Need Advice About Health Insurance

We have always had health partners and have used park nicollet clinics or health partners clinics. I prefer using park nicollet clinic or a private doctor but haven't had many problems with the actual insurance. I have heard horrible things about medica.

First of all you need to go throught the info provided by the employer. The level of coverage the employer offer makes the differnce ans also what you will have to pay in payroll deductions, copays & deductibles. Both I believe are good insurances. Also check if you need to see specific doctors with the healthcare plan or can you go outside the network. with a child you may need to do that. It is hard to tell you what is best without know the specific needs of your family. I would contact your husband's HR person at work. They should be able to assist you in choosing the best plan for your family's needs. Ps Children Hospital in st Paul & mpls Accept both insurances.

I've had Medica and really liked it. I would look at what the costs will be for both of the plans & whether or not the doctors you are currently seeing accept the different plans (my experience has been that pretty much everyone takes medica, not sure about Health Partners).

Good luck!
A.

I dont know where you live but my husband and I had to switch from health partners to Medica and while the new coverage we have is better for the money the Dr my kids have is not the same and I wouldve rather paid more for the ability to see him. His name is Dr.richard fraiser and hes at the woodbury clinic (seasons parkwy). He is excellant! I would recommend health partners only for that reason. I dont have a pedicatric dentist that Im enthused about but north east dental in white bear lake is good for me.

B.

Hi T.,

I would compare the coverage of the two plans versus how much you may be using the plan since most doctor's probably accept both insurance coverage. It seems like many companies offer a couple of styles of plans. For example you could have a high deductible plan which covers a lot more once that deductible is reached or a plan that has copays with every visit or even a plan that allows for a certain spending allowance before you need to pay. It really depends on your situation and how much usage you think you may get. Sometimes higher deductible plans also take less from your paycheck. Our family went for this type of plan this year since we have tons of medical bills with a birth in Feb and two young kids who are always getting sick. I am thankful for this plan because we met our deductible fairly quickly and now I only pay $7-8/visit vs a $20 copay. Good luck.

Hi T.

We had our first appointment with a family practitioner we really liked, Dr. Jane Hess, D.O. One of the clinics she practices out of is Rosedale Medical Clinic. ###-###-####. She was personable. I was incredibly impressed because she called me back even before she had met our daughter to answer questions about tetanus shots. We had an appointment scheduled in a few weeks, but she had not met or worked with us. When we met with her, we were even more impressed.

We also are receiving excellent coverage through a Health Partners individual coverage plan with high deductible and relatively low cost. Fortunately we have not had to use it much. We are allowed total choice which I like. I also have HP through my work and like it.

Good luck.

Personally, I like Medica. My husband is a family practioner and he and his former resident friends called Health Partners, "Death Partners" as a joke. I don't know why. I had Medica before and they had a lot of proactive health plans.

Anyway, if you email me where your area, I may be able to help you with a family practice doctor. I know quite a few good ones all around the cities and surrounding communities.

I think you should go w/HealthPartners. I've had both and if I could choose eiher or, it would be HP.

Also, Medica is really hard to get in contact with - from an HR perspective. I used to go to Como Healthpartners and they have everything in that building. Plus my child loved them. Good luck to your husband today!

Personally, I like HealthPartners--but I worked for them for 4 years before becoming a SAHM. Their Inver Grove Heights clinic on 52 & Upper 55th, is GREAT!! My husband went there for medical stuff and loves his doctor! We all went there for dental, and their dentists are terrific!! We had to change insurances when I left my job, so we no longer go there, but I think they are good. My kids and I have always gone to the Allina Clinic in Hastings--that's where the doctor I've had when I lived there is, so we just go there.

But to choose...can you have side-by-side comparisons of what's included in which plan (& how much the premiums are)?? It's really tough, I know that!

T.,
Under both insurances, the difference in benefits will normally be left to the individual group (like employer) as to what the level of coverage will be. I would assume that your husband would have gotten an explanation as to the benefit level under either insurance provider. (Ex. is there a copay for an office visit, or do you have to pay up to $xx before there will be any coverage.) As for which has the best doctors, alot of the mainstream providers will be participating with both insurances. The best thing to do is write out the list of doctors, dentists, etc that you have seen that you like or some that you have been wanting to see and calling each of them and asking if they are participating with healthpartners or medica. You can then see if there is a difference that way.
Just some suggestions.
J.