jules3
09-11-2007, 11:08 PM
Well the time has come..my son lost his medical insurance because he is no longer a fulltime college student...cobra is 360per mth..anyone have any other suggestions about picking a new plan? keep in mind he has pre-existing issues seizures, etc...any help from my friends would mean alot.:angel:
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ThatDamnCat
09-11-2007, 11:23 PM
Move to teh UK for the NHS?!?!?
(It was an attempt to make you laugh)
(It was an attempt to make you laugh)
4support
09-12-2007, 12:02 AM
Hi jules, :wave:
I know that UNICARE and Blue Cross/Blue Shield have some pretty comprehensive individual medical coverage available for more reasonable rates. I checked into family coverage and found a plan including the 4 of us for around $390/month. They have several different plan selections and you can choose your frills if you know what I mean. I'm not sure how they handle pre-existing conditions. It's ridiculous that anyone needs to worry about that at all, reason we need medical insurance in the first place!
Good luck!
4support
I know that UNICARE and Blue Cross/Blue Shield have some pretty comprehensive individual medical coverage available for more reasonable rates. I checked into family coverage and found a plan including the 4 of us for around $390/month. They have several different plan selections and you can choose your frills if you know what I mean. I'm not sure how they handle pre-existing conditions. It's ridiculous that anyone needs to worry about that at all, reason we need medical insurance in the first place!
Good luck!
4support
tsohl
09-12-2007, 01:42 AM
Hi Jules ~
We went through this with our son. I don't know about the situation with seizures, but BP was an immediate disqualifier in our state. I know NY recently passed a law where I think this cannot happen...but I don't know the details. Maybe Goody will know....You might call your local NAMI office and ask there, too, if your own insurance agent can't help you out.
We ended up going with a state pool for high risk individuals who can't be otherwise insured...and yes, it is not cheap.
Good luck!!
Tsohl
We went through this with our son. I don't know about the situation with seizures, but BP was an immediate disqualifier in our state. I know NY recently passed a law where I think this cannot happen...but I don't know the details. Maybe Goody will know....You might call your local NAMI office and ask there, too, if your own insurance agent can't help you out.
We ended up going with a state pool for high risk individuals who can't be otherwise insured...and yes, it is not cheap.
Good luck!!
Tsohl
jules3
09-12-2007, 08:33 AM
thanks guys, moving to the uk is out of the question...:D :D
ts, we dont have an agent my husband works for a large company in nyc and our insurance, believe it or not is the only one they offer. i will call around today. My son is starting to stress about this and i dont want him too..we will probably just wind up buying cobra for 360 a mth..than the insurance stays exactly the same.
ts, we dont have an agent my husband works for a large company in nyc and our insurance, believe it or not is the only one they offer. i will call around today. My son is starting to stress about this and i dont want him too..we will probably just wind up buying cobra for 360 a mth..than the insurance stays exactly the same.
tsohl
09-12-2007, 09:07 AM
My son first had Cobra through the job he had right after college. Now he is in a large state pool as I mentioned. I think you can find something less than what you're quoting if you call around. It takes a lot of phone work!! I would start out by calling NAMI and looking online for State of NY high-risk insurance pools or something like that.
tsohl
09-12-2007, 09:16 AM
What county do you live in??
goody2shuz
09-12-2007, 10:24 AM
Jules ~ I am a little bit behind you here and am nervous about how my girls will continue after they are no longer full-time students. I just signed a form with our insurance that asked us when we expected Kait to graduate college and how many credits she is carrying....they are already looking to drop her!!!
New York State must have the most expensive insurance around....we found that out when Kait checked into how much it would cost to insure her car in the state that she is going to school in since she needs to use it for her internship. We could save up to $600 for 6 months on that!!
We had Vytra Health Plans which had decent Mental Health Coverage and now have HIP which took over the Vytra Health Plan we had and offers the same. They As a small business of 4 or less employees we are paying over $1100/month to carry the family!!! I think it is close to $600/mo for a single person.
I will check further into things and share what I find with you!!
Love ~ Goody:angel: :wave:
PS ~ You might want to check into Healthy NY as well. Most Mental Health providers accept that and advised us to look into it.
New York State must have the most expensive insurance around....we found that out when Kait checked into how much it would cost to insure her car in the state that she is going to school in since she needs to use it for her internship. We could save up to $600 for 6 months on that!!
We had Vytra Health Plans which had decent Mental Health Coverage and now have HIP which took over the Vytra Health Plan we had and offers the same. They As a small business of 4 or less employees we are paying over $1100/month to carry the family!!! I think it is close to $600/mo for a single person.
I will check further into things and share what I find with you!!
Love ~ Goody:angel: :wave:
PS ~ You might want to check into Healthy NY as well. Most Mental Health providers accept that and advised us to look into it.
jules3
09-12-2007, 11:07 AM
Ts, we live in nassau county...goody healthy new york does not cover any mental health issues at all..add, depression anxiety bp..nothing like that at all.
4support
09-12-2007, 11:11 AM
Hi jules,
Please let us know the outcome, I am interested in hearing on insurance issues associated with BP. We have been declined 2x trying to buy new life insurance for my husband! I did contact NAMI about this and they are highly aware it is an issue, and are on the forefront of advocating it, but it will take time as everything worthwhile does. I'll say what I said previously, almost everyone has some kind of pre-existing condition or illness or family history or disorder or WHATEVER, don't even get me started on the insurance mess in this country.....
