Anyone here not have health insurance?

DeadDwarf · November 8th, 2007, 12:55 AM

I pretty pissed off at my whole medical insurance situation.

I am losing my employer health insurance when my daughter is 12 weeks since that's when I would have returned to work. I am going to be a stay at home mom and my husband doesn't get health insurance through his work, so we applied for private health insurance on our own.

I already got insurance for my daughter weeks ago, but my husband and I are still waiting for our application to be approved. It should have been done now since our insurance runs out in 10 days, but my fucking doctor's office hasn't sent out my medical records to the insurance company to be approved so we are pretty much at day 1!!

I called my doctor's office and ripped them a new asshole and asked them why the hell didn't they send my medical records 3 weeks ago when they were requested and they said, "Oh, the person that does that quit 9 weeks ago so no one has been sending medical records out." The records have been requested 3 times and they never responded to the insurance company!

Well, I ended up bitching hard core and saying they better get someone to do it by tomorrow at 5pm or I am coming down there in person to tell them how to do their job. I got pretty ugly but I never yelled or cussed (I almost lost it though). I get a call back an hour later and some woman is apologizing and saying how sorry they are and they would have it done tomorrow morning and I can call at noon to make sure it's done.

Once they fax the medical records to the insurance company I still have to wait for the insurance company to approve our application which could take a day or over a month.

If they don't approve us in the next week we won't have any health insurance!!! I am freaking out. We are not sick and I am sure we can go a few weeks without seeing a doctor since we are super healthy, but can't this come back to haunt us if we try to apply for coverage in the future? I thought if a private (not an employer) insurance company finds out you had no medical insurance at any point they can deny you coverage, is this true? My daughter has coverage so I am glad I don't have to worry about her, but I am stressing out so bad that we might not have coverage for a few weeks.

I could get cobra insurance for a month, but it would be about $700 for the month instead of $200 and we are hard up for money since I just had the baby and now I am losing my job.

Any advice? Has anyone gone without insurance? Has anyone got insurance privately since they couldn't get it through their work?

P.S. On top of this I am freaking out that we are going to get denied or increased premiums because I got into a car crash (not my fault) when I was pregnant and I was hospitalized because of preterm labor. Then I went to a chiropractor so I am afraid I will have to go back to work if I can't get health insurance on my own. If the premiums are higher I will have to sue the bitch who hit me because I would have got the lowest premiums because I was 100% healthy before the car crash. I am all better now, but on paper I look tainted.

Penny Lane · November 8th, 2007, 01:09 AM

My dad cashed it in a few years ago.

Thankfully, my mom got a policy for my brothers and I recently. But that year without coverage was hell. Thank god nothing serious happened that would necessitate emergency medical services.

McJag · November 8th, 2007, 01:14 AM

Really DD-an appendectomy would just about bankrupt you. Do what you can to get coverage!

DeadDwarf · November 8th, 2007, 01:18 AM

^ We will have coverage, I will make sure of that. If I get denied through the private insurance company then I can get COBRA for 18 months although it will be about $700/month. I can also go without insurance for up to 45-60 days (while waiting to be approved) and if I am denied or something happens, I can take my COBRA coverage which will then be retroactive to the day my employer insurance ended.

I hate this. Our healthcare system is so jacked, it's so expensive and it's stressful for us and we are not even living in poverty. We make too much money to get any government help, but we make too little to get good health insurance (or to even get COBRA).

msdeb · November 8th, 2007, 02:02 AM

i feel your pain. do what you have to do, but 700 bucks until you get covered is cheaper than an ER visit or hospital stay w/o insurance.

now as far as lapse in coverage. i had that this year as a matter of fact. i had NO coverage for a month, i got my coverage 2 days before being admitted to the hospital for diabetes problems. never had a problem at all. I hope it works out for you!

Grimmlok · November 8th, 2007, 09:33 AM

*blinks and looks at his government issued health coverage card*

Sweetie · November 8th, 2007, 09:38 AM

I don't have insurance. I am wanting to have a baby but insurance is going to be over $600.00 a month just for me alone. I hate that our country can spend billions on a war but can't help it's citizens with healthcare.

litupgirl · November 8th, 2007, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sweetie

I don't have insurance. I am wanting to have a baby but insurance is going to be over $600.00 a month just for me alone. I hate that our country can spend billions on a war but can't help it's citizens with healthcare.

Uhhh, excuse me. I thought you hated kids. Have you gone to other side? It is possible. I did.

Sweetie · November 8th, 2007, 10:26 AM

^ I do. I hate other people's kids. I want one of my own though.
The clock is ticking.

litupgirl · November 8th, 2007, 10:30 AM

Oh yeah, I hate other people's still. Well, unless the parent actually disciplines their child and makes them behave. Few and far between though.

Sweetie · November 8th, 2007, 10:31 AM

I just wish I wasn't 30, that I was 21 again and still had another 10 years before I had to have one. haha

litupgirl · November 8th, 2007, 10:38 AM

Awwh, you don't have to have one if you don't want to. Society can fuck off. It's not for everyone. Don't let friends, family or coworkers pressure you.

Hey Grimm. Do you have copays?

Sweetie · November 8th, 2007, 10:43 AM

Oh no, no one is pressuring me, I want one because is it will be a piece of me and my husband. It's the only thing we haven't done.

I just wish I still had a few more years to be selfish and spend all my money on ME.

litupgirl · November 8th, 2007, 10:49 AM

I know what you mean. Mine was totally wanted but also unplanned. I thought I had a few more years to party it up and enjoy my cigs and daily bottles of wine. I'm excited though. She'll be worth it. It's amazing how much I love her already. I cry just thinking about holding her for the first time.

Sweetie · November 8th, 2007, 10:52 AM

How sweet! When are you due, if you don't mind me asking?