Health Insurance Woes!! (subsidized, allergies, cost)

[maxpa]

Hi All,

I have a question for anyone who has gotten some sort of health insurance after making the move here. My situation: my boyfriend got a job in RTP, so I quit my job in PA to move down here with him. My former employer sent me the COBRA info, and it will cost me $450/month to continue the type of insurance I had while working (individual, basic plan). I also left my job in June, which makes me ineligible for the govt-subsidized 35% of COBRA - that expired May 31. I heard that Blue Cross of NC was good, but unfortunately they require residency in NC for a year to qualify for their plan. I am on regular medication (that is $167/month without insurance) and also require regular specialist visits, and most of those cheaper temporary plans do not appear to cover prescriptions - at least from what research I have done.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Have you found an affordable solution? It is looking like I need to suck it up and elect COBRA coverage and scramble to find money to pay for it. Like so many others in this area, I have been applying to many many jobs but without any luck, so I am trying to figure out what I can do in the case that I will be without employer-provided insurance for a while.

Any help or advice would be much appreciated!!

Thank you,

Sarah

[BiggJoe4181]

I know it may seem expensive but it's worth it to get the COBRA coverage. If you have a lapse in coverage many health insurance providers will not cover pre-existing conditions (as it sounds like you have one) and will require you to be on a 6 months waiting period.

[SkiBee]

Excellent advice.

[gardenstategrrl]

that and get him to marry you so you can be on his insurance

[KFran]

We got blue shield when we first moved here, and I know we didn't have to wait a year. We got the blue options program with $10,000 deductable (or $5,000 if all for one person) for 300 a month for a family of 4. We moved her in June of 2006, and had the insurance for 3 months until I became employed. It wouldn't cover your prespcriptions, but it was worth it for peace of mind.

[skaternum]

Get the boyfriend to help pay your insurance premiums, assuming quitting your job and moving down here with no job or insurance was a mutual decision.

[jeffs555]

I heard that Blue Cross of NC was good, but unfortunately they require residency in NC for a year to qualify for their plan.

I have never heard of such a thing. You do have to be a resident, but I believe that as soon as you establish residency you would qualify. My guess was they were talking about an exclusion period for pre-existing conditions which might be a year.

There is also a federal law called HIPAA that mandates against any exclusion period for pre-existing conditions if you have had continuous insurance coverage that covered the condition and have not had a break in coverage of 63 days or more. If your insurance stopped when you quit in June, you need to move quickly to make sure you don't have a break in insurance coverage of 63 days or you will most likely have an exclusion period on any insurance you get.

For knowing whether the Cobra is a good deal or not, it would help to know your age and any pre-existing conditions you have.

[RaleighLass]

If you determine you are eligible for Blue Cross coverage, know that some folks have posted on CD about the low rates they received. However, be prepared! As Jeff said, pre-existing condition and age are determining factors and can double or triple the "low rates" that folks brag about.

I am healthy except for mild seasonal allergies, but my age, over 50, pushed the quote in the $450 range from Blue Cross. This was pretty much the same as my Cobra quote.

Depending on the severity of the conditions you have, and whether or not a 6mt wait period would be cost prohibitive for you, you may well be better doing Cobra.

You could always on line and get quotes...I'm not sure how I feel about this method.....

[BiggJoe4181]

The online quotes are good,but dont trust them. When I was shopping for heath insurance I got several quotes online and when I actually spoke to someone in person the actual rate was $50-$100 more than the "quote".

[didee]

You will have a limited period of time to enroll in COBRA, and after that time period, you will become ineligible. The date will be stated in your COBRA letter sent to you by your employer.

DON'T let that time period lapse, not even by a day, if you want COBRA coverage. It's a very big deal to enroll before the offer expires; you become ineligible to get it after the enrollment expiration date. I know so many people who have learned this the hard way.