I am told that the EPN option will not be available again if you leave it. As a retiree who does not get any subsidy, the cost for a family of 4 is just too high that I am considering leaving it and getting medical elsewhere. However before I do so, can someone please explain if that would be a mistake and whether EPN is worth staying into.
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Similar situation. vZ plan = very expensive premium with lower deductibles. Outside plans where I live is ~30% less with higher deductible. So if you use your medical insurance a lot for non basic sercvices and max out your deductible, you pay about the same. If you don’t use your medical insurance a lot, your annual out of pocket is less. So why would I pay over $34 a year premium, versus 20k premium? If I don’t use my medical that’s 14k I don’t have to pay. It depends on your situation and the options available in your state/ location. Do the math.... vZ plan for retiree with no subsidy is really not a good deal at all.
I compared the the VZ pre retirement plans with other Blue Cross/Blue Shiled PPO plans and found even though the VZ plan cost more there were much better coverages with much lower deductibles and copays. It does cost more but if you use a lot of medical services you'll probably pay at least that much anyway with a high deductible plan. Medashare also seems possible but it technically is not insurance thus if you have a pre existing condition they are not obligated to pay for your treatment as traditional medical insurance companies are. Plus many hospital systems consider you uninsured with a Medashare style system thus making you pay for treatment and having you go back after Medashare for payment. Something Medashare tells you not to do. Some other places to look for Medical Insurance, try your local credit union or if you are in a rural area, your local Farm Bureau.
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