Insurance

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Emily65Roses

New member
Okay, so there's been a lot of talk about insurance lately with Sicko coming out (Michael Moore's documentary about health care in the US). Mind you, I haven't even seen it yet. But from what I understand, Sicko or not (I know lots of people don't like Moore, so what I'm saying is just that this one piece is true, from what I gather), it's hard to get health insurance with a preexisting condition.

So my question is for those of you who are CF adults and no longer on your parents' insurance. <b>How the hell did you do it?</b> I take it your insurance company knew about your serious preexisting condition. How in the christ do any of us in the US get covered???

It seems like a very small percentage of jobs are good enough for us to be insured in a way that'll let us survive sufficiently. From what I understand, government jobs are the only "sure bet" as far as insurance covering preexisting conditions goes.

Anyone care to clear up the situation for my lack of insurance knowledge brain?

Mike knows he has to get a good job with really good insurance once we're ready to get married, but it looks like good insurance won't even cover it. It seems like we need <i>great</i> insurance only, and everything else will leave us screwed, poor, and me dead.

I'm freaking out! Someone chill me out, por favor.
 
E

Emily65Roses

New member
Okay, so there's been a lot of talk about insurance lately with Sicko coming out (Michael Moore's documentary about health care in the US). Mind you, I haven't even seen it yet. But from what I understand, Sicko or not (I know lots of people don't like Moore, so what I'm saying is just that this one piece is true, from what I gather), it's hard to get health insurance with a preexisting condition.

So my question is for those of you who are CF adults and no longer on your parents' insurance. <b>How the hell did you do it?</b> I take it your insurance company knew about your serious preexisting condition. How in the christ do any of us in the US get covered???

It seems like a very small percentage of jobs are good enough for us to be insured in a way that'll let us survive sufficiently. From what I understand, government jobs are the only "sure bet" as far as insurance covering preexisting conditions goes.

Anyone care to clear up the situation for my lack of insurance knowledge brain?

Mike knows he has to get a good job with really good insurance once we're ready to get married, but it looks like good insurance won't even cover it. It seems like we need <i>great</i> insurance only, and everything else will leave us screwed, poor, and me dead.

I'm freaking out! Someone chill me out, por favor.
 
E

Emily65Roses

New member
Okay, so there's been a lot of talk about insurance lately with Sicko coming out (Michael Moore's documentary about health care in the US). Mind you, I haven't even seen it yet. But from what I understand, Sicko or not (I know lots of people don't like Moore, so what I'm saying is just that this one piece is true, from what I gather), it's hard to get health insurance with a preexisting condition.

So my question is for those of you who are CF adults and no longer on your parents' insurance. <b>How the hell did you do it?</b> I take it your insurance company knew about your serious preexisting condition. How in the christ do any of us in the US get covered???

It seems like a very small percentage of jobs are good enough for us to be insured in a way that'll let us survive sufficiently. From what I understand, government jobs are the only "sure bet" as far as insurance covering preexisting conditions goes.

Anyone care to clear up the situation for my lack of insurance knowledge brain?

Mike knows he has to get a good job with really good insurance once we're ready to get married, but it looks like good insurance won't even cover it. It seems like we need <i>great</i> insurance only, and everything else will leave us screwed, poor, and me dead.

I'm freaking out! Someone chill me out, por favor.
 
E

Emily65Roses

New member
Okay, so there's been a lot of talk about insurance lately with Sicko coming out (Michael Moore's documentary about health care in the US). Mind you, I haven't even seen it yet. But from what I understand, Sicko or not (I know lots of people don't like Moore, so what I'm saying is just that this one piece is true, from what I gather), it's hard to get health insurance with a preexisting condition.

So my question is for those of you who are CF adults and no longer on your parents' insurance. <b>How the hell did you do it?</b> I take it your insurance company knew about your serious preexisting condition. How in the christ do any of us in the US get covered???

It seems like a very small percentage of jobs are good enough for us to be insured in a way that'll let us survive sufficiently. From what I understand, government jobs are the only "sure bet" as far as insurance covering preexisting conditions goes.

Anyone care to clear up the situation for my lack of insurance knowledge brain?

Mike knows he has to get a good job with really good insurance once we're ready to get married, but it looks like good insurance won't even cover it. It seems like we need <i>great</i> insurance only, and everything else will leave us screwed, poor, and me dead.

I'm freaking out! Someone chill me out, por favor.
 
