My PPO group plan-- dental,med.,rx, vision--costs me over $700 a mo./for family...Is that normal??

medical = $500 deductible each person/$1000 fam., $20. copays for reg.doctor visits, $40 copays for specialists.





vision = $10 copays for exam %26amp; corrective wear





rx = $10 generic/ $30 brand name.





dental = free cleanings , then you pay 20%, they pay 80% on most things.





I'm a school teacher in a rural Nevada county. You'd think a group plan with my employer would be the best thing, but I'm not sure.

My PPO group plan-- dental,med.,rx, vision--costs me over $700 a mo./for family...Is that normal??
The per person deductible seems a little high but the total for the family is really good. The $20 copay is a little high but the vision is GREAT. The dental is great.





All in all, it's a really good plan. $700 a month isn't unusual. If you don't agree then shop around. That won't cost you anything to look but I'll bet you can't touch it because your employer is subsidizing part of the cost.
Reply:That doesn't sound far off of the norm at all. Insurance is very costly, and unfortunately we have to have it! Sometimes you have to wonder if it is worth it at all!!!
Reply:Sounds good to me. Of course, I don't know how many people you have in your familiy.
Reply:Its a little high but you have a good plan. I have a $6000.00 deductable and pay around $450. a month for a family of 4.
Reply:Yes, I'm afraid to have to tell you, this is normal. In fact, it's better than most people have it. I've been shopping for insurance for my family and discussing it with my sister who's in the same process. Don't let go of it. If you want a reality check, go on ehealthinsurance.com.
Reply:It's about the norm.. however, you can probablly get insurance on your own... check out esurance.com.. things to take into consideration does your family really need the vision...? i think you can go w/out this coverage a lot.. you can get cheap contacts on the internet.. most rx's last for at least a few yrs. or +++ once you have your glasses there good for years.. i've had mine for 6 yrs.. and am still ok.. some co's. like golden rule, humana have much more less expensive plans you can get on your own.. i have seen many co's get ripped off on there health ins. because the medical brokers tell the co's what they need.. the higher the premiums the more $$ the broker makes.. its such a racket.. go shopping on-line and check on your own and chances are you will find more affordable coverage for you and your family.. there are so many factors that come into play w/ group ins. like if the grouo as a whole has had a lot of claims who do you think is going to be paying for that... the entire group.. hope this helps!! good luck on your search... one more thing.. your co. is probablly pre-taxing your ins. so this means the premiums you pay come off your taxable income... this can save you a lot of $$, you must weigh all your options..., check to see if this factor will help you or hurt you if you get ins. on your own..
Reply:No, that's waaay too much. Your employer is not contributing much is the problem. I have better benefits and pay 1/4 the cost you do. But, what can you do? You can't go without insurance, that's for sure!