Desperatley need Health Insurance!!!!! Please help

[ggeorgie]

What is the name of your state? California.

I, my wife and my two kids, 10 and 12 have been enrolled in the PPO Cobra medical insurance, since January 2006 after loosing my job, We've been paying $1100 a month to be covered, as you all know, Cobra is only for 18 months, and we are close to that date, am going through financial difficulty and barely able to make the $1100 since am not working due to disability, and my wife is a home maker.

How to get a cheaper health insurance? I don't mind getting HMO plan, as long as the co-payments are gonna be the same ($20.00 doctors visits) and ($15.00 RX). I was diagnosed with Stage II Diabetes in June 2006, and my wife is the same.

Any advise will be appreciated, Thank you

[cbg]

Frankly, I wouldn't count on finding something comparable that is much cheaper. The whole deal with COBRA is that you're getting to take advantage of group rates, which are generally lower than individual rates since they have a broader base.

I'm not in your state but my state tends to be comparable in terms of health care. My husband recently lost his insurance and the cheapest insurance we found that was in any way comparable to the insurance he lost was over $900. And it's just the two of us, though I suspect from the ages of your kids that you are younger than we are. That might help. On the other hand, ours is a guaranteed issue state, which yours is not.

Your best bet is probably to work through an insurance broker, who will have access to sources that you may not be able to find on your own, and also to negotiate the best possible rates.

[tranquility]

Your insurance is about to become far more expensive. To see the options, go to:

[url]http://www.hmohelp.ca.gov/dmhc_consumer/hp/hp_mrmip.asp[/url]

for an example of the rates:

[url]http://www.hmohelp.ca.gov/coverage/mrmip/rates.pdf[/url]

[ecmst12]

You should look into state-sponsored insurance programs, at least for your kids. There may be a CHIP program available if you qualify, and since you're not working and only getting disability for income, you may even qualify for Medicaid (though maybe not if you've been able to afford $1100 per month for insurance thus far).

There is also the possiblity of getting a Cobra extension, though I don't know how difficult it is to get on or what reasons they accept.

[cbg]

ecmst12 raises a good point. There is the possibility of a continuation of COBRA for an additional 11 months IF you qualify.

To know if you do, please let us know whether your disability is temporary or permanent; whether it began before or after the COBRA started, and if after, how long after.

[Betty]

However, the employer may increase the charge for the last 11 months of coverage from 102% of the premium to 150% of the premium. It's an option though if you qualify.

[Betty]

cbg - when is it in Ca. that you can extend cobra for 36 months - thanks. Betty

[Betty]

cbg - thanks for your PM. I did some checking myself & it looks like death of employee, divorce/legal separation, loss of dep. status, Medicare entitlement - etc. see:
[url]http://www.bingham.com/Bingham/webadmin/documents/rad1BC47.pdf[/url] Betty

[garrula lingua]

You may be able to insure the kids through 'Healthy Families':
[url]http://www.healthyfamilies.ca.gov/English/about.html[/url]

[janeyal]

Am just curious what stage II diabetes is. I have never heard diabetes described in stages.

[moburkes]

Originally Posted by janeyal

Am just curious what stage II diabetes is. I have never heard diabetes described in stages.

Type 2 is what he probably meant.

[TIMMAAYY]

Originally Posted by cbg

Frankly, I wouldn't count on finding something comparable that is much cheaper. The whole deal with COBRA is that you're getting to take advantage of group rates, which are generally lower than individual rates since they have a broader base.

I'm not in your state but my state tends to be comparable in terms of health care. My husband recently lost his insurance and the cheapest insurance we found that was in any way comparable to the insurance he lost was over $900. And it's just the two of us, though I suspect from the ages of your kids that you are younger than we are. That might help. On the other hand, ours is a guaranteed issue state, which yours is not.

Your best bet is probably to work through an insurance broker, who will have access to sources that you may not be able to find on your own, and also to negotiate the best possible rates.

Ummmm..no. I'm going with a big fat "no" on that one. Group insurance is NOT less expensive. It's guarantee issue. Individual insurance, you have to qualify for, ie be healthy when you get it. As long as you pay the premium they have to renew you, even if you get sick.

If the thread starter or his wife have a business of their own, and have a EID for it, they can get their OWN group insurance plan, a do a Section 105 plan. Other than that, the state CHIP plan for the kids and try to find another job. In the mean time, you can at least get catastrophic insurance ( short term insurance ) in the event anything ELSE happens. Anything thahs been diagnosed or treated in the last two years, will most likely be excluded from coverage.

[moburkes]

Originally Posted by TIMMAAYY

Ummmm..no. I'm going with a big fat "no" on that one. Group insurance is NOT less expensive. It's guarantee issue. Individual insurance, you have to qualify for, ie be healthy when you get it. As long as you pay the premium they have to renew you, even if you get sick.

If the thread starter or his wife have a business of their own, and have a EID for it, they can get their OWN group insurance plan, a do a Section 105 plan. Other than that, the state CHIP plan for the kids and try to find another job. In the mean time, you can at least get catastrophic insurance ( short term insurance ) in the event anything ELSE happens. Anything thahs been diagnosed or treated in the last two years, will most likely be excluded from coverage.

Catastrophic insurance and short term insurance are not necessarily the same thing. Where do you get this information that you post? Again, explain to me how $24/month or $127/month for group is expensive?

[TIMMAAYY]

I guarantee you that his group's COBRA rates ar far more expensive than individual rates, IF they qualify for it. Log onto any carrier's website for individual insurance and get a quote... it's that easy.. Anthem, United (Golden Rule), MMO, Aetna, etc. Most people don't realize what their GROUP plans actually cost, until they get a COBRA statement.

As far as short term and catastrophic, they are very much the same IF you have current issues. Short term will not pay for anywhere from 1 - 2 years on anything that has already been diagnosed or treated. ie... you have acid reflux and take a prescription for it... short term won't cover it at all, Rx card or not, for a given period. It WILL cover anything new that comes along. In many ways, that is similar to catastrophic insurance. It will keep you from going bankrupt if something NEW comes along.

Where are YOU getting $24 or $127 a month for group rates? The author said he is currently paying $1,100 a month ( COBRA rates ).

[TIMMAAYY]

Originally Posted by ggeorgie

What is the name of your state? California.

I, my wife and my two kids, 10 and 12 have been enrolled in the PPO Cobra medical insurance, since January 2006 after loosing my job, We've been paying $1100 a month to be covered, as you all know, Cobra is only for 18 months, and we are close to that date, am going through financial difficulty and barely able to make the $1100 since am not working due to disability, and my wife is a home maker.

How to get a cheaper health insurance? I don't mind getting HMO plan, as long as the co-payments are gonna be the same ($20.00 doctors visits) and ($15.00 RX). I was diagnosed with Stage II Diabetes in June 2006, and my wife is the same.

Any advise will be appreciated, Thank you

Also,ggeorgie... there are a couple of websites for Diabetes and insurance, set up for each state.

Try these... maybe they can help you out as well.

[url]www.diabetes.org[/url]

The site is down at the moment, but it has an interactive map of the US so you can pick your state and look at all of your options when it comes to getting insurance. If you or your wife were self employed, there is another option for you that would be even better.