If anyone has tips or insider info on how to acquire life insurance or who to acquire it thru for an individual with BP, please share.
Best of luck,
4
Please let us know the outcome, I am interested in hearing on insurance issues associated with BP. We have been declined 2x trying to buy new life insurance for my husband! I did contact NAMI about this and they are highly aware it is an issue, and are on the forefront of advocating it, but it will take time as everything worthwhile does. I'll say what I said previously, almost everyone has some kind of pre-existing condition or illness or family history or disorder or WHATEVER, don't even get me started on the insurance mess in this country.....
If anyone has tips or insider info on how to acquire life insurance or who to acquire it thru for an individual with BP, please share.
Best of luck,
4
tsohl
09-12-2007, 11:18 AM
I thought NY passed a mental health parity bill. Goody -- what was it called? Patrick's law or some name's law....
jules3
09-12-2007, 01:16 PM
Should i go thru a broker?
goody2shuz
09-12-2007, 01:45 PM
Yes....the law passed and in effect as of Jan 1st 2007 is Timothy's Law. Our insurance reassured us upon renewal that we were covered but came to find out that small businesses have to purchase an additional rider. Between months of being on the phone with our broker and the insurance company themselves we have yet to get somewhere!! We figure at this point in time it wouldn't even help us and we are probably better off riding out the rest of the year rather than paying for the entire year's worth of coverage.
I did a search and there is information regarding small businesses paying $1.26/person per month but I find that hard to believe. I have emailed a person to get more info and as soon as I do I will be happy to share.
Love ~ Goody:angel: :wave:
I did a search and there is information regarding small businesses paying $1.26/person per month but I find that hard to believe. I have emailed a person to get more info and as soon as I do I will be happy to share.
Love ~ Goody:angel: :wave:
tsohl
09-12-2007, 04:17 PM
Jules, Just get on the phone and start making some phone calls. Look up your state insurance office or search on the internet. First just make some calls to see if he'd be denied -- you don't know that for sure, do you? He doesn't really have a diagnosis of mental illness, does he?
I guess I'll be making those same calls come Dec. for our daughter who is out of college but doesn't have insurance through her employer(s).
I guess I'll be making those same calls come Dec. for our daughter who is out of college but doesn't have insurance through her employer(s).
langlee
09-12-2007, 07:29 PM
Hi Jules-
Insurance is such a mess, isn't it? And it varies so much from state to state! As a small business, we pay $1500/month for the 3 of us with Horizon. It's insane!
I am responding to the fact that your son is starting to get stressed out about this. Can you assure him that you and your husband will pick up the COBRA while you research other plans to allay his fears?
You might want to consider talking to a broker, too. S/he might know of a plan that you never heard of. You can do an Internet search, too, through some of the online brokers.
Good luck and let us know what you are finding out!
Love,
Hope
Insurance is such a mess, isn't it? And it varies so much from state to state! As a small business, we pay $1500/month for the 3 of us with Horizon. It's insane!
I am responding to the fact that your son is starting to get stressed out about this. Can you assure him that you and your husband will pick up the COBRA while you research other plans to allay his fears?
You might want to consider talking to a broker, too. S/he might know of a plan that you never heard of. You can do an Internet search, too, through some of the online brokers.
Good luck and let us know what you are finding out!
Love,
Hope
jules3
09-13-2007, 12:48 PM
This is confusing...what is with all the names of insurance company that i have never heard of?
goody2shuz
09-13-2007, 01:22 PM
Jules ~ I think some insurance companies serve particular states only so the ones that Tsohl & Hope mention our NY physicians and hospitals do not participate in or are not offered to them by the insurance company.
Hope that makes a little more sense to you.
(((HUGS))) ~ Goody:angel: :wave:
Hope that makes a little more sense to you.
(((HUGS))) ~ Goody:angel: :wave:
langlee
09-13-2007, 04:21 PM
Sorry to confuse you, Jules. Horizon is part of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield network. In NY, I believe it's called Empire.
If you do an online search for one of the online insurance brokers, I believe you can break it down by state and by other criteria as well.
Hope
If you do an online search for one of the online insurance brokers, I believe you can break it down by state and by other criteria as well.
Hope
tsohl
09-13-2007, 05:18 PM
Hi guys ~
Just wanted to let you know I am going to Minneapolis for a wedding, and conveniently enough, to see our daughter!! leaving in a bit and back Sunday!!
Peace ~
Tsohl
Just wanted to let you know I am going to Minneapolis for a wedding, and conveniently enough, to see our daughter!! leaving in a bit and back Sunday!!
Peace ~
Tsohl
jules3
09-13-2007, 10:16 PM
Oh im sorry, i didnt mean you guys were telling me names of insurance co's. that i never heard of..i meant while i was doing on a search on them in n.y i found companies other than the big ones like oxford,horizon,empire,cigna...
i think we are just going to stick with cobra and leave things as is for now. just have to pay 360 per month which he will help out with..
i think we are just going to stick with cobra and leave things as is for now. just have to pay 360 per month which he will help out with..