I have health insurance through Farm Bureau for my wife, son, and me. It started at around $400 for the three of us, but over the last two years, the cost has crept up to $669.
I’ve never worked with a broker before and was wondering if it’s worth trying one to find a cheaper option. I don’t mind paying, but it feels like there should be a better deal somewhere.
The last time we tried marketplace insurance, we felt limited with the lesser-known providers, and we really want to make sure our son’s pediatrician stays in-network. Any advice on working with a broker or finding affordable family plans would be greatly appreciated!
Hey, thanks for sharing! If you’re looking at plan options, having your EOB handy can help. Also, if you add your age, state, and income, people might give more tailored advice. Feel free to reach out to mods if you get spammed or weird messages.
Dolph said:
$699 a month for family coverage actually sounds pretty cheap! Is there a reason you’re looking to switch?
Yeah, I thought that sounded low too. Maybe check if you qualify for marketplace subsidies, though. Depending on income, that could lower costs further. By the way, I’ve always thought marketplace plans were more recognizable brands like Blue Cross, Aetna, etc. Sometimes private plans sound unfamiliar, but they aren’t always better. I haven’t used a broker before, but they’re supposed to be free for you and not tied to specific companies. Might be worth looking into!
Is your Farm Bureau plan ACA compliant? A lot of private plans aren’t. Even if a marketplace plan feels like a smaller brand, it might cover more and offer better protections. You can still find the big names like Aetna, Blue Cross, and Cigna in the marketplace. They’re just sometimes a little more expensive.
Farm Bureau insurance is one of those rare affinity group plans.
That price for a family of three sounds pretty reasonable, but it really depends on your deductible, co-pays, and whether there’s an out-of-pocket cap. Some plans have lifetime maxes, which can make them risky.
Farm Bureau plans are usually cheaper because they’re medically underwritten – meaning they might not cover pre-existing conditions. If that’s the case, it’s technically not ACA-compliant health insurance. That’s part of why it’s cheaper, but it also means fewer protections if something happens.
Marketplace plans might qualify you for subsidies, depending on income. And yeah, all the major players like Blue Cross, Aetna, and Kaiser are in the marketplace, just under different names or plan levels. BCBS tends to have the priciest plans in my area, regardless of whether it’s an HMO or PPO.