Losing our insurance

[Sue]

Well, wish us luck. My husband's employers had a meeting today with their small staff and told them they could no longer afford to provide health insurance.  Some fun, huh?  I was just searching around the 'Net and read that if you go 2 months without coverage, then the next insurance that you get will likely not cover you for pre-existing conditions.  Hopefully we can avoid this little problem.  I am thinking of moving to Uruguay.   

Sue in Vancouver, USA

[CHD63]

Sue .....

Unfortunately what you found out today is becoming all too familiar across our land.  My thoughts and prayers as you find alternate health insurance.

Not for this to become political, but this just reinforces the need to see that all people have the health insurance coverage they need, not just the wealthy or fully employed.

Clarice

[yardtick]

Sue,

So sorry    You can always come live with me in Canada.  I'm less than an hour to Buffalo.  I'll even get you a referral to my specialist, who I am seeing in a few hours. 

Take care my friend 

Anne Marie

[Nani]

I am all to familiar with that.  I am so sorry.  I hope y'all are able to figure it out.

[Sue]

Thanks guys.  I'd love to meet any 65 y.o. male and a 63  y.o. female who don't have ANY  pre-existing conditions.  It would be a miracle.  We have done okay with our lives up until now. Now it's fast going to hell in a hand basket. 

Yep...may have to move to the other Vancouver!! 

Sue in Vancouver USA

[ppearl214]

Sue,

I'm at a loss... and Uraguay isn't the place to go... it's England.....

I'm so so sorry to hear this news.  Does WA state have any kind of state-run plan?  If your husband is 65, can Medicare help?

Oy.

I wish I could offer more than my usual hugglez and thoughts and love.

xoxoxo
Phyl

[Brendalu]

Sue,
My husband was fired from his job on August 15, 2009.  He had called out because his blood sugar was high that morning.  He is diabetic.  He went to the doctor and went back to work the next morning against doctor's orders.  His boss called him in and fired him.  They had terminated our insurance the day before.  Cobra was cost prohibitive.  I have Part A Medicare and thought I could sign up for Part B and D.  I was told at the time I was given Part A, that I didn't need Part B and D because I had insurance through my husband's employer.  Fortunately, I kept the letter from the local Social Security office attesting to that fact.  As of today I have Part A and Part D.  I am still fighting for Part B.  I am told that I can sign up for it in January and it will be effective July 1, 2010.
Insurance companies need some kind of control and quickly, because in my opinion, they are out of control.  It is totally not in our budget to pay the $1245.00 a month for crappy Cobra coverage and then the outrageous co pays that go along with it.  My meds and doctor appointments for one month without insurance are over $2000.  With insurance it was $853.00.
I was turned down by eighteen insurance companies, as was my husband because of preexisting illness and "conditions"!  Small companies can no longer afford to provide coverage for their employees and it is certainly not affordable for individuals to get it on their own.
I will keep you in my prayers, Sue, that you find coverage for you and your husband.
Brenda

[leapyrtwins]

Sue -

don't move to Uruguay - we'd miss you! 

I hope things work out for you; keeping my fingers crossed.

Jan

[GRACE1]

Sue:

I am so sorry you and your husband are having to go throug this.  You will be in all of our thoughts and prayers for a solution to this.

Grace

[SML]

Sue,
That is just awful! They certainly need to do something about this insurance debacle soon or we’ll all be moving to ___________  (fill in your preference). Rich and I will be joining the ranks of the unemployed/uninsured as our company announced they are moving to Mexico next summer! God help us all!
I certainly hope things work out okay for you in the end and sorry you have this added stress to have to deal with!

Scarlett

[sgerrard]

If you can't get onto Medicare, maybe you can move to Oregon and get on the Oregon Health Plan. It worked well for Greg M. And Oregon is a little closer than Uruguay. Plus we have a Portland ANA group.

Seriously, I hope something works out.

Steve

[tenai98]

Times like this I am happy to be living in Canada...Pharmacy just delivered the medicals supplies (free) for the visiting nurse (free and comes mon, wed fri) to change my dressing...This is one thing my late hubby liked about living in Canada...my doc only charged him $25.00 CDN to see him and that was at a time the US $ was woth $1.59 to our CDN $....
JO

[Sue]

Yeah, this stinks.  Thanks for your words of wisdom and kind thoughts!!   I was reading about the top places to retire to for cheap living,and Ecuador, Mexico, Uruguay, and Panama top the list.  Ecuador and Panama are out as far as I am concerned because the humidity would kill me off, Mexico is kinda dicey because of their out of control crime wave, although I'm sure there are safe havens here and there, and so that left Uruguay!     It actually sounds quite lovely in Punta del Este.  Of course, speaking Spanish would probably be of value, and I know enough to order lunch, so might be a problem! ha

Anyway.....it'll all work out somehow.  I hope.

Keep on truckin', as they used to say.

Sue in Vancouver, USA (for now...)

[Jim Scott]

Sue ~

Unfortunately, I'm late to this thread but I still wanted to offer my sympathy on the unexpected loss of your medical insurance.  I realize this is is a serious problem for many and not to be taken lightly.  I won't digress into a discussion on the politically-tainted pros and cons of 'single-payer' (government-run) medical insurance, which I heartily oppose, but I can certainly agree that the current system needs 'reform'. 

Although many countries around the world - including Uruguay - do have some form of government-run medical insurance/systems, they're often expensive (high taxes) and/or inefficient and below the kind of medical care Americans are used to having.  'Private' (non-government-administered) medical care is usually available - for a price, as in the U.K.  Still, South American countries such as Uruguay are quite temperate and your money would probably go farther.  Speaking Spanish would make it ever easier.   For me and my family (who are far from wealthy) - I think we'll take our chances here in the U.S.A.     

Jim

[mandy721]

Sue and Brenda,

My heart goes out to you and I hope that you are able to find some affordable coverage soon. Thinking of facing the ongoing medical needs associated with an AN, as well as whatever else may happen, without health insurance or accessible health care is a great concern to me.  My husband was relatively healthy and thought he needed a hearing aid.  You all know the story, he needed brain surgery!  His surgery and recovery was complicated and the bills are approaching $300,000.  We are very lucky to have  good coverage through Ken's employer, but what about those who don't.  I don't think that most people with the security ( although who knows for how long) of medical insurance can begin to understand the situation of those who don't have access to decent health care because they can't afford it.  It is sad to realize that many Americans don't have any healthcare, so national healthcare would be a huge improvement to their lives.

Mandy