Well, I do have the Wisconsin Chronic Disease Program now as a supplemental insurance to my current insurance. I finally decided I should pick it up "just in case" of any other insurance problems. My old insurance was not so bad, aside from my premium at work, it was 1800 out of pocket max a year. The state supplemental insurance (based on my income) was about the same, so I chose not to get it at the time. My insurance decided to deny a couple claims and I fought with them for a bit over 2 years. Finally, they decided they should have paid them due to their mistake, but here is the kicker... there is a 2 year limitation (per law) and after that the insurance company doesn't have to pay the claim. So after all that fighting, the insurance company told me they wont pay after all. there I was, stuck with the bill. The second large round of bills went to when I had a tune up. I had gotten laid off from my job and lost my insurance. After they called me back, I got the insurance back again. Well, I had to get a tune up, and I called to make sure I was past my pre-existing clause. They told me yes. Well, I had the tune up, came home on IV's. Ended up finding out after the bill, and after I had called, that my preexisting clause hadnt been met. There I was, almost 20 grand in the hole. The bad part, the whole predicament with the insurance company with the first bill and the tune up that I had to pay for all fell within about a months period. Add that to some smaller bills that they wouldn't pay for this reason or that, and the bills I was responsible for, and the little bit I was working, and it all just added up. Then, last year, the company I was at announced they were closing, and I needed to switch jobs. There were few good jobs where I was living so I took a job here in Milwaukee. It was a good company that had fairly good benefits, so I took the job. I started in October, had a 3 month waiting period to get hired, then a 30 day period after that to get insurance. Needless to say, the company hacked their insurance benefits in half after the new year, so by the time I got my insurance, the benefits sucked ($3200 out of pocket max). I had kept up COBRA from my previous job, so at least there was no preexisting clause. But still, I had one tune up and thats what it cost me. I ended up leaving the company fairly quick because of it. I picked up the state insurance, but that was after the tune up, which couldn't wait. I then had to have a surgery too, so I missed out on a month and a half income on top of all that. My new job has a 300 deductible and 300 out of pocket max (total 600) and then co-pays on the prescriptions. I am now KEEPING the state supplemental insurance too, so that helps with some co-pays. Now it will cost me about 1000 a year plus anything little I need (about 100 month average). Thats not too bad, but all the old bills are around 30,000 after negotiating them down. Thats all within the last 6 years.
