I had BCBS Blue Advantage in one job and it was pretty low end. (Maybe that's all I am looking for, insurance against catastrophe). Just try finding one of their in-program physicians who went to med school in the U.S. Not that all good doctors are American, of course they aren't, but it raises an eyebrow when just about every affiliated doctor is either foreign-born or not board certified. The latter is a big red flag for me.

Calvin Trillin was on the Charlie Rose show a couple of weeks ago, promoting his heartbreaking new book "About Alice", and he said he considered alternative medicine to be going to a doctor who didn't go to Johns Hopkins.


>I know some consultants and other self-employed people (subcontractors) who use Blue Advantage (its Blue Cross Blue Shield). I don't know if it is available in all states though:
>
>http://www.bcbsnc.com/plans/blueadvantage/
>
>
>>For the first time in my working life I do not have health insurance and it makes me as nervous as a cat in a roomful of rocking chairs, as a friend of mine liked to say <g>. Nothing funny about it, really. I don't normally see doctors very often -- a guy, you know -- but what if something serious comes up? It could wipe me out.
>>
>>I know there are lots of indies here. Can anyone recommend an affordable health care plan for individuals?
>>
>>
>>>Actually, I've been fortunate that every place I've worked has provided excellent medical insurance. Interestingly though, when I was admitted to the ER no one asked me for any identification. They did ask for my name and address and birthdate and any medical insurance information. I could have provided any information, and in fact, it was clear that many there were doing just that. The only reason the hospital knows how to bill me is by the insurance information I provided. I did receive a letter from the hospital later stating that I would be responsible for anything not paid for by my insurance provider. It will take 30-45 days to determine what that may be since it has to be submitted to my provider and get processed. What if anything, I will have to pay could be interesting. I've had other trips to the ER (after bee stings since I am severly allergic) and never paid a dime because insurance covered everything. This is my first trip to the ER though since having this
>>>insurance provider. The only questionable coverage is for the full body CT scan. I would think that if the hospital deemed it necessary that insurance would cover it, but I will wait to see and let you know. Now, if I had, like others, given fictitious information to the ER then I would never be billed. That bugs me to no end but I refuse to be dishonest just because others do and succeed at it. We'll see if I regret it later :o)
>>>
>>>
>>>>>Hi Mike,
>>>>>
>>>>>No, I was responding to Michel's comments in his message only. Just after christmas I tumbled down some steep wooden stairs in the middle of the night and had to make a run to the ER. I actually broke two ribs in the process. Has this been an exciting year for me or what? :0) I healed pretty quickly though after the first couple of days of pain. One good thing, in the ER they did a full CT scan and I got a clean bill of health on all my internal organs and lungs :o) It did show my two broken ribs though. I'd rather not go through that experience again just for the CT scan...
>>>>
>>>>Unless you have a good mediacl insurance I'll wager your bank balance isn't all that healthy now though, after that:-)
>>>>
>>>>Glad to hear you've mended quickly.
>>>>
>>>>...