Health Insurance in South Dakota

[GoneStreamin]

For those of you that are full time and are domiciled in South Dakota, what do you do for health insurance? We're about to hit the road full time in January and while SD is great for pretty much every other aspect of being a full timer, the insurance options seem scarce. I'm 38 and healthy. My options seem to be to go with a traditional plan from Avera or Sanford, but these don't offer national coverage and are costly; go with a HCSM (Health Care Sharing Ministry) which offers national coverage and is affordable, but seems questionable; or somehow keep my current plan, which I don't think is possible because it's Blue Shield of California.

[CDONA]

Look into United Health care, I'm not tied to specific group care providers in local system.

[Keyair]

As a Licensed Californian Insurance Broker, this is an interesting question.
I am only Licensed in CA, and cannot do business in SD.
CA is what I know best, but even here, things are rapidly evolving, with Anthem(Blue Cross) getting out of the CA Individual market next year, in all but a few counties, I am moving clients to other coverage... mainly Blue Shield.

Are you talking about Individual coverage, or Group?
Blue Shield and Blue Cross are combined in most states, and therefor the "Blue Card" is accepted widely. I know that United Healthcare is countrywide in the group market, but as they have not been competitive here in the individual market, I have not suggested them to clients recently.

The playing field has and is changing rapidly, and every state is different.
Feel free to PM me, for some more specific advice, that might be to personalized to post publicly.

[aftermath]

Isn't this a shame. The most advanced country in the world and we don't have health care portability.

Before I was on Medicare I had a policy through United Health Care and I was covered, as far as I understood. When "out of my area" my deductibles would go up but I still had coverage. Is this your situation?

Don't worry though we are on our way to the best health insurance ever with low rates and total coverage. You will just have to wait to see it.

[RandyNH]

Originally Posted by aftermath

Don't worry though we are on our way to the best health insurance ever with low rates and total coverage. You will just have to wait to see it.

And even if the rates aren't that low, with the great tax cuts we're gonna get we'll be able to afford higher insurance rates if necessary.

I hope full-timers in this situation chime in, I've been wondering the same issue.

[paiceman]

The then fulltimers I worked with the summer of 2016 were all on Medicare and all had United and most had Plan F the others had Plan N. I asked as we were thinking of changing our Medicare, but thru our local hospital with a premium of $35.00 a month for a PPO plan, with what they call high deductible of $1,200.00, so we stay with them.


Bud

[CBWELL]

We like our health care in Canada. Too bad the people in the US could not have the same.

[Airtandem]

Might check Escapees, their domicile is Texas. They list several insurance associations; type of which is not listed.

[Keyair]

Originally Posted by CBWELL

We like our health care in Canada. Too bad the people in the US could not have the same.

With respect, I’m a Brit, so feel qualified to state that neither system is perfect!

[Bob Blarney]

Originally Posted by RandyNH

And even if the rates aren't that low, with the great tax cuts we're gonna get we'll be able to afford higher insurance rates if necessary.

I hope full-timers in this situation chime in, I've been wondering the same issue.

I'm pretty skeptical about the 'great tax cuts' - one feature of the proposed tax 'reform' is to eliminate any deductions for extraordinary medical expenses, along with many other deductions. Incidentally, the 'carry forward investment' deduction for jillionaires is not under consideration for cuts.

Btw, a 40-60 mile transport by helicopter (e.g. after a road accident) will cost you in the tens of thousands of dollars - a 60 mile scheduled airlift cost my brother $25,000!

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Just as insurance rates vary a lot within a state and state to state, so does coverage availability. About the only way to dig into the specifics of SD is to find a broker licensed in that state. Even with Medicare, what I can get here, somebody else can't get there (wherever there might be).

Some states are tilted towards "no cost no frills" plans. If you get pushed in that direction, find somebody who has had to *use* the plan for a major event. Some of the plans can be pretty brutal (We have two weeks to approve that care and two weeks after that to work through an appeal ..... oh, you *really need* that life support .... sorry ... call back in a month .... if you are still alive ....) That's not very far from the truth in some cases.

Bob

[RandyNH]

Originally Posted by CBWELL

We like our health care in Canada. Too bad the people in the US could not have the same.

I think I remember someone saying how good the healthcare in Australia is.

[Keyair]

My experience of Single payer...
Went to the Dentist with a toothache in my RH rear molar... he pulled it out and said it wouldn't be a problem any longer.
I went to the Dr once with a a cough. She listened and said I sounded fine. I went back a week later, worse.
She listened, and told me I was fine, despite the cough having worsened, and I was now running a temperature.
3 days later, I was in the Hospital, with Double pneumonia, with a side of double pleurisy.
My respiratory system ever been right since, which is one of the reasons I moved to warmer climates.
A family friend recently died because the drug that is used to treat the Cancer she had, was not available on the NHS in the UK.

I'm interested in this subject because I am in the business, and also because I will be in this situation when I begin travelling.

The OP asked what the options were for Healthcare in SD, for a 38 yo in good health. I am not licensed in SD, as stated, but trying to help a fellow Airstreamer.

Politics, or the Healthcare systems in other countries are not really relevent!

[aftermath]

Originally Posted by Keyair

My experience of Single payer...
Went to the Dentist with a toothache in my RH rear molar... he pulled it out and said it wouldn't be a problem any longer.
I went to the Dr once with a a cough. She listened and said I sounded fine. I went back a week later, worse.
She listened, and told me I was fine, despite the cough having worsened, and I was now running a temperature.
3 days later, I was in the Hospital, with Double pneumonia, with a side of double pleurisy.
My respiratory system ever been right since, which is one of the reasons I moved to warmer climates.
A family friend recently died because the drug that is used to treat the Cancer she had, was not available on the NHS in the UK.

I'm interested in this subject because I am in the business, and also because I will be in this situation when I begin travelling.

The OP asked what the options were for Healthcare in SD, for a 38 yo in good health. I am not licensed in SD, as stated, but trying to help a fellow Airstreamer.

Politics, or the Healthcare systems in other countries are not really relevent!

If this is true then why the long diatribe? If it isn't relevant to the OP's question....why tell the story?

[Keyair]

I guess my input was wasted as context.
Lets go back off topic.

[GoneStreamin]

I appreciate everyone's input, but I am specifically looking for information from someone that is domiciled in SD and has insurance (other than Medicare or VA) there. I am working with a broker in SD that was recommended through America's Mailbox. I just want to get actual 'user' input, like Yelp, I guess. I'm exploring all avenues -- individual plan, group plan, or running insurance through our business as it will soon be registered in SD. I've looked at rverinsurance.com and what Escapees has to offer, but there's not a whole lot available in SD and was kind of hoping to get some firsthand experience information. I'll just keep plugging away and see what I find. Thanks!