Health insurance...

SteveS wrote:

www.ridersurance.com

SteveS wrote:

www.ridersurance.com

bp@RiderSurance.com wrote:

Thanks for the plug Steve! Guys let me know how I can help. I have raced for 12 years and started my insurance business when I...

Thanks for the plug Steve!

Guys let me know how I can help. I have raced for 12 years and started my insurance business when I was 20. When I was 25 I realized the need for insurance that did not exclude racing so I started RiderSurance.com. You might have seen my ads on Racer X. Anyhow I specialize in the action sports industry focusing mainly on motocross racers. I am licensed in all 50 states and the plans and insurance carriers vary from state to state. The plans I offer are for individuals, families and business’s: Health, Accident, Life Flight, Ambulance, Life, Disability & Repatriation.

Anyhow I know there is a lot of bad insurance info out there and a lot of horror stories. I can honestly say since 2007 when I started RiderSurance.com I have not had one client with one horror story. It's all about getting the right insurance in place before you get hurt and understanding what you have. Please feel free to run quotes on my site and I would love to have the opportunity to help you meet your needs and budget.

Whitey wrote:

Gday Brandon, I am travelling to the USA in January for a month and doing some ride days. Do you have any Insurance that covers Travel...

Gday Brandon, I am travelling to the USA in January for a month and doing some ride days. Do you have any Insurance that covers Travel and riding for foreigners?

Hank_Thrill wrote:

Imagine never having to pay a bill for a severely broken leg. Or not having to worry about not being covered by insurance, because you ride...

Imagine never having to pay a bill for a severely broken leg. Or not having to worry about not being covered by insurance, because you ride a motorcycle. Or not have to worry about going bankrupt from an injury. These scenarios do happen to other people, and I've read a lot of riders on here claim that they quit riding because they can't afford insurance. Not to mention, there are some professional action sport athletes who have been severely injured, and got completely screwed because they could not get insurance coverage due to their occupation; and no fundraiser, or T-shirt company is ever going to raise enough money to get these individuals out of debt.

The system does not benefit the people of America as a whole, but it does benefit a few (and I'm not talking about the people who can afford quality health care). The people that the system is benefiting are the people that spend millions of dollars each year lobbying politicians and disseminating false information to scare people away from supporting a system that is actually highly functional, along with to maintain the most profitable health care system in the world. They rely on the collective ignorance of American society.

Both Democrats and Republicans, white collar, blue collar - it doesn't matter what color of shirt you have on - are the ones getting screwed over with this current system. Obama's "Historical health care legislation" was anything but that. Actually, it was historical in the sense that it now forces a country suffering from a recession with one of the widest wealth gaps on the planet to purchase insurance, which does nothing more but benefit the people who spent, once again, millions of dollars lobbying politicians to ensure no significant health care reform takes place.

America ranks second on total expenditure of health care of all other nations (most expensive), we have the post profitable health care system on the world, yet we have the highest preventable mortality rate. Go Google, 'The World Health Organization's' ranking for America's health care system. There are countries out there that have a system way better than ours, but for the benefit of those screwing everyone else over, do them a favor and don't look into it *sarcasm*.

I'm not anti-capitalist, I'm anti-greed.

motosb wrote:

It is against the law for an insurance company to cancel you for use. At least in Colorado where I have been selling it for 16...

It is against the law for an insurance company to cancel you for use. At least in Colorado where I have been selling it for 16 years. Most carrirers here dont have a motorcycle exclusion however some of them do so you have to be careful about who you choose. So if you choose one that excludes it, that would be your biggest problem. I only have one big name carrier here in the state that excludes bikes. So I would find a big name carrier, here some of my best sellers are Anthem BC/BS, and Kaiser. Golden Rules United healthcare is the one that excludes so I would look careful at them as I do know they exclude so make sure to check your policy, and they do have a question right on there application asking such. Lieing is not the answer, getting it right at time of applying eliminates the need. Now Im sure we are going to here about all the times people have been stung, im just saying that in 16 years when done right I have had no issues. Good luck!

motosb wrote:

It is against the law for an insurance company to cancel you for use. At least in Colorado where I have been selling it for 16...

