moving kaiser health isurance coverage from calif to colorado

[a7571402]

We currently have health insurance through kaiser here in calif. we have been with kaiser for about 10 years.
we are moving to colorado springs, colo which also has kaiser. my question is can we be refused to be insured in colorado? if we stayed in california it is not a problem but we were told we would have to reapply in colorado and I am afraid they will not accept me because of my weight.

 

[a7571402]

Or can I keep my insurance in California when we move to Colorado?

 

[cbg]

Is this individual or group insurance?

 

[a7571402]

it is a conversion from a 13 year old group policy. my wife was on her employers policy 13 years ago. 10 years ago she had me added. 6 years ago she quit that company and went to work for me. we had the coverage converted at that time.

I spoke with someone at Kaiser iin Colorado this morning and she said she will send me the conversion paperwork to my Calif. address. So I said then this would be a conversion of a conversion and she said yes.

I hope they will keep us because I know if we were visting Colorado I could use my Calif policy to see a doctor in Colorado.

 

[cbg]

If it's an individual policy (which it is, now) it is not subject to HIPAA. So yes, they CAN legally refuse you coverage. Whether or not they will or not is unknown.

Whether you can keep using your California coverage for more than emergency situations after you move out of state will depend on the policy itself, and since I haven't seen the policy I can't answer it for certain. I can make some educated guesses, though, if you will answer the following questions:

1.) Does the plan have a complete network of physicians and other medical suppliers?

2.) Does the plan require you to use in-house Kaiser clinics or does the network also include doctors in private practice, who may be on the networks of other plans besides Kaiser?

3.) Does the plan have an out-of-network option so that for a lesser benefit, you can choose to go to a doctor or hospital that is not part of their network? Or is care outside the network not covered at all except in emergencies?

4.) If you had a medical emergency while travelling out of state, what procedures would they require you to follow?

 

[a7571402]

I have to research the anwsers to your questions. maybe in the meantime I will get the papers from the lady in Colorado. Thanks

 

[a7571402]

I rec'd the papers from Kaiser in Colorado. They want 1200.00 to $1400.00 per month to cover my wife and myself. We are both around 55 years old. We currently pay $555.00 for both in California. So now it is not a question of can we transfer but how can we afford health insurance. One reason we were moving was to be able to get a lower mortgage payment so we have enough money to live on. Whatever I save on lowering my mortgage payment would now go for health insurance and then some. I am afraid we will have to give up kaiser. I am a viet nam era vet and have rec'd medical care from the VA in the past so I can always go there but would have to figure out if I have to many assets for them to cover me. My wife(now a U.S. citizen) is from Thailand and seems to think if she needs anything major she can jump on a flight and get it done there where the cost is much lower.

 

[cbg]

You might want to check around and see if there's anything cheaper when you get to Colorado; Kaiser isn't the only insurance carrier around. Also, if it's a health condition of yours that is keeping the rates so high, and if you have access to treatment due to your status as a veteran, you might find that getting insurance only on your wife is much cheaper.