I'm on the marketplace applying for coverage in 2024 and the prices seem insane. I was laid off last year around this time, but my employer continued our coverage for 6 months (not Cobra). I applied last year just to check it out but thought prices were high due to my income. I haven't worked at all this year (taking a mid-life crisis break), so my income is $0 for this year.
I thought the prices were based on income? The last time I was unemployed in 2015, policies were super cheap and I keep seeing commercials about cheap plans available now. The lowest monthly cost I could find was $268/month.
For reference, I'm a 42M, non-smoker living in FL with no dependents. Should I connect with a professional who can navigate this for me? The application process seems simple, not sure where I went wrong here. Any tips or suggestions are appreciated. Or if I should post to another sub, please let me know. Thanks!
USA based discussion
I recently went to a gastroenterology center where I was informed I would be seen by a specialist doctor at the center when I scheduled the appointment. There was an extended wait at the clinic (45+ minutes) and I was eventually seen by a nurse practioner working for the doctor and was never seen by the doctor.
Should I have paid the full specialist office copay? Nothing against nurse practioners but I would have preferred to be informed I would be scheduled with them instead of the doctor. This was my first visit there.
I was also prescribed a bunch of take home testing that was out of network even though the clinic is in network. I declined to take it until I could verify coverage and they were kind of pushy wanting me to sign so they could bill my insurance and I still opted for not signing, called the testing company, and sure enough it is out of network. I'm just hoping they don't try to bill me for it.
I currently see an NP as my PCP, though I've only seen her twice -- once for a "get to know you"/basic physical, and one where she told me I have type II diabetes. Previous to this, I have had both NPs and MDs as PCPs and have been happy with both; however, I have also typically been very boring medically. Now I'm in my 40s and things are getting more complex -- the diabetes is one, I have (and am on medication prescribed by my previous MD) high blood pressure, high cholesterol, had basal cell carcinoma. Basically, as I'm getting older and more complex, I wonder if I should swap to an MD. This NP isn't great -- which I ascribe to her and the system she works in, not to her status as an NP -- but I'm wondering if I should try to find another NP (it tends to be easier to get appointments with them) or if I'm now medically interesting enough to switch to an MD.