“I use a care1st health plan for all of my pregnancies. It’s actually been a great experience.
It is called a care1st health plan because the company was founded with the goal of using “natural means” of birth. In the early days of care1st, the company used what is called “in-vitro fertilization” to get babies. The company has since changed the company’s name to “Breezies” for the same reason.
Well, I guess I should have a care1st health plan for my last one. I will be using it for all of my pregnancies.
Like most plans, care1st uses insurance to pay for expenses and to cover any medical expenses related to your baby. Breezies has always been quite upfront about it. There is no pre-existing condition exclusion, which means there is no waiting period for a birth, etc. However, there is a deductible, which means you will have to pay a certain amount of money up front. Also, unlike other plans, care1st is not limited to using the company’s health plan.
Because it’s a health plan, it is a great way to get a low price on your first baby. And because you don’t have a pre-existing condition, you get to keep whatever insurance you had before your first baby.
Care1st is a low-cost plan for low-income Americans. They are offering a $250 annual deductible with a $100 annual out-of-pocket maximum. A $500 deductible and a $250 maximum out-of-pocket maximum is also available. So if you are below $25,000 a year in health insurance coverage, you are eligible for a $250 annual deductible and up to $500 maximum out-of-pocket maximum per year.
Like most insurance plans, Care1st has a high out-of-pocket maximum. If you have a $250 limit, even with that amount, you are still going to have to pay most of your medical bills. The average person paying $250 for a $500 deductible plan would be spending over $5k per year on medical bills alone. With a 250 deductible plan, that breaks even for the first year, but then you have to start over again the next year.
This is why most people end up paying the high out-of-pocket maximum. They just don’t want to do the math and find out they are paying way too much. Some people seem to be really OK with this, but most aren’t, so it’s best to think of it as a feature.
Of course, the average person is not OK with it either. How many of us have ever taken out a health insurance policy and had to pay the $500 co-pay for that insurance? Of course we dont want to be forced into that kind of commitment.
Well, the point is that if you are paying out of pocket, you still have to pay for the full cost of that coverage. In the case of the Care1st health plan, you pay a low monthly premium, and then when you have that payment, you have to pay a higher monthly premium to renew it. You have to pay that higher premium for it to be valid to renew it. That is why people have to pay a huge surcharge for the plan.
