Sandy_C
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There is no such thing as a stupid question.
Posts: 3371
Jamestown, NC
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Has anybody seen the latest news about the new insurance plan to cover people with pre-existing conditions (PCIP plan)?
For starters - I have pre-existing conditions. CH is one, but I also have had knee replacement and will at some point have to have the other knee replaced. I have been flatly denied coverage under any circumstances, or offered a policy that won't cover anything that happens to my head or my legs - even an auto accident, or offered a policy so highly rated that I cannot afford it. Consequently, I am now insured for catastrophic care only - required hospital admission (ER does not count). My catastrophic care still won't cover either my head or legs in case I crashed up in an accident.
From what I've read so far, the fed govt will handle the insurance plan for some states, and the rest of the states will run their own plans.
In order to qualify, you must have a pre-existing condition - verified in writing by your doctor. You may not have had any insurance at all for at least six months (a policy that just excludes your pre-existing condition still qualifies as "insurance" so that would make you ineligible). Plus, you will need a letter in writing from an insurance company who denied you coverage due to your pre-existing condition.
Costs: On the fed plan, a person under 35 years old could pay as much as $12,000 per year to get this coverage. I ran the numbers for myself - age 64 in NC (state run plan - not fed). My monthly premium could be as much as $729 per month. Plus at minimum, a $2,500 deductible for everything - there is NO payment at all, including prescriptions, until this deductible is met other than preventative visits - like annual mammogram, annual physical, etc. Then, I pay 20% of all charges (other than preventative visits) until I reach an out of pocket (not including the $2,500 deductible) of $5,950. Doing the math, if I applied for this PCIP coverage, I would pay $7,707 annual for my premium + $2,500 annual deductible + $5,950 in co-pay = $17,198 annually until 2014 when Obamacare would kick in. Then, supposedly it would be what???". By that time I would be on Medicare, if Medicare is even still there.
I would be better off just doing a pay-as-you-go than even thinking of applying for this crap.
I really feel sorry for the people that bought into the Obama health insurance plan thinking that they were going to finally be covered and it would cost them either nothing or next to nothing.
God I HATE it when I go politically ballistic! My apologies.
Sandy
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