Health Insurance for RVers in South Dakota. - RV-Dreams Community Forum

The Hensons · RV-Dreams Family Member

Health Insurance for RVers in South Dakota.

WendysPhotos · RV-Dreams Family Member

RE: Health Insurance for RVers in South Dakota....Some Good News!

Loretta · RV-Dreams Family Member

Would this also work for a SS supplemental plan?

The Hensons · RV-Dreams Family Member

Loretta wrote:
Would this also work for a SS supplemental plan?

I assume you are referring to Medicare supplement insurance.

Medicare supplement plans are already portable nationwide plans. It does not matter which State you buy it in because it follows your Medicare.

LibertyLinda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Kyle,
Thanks for your work on this. It pains me to think how expensive it must be. Anyway, the web site looks great - this will be an invaluable resource for full timers!

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

Filled out a request on your site! Thanks for all the help. (Look for Daniel)

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

I'm still a little skeptical of Avera after being terminated by Sanford. When I initially contacted Sanford and inquired of their providers list explaining how we lived and where we traveled they sent me to the same shared provider link as, apparently, Avera uses. We were assured that we would have no problems getting covered or in finding providers as we traveled. I did check their list and found it was very comprehensive. What they didn't tell us at the time was they did not intend to ever insure full time RVers and our policy was terminated on Jan 31st after 1 month of "coverage", even after collecting our Feb. payment which we are fighting to have returned.
The only plans for Avera that were available on the ACA exchange back in November were very specific HMO's that spelled out that the plan was for very specific areas and only with certain facilities.
Hopefully this has changed in the last few weeks and they will turn out to be an outlet for RVers (and others) who do not "reside" the 9 months per year w/i South Dakota that Sanford Health requires.

I talked with the owners of Americas Mailbox at their booth at the Tampa RV show. She acted like she had never heard of the problem with the health insurance and referred me to an agent in Sioux Falls. I explained the "address" issue and Sandford requiring copies of mortgage paperwork, rental bills, utility bills etc. to prove I lived there as well as proof of being in the state for 9 months. She told me to "just give them our campground address" even though they were requiring written documentation, and gave me the impression they just didn't really care their customers were having issues that would directly effect their business.
I did write to the Governor and actually received a very nice reply that they would investigate that Sanford was not breaking any laws but stated they were free to follow their own guidelines in regards to residency requirements.

As for us our solution to this issue is we are abandoning South Dakota and Americas Mailbox and are "moving" to Texas where, with the help and presence of the Escapees Club, they have made accommodations for RVers such as ourselves. We have applied for a Texas PPO health insurance policy and are in the process of changing titles and registration, the last step will be to trade in our SD drivers license's and register to vote.

Phil and Rudee

sdman · RV-Dreams Family Member

It's upsetting that Americas Mailbox and the other address co in Souix Falls is not getting involved in this issue. We are on a company insurance and this is not a problem for us. It seems Americas Mailbox may be putting their heads in the sand on this one!

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

sdman wrote:
It's upsetting that Americas Mailbox and the other address co in Souix Falls is not getting involved in this issue. We are on a company insurance and this is not a problem for us. It seems Americas Mailbox may be putting their heads in the sand on this one!

I would think they would have a vested interest in this issue and would, at the very minimum, make an effort to inform their customers of what options, if any, exist. I know others have found them to be very friendly and accommodating, I however have not. My experience has been more of "we appreciate your money, but don't have time for customer service". Don't want to turn this thread into a bashing on AM but if it were my company I would be VERY concerned, as should any mail service in South Dakota that depend on us "under medicare age" segment of fulltime RVers for a lot of their livelihood.

Phil

ps: Thanks to Kyle for the research and information he has provided all of us on this very confusing and complicated issue.

The Hensons · RV-Dreams Family Member

Workinrvers wrote:
I'm still a little skeptical of Avera after being terminated by Sanford.

Phil and Rudee

I understand that completely! I am "cautiously optimistic", to borrow a favorite political phrase :)

I think Avera is a little different in that they have confirmed a reversal of policy in regards to mail-forwarding addresses and accessing care outside the Avera network.

But, I still like BCBS of Texas as the better choice for RVers willing and able to change.

phyllen · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sounds like SD will be losing a lot of it's population. Glad we are of Medicare age. (Can't believe I just wrote that I am glad I am OLD).

NWescapee · RV-Dreams Family Member

Interesting that the mailbox companies don't seem to be up to date on all of this. I was a bit dismayed last year when I realized they truly didn't understand the impact of the Patriot Act and other legislation that does not permit a new loan to be issued based on legal address without a driver's license from the same address which meant we had to pay the much higher sales tax rate of our old state vs. the state we were starting to set up our domicile in. I agree with Phil that one would think they would have a vested interest in all the changing legislation as it will impact their business. Seems very short sighted on their part.

Fergizmo · RV-Dreams Family Member

Following...

We have an application through the Healthcare.gov website and Donna is insured through Avera, and I have been cancelled by Sanford. I will be calling Avera to verify that Donna's policy (a PPO) does allow her to use the PHCS National Network of providers. If in fact that is the case, we will remain SD residents and I will have to try and choose another Avera policy via the Healthcare.gov website. The trick is to get me insurance without interrupting Donna's.