E

Emily65Roses

New member
Okay, so there's been a lot of talk about insurance lately with Sicko coming out (Michael Moore's documentary about health care in the US). Mind you, I haven't even seen it yet. But from what I understand, Sicko or not (I know lots of people don't like Moore, so what I'm saying is just that this one piece is true, from what I gather), it's hard to get health insurance with a preexisting condition.

So my question is for those of you who are CF adults and no longer on your parents' insurance. <b>How the hell did you do it?</b> I take it your insurance company knew about your serious preexisting condition. How in the christ do any of us in the US get covered???

It seems like a very small percentage of jobs are good enough for us to be insured in a way that'll let us survive sufficiently. From what I understand, government jobs are the only "sure bet" as far as insurance covering preexisting conditions goes.

Anyone care to clear up the situation for my lack of insurance knowledge brain?

Mike knows he has to get a good job with really good insurance once we're ready to get married, but it looks like good insurance won't even cover it. It seems like we need <i>great</i> insurance only, and everything else will leave us screwed, poor, and me dead.

I'm freaking out! Someone chill me out, por favor.
 
E

Emily65Roses

New member
Okay, so there's been a lot of talk about insurance lately with Sicko coming out (Michael Moore's documentary about health care in the US). Mind you, I haven't even seen it yet. But from what I understand, Sicko or not (I know lots of people don't like Moore, so what I'm saying is just that this one piece is true, from what I gather), it's hard to get health insurance with a preexisting condition.

So my question is for those of you who are CF adults and no longer on your parents' insurance. <b>How the hell did you do it?</b> I take it your insurance company knew about your serious preexisting condition. How in the christ do any of us in the US get covered???

It seems like a very small percentage of jobs are good enough for us to be insured in a way that'll let us survive sufficiently. From what I understand, government jobs are the only "sure bet" as far as insurance covering preexisting conditions goes.

Anyone care to clear up the situation for my lack of insurance knowledge brain?

Mike knows he has to get a good job with really good insurance once we're ready to get married, but it looks like good insurance won't even cover it. It seems like we need <i>great</i> insurance only, and everything else will leave us screwed, poor, and me dead.

I'm freaking out! Someone chill me out, por favor.
 
S

Scottius

New member
Yup, I got one of them government jobs. I sometimes lie awake at night wondering what will happen to me if my division ever gets the axe, which we are at risk of every two years.
 
S

Scottius

New member
Yup, I got one of them government jobs. I sometimes lie awake at night wondering what will happen to me if my division ever gets the axe, which we are at risk of every two years.
 
S

Scottius

New member
Yup, I got one of them government jobs. I sometimes lie awake at night wondering what will happen to me if my division ever gets the axe, which we are at risk of every two years.
 
S

Scottius

New member
Yup, I got one of them government jobs. I sometimes lie awake at night wondering what will happen to me if my division ever gets the axe, which we are at risk of every two years.
 
S

Scottius

New member
Yup, I got one of them government jobs. I sometimes lie awake at night wondering what will happen to me if my division ever gets the axe, which we are at risk of every two years.
 
S

Scottius

New member
Yup, I got one of them government jobs. I sometimes lie awake at night wondering what will happen to me if my division ever gets the axe, which we are at risk of every two years.
 
J

JazzysMom

New member
I do agree that as a rule the best coverage is with something like the state. My husband is a teacher & has insurance through his Union which is from NY State. I have excellent insurance, but my meds (even with excellent coverage) can get pricey so I can only imagine how it is for those with lesser coverage. WHat is best about my husbands insurance is that we can keep it when he retires. Unlike the insurance I had when I worked that was only available for a short time. It could not go with you at retirement. I dont know how my parents did it. They had to pay for their own Blue Cross plus co pays etc. I dont know how they managed, but they did......
 
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JazzysMom

New member
I do agree that as a rule the best coverage is with something like the state. My husband is a teacher & has insurance through his Union which is from NY State. I have excellent insurance, but my meds (even with excellent coverage) can get pricey so I can only imagine how it is for those with lesser coverage. WHat is best about my husbands insurance is that we can keep it when he retires. Unlike the insurance I had when I worked that was only available for a short time. It could not go with you at retirement. I dont know how my parents did it. They had to pay for their own Blue Cross plus co pays etc. I dont know how they managed, but they did......
 
J

JazzysMom

New member
I do agree that as a rule the best coverage is with something like the state. My husband is a teacher & has insurance through his Union which is from NY State. I have excellent insurance, but my meds (even with excellent coverage) can get pricey so I can only imagine how it is for those with lesser coverage. WHat is best about my husbands insurance is that we can keep it when he retires. Unlike the insurance I had when I worked that was only available for a short time. It could not go with you at retirement. I dont know how my parents did it. They had to pay for their own Blue Cross plus co pays etc. I dont know how they managed, but they did......
 
