Pre 65 South Dakota PPO in 2017(?)

[Smitty77_7]

Just sharing info, and no real meat, yet:)!

 

Received an email from SD's Mike Monson, that a SD Health Insurance company will be sending him info soon about a PPO. And, that they will accept Mail Forwarding addresses.

 

For those like my wife and I, Pre 65, we'll be waiting to see if this is hamburger helper, or a nice filet:)!

 

Fingers crossed, and will share info as I receive it,

Smitty

 

 

[KHenson]

I've had several people email me about this after receiving info from a mail service provider (not Escapees) in SD. I did some further digging and found out it's not a new plan and it's not a new carrier. It's Wellmark BCBS simply changing their long-standing policy to not insure RVers with mail-forwarding addresses. I spoke to Wellmark and they advised they simply "aren't monitoring those addresses anymore".

 

So, Id' say it's Hamburger Helper

 

I'm hesitant to enroll anyone there given their long-standing policy of not insuring RVers...even dropping some folks after they enrolled. Plus, their rates are comparatively very high, going even higher, and they are NOT on the exchange in SD in 2017. Nevertheless, they are a PPO option and they do allow you to use the national BCBS network outside of SD. So if premium is of no concern then they may be worth a look for 2017.

[Zulu]

I'm hesitant to enroll anyone there given their long-standing policy of not insuring RVers...even dropping some folks after they enrolled. Plus, their rates are comparatively very high, going even higher, and they are NOT on the exchange in SD in 2017. Nevertheless, they are a PPO option and they do allow you to use the national BCBS network outside of SD. So if premium is of no concern then they may be worth a look for 2017.

 

There are many other BCBS ACA options . . . you'll just have to move, but that's an RVers ace in the hole, right?

 

[KHenson]

Here is the official new residency requirement from Wellmark BCBS in South Dakota:

 

1. SD Residency Requirements – Effective immediately for [individual Family Plans] and MedicareBlue Supplement enrollees, we will require a SD Driver’s License or Voter’s Registration AND a valid SD address on the application. Applicants meeting this criteria will satisfy Wellmark’s residency requirements even if they don’t have a permanent dwelling in the state of SD (i.e. RVers).

So, most RVers in SD should be able to fulfill that requirement.

 

****

 

Nice job compiling that data Tom! As I am sure you aware, this will be pretty much obsolete come Jan 1 though...so it would be risky to move anywhere based on this data right now.

[KHenson]

Well, oddly enough Wellmark just made a new announcement this week to completely pull out of SD in 2017:

 

Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced Tuesday that it will narrow its choices for individual Affordable Care Act plans in Iowa and will eliminate ACA individual plans in South Dakota altogether in 2017.

 

This leaves Avera Health as the only ACA option in SD.

 

http://www.businessrecord.com/Content/Insurance-Investments/Insurance-Investments/Article/Wellmark-narrows-individual-policy-choices-in-Iowa/171/833/74882

[Smitty77_7]

Kyle, Tom - Been offline for a few days. Thanks for both of your posts.

 

And yes Tom, thanks for both here and on IRV2 for your info sharing posts:)!

 

Classic! Even if expensive, and maybe not right for some, it now does not matter - if they're pulling out of SD in 2017:)!

 

Moving states of Domicile, as both of you, and probably all Escapees know - is more then just Health Care. Higher Health Insurance, will still work for many, where Income Tax become an issue. No Inheritance Tax could matter to some. Low Sales Tax works into the spread sheet, as well as Property Tax, Registration, Personal Luxury Tax, costs of other forms of Insurance (RV, Auto, Umbrella) - etc., etc.

 

So, the year of 2017 will be a deciding point for my wife and I. My Group Retirement Health Care, yes - expensive, and yes high out of pocket - still has allowed us to remain SD Domiciled. When I turn 65 in February of 2018, I must go off of the plan. And, unfortunately, that also means my wife too. And that will be our challenge, finding her PPO coverage, for the 5-6 more years until she reaches 65. So, we'll be doing the State of Domicile analysis dance again...

 

Best to all,

Smitty