Foo - Medical Plan choices??

It is time for my company's annual enrollment for medical benefits. We have a choice of a few different companies and I'm trying to decide (in the next 2 days).

The four choices are:

CIGNA Washington OA Plu
Group Health Options Alliant
Aetna Washington Aexcel PPO
United Choice Plus - WA



I currently have CIGNA and they have annoyed the crap out of me the last few years. Screwing up claims and billing me when they shouldn't, saying they'd take care of something only to find out months later that it still shows up as unpaid by me (have a bill out there almost a year old now that I think they still haven't paid though they said they would).

Anyway, that's where I'm at.

I'm looking at the plan specs and CIGNA, Aetna and United are all virtually identical (as their offerings usually are), but Group Health Options Alliant "seems" much better in the plan specs.

Does anybody have any specific experiences with them (or the others)? Can anybody give me any gut feelings on the options? I know they may vary from state to state, but I'd just like to hear opinions.

If you go with Aetna and you already have a doctor you like, make sure he/she is on Aetna's approved list. Probably true with the other companies, too.

If you go with Aetna and you already have a doctor you like, make sure he/she is on Aetna's approved list. Probably true with the other companies, too.

Yes, I know to check that and other similar things. I'm just looking for "overall opinions" on GHO and the other plans in general.

As long as its a PPO instead of an HMO, you're halfway to success.

You may want to search online for any cases of "practicing medicine without a license"
brought on any of them. Basically, that means an insurer harming someone by deciding
that important treatment isn't medically necessary. They do that to try to save a buck
and it isnt an MD at an insurance company making that decision.

If you go with Aetna and you already have a doctor you like, make sure he/she is on Aetna's approved list. Probably true with the other companies, too.

+1 Don't have those options...I'd go with the one that meets your needs and doesn't charge an additional fee off your pay. If you're unhappy w/ cigna, def. move, we had to sic the Attny General on HealthAmerica, they eventually paid, though. Dirty bastuds.

I have had Aetna for several years now, reasonably happy with them.

United Choice Plus FTW... I've had them for 7 years and have never had an issue...

United Choice Plus FTW... I've had them for 7 years and have never had an issue...

Looking further, and the choice is decided. It seems United is the winner. I've had a few people co-workers give positive responses and one gave glowing reviews.

Examining GHO further it seems that its an HMO and has some limitations, particularly my hearing aid coverage would be about 20 or so times less.

Aetna according to one co-worker is sort of under United and is kind of a subset, so why pay the same money for less providers.

So, you are correct. United Choice Plus FTW.

Hey, Kaiser isn't on that list. Lucky you. :)

Hey, Kaiser isn't on that list. Lucky you. :)

While searching, I came across Kaiser a number of times. Are they no good?

My medical plan is to not get sick or injured.

Kaiser now owns Group Health. There is a reason, perhaps unfair, why us long-term Seattle residents refer to it as Group Death.