Desperately Need Some Guidance/advice Re: Health Insurance (Kinda Long)
Updated on
December 10, 2013
J.J.
asks from
Dallas, TX
4
answers
hi mamas, i have a real problem here and need some help.
health insurance....how in the heck is everybody else in the world affording this? i don't even know where to start, please forgive me. i'm worried about this & this is admittedly a topic/problem that i do lose sleep over. :(
i'm about to release some private info, lol, but maybe some of you smart mamas can help me crunch numbers w/the actual amounts. I make $15/hr and support myself and my son. Under the affordable health care act i certaintly qualify for lower premiums, but because my employer offers insurance, I'm not eligible for the lower rate, at least that's my understanding...(is that correct as far as you know?) My son and I were previously w/the county hospital for lower medical costs, but they changed their rules in the summer & they don't provide help if employer offers it. To qualify for CHIP, a family of two has to make $29,000. I make approx $33K/yr. My employer's rate to cover my family is $665/month. That's approximately 27% of my income/month. I do have a pre-existing condition, so ONE good thing about aff healthcare act is that you can't be denied for that....so that's a plus, but in researching & calling, etc, the cheapest i can find for "full" coverage (lack of a better word) is around $400-$450/month.
Okay, well, that's still SO MUCH out of my bring home pay, which is approx $2400.
my expenses: d. ramsey suggests my rent to be 25% of my income, which is $600, my rent is currently $720/month. i'm aware this is where i should cut back. it's a very small house (880 sq ft), but it's a HOUSE, has a backyard and i'm trying my best to stay here & afford health insurance. i could get an apartment, for no less than $675 or $700 but cost of moving financially, and having to move my son, that just sucks. :(
utilities - approx $325/month for gas, lights, phone, t.v., and water. so far that's $1045 for utilities & rent.
daycare's $360/month = $1405/month so far for what i mentioned.
car insurance - $131/month (i've compared, full coverage, this is what i found, with progressive) = $1536
health insurance, we'll just say $500 (avg of what i've seen) = $2036/month.
So w/all necessary expenses paid, I have $364 remaining for food, gas (i fill up 2-3x/wk b/c of my job), savings, and xmas & bday presents for my son. i GUESS i could make it work w/o drowning, but all the ancillary expenses (car reg/insp, vet stuff, etc...) how will i be able to afford that? or doctor copays or meds? right now i put back $80/check to have for extra expenses, there when i need it, but w/this budget above i won't have the money to do that. also, right now, i'm able to save approx $75/month. it's not much, and i certaintly don't have 3 months worth saved up, but i'm doing the best i can. i'm very budgeted, live on cash/envelope system when i get paid. bills are paid on time, etc.
i have a bachelor's degree, it's just the field i'm in is notoriously known for being a lower paid field, social services. i've thought about asking for a raise to $18/hr to make it better or ask for a decrease to $13/hr so i can get CHIP. i'm sooo j/k, but my mind's been reeling over this for a minute. :)
i have strong faith in God, i know this will work out somehow someway, i just can't see it. do y'all have any ideas, suggestions, etc?
i'm being very forthright and vulnerable in saying all this info, so PLEASE don't say anything yucky. i've mentioned before my mom's passed away already, and I say that b/c she would help me through this. I do have one lady that's "adopted" me and my boy that i can ask for guidance and her suggestion was to get the insurance and stay in this house b/c i really wouldn't be able to get much cheaper. i just can't see having $364/month remaining to cover everything that we'll need. kinder starts next year, daycare should be cheaper (HOPEFULLY) but then i have school uniforms, supplies, fundraisers, etc. As a single mother in this income bracket, i don't fit into the indigent category but i'm barely able to make it. it's frustrating. thankfully, i am able to support us w/o any help from anybody, family or government, but DANG, it's so frustrating. all single mom's are in different places. I'm not a 'young' mom, per se, out of my 20's, mid 30's. My friend makes a little less than me, has two children, has medicaid, food stamps, child care help, and housing. her fiancee lives w/her though and makes $40K+/yr, she has just never reported he lives there. Now, I would much rather be self sufficient than reliant on welfare, but situation's like that really get to me....sigh.
i digress, it's not about her, it's about us.
do y'all have any thoughts....suggestions....??? at present, neither of us are insured. and soon, i will be made to pay a fine for not being insured. what the heck should i do?
also re: child support, i do have a case w/the OAG, but until he works and they can "pull" up his SSN w/their system, his wages won't be garnished to be sent to me. per court order, he's also responsible for health insurance, but again, same situation w/the regular child support.
thanks for reading, sorry it's so terribly long.
Does it look at your taxable wages or your before tax? If it is after tax, you might be able to put a few % into 401 k (save for your furture) or a dependent care account That would lower your amount, and allow you to get on CHIP? . Since you have to pay for daycare either way, you can pull out as much as daycare would cost or up to $5k ..
The only other thing I see that you might cut woudl be, TV.. not sure if that is just basic to get a clear picture in your house or cable with a lot of channels.
Stay in the house.. you own it, and moving would not net you a big enough difference.. ( if it was $300 or more in the difference maybe)...
I totally dislike how this is set up. I see you are not a lazy bump on the log, taking in freebees so you can do nothing. I wish the system was designed better to help people actually get somewhere.. that step is huge, not small and that is frustrating. Good Luck!
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L.S.
answers from
Tyler
on
Hey -
It sounds like you are really try to do everything correctly. I like the idea of you staying the house (I'm a private a person and would like to be in a house over an apartment). I have two suggestions:
1. Can you get a roommate? Someone that can help you with the expenses of the home?
2. Or, instead of staying in the house you are in, could you find a rental house that is closer to your job so you are not commuting as far and spending as much on gas. I know you are not thrilled with the idea of moving, but moving now before Kindergarten starts (at least this coming summer) would be easiest.
Good luck,
L.
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S.H.
answers from
Des Moines
on
Call the county hospital and chip and try to talk to someone about options. I know that we had the county hospital type thing and they have counselors set up for meetings to give you options now that the plan we were on is gone. Don't settle on what you may hear from other people...start talking to the insurance people, the hospitals, etc.
It does suck....we have been there many times. Making just enough to lose the help and we are poorer than before. And health insurance is always what puts us so in debt.
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J.S.
answers from
Richland
on
You don't sound like you are just chillin. :)
I got the notice from my employer in October, because you are offered health insurance you are not eligible for the exchanges. But you son may be. You sound like you have tracked down everything but unless I missed it you haven't gone there.
So what does your employer charge for just you and what is available for your son. Normally splitting like that would be more expensive but today up is down, dogs and cats living together....
It is a crazy world!
Also the difference in pay with CHIP, which I know nothing about, but what is the monetary value of CHIP? What I mean is if it yields you 5,000 in benefits you are 1,000 better off by taking the 4,000 dollar pay cut.
What I am saying is you need to throw all the numbers in the pot and look at the bottom line. Never look at differences because you will almost always miss a variable. Like how does dropping down to 29,000 effect your earned income tax credit, that may be 2,000 extra right there.
