New FEP Blue Focus plan

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tcatlin
Posts: 62
Joined: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:45 am

New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by tcatlin »

It's open season. I've been very happy with BCBS Basic. Has anyone taken the time to compare the new FEP Blue Focus to other BCBS plans such as Basic? I'll probably stay with Basic but FEP Blue Focus is a little cheaper but I'm curious what I'd be giving up to save that $. I've never been able to make much sense of the comparisons. I'm in my 50's but relatively healthy and don't use my health benefits much, although predicting the future is like predicting the market so that could change, but looking at those savings it's tempting if I don't have to give up too much.

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head
Posts: 104
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 9:06 pm

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by head »

Check out the health insurance options with the American Foreign Service Protective Association: www.AFSPA.org

It is open to most federal employees. I have been with them for over 17 years after being with GEHA before.

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cswift01
Posts: 819
Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2016 10:46 am

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by cswift01 »

I am with GEHA, hdhp and hsa. It has been a great decision, but i am 39.

crondanet5
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Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by crondanet5 »

What are the best dental plan choices?

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sonofnthng
Posts: 273
Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 7:03 pm

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by sonofnthng »

Emblem dental, works for me, cron. It's cheap, and you're not going to get away with avoiding much cost at a dentist, period..

It looks like the main difference between the basic bcbs and the new focus plan, is that you'll pay less bi-weekly, you'll pay less at all appointments, less at the ER.. But possibly more for drugs (if they're not part of the 'preferred' group). The reason I'm not in the standard, and won't buy the focus, is the '30% of our allowance' part. Now, I've had 3 knee surgeries, including a replacement, and a collapsed lung. I'm only 34 haha. So, my knee replacement was a 250k surgery.. What does "30% of our allowance" equal in that scenario? I'm not willing to take that risk, considering I keep ending up in a hospital. The basic plan made it so that surgery cost me $100, and a week long stay for the lung collapse plus lung surgery, er visit, intubation, etc.. was the max for in patient, 875, plus 100 for surgery, plus 175 visit. I'll pay the extra 100 a month for that security. =)
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misfit
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Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by misfit »

Son, are you really 34 with all those probs?

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TSPTiming
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 8:26 pm

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by TSPTiming »

Tcatlin, I'm in the same boat. I've been in the BCBS Basic family plan for decades (but the last kid turns 26 next June so I'll be switching to self+1 finally), but I'm switching to the new Focus plan after doing a very detailed comparison. In our situation it works since all of our Rx's will be generic and only $5, or even less using GoodRx, or even free for statins, plus we're in good health and should meet the 10 doctor visits or less in order to not be affected by the deductible. The premiums alone will save us over $100/month, and overall the savings will be even much bigger than that. I'm retiring at the end of the month so this savings was unexpected and very welcome. Per my HR dept. I couldn't do the normal electronic processing of a change of plans due to my retirement...instead I have to do the old fashion paper form method, and rely on OPM to process it...which I'm sure will be done at glacial speed.

Will lose the BCBS dental coverage, but the United Concordia supplemental dental by itself will be good enough. We've had that for years along with BlueVision high option.

Watching UW celebrating going to the Rose Bowl. Sigh, rather painful being a Cougar alumni. :(

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sonofnthng
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Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2016 7:03 pm

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by sonofnthng »

misfit wrote:Son, are you really 34 with all those probs?
Yeah, I got unlucky with my right knee. Osteochondritis Dissecans, too much bone loss for a cadaver graft, so we did a partial replacement 10 years ago. Lung collapse in 2013 was from a particularly high cardio incident. I went to see Lake Street Dive with this insane pain in my gut. I tossed and turned and cried until 3am and drove myself in. I was KO'd ad intubated immediately. It's been a fun ride so far, medically speaking!
Tracking #85660 -//- PIP 35.29% Jan '21
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http://tspcenter.com/forums/viewtopic.p ... 205#p53743
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dougellen1
Posts: 123
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2012 12:41 pm

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by dougellen1 »

BCBS standard saved my butt this year. Wife and I turned 60 this year, both in excellent health, never needed the insurance for 35 years.....until Brain cancer arrived. $150K in bills later (in 4 months), we would have been devastated financially without it. BE CAREFUL about saving a few dollars.

Octjan2
Posts: 332
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 8:01 pm

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by Octjan2 »

Can you switch between the bcbs basic and standard during open season after you are retired, or are you stuck with what you had at the time of retirement?

idaho1
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2016 1:08 pm

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by idaho1 »

You can switch plans in retirement during open season exactly like a full time federal employee. I you do nothing your health coverage will not change.

idaho1
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2016 1:08 pm

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by idaho1 »

Agree with Son about sticking with BCBS basic instead of the focus plan to limit potentially high
medical costs even though the premiums are higher. I have seen many examples of middle income families devastated by medical costs.

TSP timing. I wouldn’t go self plus one unless your 25 year old child has health coverage from January-June. Our son turns 26 in Sept 2019 and he will be picking up employer provided coverage outside open season using a life event exemption. We are paying the self plus family premium for our final year to ensure he has health insurance. It’s on him after that.

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TSPTiming
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 8:26 pm

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by TSPTiming »

Idaho...yes, my stepson turns 26 in June so I will be switching to the self+1 option at that time, not right off the bat.
The Focus plan has catastrophic limits just like the other BCBS plans, $11K/year I believe. That wouldn't break us. My wife is also a veteran and has access to VA care if ever needed/beneficial.

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Tomanyiron
Posts: 4973
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:39 am

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by Tomanyiron »

crondanet5 wrote:What are the best dental plan choices?
You picked one yet? I signed wife and me up for the Cadillac of the plans, GEHA, PPO - High
Self Plus One, $78.82 Monthly. Both of us are going to need some major services in 2019 Our local dentist is "Out of Network" and it pays the same. The "You Pay" is 50% for endodontics and prosthodontics services, (none are lower).
"A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers." Plato
"Perfect numbers like perfect men are very rare." Rene Descartes

crondanet5
Posts: 4330
Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 8:51 pm

Re: New FEP Blue Focus plan

Post by crondanet5 »

Still looking.

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