and $275 in health funds.

Just double checked and it is $375! And your spouse can also do it.

Ohhh how do you get the gym credit?

+1 I'd also like to know - and is it $500 total or for each you and spouse?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No one has mentioned Kaiser, but we love it! I paid exactly $0 for my 3 pregnancies and births. ($30 copay to get pregnancy confirmed and then absolutely everything else was free, even the hospital stay). We especially love their urgent care system. And we've liked all our doctors and pediatricians.

But yes, switching to Kaiser would mean all new doctors if you're new to Kaiser. You can only see Kaiser doctors. And they aren't into therapy.

Kaiser is the worst. Only worth it if you never have to see specialists. In other words, if your health care requires nothing outside of typical, go for it.

[Anonymous]

When I lived in DC and was younger, I loved Kaiser, too! Moved out of the area and signed up for MHBP standard which has been great. I’d love to do a high deductible plan and build an HSA, but when I did the math of what insurance paid over the last few years (excluding what they paid for preventive care), it was a significant amount each year due to an ER visit and then speech therapy for one kid. I am considering switching to MHBP Value, but it’s looking like it will be a wash compared to Standard, so I’ll probably stick with Standard. I do NOT want any plan that uses United Healthcare. They were horrible to deal with and never wanted to pay claims.