J

JazzysMom

New member
I do agree that as a rule the best coverage is with something like the state. My husband is a teacher & has insurance through his Union which is from NY State. I have excellent insurance, but my meds (even with excellent coverage) can get pricey so I can only imagine how it is for those with lesser coverage. WHat is best about my husbands insurance is that we can keep it when he retires. Unlike the insurance I had when I worked that was only available for a short time. It could not go with you at retirement. I dont know how my parents did it. They had to pay for their own Blue Cross plus co pays etc. I dont know how they managed, but they did......
 
J

JazzysMom

New member
I do agree that as a rule the best coverage is with something like the state. My husband is a teacher & has insurance through his Union which is from NY State. I have excellent insurance, but my meds (even with excellent coverage) can get pricey so I can only imagine how it is for those with lesser coverage. WHat is best about my husbands insurance is that we can keep it when he retires. Unlike the insurance I had when I worked that was only available for a short time. It could not go with you at retirement. I dont know how my parents did it. They had to pay for their own Blue Cross plus co pays etc. I dont know how they managed, but they did......
 
J

JazzysMom

New member
I do agree that as a rule the best coverage is with something like the state. My husband is a teacher & has insurance through his Union which is from NY State. I have excellent insurance, but my meds (even with excellent coverage) can get pricey so I can only imagine how it is for those with lesser coverage. WHat is best about my husbands insurance is that we can keep it when he retires. Unlike the insurance I had when I worked that was only available for a short time. It could not go with you at retirement. I dont know how my parents did it. They had to pay for their own Blue Cross plus co pays etc. I dont know how they managed, but they did......
 
N

NoExcuses

New member
OK, there are two types of insurance:

Group insurance and Individual Insurance.

Group insurance you typically get when you work. It's where the company offers insurance to anyone and everyone at the company (some may say they won't cover you 'til you work for 6 months, or only if you work more than 30 hours a week). <b> it's against federal law to deny anyone, for any reason (pre-existing condition included), on a group insurance plan </b> So as long as you find a company with health insurance, you're covered girl

Individual insurance is where you contact the insurance company yourself and say hey, I'd like to buy insurance (unrelated to work). My dad, for example, so is self-employed, as to do this. And the insurance company can give you a physicial and ask all about you before they decide they want to cover you. Obviously most CFers don't qualify for this.

Hope this helps. Don't freak out. It's 100% do-able for sure.

Many insurance companies have out-of-pocket maximums per year. For example, the first year I worked I was hospitalized. I looked at my plan and FREAKED OUT because it said I was responsible for 20% of all hospital visits. Well guess what? My average hospital visit costs $100k. I nearly passed out becuase I was about to pay $20k.

Then I figured out that my insurance has a maximum $1000 out of pocket (for in network) per year. So my hospital visit could have been whatever, I would only pay $1000. There is this little thing called lifetime maximum but not to worry.... you can always figure that out later by switching jobs, appeals, etc.
 
N

NoExcuses

New member
OK, there are two types of insurance:

Group insurance and Individual Insurance.

Group insurance you typically get when you work. It's where the company offers insurance to anyone and everyone at the company (some may say they won't cover you 'til you work for 6 months, or only if you work more than 30 hours a week). <b> it's against federal law to deny anyone, for any reason (pre-existing condition included), on a group insurance plan </b> So as long as you find a company with health insurance, you're covered girl

Individual insurance is where you contact the insurance company yourself and say hey, I'd like to buy insurance (unrelated to work). My dad, for example, so is self-employed, as to do this. And the insurance company can give you a physicial and ask all about you before they decide they want to cover you. Obviously most CFers don't qualify for this.

Hope this helps. Don't freak out. It's 100% do-able for sure.

Many insurance companies have out-of-pocket maximums per year. For example, the first year I worked I was hospitalized. I looked at my plan and FREAKED OUT because it said I was responsible for 20% of all hospital visits. Well guess what? My average hospital visit costs $100k. I nearly passed out becuase I was about to pay $20k.

Then I figured out that my insurance has a maximum $1000 out of pocket (for in network) per year. So my hospital visit could have been whatever, I would only pay $1000. There is this little thing called lifetime maximum but not to worry.... you can always figure that out later by switching jobs, appeals, etc.
 
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