We will see......

bigboomer · RV-Dreams Family Member

Phil,

We have been following this ridiculous healthcare issue and see us doing the same as you with changing everything from SD to TX. We are upset that SD is allowing this to happen and now feel all they wanted was our money. The HC issues and the banking issues with loans, SD is going to be losing a lot of new residents.

Les

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

bigboomer wrote:
Phil,
We have been following this ridiculous healthcare issue and see us doing the same as you with changing everything from SD to TX. We are upset that SD is allowing this to happen and now feel all they wanted was our money. The HC issues and the banking issues with loans, SD is going to be losing a lot of new residents.
Les

agree, pretty much all the advise I see given out to new fulltimers looking for domicile is: SD only if you are on medicare or have a policy provided as part of your retirement benefits otherwise Texas or Florida if you need health insurance.

I guess I didn't understand exactly how the companies that are on the exchange got on the exchange. I read somewhere that each state had to approve the companies that were on, so assumed each state government had some responsibility to help us, their citizens, abide by this new law of the land. Judging by SD's "they can do what they want" response to my inquiries seems to leave a lot of us out in the cold with few options to avoid being penalized. I for one am more then happy to become a Texan and remain a law abiding citizen.

Phil

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

It seems that the new ACA is still in flux. I was reading the other day that some doctors in California were being added to the rolls of doctors for the plans, but they really weren't on the plans for one reason or another. That is what spooks me about the ACA. They were also reporting that Oregon was in trouble because their website doesn't work at all, but they've been "scamming" the federal government for money in spite of that.

While we are currently employed and covered, after July 1, we won't be. At least I will have Medicare, but Jo is a three years short of qualifying for that option.

Terry

laurly · RV-Dreams Family Member

We have chosen Avera, actually insured as of Jan. 1st. Had been told we were insured outside of SD, and would have no problem. Then all the discussions started, and started to panic a bit. Got in touch with Kyle Henson and through several phone calls, Avera changed its policy. Thanks to Kyle for the many emails back and forth! Used Avera last week when I went for blood work, Quest Diagnostics takes the Avera insurance. Our family doctor in Pennsylvania actually takes Avera through their PHCS network of doctors.

Alie and Jims Carrilite · RV-Dreams Family Member

After doing a little bit of talking and e-mailing with Kyle, It looks like Wellmark (BCBS) will work "<<<IF>>>" you don't qualify for a subsidy. They take pmb addresses, and it is affordable for me.
Take into consideration that Alie is on medicare and her plan B, we do have income - part work/pensions/retirement, and its only 1 person in the household applying for the insurance.

Thanks Kyle, take to you soon
Jim

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Jim,

Glad to hear that Wellmark is starting to take us in SD. They have historically canceled or denied full timers for the last several years and have not been an option. That is one reason we hung on to Indiana for as long as we could since we had our own BCBS plan and would have been canceled if we tried to transfer it to a SD address. I did check into the cost and it was out of our budget.

This health insurance issue in South Dakota is a constantly changing beast, almost changing daily as witnessed by the assorted posts. I'm hopeful that the SD plans work out for you guys and for others. My fears of the changes that Avera has made is just a way for them to attract more members, not a bad thing but will they follow through on their promises since their exchange plans are classified as HMO's with a limited network. I can find nothing in writing of their extended network on their website or in any of their exchange policy information. That is what concerns me most and I dearly hope I am wrong but I don't want to be the guy shut out in the cold with a handful of medical bills.

Our decision to move to Texas was not an easy one since there are some additional costs involved, but we feel that the path we are walking now is "tried and true".

Phil

Workinrvers · RV-Dreams Family Member

just read this on Kyle's website: Avera will NOT be insuring fulltime RVers any longer

Unfortunately it looks like Avera has changed their minds on insuring full time RVers and are dropping those that depended on them for their health coverage off the ACA exchange. We considered purchasing their coverage but were skeptical and now it looks like our skepticism was well founded and they are leaving several of our friends who depended on their promises and purchased their insurance "holding the bag".

Phil

LibertyLinda · RV-Dreams Family Member

WorkinRVers - we also saw this about SD. (We just became residents/domicile in August)

We also are looking at other options. Here is one: http://www.chministries.org/default.aspxMANY factors involved - and not even medical! PM me with questions or inquiries.

Happy Journey's RV Dreamers.

bigboomer · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks Phil for the info and update. This info along with the fact that Alternate Resources (Dakota Post) is moving and now we will have to change our address by June of 2015 may make us think about relocating to TX. Not happy how SD has sucked us in to give us all of the privileges of being a resident except healthcare, etc.

We have time it looks like to do some more research.

The Hensons · RV-Dreams Family Member

Avera will continue to cover RVers through 2014 but they may not cover routine care outside of SD.

Coventry has also announced they are pulling out of SD.

bigboomer · RV-Dreams Family Member

Actually I think the title of the post should be corrected to say.....Sad News!

The Hensons · RV-Dreams Family Member

RE: Health Insurance for RVers in South Dakota.