I everyone...I'm Baaaaaaack!

[brucifer]

.

[Laura]

Welcome back Bruce!!!! I will pray that your insurance covers the doctor of your choice!

[Battyp]

Hey I have a brother in Seattle too!
Glad to see you got all moved...now hopefully the insurance will allow you to get treatment where you want!!!

[Patti UT]

hey brucifier,

   good to see you back. glad you got all moved safe and sound. I just want to make sure you aren't hearing voices and singing in your new home. Or did thoes AN singers move with you. LOL
good luck with the insurance game.

Patti UT

[amylynn]

Make sure you get a PPO.

[Captain Deb]

Atlanta! My grandson was born in Atlanta the night before my surgery. Be sure to find the nearest DeKalb Farmer's market--incredible fresh food and I bet they have Timtams!!!! Also go visit the Botanical Garden wonderful orchidariums and the Niki de St Phalle exhibit going on now.
We sure wish you the best of luck with your insurance situation! I know you will enjoy living in Atlanta!

Capt Deb

[Patti UT]

Bruce,

   When you go for a follow up MRI, you need to make sure they look for an antenna in there. I continue to hear my kids calling me in the night waking me up, and no one is there.  It doesn't seem to go away.

Take Care, good luck in your new home
Patti UT

[Jim Scott]

Bruce:  Welcome back! 

Sorry to greet you with some bad news but in my experience with acquiring 'new' medical insurance, your AN - or any other already diagnosed medical condition requiring treatment - is usually considered 'pre-existing' and most medical insurance policies you buy after the original diagnosis won't cover it.

I hope this won't happen but I thought you should be aware of this reality - and look into it. 


Jim

[nipanddale]

Hey Bruce!
How d'ya like Hot-lanta? Havn't been down there in a few years, myself. Back in the day, I was stationed @ Ft. Benning wthe 75th Rangers (Hoo-AH!) and we used to take weekend trips there.

How's the job market down there? (Esp. for secondary teachers.) Detroit's slowly becoming a ghost-town! The auto plants are slowly eliminating the human work force.

I was curious: I'd noticed in some of your earlier posts you were very concerned about health insurance before you moved-- how long since your AN removeal, and what, if any, AN-relatyed health problems do you still have? I'm a little worried. I'm two months out, and feeling great! I know we all need the health insurance, but I got the impression that you're not in a position to be without the insurance for a few months while you make the transition. Are you just being cautios, or do you have ongoing AN related stuff?

Sorry if this seems a bit dumb, I'm just wondering. But they did fill my head with fat recently, so I guess I'm a bit of a "Fat-head". Hardy-har-har!

Dale

[Jim Scott]

Jim...

I got ahold of a copy of the GA state employee health insurance plan today, and there is a 12-month $1,000 cap on any pre-existing condition that has been treated within six months prior to enrolling in the plan. My last treatment was on 5/15 and Lisa's new-employee enrollment starts on 11/1, so I miss the cut by two weeks. What I'm thinking about doing is staying off of the plan until the annual enrollment period which is 1/1/07. That would give me a greater-than-six-month span between my last treatment and the beginning coverage of the new plan. I don't like working the angles like that, but I don't like the alternative either. The idea of waiting another year for my next MRI or paying out of pocket for one sooner is disheartening. I'm just going to try to remain positive and hope for the best. There's not much else I can do right now.

Bruce

You have to do what you have to do.   We don't make the medical insurance 'rules' - but we have to live with them.

I've met most of my deductables for all medical services this calendar year and so, almost anything either myself or my wife have done is covered at 100% until 12/31.  On that basis, my wife plans to have a needed (minor) foot operation before December 31st.  After all, we've paid (or are paying off) the 10% deductable (which came to quite a few thousand dollars) that we incurred with my AN surgery and related medical expenses so now we intend to take some advantage of that situation to undergo any necessary treatments while our 'deductable exemption' is valid, as per the terms of our contract with BC.   I'll need semi-annual MRI's for the next few years and I'll be financially liable for over $500. each time I have one.  Those are the 'rules'.  I'm far from wealthy, so If I can do anything to (ethically) make my situation easier, financially, I will.  That's why I think your plan to defer enrollment in your wife's health insurance plan to give you the necessary time-spread beween treatments and to qualify for coverage of any future AN treatment is both sensible and ethical.  As I said: you have to do what you have to do.  We all do.

[Obita]

Hi Bruce!!  You are a funny, funny guy!! 

Now is a good time to have a slow growing tumor.  Your insurance woes will work out.

Best of luck in Atlanta,  Kathy