It is against the law for an insurance company to cancel you for use. At least in Colorado where I have been selling it for 16 years. Most carrirers here dont have a motorcycle exclusion however some of them do so you have to be careful about who you choose. So if you choose one that excludes it, that would be your biggest problem. I only have one big name carrier here in the state that excludes bikes. So I would find a big name carrier, here some of my best sellers are Anthem BC/BS, and Kaiser. Golden Rules United healthcare is the one that excludes so I would look careful at them as I do know they exclude so make sure to check your policy, and they do have a question right on there application asking such. Lieing is not the answer, getting it right at time of applying eliminates the need. Now Im sure we are going to here about all the times people have been stung, im just saying that in 16 years when done right I have had no issues. Good luck!

race wrote:

Are you sure about United? Are we talking about an individual policy or a group ( large ) policy? An independent broker I spoke with said...

Are you sure about United? Are we talking about an individual policy or a group ( large ) policy?

An independent broker I spoke with said he would be surprised if United had an exclusion for riding dirt bikes ... at least if you are part of a decent sized group. I need to get a copy of the master policy for my group and check things out. He said they can do what they want with individual policies but usually don't mess around with the group stuff.

I kinda hope the Ins industry doesn't hang out on this site for some of you 'fibbers'. lol And quit saying you did it on your mtb. I'll be pissed if you get mtb excluded. Tell them you tripped over your Doc Martens or something.

bama205 wrote:

So who pays for it? The doctorsjust work for free?

bama205 wrote:

So who pays for it? The doctorsjust work for free?

Hank_Thrill wrote:

Tax dollars. The difference between where those dollars end up in America and Europe is a different story. Americans get some 700 plus military bases around...

Tax dollars. The difference between where those dollars end up in America and Europe is a different story. Americans get some 700 plus military bases around the globe, trillion dollar wars, subsidies to huge oil companies, trillions bailing-out Wall Sreet for their screw ups, and paying for the imprisonment of the highest incarcerated prison rate in the world. Europeans get free child care (in the biggest US cities, people generally spend 8,000 - 12,000 annually), extended vacations with less work (some countries work the equivalent of two months out of a year less than we do here), free health quality health care (where 30,000 people don't die annually from treatable illnesses). Happiness studies show that they are also happier than we are.

This isn't to say Europe's system is better than America. That all depends on what you are measuring. If you want the most profitable health system then America's system is number one. In our individual capitalistic society, wealth is a highly valued goal, and a small few do benefit from this framework. The paradox of this system is that our health care system is ranked 37th in the world, yet it is nearly three times more expensive than other leading countries. If you want a system that is more cost effective, ranked with overall higher quality, there are other systems out there in capitalist democracies (England for example) that would win in such a system of measurement.

The stuff our government spends on making an elite few filthy rich, could be spent taking care of its citizens, military personal, teachers, etc.. The average American health care cost annually is a little over $8,000 dollars per person, where the average income is around $30,000 dollars. Do people really think their tax rates will increase by 26%? For one to realize that the general population would greatly benefit from a more proven effective system only requires an elementary education in math. The only people that would be losing with a different type of system are the billionaire corporations who flex their power over Washington making sure no significant change ever occurs. Happiness studies show that a change in salary from 24-million a year to 30-million a year does not increase overall life happiness. So why do some people need billions of dollars at the expense of people that are dying?

Rooster wrote:

Yikes, tell me again how bad our universal access system is again? Add one more thing to the list of reasons I'm proud to be Canadian...

Yikes, tell me again how bad our universal access system is again?

Add one more thing to the list of reasons I'm proud to be Canadian.

race wrote:

Are you sure about United? Are we talking about an individual policy or a group ( large ) policy? An independent broker I spoke with said...

Are you sure about United? Are we talking about an individual policy or a group ( large ) policy?

