Ginger sorry about that.

[Edited post to try and make int sound like it was written by someone socially competent.]

And ita - flat rate co-pays no longer available in a lot of areas or from a lot of health plans. Glad that option is still available to you. Even some HMOs now have percent copays on big expenses, which kind of of loses the the big advantage of an HMO from the patients point of view. In individual plans in my area almost impossible. Probably large and medium size employers can still offer plans with that option, but not all do.I can no longer get a plan with less than a $1,000 deductible, and that includes group health. Shouldn't grumble, At least I can get health insurance still, don't know if that will last forever.

Sorry, Ginger. Sorry, Pix.

But, also, yay! to Kate's getting married! I don't think I had the chance to congratulate you here, "in person".

Pix, that's tough. Check to see if there is a cap per year. I also suggest the payment options. Mom is still paying her procedure from about 15 years ago. Your certification is a needed thing, no?

How is ND doing?

Who in the hell decided that teachers could reasonably be expected to cough up $1200 for national certification? That's utterly insane. And yeah, the $1500 copay is scary too.

Ginger, that's crappy for you.

A few years ago, my dad had a valve replaced, which is open heart surgery. Even though he lives in New Mexico, he wnt to Minnesota to have it done because in NM, their "copay" would have been 20K or something like that. Luckily for him, it was surgery that could wait for a trip to MN.

eta: and I should add that my parents have comparably good health insurance.

I'm so glad I work for socialists. My pay is crap, but my health insurance is gold-plated.

t high fives Jessica

Course I don't work for socialists, so much as tree-hugging hippies, but hey - po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe.

I am very very very lucky. I look at my BCBS card and pet it every time I get frustrated with my job.

I've been feeling very lucky with my health insurance lately as well (though it's early enough in treatment that it could change). The only thing I'm on the hook for so far is the standard co-pay for the doctors' appointments, and the one pre-authorization I've had to get came in within a couple of hours, when the doctors thought it would take a couple of days.

flat rate co-pays no longer available in a lot of areas or from a lot of health plans. Glad that option is still available to you.

Seriously? I've never had it not be an option. And my current company is pretty small, relatively speaking.

I'm glad of it, because if I had to pay a %age of my regular ER bills, I'd be screwed. First thing I do when choosing a plan is check the flat rates.

I've been feeling very lucky with my health insurance lately as well

I understand this. When I was sick a few years ago (8 years ago now!! Cancer-free for 7 years, babee!), I ended up paying something like $200 out of pocket and that was it. Considering all the tests, scans, radiation, and 2 surgeries? That rocked. I was truly very very lucky.