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C

CJoelHenry

Active member
Joined
Jun 15, 2008
Messages
26
Location
Orlando FL
Hi Gang, it has been 6 months now, and I am better than new!

We are attempting to get health insurance for my wife and I (We had COBRA from her last job and that expires next month)

Well, it seems NO insurance company will look at me now with having a valve replacement! Did this happen to any of you guys?

My doctor said that he expects no complications and I will die of something else, not my valve, what are your experience with private insurance?

BSBS and Aetna and Humana all said NO WAY.

Thanks for any insight you can offer.

Keep smiling

CJ
 
Are you trying to get it thru work? and did you miss any time of having insurance? Otherwise it will be a problem. I think the best bet is to get it thru work because as long as you didn't let it lap, group policies have to take you. Private does not or they will make it totally unaafrdable
 
Thanks Lyn,

I had it COBRAed through my wifes work, that is exhausted and now I need to find health insurance, for a valve patient. If there is such a thing,.

I have been appling online to Blue Cross. and Humana..

My wife is unable to get insurance through her work, so I am wondering if anyone else has this problem.

CJ
 
I believe that you have the right to continue a "conversion policy" thru the insurance company that provided the cobra coverage. It most likely will not be the same coverage and will be at a higher premium but it would be something while you look for other insurance. Check with the insurance company before your cobra coverage end. Also check with your State Insurance Dept. for higer risk insurance pools. Best coverage will be thru a company "group" plan where health questions are not asked.

I would suggest that your wife obtain a single plan on her own thru BC/BS, Humana etc. and that you take a single cobra conversion plan. Might be less expensive.
 
I hate to tell you this, but I don't think you will be able to find a private policy anywhere that will take you. I have had to deal with this my whole life and always made sure either my husband or I had continuous insurance coverage. Even when we lived in Europe, we kept our insurance here in the States. One of you really needs to find a job that offers benefits (I know, may be easier said than done) before this one expires.

Good luck!

Kim
 
CJ,

Sorry about that but I had the same problem. I was 55, retired and had retirement insurance from where I worked when I had AVR. Had complications from the surgery and due to the extended hospital stay I went over the lifetime maximum benefit of my health insurance.

Although I returned to excellent health there wasn't an insurance company in the country that would touch me at any price. So I had to be without insurance for the next 9 years until I could get on Medicare, then Blue Cross insured me for what Medicare didn't pay. But I was lucky and didn't have anything major. And still haven't! :)

Good luck.
 
dick0236 said:
I believe that you have the right to continue a "conversion policy" thru the insurance company that provided the cobra coverage. It most likely will not be the same coverage and will be at a higher premium but it would be something while you look for other insurance. Check with the insurance company before your cobra coverage end. Also check with your State Insurance Dept. for higer risk insurance pools. Best coverage will be thru a company "group" plan where health questions are not asked.

I would suggest that your wife obtain a single plan on her own thru BC/BS, Humana etc. and that you take a single cobra conversion plan. Might be less expensive.
Click to expand...

This is VERY GOOD advice and probably the Best Option you have, especially the part about obtaining separate insurance for your wife.

You may also want to send a Private Message to "Lisa in Katy" who works for a Health Insurance Company to get her input.

'AL Capshaw'
 
You can qualify for health insurance, it's just expensive and not real awesome. BUT if you have an issue, you can feel assured that you're covered. I'm in the same position with an aortic aneurysm. I might be getting on Blue Cross/Blue Shield's bare bones plan - but it has a 3,000,000 maximum. I'll be dead before I run that out... probably.
 
Check with your state's high risk pool. I was going to put the link, but never mind, Florida's is closed permanently due to inadequate funding. Thirty states have high risk pools. Have you considered moving?

I think that the conversion policy is your best bet if it's available.
 
You may well have to wait for the new legislation that is going to force insurance companies to accept pre existing conditions for coverage. It's coming, just don't know when.
 
You can qualify for health insurance, it's just expensive and not real awesome.
Click to expand...
Wonder if it's changed since 1991. After my AVR I called all over the country but don't remember if we called Blue Cross for we lived in TX. I couldn't find any, for any price.
I have Blue Cross now but it's it only pays the Medicare deductible and the 20% Medicare doesn't cover.
 
I live in England and wanted to go to Majorca on holiday in the summer just gone but when I tried to get travel insurance it was a joke because I had cancer on my left lung cut out when they done my Aorta valve and a bypass at the same time I also suffer from Asthma and I am Diabetic not in tip top shape as far as insurance was concerned.So in the end I went with the european health insurance card that our goverment give us now we are in the E U common market this entitles us to basic health care as long as we dont go out of europe.The funny thing is that I am proberly in better health than the insurance agent who said they could not insure me.
 
Ross said:
You may well have to wait for the new legislation that is going to force insurance companies to accept pre existing conditions for coverage. It's coming, just don't know when.
Click to expand...

I hate to say it, but I certainly don't have faith that anything that is going to help the wee people is really in the works. Health insurance (and life insurance) is one of those things that we deal with. I've never in my adult life been able to get insurance without being part of a large group. My husband and I have to make sure that one of us is always working for that type of company. We have both passed up good jobs simply because of my condition. If I was put in that situation now, I know that Texas does have a high risk pool that I could get in, but in the past, it wasn't available.
 
I agree with you Lisa. I was the same as you. I had to by pass jobs because their insurance. I hope one day they can do something to change insurance. Older americans paying what they are for their meds is aweful.
 
Thanks gang

Thanks gang

All this input is a great help! A "conversion" does not exist, at least in Florida, the COBRA law is allowing me to extend coverage only for a cretain period of time, in that time it is on me to get a new policy.

It does seem the best advice to follow up with the state insurance board, and it does seen right that "I can get" insurance, it will just be expensive, and non-awesome.

My wife works for Publix supermarket, they changed the requirements from 1000 to 1500 hours this year to partcipate. And through an assortment of errors, we ended up on Cobra, with her still working there and she has only been getting half the required hours last year, but she spoke with her boss today, and they will work with her so she can meet the 1500 hours needed, this would allow me to get on her coverage in January of 2010, but seems the brightest hope for now.

Though I will follow through and see if I can find some coverage in the meantime under Floridas rough relationship with the insurance companies.

Keep smiling,
CJ
 
I have fought this one since my valve repair in 1999.I am self employed and had to really work at getting insurance. There are individual policies available but the exclusions, waiting periods and the unbelievable costs made it impossible for me.

I finally had to form a group with some other people in a similar profession as me. They formed the group and got the rate established. I joined a year later when rates are established by claims. No claims, rate stayed OK. If somebody had a major claim, rates went up for the group.

It was crazy. I am so glad my wife is employed by a good comapny with benefits. Sooner or later our country has to address this, but that is for another discussion group. My advice is to get the most progressive thinking health agent you can find and put them to work for you. They can sometimes come up with strategies that are workable.

Best of luck!
 
CJ,
Publix doesn't have a provision for you to pay for your health insurance through them? I own a small company and we pay medical insurance for our full time employees but our part time employees can pay for their insurance. I thank God that I own a company that can keep my son employed when he turns 19 and will be off of my plan. Not having insurance is our biggest fear because Brian needs constant follow up and is facing a heart transplant when his heart deteriorates. (Hopefully that is years in the future).
 
Duff, thanks for the links.
I see that's in MI. Not sure it was available in TX, especially at the time I thought I needed it. At over $500 a month, glad it wasn't for I lucked out and didn't need any insurance until I got Medicare 10 years later.
 
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