An independent broker I spoke with said he would be surprised if United had an exclusion for riding dirt bikes ... at least if you are part of a decent sized group. I need to get a copy of the master policy for my group and check things out. He said they can do what they want with individual policies but usually don't mess around with the group stuff.

I kinda hope the Ins industry doesn't hang out on this site for some of you 'fibbers'. lol And quit saying you did it on your mtb. I'll be pissed if you get mtb excluded. Tell them you tripped over your Doc Martens or something.

race wrote:

bump

bama205 wrote:

So who pays for it? The doctorsjust work for free?

Hank_Thrill wrote:

Tax dollars. The difference between where those dollars end up in America and Europe is a different story. Americans get some 700 plus military bases around...

Tax dollars. The difference between where those dollars end up in America and Europe is a different story. Americans get some 700 plus military bases around the globe, trillion dollar wars, subsidies to huge oil companies, trillions bailing-out Wall Sreet for their screw ups, and paying for the imprisonment of the highest incarcerated prison rate in the world. Europeans get free child care (in the biggest US cities, people generally spend 8,000 - 12,000 annually), extended vacations with less work (some countries work the equivalent of two months out of a year less than we do here), free health quality health care (where 30,000 people don't die annually from treatable illnesses). Happiness studies show that they are also happier than we are.

This isn't to say Europe's system is better than America. That all depends on what you are measuring. If you want the most profitable health system then America's system is number one. In our individual capitalistic society, wealth is a highly valued goal, and a small few do benefit from this framework. The paradox of this system is that our health care system is ranked 37th in the world, yet it is nearly three times more expensive than other leading countries. If you want a system that is more cost effective, ranked with overall higher quality, there are other systems out there in capitalist democracies (England for example) that would win in such a system of measurement.

The stuff our government spends on making an elite few filthy rich, could be spent taking care of its citizens, military personal, teachers, etc.. The average American health care cost annually is a little over $8,000 dollars per person, where the average income is around $30,000 dollars. Do people really think their tax rates will increase by 26%? For one to realize that the general population would greatly benefit from a more proven effective system only requires an elementary education in math. The only people that would be losing with a different type of system are the billionaire corporations who flex their power over Washington making sure no significant change ever occurs. Happiness studies show that a change in salary from 24-million a year to 30-million a year does not increase overall life happiness. So why do some people need billions of dollars at the expense of people that are dying?

machine wrote:

Save it for Non-Moto dude, you know this is political and will start something.

SoCalMX70 wrote:

I had a shoulder surgery that altogether cost about $70k... and I was in and out of surgery in 40 minutes. I've done the research and...

I had a shoulder surgery that altogether cost about $70k... and I was in and out of surgery in 40 minutes. I've done the research and people need to realize it isn't just insurance companies jacking up prices...

Lucky me my insurance company covered all but about $2k of it.

SoCalMX70 wrote:

I had a shoulder surgery that altogether cost about $70k... and I was in and out of surgery in 40 minutes. I've done the research and...

I had a shoulder surgery that altogether cost about $70k... and I was in and out of surgery in 40 minutes. I've done the research and people need to realize it isn't just insurance companies jacking up prices...

Lucky me my insurance company covered all but about $2k of it.

mxb2 wrote:

Ditto.

downandup wrote:

The hospitals charge alot because they know the insurance companies are going to barter them down. You start high because you know they are going to...

The hospitals charge alot because they know the insurance companies are going to barter them down. You start high because you know they are going to pull you down, right?

You were in and out of surgery in 40 minutes? But, how many people prepped you? How many people were in on your surgery? I bet the anesthesiologist cost a ton! How many people clean the surgery room after you? How long were you in recovery? How many people watched over you while you were there? How many "free" follow up visits are included?

See, it all adds up rather quickly!

downandup wrote:

The hospitals charge alot because they know the insurance companies are going to barter them down. You start high because you know they are going to...

The hospitals charge alot because they know the insurance companies are going to barter them down. You start high because you know they are going to pull you down, right?

