Health Insurance help (cheap, very expensive, cost, medical)

[haaris]

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[SIZE=3]I want to move out of state, and I am actually thinking about quitting my job and starting over. How long will my insurance cover me before I must pay out of my pocket, and does it carry over like that? Does it depend on the company and the type of insurance I have? I have never done this before, so I am unsure.

It is hard for companies to take me seriously out of state, when I am looking for jobs......They are pretty much hiring people that are already in the area so I don't really know what to do. The area I want to live does not have facilities even close to where I want to move too for transfer. Or should I just look for the closest facility? Which would mean more than one move!!

I am nearing 50, single/no children with avg health so I am taking a huge risk relocating w/o anything, can anyone help? I have BC/BS right now.

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[myrc60]

I have actually done what you are considering.

If you have health insurance through your employer, you can continue it through COBRA for up to 18 months I believe. You pay the premiums directly to your employer and your employer determines when the switch to COBRA coverage occurs. You may pay more for COBRA coverage than your employer is currently paying. Since you have BC/BS you will be covered almost anywhere you go in the USA and possibly abroad. If you have an HMO plan you may have to move to a PPO plan and the cost will probably increase.

We did have a hard time looking for work from afar. Many employers in my new area won't even consider people for a position if they do not live here. We moved here from Chicago. In Chicago jobs are plentiful and if I was looking for work there it rarely took more than 3 months to find a job. Here in SC it took almost a year to get as little as a temp job. I am now a contract employee (self-employed); no benefits to speak of but I work from home. Lots of people in this area work via contracts. If we went to Charlotte we would probably be doing better but we wanted out of the rat race that is the big city.

[muskaan]

I would reccommend goint to the insuremation website and seeing if you can get a short term (6mos-1year) policy. COBRA is so freaking expensive, you just might find you can do it cheaper through insuremation..
Individual Health Insurance (broken link)

[myrc60]

Originally Posted by muskaan

I would reccommend goint to the insuremation website and seeing if you can get a short term (6mos-1year) policy. COBRA is so freaking expensive, you just might find you can do it cheaper through insuremation..
Individual Health Insurance

COBRA can be expensive but it isn't always. Companies can add an administration fee and that varies by company. I was lucky my company did not take a big chunk for that fee and the coverage was so good that I rarely paid much out-of-pocket; the plan I pay for now pays nearly nothing and its not cheap; has gone up $200 in 4 years and I'm sure it will go up this year. Because of this I don't take medications prescribed for me and rarely see a medical professional.

[crazyma]

I may be mistaken, but I don't think you can use COBRA if you voluntarily quit your job. At least I have never heard of anyone doing so...
I know people that have COBRA because of downsizing/layoffs or the primary insured employee died and the spouse has it.

[myrc60]

Originally Posted by crazyma

I may be mistaken, but I don't think you can use COBRA if you voluntarily quit your job. At least I have never heard of anyone doing so...
I know people that have COBRA because of downsizing/layoffs or the primary insured employee died and the spouse has it.

I voluntarily left my job and they let me keep it under COBRA but I don't know if there are restrictions at other companies.

[crazyma]

Wow...had time to do some quick research and I had no earthly idea you CAN get COBRA even if you voluntarily quit a job (as long as comapny had 20 employees, etc. according to Labor site)
I think a lot of people do not realize that. And I know I wasn't told about it in the past when leaving jobs!!
Of course it is very expensive...
actually we are paying close to 800 a month now due to a job downsizing. But we wouldn't dare be without it. Too risky a thought, especially when 50 ish.

Haaris, I would encourage you to use it if you qualify for it. Check out this siite-http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/cobra.htm

Better to be safe than sorry.
Good luck with your plans.

[Niners fan]

The problem with COBRA is that is it short-term coverage. However, in the OP's situation, at least BC/BS offers nationwide coverage.

We really need to get away from health insurance being tied to one's job in this country but I guess that is a different thread...

[Lima Bean]

You'll probably be fine. Health insurance providers want you to be scared, real scared that something horrible will happen without coverage.

[Niners fan]

Don't go without coverage. It is much more difficult to get coverage as an individual if you don't have prior coverage. If you are going on a company plan then it isn't so much of an issue.

However, if you can afford health insurance then I think you have a moral obligation to have it unless there is a way for you to waive all public assistance during your period of non-coverage.