Cancer survivor's health insurance

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bevdoc
bevdoc Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I'm now a five year cancer survivor. I'm in a group of two with the health insurance of my employer. Because of my history, it's a terrible plan ($10,000 a day, no matter what's wrong, and right now I'm needing a surgery that I won't do because of this limitation.) My colleague will switch to any health coverage that's good for me. We can now get much better coverage for about the same price, but they are individual plans. I'm torn about going for the better coverage, because I only have my 'pre-existing condition' HIPPA protection under a 'group' plan. What would you do?

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  • mimivac
    mimivac Member Posts: 2,143 Member
    #2
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    Insurance
    Bevdoc, not sure how to help you, but does the "pre-existing condition" rule apply if you are already a five year survivor? Five years is usually the point where you do not have to claim that you have a pre-existing condition anymore. Just a thought. Good luck.

    Mimi
  • bevdoc
    bevdoc Member Posts: 3
    #3
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    mimivac said:

    Insurance
    Bevdoc, not sure how to help you, but does the "pre-existing condition" rule apply if you are already a five year survivor? Five years is usually the point where you do not have to claim that you have a pre-existing condition anymore. Just a thought. Good luck.

    Mimi

    Thanks, I'll ask the
    Thanks, I'll ask the insurance agent if that's the case....
  • Christmas Girl
    Christmas Girl Member Posts: 3,682 Member
    #4
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    bevdoc said:

    Thanks, I'll ask the
    Thanks, I'll ask the insurance agent if that's the case....

    Good luck to you, bevdoc
    Sincerely hoping you find a solution that'll work for you, so that you can move forward with the needed surgery. The whole insurance issue can be a real pain. Sorry I have no tips or ideas for you...

    Kind regards, Susan
  • Kristin N
    Kristin N Member Posts: 1,968 Member
    #5
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    Christmas Girl said:

    Good luck to you, bevdoc
    Sincerely hoping you find a solution that'll work for you, so that you can move forward with the needed surgery. The whole insurance issue can be a real pain. Sorry I have no tips or ideas for you...

    Kind regards, Susan

    I hope that your insurance
    I hope that your insurance will help you bevdoc. Sometimes the insurance companies are so much trouble, but, we have to have it. Check into the 5 year survival. Best of luck to you!
  • bevdoc
    bevdoc Member Posts: 3
    #6
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    Kristin N said:

    I hope that your insurance
    I hope that your insurance will help you bevdoc. Sometimes the insurance companies are so much trouble, but, we have to have it. Check into the 5 year survival. Best of luck to you!

    Thanks...I love this
    Thanks...I love this photo!!

    Bev
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #7
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    I know nothing about this.
    I know nothing about this. You might see if your hospital or care center has a financial counsellor who has experience with such issues. The center I have gone to has such a person, but I never have gone to her. You might also see if your local ACS has any advice. I am blessed that my husband has an excellent group plan with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois through his employer, so I have had very good coverage. My employer has a cancer plan, but not for a pre-existing condition, and I was not on the plan before I got cancer...go figure! Needless to say I have stayed on my husband's plan.

    I hope you get it worked out soon so that you can get the surgery you need. seof.
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #8
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    pre existing
    You need to check on the desired plan specifically. Preexisting conditions are either 1)covered after a waiting period of 0-365 days and 2)may not apply if you are continually covered by insurance.

    I'm presently paying cobra to stay covered.

    Maureen
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #9
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    EveningStar2 said:

    pre existing
    You need to check on the desired plan specifically. Preexisting conditions are either 1)covered after a waiting period of 0-365 days and 2)may not apply if you are continually covered by insurance.

    I'm presently paying cobra to stay covered.

    Maureen

    What did you find out about
    What did you find out about your insurance? And, what is Cobra?
  • Jeanne D
    Jeanne D Member Posts: 1,867
    #10
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    I just want to wish you good
    I just want to wish you good luck with your insurance. I wish that there was some Nationwide plan that would cover everyone. I think Canada has one in place. We need to talk to them about it, I would think. Maybe, with this new administration, it will happen. I hope so. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield which is excellent, if you stay in their PPO. Good luck to you Bev!
  • EveningStar2
    EveningStar2 Member Posts: 491 Member
    #11
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    Alexis F said:

    What did you find out about
    What did you find out about your insurance? And, what is Cobra?

    Cobra
    is what is offered (in the US since there are some Canadians here) if you leave your job. Usually you can continue the insurance for up to 18 months but *you* pay the entire premium. I was diagnosed with bc after I left the job but before the month was over, so I *had* to continue coverage--$407 per month and not working. Then the government decided that employers needed to pay 65% and the employee pays 35%. So now I pay $377 for myself, spouse and son.

    Maureen
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #12
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    I don't need to worry...I'm uninsurable!!!
    2 or more primary site cancers move us to this category. My only hope is to work for someone, and convince them to cover me under group...

    My agent says after 5 years, single dx, no treatment, you become insurable again.

    Best of luck!

    Hugs, Kathi
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #13
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    KathiM said:

    I don't need to worry...I'm uninsurable!!!
    2 or more primary site cancers move us to this category. My only hope is to work for someone, and convince them to cover me under group...

    My agent says after 5 years, single dx, no treatment, you become insurable again.

    Best of luck!

    Hugs, Kathi

    Texas has a high risk pool
    Texas has a high risk pool health insurance. It covers Texans who can't get health insurance. It's expensive tho and you need to have continuous coverage to cover pre-existing conditions. http://www.txhealthpool.org/ This was the only way I could get coverage as private insurers wouldn't have me.

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