I had great health insurance coverage through my previous employer(s) – United Health Care for 11+ years. I’ll be 57 soon and with the exception of CH’s I am in good shape.

Lost my job and started my own business so I had to get an individual policy. I put applications in with United Health Care, Blue Shield/Blue Cross and Aetna. My wife was immediately accepted by all of them at very attractive rates, BUT.......after getting my medical records, here is what I heard back from all of them (and more):
- Oh, you’ve been prescribed oxygen, sorry that’s an automatic denial.
- What was the psych evaluation that caused you to take Lithium and Topamax?
- What emotional problems triggered the use of Depakote?
The list went on and on because being chronic for so many years causes you try a lot of stuff!

Fortunately, the medication experiments were awhile back and because I've been using welding O2 exclusively for about 2 years, there is no record of O2 being "refilled" - so apparently I'm not using it anymore.

Very long uphill battle required just to try to get them to understand that these things are/were tried for CH’s. With record numbers of people losing jobs and looking for individual policies, they are overloaded.......

Just something to think about if you find yourself trying to get an individual policy in today's insurance marketplace.

That is screwed up, Marc....another example of some uninformed clerk making decisions that greatly impact a persons life.   It's bullshit ridiculous.

It's not just CH meds either.  Because I once had seen a Dr. for a broken ankle, when I changed Ins. Co's I was refused ANY Orthopedic care in the future. 
We call what we have,  "dancing with the devil/demon",    but I swear the Ins. Co's and pharmaceuiical Co's are AS evil, if not more.

How ironic that the ads by google at the bottom of this post are for individual health plans. (Keep refreshing, they rotate) I clicked it and they will quote you rates of the companies you specifically mentioned.  (I realize it's random advertising, but cruel no less to put it on a CH website if that's what they consider a pre-existing condition subject to disqualification)

That is one of the bright spots in this new health bill, they will no longer be able to deny you for pre existing.

Joe

That pre-existing clause as written will also bankrupt the Ins companies forcing all of us to go on the Government plan.  It's not workable.

Jerry

The way the law is written it is already going to be cheaper for companies to pay the fine than the insurance.  Why would they pay the additional rates required for those who wait until they get sick to buy coverage?  As the law is written now there is no way an insurance company is going to be able to write a policy within 5 years of Obamacare taking effect.


Jerry

Carolyn,

I agree with what you said.  It is just that under the provisions of the Obama health plan, when it goes in effect, there will be no reason to buy insurance before you get sick.  If you cannot be held up for pre-existing conditions why carry it until you need it?

As it stands now there needs to be some common sense in determining actual pre-existing conditions that would preclude one from purchasing insurance.  Marc obviously should not fit that category, but because it is easier for a clerk sitting at a desk, with no knowledge of the actual person, to say no than to have to justify a yes.

Jerry

It's worth noting who are the biggest complainers about Obama care.

Charlie

Uh, yeah, Charlie.

Just who might those people be?  Care to expound on that one a bit?

Sandy

Quote:


Corporate Medicine, Insurance Companies, Evil Drug Companies, U. S. Chamber Of Commerce, and a lot of the AMA. In short, those that treat sick people as sources of income and little else.

The level of lobbying was stunning.

Charlie

I have no idea what that means. I don't remember anything about Match Game by now.
Charlie

Charlie, my friend, you and I are from opposite sides of the aisle, but I love ya anyway!

I'm one of the biggest complainers about Obamacare, because I've experienced what it will be like.  I've had to use Public Aid because of my financial circumstances due to a business failure that took my business down with it.  Because of CH and a back injury I worked on and off for a few years doing as much as I could, but unable to get insurance.  During that time my wife was diagnosed with diabetes by a Dr that took Public Aid patients only (because she wasn't qualified enough to get paying patients).  Linda's blood sugar was on the low end of normal, and has never been high, but it's on her record.  She also was fitting my wife for an internal appliance and threw it in the lab sink where she had just poured out a urine sample.  We have had to wait three hours in the ER for a Dr to see a child who had a broken arm and was bleeding from a broken tooth.  We have been denied medication because they thought we took to much. I was denied oxygen, although it was prescribed by a neuro that I used grocery money to pay for because the clinic Dr wouldn't even acknowledge my CH, although I had a prior diagnosis from both an MD and a Neuro.  I could go on and on about the filth on the floors of the clinic examining rooms, but I hope you've gotten the picture by now.

I don't want to see anyone go without good medical care, but if you are looking for the government to provide it you would be better off in Haiti.  I know a good clinic (free) that is there partially sponsored by my church and a group of others.  They give more and better care with a much smaller budget than the government run clinic here in the states.

Jerry