Insurance - Can you get it?

[DreamDiver]

Anybody successful in getting private health insurance when diagnosed with OSA?
I'm going to be forced to do this in the next few months, and I'm getting a bit nervous because
I can't find someone who will insure me.

[Wulfman]

viewtopic/t39666/Sleep-Apnea-and-Life-Insurance.html

YMMV

Den

[ladyjay]

i was shopping around for insurance in january in michigan because i thought my COBRA was up. i got denied from one and i do suspect it's from my osa diagnosis and hypertension. i was resorting to try to apply for bcbs since it's the last resort provider in the state of michigan. technically they are required by the state to insure the un-insurable, but i've read otherwise on other forums. i submitted an application through ehealthinsurance and during the wait for approval withdrew my application. i was told by one of their agents, based on my pre-existing conditions, it would be in my best interest to use up my COBRA (i have until june) because the health insurance portability & accountability act (HIPAA).

HIPAA includes protections for coverage under group health plans that limit exclusions for preexisting conditions; prohibit discrimination against employees and dependents based on their health status; and allow a special opportunity to enroll in a new plan to individuals in certain circumstances. HIPAA may also give you a right to purchase individual coverage if you have no group health plan coverage available, and have exhausted COBRA or other continuation coverage.

- via US department of labor.

so, i'm hoping i'll be able to find insurance because of HIPAA in june. good luck with your search. i would suggest finding a broker to help you, or trying einsurance. they were really helpful with me. good luck!

[Velbor]

Not quite on topic, but OSA resulted in a significantly higher premium quoted for me for Long Term Care insurance.

[ladyjay]

it's very likely that we will be charged high premiums because we are "high risk" to insure. it's really sad that the people that need insurance most are the ones most often rejected. i probably suffered from osa all my life and it didn't start to really affect my life until after college when i wasn't covered by my parent's health plan. it was years later that i got a job with health insurance coverage and then got diagnosed. i would never have been able to afford diagnosis and treatment without insurance and having an osa diagnosis as a pre-existing condition.

[dieselgal]

Here in Texas a few years ago I was on Cobra from a previous job and kept it until I knew it was running out of time but when I tried to get insurance through others I was denied by 3 companies because I was overweight (alright..technically obese) and had high blood pressure. The only way I could get insurance was to go with BCBS Texas which requires that they have to accept you but you better have some dollars if you are overweight and over 50 because it will be several hundred a month and probably a very high deductible. Of course that was better than so I took it.

[WearyOne]

I had individual insurance (Anthem) OSA, HBP, herniated disc----but paid a huge penny for it and had a high deductible. In Virginia, Anthem is what is dubbed the "insurer of last resort." (Other states may have something similar.) Every other insurer can deny you, but they have to accept you, no matter what. BUT, they can charge you (and do) the highest level, the highest rate. I know my agent and I went over my health issues, and the rates can come down if, for example, after a certain number of years your BP has been normal (on meds or off meds), or after a certain number of years you haven't been treated for your herniated disc, you lose weight if you're way overweight, etc.

Virginia also has a couple of other things through Anthem that are basically for catastrophic health issues, like if you were in the hospital for surgery or something. Those plans don't cover office visits and prescriptions. That's the one I was getting ready to move to because they were increasing the premium for the plan I was on by $200 (not TO $200, but $200 MORE). Fortunately, at about that time, my husband was able to get it through his company.

Good possibility I'll have to go back on it at some point, too. Economy is not treating my husband's employer very well.

Pam

[DreamDiver]

Thanks, everyone for your replies. I'm thinking about going with BCBS's Anthem policy. BCBS is better welcomed in the Southeast than is United Health Care. A lot of doctors stopped accepting UHC in my area now because they're slow to pay. Actually, considering what I pay to United Ill-Health now, I wish we'd considered switching sooner. I'd better not hold my breath because we still have to go through the application process.
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[The rest of this post has been moved to new thread for clarity by author.]