I Can't Get Affordable Health Insurance
Do I really need healthcare?
Well, apparently I was denied coverage from PacifiCare due to my pre-existing conditions. That’s not good, since my health insurance agent basically told me that they’re the most lenient when it comes to this stuff, and I didn’t even note on my application that I have “major depression.” I just put down that I have anxiety/depression and took Lexapro and Xanax for this problem for one month each. To be honest, I’m done with meds for anxiety forever. I don’t like them, they don’t help, they make me feel sick, and they cost too much, even with insurance. I also noted that I have irregular periods, but I didn’t label it as “PCOS” because I thought that might get me denied. Oh, and I mentioned that I did have a ruptured cyst on my ovary last year. Yea, so I was pretty honest, minus fibbing a bit on my mental health diagnosis.
Anyway, fuck, I wasn’t approved. Now what? Well, my options, according to my agent, are signing up for a state plan where I’d be pre-approved but it would cost more. $240 a month for Kaiser, or $290 for Blue Cross. I’m pretty sure these are high deductable plans too. Yea right. I don’t make enough for those plans.
In short, it looks like I’m going to have to go without health insurance for the next ten years. I think that’s when I can wipe my mental health problems off my record. Let’s hope I don’t get into any near-fatal accidents between now and then.
Gosh this makes me sad.
10 comments:
Working in health care, I know that unfortunately, self employed people tend to have horrible options for insurance, and if they have pre existing conditions they may have close to no options (some states require insurers to insure everyone regardless of pre-existing conditions, but those plans to be even more expensive). One of the options that wasn't mentioned might be to get married to someone who has health insurance benefits through their work (of course, that's not supposed to be the reason for marriage, but it does address the issue).
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Ryan
http://uncommon-cents.net/
Yea, unfortunately marriage isn't an option. My bf and I have been together for only a year-and-a-half, and even if we were considering marriage he doesn't have health insurance through his job (he has it through his mom's insurance) so I wouldn't be insured. I think I might just have to go without insurance.
What about a basic catastrophe plan? I had one of those for a year after graduation. I purchased it in short term increments, but I had prescription drug coverage, an ok deductible and was covered if I was in a near-fatal accident. Its a good stop gap solution, particularly because if/when you do get coverage through an employer, there's a pre-existing condition clause that prevents treatment for a certain amount of time which can be reduced by showing prior coverage.
And don't give up hope. I hear the legislature and governor are close to a deal on health insurance for most Californians. Cross your fingers!
Sarah: I was trying for catastrophic coverage. I applied for a $1500 deductible plan with an HSA (health savings account) and was denied. I have a feeling it had more to do with the cysts on my ovaries than my depression, as I couldn't really cost them any money on a catastrophic plan with depression problems (mental services aren't included) but if I happened to need surgery then they wouldn't be able to profit from me.
I'm not sure this idea would work but what about signing up for a class at the local JC and getting health care through the student center. what about signing up for a one unit course like PE or something?
would that work? they do offer counseling at the school also for free.
I'm sorry to hear about your healthcare coverage issues...I think SF Money Musings has a great idea...I don't know if that's how it works though!
I will have to look into how I can get health insurance through the community college system, if possible. Thanks for the idea. I have a feeling I'll need to be at least a part-time student to get those benefits,t hough.
I think you should sign up for the state plan, and take a hard look at your finances to see where you could cut back in order to afford the premiums. I don't know where you can, that call is up to you, but I would argue that with your conditions and just as a general precaution, spending money on health insurance should be a higher priority than other things in life. I would even argue it's worth dipping into savings for.
Once you end coverage it is extremely difficult to ever get covered again. Maybe nothing will happen to you while you're not covered, but one accident, one trip to the emergency room, could lead to massive medical bills. (See this article from New York magazine: A Generation Uninsured.)
Please at least think about it.
I was also denied coverage with a "lenient" plan. I was only 22 at the time, and honest to a fault (this was even before my PCOS, when I was still having regular periods). I still don't understand entirely why I was denied, because my past health problems weren't likely to cause future repercussions, unless they thought my history was indicative of risk-taking personality. Anyway, the only thing that would make sense is that I was in the "overweight" category. Ugh.
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