You were in and out of surgery in 40 minutes? But, how many people prepped you? How many people were in on your surgery? I bet the anesthesiologist cost a ton! How many people clean the surgery room after you? How long were you in recovery? How many people watched over you while you were there? How many "free" follow up visits are included?

See, it all adds up rather quickly!

SoCalMX70 wrote:

The rates with most hospitals are CONTRACTED pre-negotiated rates. The contracts are renewed every year (sometimes more, but more recently its often being done yearly because...

The rates with most hospitals are CONTRACTED pre-negotiated rates. The contracts are renewed every year (sometimes more, but more recently its often being done yearly because of "rising costs").

As an example, in California a typical contracted ER rate is around $1,500.00. Doesn't matter if the hospital "charges" $1,500.00 or $10k, they're getting $1,500. Also, if you pay cash the hospital will charge you their special "cash rate" of $1,500.... coincidentally being the same amount that they would get from the insurance company anyway... so no, the insurance company isn't "bartering down" on a case by case basis like you may think. Although, I'm sure there is some room to negotiate for situations where an inpatient stay has gone on longer than a specific amount of time (someone who's been in the hospital for several weeks or even months).

As far as my surgery, it was done at a surgery center. I was in and out of the BUILDING in 50 minutes. The only follow-up I did was one visit to my doctor/surgeon at his office, which was followed up with 2 months of physical therapy with someone he recommended.. A couple weeks after the surgery I received the check from my insurance company which I was to sign over to the surgery center... that check was over $52,000 (I stared at it for 5 mins thinking of the things I could go buy with that haha). My doctor was paid directly for about $10,000, and the anesthesiologist was paid SEPARATELY for about $3,000. Add in the physical therapy and you have your $70k that this whole ordeal cost.

Sorry, there's nothing that justifies a surgery center receiving over $1k per minute. If my life was on the line maybe I'd be singing a different tune, but it was shoulder surgery... and I was lucky I got one of the best doctors. I was actually bummed that he didn't get paid a larger portion after it was all said in done, but then I found out he owns part of the surgery center... go figure.

How do I know most of this? I worked for a hospital and a major health insurance company. Glad I don't anymore though. 2 things I've learned is that there's more shady business going on at hospitals/doctor's offices than people know, and there's less shady business going on with insurance companies than people think. I'm not defending health insurance companies though, they are out to make money obviously, and make as much as they can. But as long as doctors and hospitals keep jacking up their prices, the insurance rates will go up along with them.

downandup wrote:

There is probably more shady stuff going on in hospitals etc.. than people know, but I know for a fact, that there is MORE that is...

There is probably more shady stuff going on in hospitals etc.. than people know, but I know for a fact, that there is MORE that is going on with insurance companies than people know.....

Did you know that you aren't allowed to say the word "insurance" in court because of their power over the courts? What other industry has that much power in the court system???

Boarddesign wrote:

I'm a Aflac agent in southern ca. As long as you are not riding for wage you can make claims with no problems, 1 claim per...

I'm a Aflac agent in southern ca. As long as you are not riding for wage you can make claims with no problems, 1 claim per day 365 day's per year. Aflac pays cash to you, not the doctors/hospitals. As a MX'r and dad of a MX'r, I can't imagine NOT having Aflac policys. A simple accident plan costing $40 or so dollars a month goes a LONG WAY! Coupled with good health insurance it can be a life saver.

Boarddesign wrote:

You are correct about that however, while we spend our 4 moto's a month on the track "racing" we spend 5X the amount of time "riding"...

You are correct about that however, while we spend our 4 moto's a month on the track "racing" we spend 5X the amount of time "riding". So far in our experience, the injury's have happened "riding" not racing... Just something to think about.

downandup wrote:

There is probably more shady stuff going on in hospitals etc.. than people know, but I know for a fact, that there is MORE that is...

There is probably more shady stuff going on in hospitals etc.. than people know, but I know for a fact, that there is MORE that is going on with insurance companies than people know.....

Did you know that you aren't allowed to say the word "insurance" in court because of their power over the courts? What other industry has that much power in the court system???