NIU or UIC- Health insurance most important. Post Cancer, what should i do?
I am a student at a junior college with my last semester there. I need to transfer, but am in a dilemma. I have been accepted to NIU. I am majoring in Chem to pursue a career as an MD.
Just some background, i am a cancer survivor post 8 months, i was diagnosed with NPC stage IIA. Health insurance is most important.
Next semester is Calculus, Chem II, and Calculus based Physics. I cant work during that time, and if i dont work i lose my health insurance, but if i transfer to NIU i get to keep it on a ppo level. UIC is an HMO. I cant help but feel somehow im going to get screwed at UIC.
I have to transfer to either NIU (northern illinois university) or UIC(university of illinois at chicago). Both are good schools but obviously ive heard that UIC is a better school for my field. UIC health insurance HMO NIU=PPO
The primary concern is health insurance. I have to have my checkups every month.
NIU offers a health insurance thats like my current health insurance and it has a $2000 out of pocket maximum and covers 80%. My current insurance has the same OPM but covers 90%. NIU is a PPO.
UIC has health insurance as well, they will cover my monthly checkup, but they want to transfer care to UIC. Which is great, but its an HMO. I dont want to end up in a position where i have to wait a while to get treatment or i get pushed to the end of the list or something like that. UIC is a school i want to go to, but i know too many people there, the competition is great, but i want to live alone in my own apartment etc.
NIU is cheaper, but farther, i like farther.
UIC is there, but crowded. which is also great.
But the question is, for my sake, which should i go with, choose ppo and stick with NIU since ive already been accepted? or try for UIC? even though the HMO makes me VERY uncomfortable and less confident in my treatment.
What should i do?
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Lea January 11th
UIC has an in-house HMO. That is why the premiums are so low. The premium is $401 per semester and no deductible. You can pay coverage for the periods between the semesters.
You will first have to have an appointment with the Family Medicine Clinic. There are two locations: University Village (Maxwell and Halsted) and Taylor St. South Building (Taylor and Wood). From them, you can get a referral to the Oncology Clinic. That Clinic is also at Taylor St, but in the north building, if I recall correctly. For you regular check-ups, your co-pay will be $10.
As long as your physician approves the treatment and submits the proper paperwork, it should be covered.
The oncology MDs are very good. I have heard nothing bad about them. As long as the physician has an opening, you’ll be able to see them after you get the referral.
The clinics do get busy. They have a large Medicaid population, and so, have a large no-show rate. The will double book some appointments to cover for that. Some will double book the student’s appointments.
http://www.uic.edu/hsc/campuscare/
http://www.uic.edu/hsc/campuscare/StudentHealthCertificateofCoverageFINAL0910.pdf
John January 11th
HMO: a bunch of doctors and administrators (called a IPA) who have negotiated to receive payment for each person that signs up. Example a person signs up for a HMO the and pays lets say $100.00, the doctor receives $40.00 per month immediately. So you wonder what happens if the patient never sees the doctor does he/she refund the money?.. Nope..just collected as profits, this type of arrangement is called Capitation, or pre-paying the Doctor (or IPA) for services. (the argument with HMOs is that the doctor has allready collected the premium and is not motivated to order more diagnostics in order to save money) I tell people look at a HMO like a Buffet, would you pre-pay for a month of lunch buffet, when some days you just feel like eating an apple and a glass of water. The people who make out are the big eaters, same thing with HMO’s the people who make out are the sick folks, or those utlizing services. Now HMO’s have some big advantages for employee’s who don’t want to receive extra costs or co-insurance costs for diagnostics or in most cases Hopsitalization is little or no costs. Historically Employees enjoy HMO benefits, especially low those with young families, and middle to low income.
PPO Plans, You can visit any Physician who is within the Participating Organization of physicians and receive pre-negotiated prices for services. With this type of plan Doctors are not pre-paid they are paid based on services that are performed on patients, the arguement with PPO plans is that doctors are motivated to run as many test as possible to make more money. With a PPO plan remember Co-insurance needs to be paid- so if you have a 500. deductible and you have met your deductible, you will still need to pay co-insurance normally it is 30%, always check to see what the max. out of pocket is, this is the max. you will pay for seeing doctors within a network!.
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