Healthcare Shopper Advice

Answers to Your Questions About Health Insurance

Court Ordered Medical Coverage

QUESTION: I am required by court order to provide insurance for my child. Do I have to go on my group's policy or can I just enroll my child?

ANSWER: It's possible that a court could specify that you use your employer group policy to cover your dependent child. However, that would be exceptional. We have many clients who cover their children on individual health insurance policies to satisfy a court order.

Posted by Phil Daigle on August 14, 2008 1:48 PM
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Uninsurable after Cancer

Two questions: I had a sarcoma cancer removed 7 yrs. ago and have tried to get life insurance (additional to my small policy with my employer) but have been denied. Will I ever be insurable?
I'm a state employee of 20+ yrs. with 2 children and the possiblity of a layoff, which would cancel my current health and life insurance. Would we as a family (children & husband) be eligible for health insurance? And would we be required to have physicals as I did with the life insurance application? Thank you...

Answer: As far as health insurance goes, you will be insurable once you have 10 years free of sarcoma symptoms or treatment. I don't know what the underwriting guidelines are for life insurance.

If you should loose your group health insurance, you will qualify for COBRA coverage for 18 months. Take it. You will have no other options at that time. Your children and husband could qualify for individual health insurance based on their individual health conditions. Unless they are rated up due to prexisting conditions, the individual health insurance will be cheaper for them than COBRA. When your COBRA coverage expires, you will qualify for guaranteed issue coverage under the HIPAA laws. If you choose not to take the COBRA when you are eligible, you will also loose your HIPAA option. Once 10 years has passed since you had the sarcoma, you may then qualify for health insurance at a lower rate than the HIPAA guaranteed coverage.

Sound dismal?. Not really. You're lucky. If you had no group health insurance right now, all of your COBRA and HIPAA guaranteed options would be off the table. If you loose your job, you will have health insurance options, even if your coverage will be more expensive than it would be without the sarcoma history.

Posted by Phil Daigle on June 19, 2008 9:04 AM
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Daughter turning 19 in a few months

Question: BCBS of Illinois only covers dependent children until 19 years of age. I need to find health coverage with bi-polar, personality disorder, PTS and takes meds. She currently is not employeed.

Answer: As you know, your daughter will no longer be covered on your family health insurance coverage once she turns 19. She will need her own insurance coverage at that time. If she has been diagnosed with both Bi-Polar Personality Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome she will not qualify for individual health insurance.

Illinois is one of the states with a Major Risk Insurance Pool. The plan is called ICHIP for Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan. Find the link to the ICHIP website at HealthcareShopper's Risk Pool page.

Posted by Phil Daigle on June 3, 2008 11:49 AM
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Insurable?

Question: My parents keep telling me that they are uninsurable because my mom has diabetes and my dad has high blood pressure. They are 58 and 62 and would like to retire, but need health coverage. Other they would both like to lose a few pounds, I don't think either would be considered overweight.

Answer: Your mom's diabetes and your dad's high blood pressure are not, by themselves, contitions that would make them "uninsurable" in the individual health insurance market.

In the case of diabetes, the first question I would ask is if she is insulin dependent. If not, she could be covered if she is a non-smoker, without kidney, vision, or circulation problems. As for her weight, her BMI would have to be 28 or less. The number and cost of medications will be a factor as well

The additional risk factors for your dad's hypertension includes: smoking, cholesterol, weight, age, overall number of medications.

But every case is unique, so have them give me a call at 800-557-5693 and I'll try to help them .

Posted by Phil Daigle on May 30, 2008 10:36 PM
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Denied medical insurance because of weight

Question: my question is bcuz of my weight which I have no health problems. I was denied health insurance. Thank you Tina

Answer: You are too heavy in relationship to your height to get health insurance. While you may be healthy now, you are statistically more likely to have expensive health problems in the future. That's why you were denied coverage.

Posted by Phil Daigle on April 12, 2008 1:09 PM
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Daughter denied health insurance

Question: My daughter was covered under my health insurance until she turned 23 years old. I elected to buy Cobra, hoping that she would eventually get insurance when she graduated from college & found a job. She is working full-time for the federal government, but doesn't receive health benefits (she is considered a seasonal employee). Because Cobra is so expensive, I contact PacifiCare directly for insurance. (We signed up with Cobra and simply continued with PacifiCare as the provider).
She was just denied coverage because she has been taking Lexapro since she was a teenager. I never that it would be an issue. She saw a psychiatrist 5 times when she was 17 years old. The psychiatrist told me that my daughter has a chemical imbalance and may need to always take meds to regulate the imbalance. My daughter is not bio-polar or suicidal. She graduated cum laude from college and has an active social life. As I said, I never thought in this day and age a drug for depression would keep her from obtaining insurance. Is it considered a pre-existing condition even though she has been covered by PacifiCare for 10 years? (The last 1 ½ years through Cobra, but her health carrier is PacifiCare).
Would it have been better for her to lie and cover the drug expense herself? I know you don’t recommend lying, but what will happen in the future if she is offered employment? She is being responsible and taking care of a chemical imbalance and yet she’ll be penalized for being truthful.

Answer: Lexapro for depression and/or anxiety is not a condition that most carriers will automaticly decline an application for health insurance. Please have your daughter call our office at 800-557-5693 so that we can help her get coverage.

Posted by Phil Daigle on February 29, 2008 9:48 PM
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Privacy of you info when applying

Question: What are the guidelines for privacy when applying? Is information submitted for application of Insurance protected?


Answer: Rest assured, the personal information you enter on an online health insurance application is secure. When you enter your information and press the "Submit" button, your browser first will communicate with the health insurance carriers' server to establish a secured, encrypted connection. This is sometimes referred to as a "handshake." Once this connection is established, the data is then sent via secure means to the carriers' web server. We use 128-bit encryption, the highest encryption available to most browsers, with a public key length of 1,024 bits. This provides the necessary security and privacy our customers expect.

Posted by Phil Daigle on February 29, 2008 4:58 PM
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denied health insurance

Question:

Three years ago I was denied BCBS coverage. Can I ever get coverage again?

Anwser:

Possibly. I depends on the reason(s) you were declined 3 years ago. If you'd like to call my office at 800-557-5693. One of our health insurance experts should be ablt to answer your question if not immediately, certainly within 24 hours.

Posted by Phil Daigle on January 20, 2008 11:03 AM
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Low cost health insurance for children

Question: What is available for the family who makes to much for low cost health insurance, but still is unable to afford health insurance for children

Answer: Your question is not entirely clear to me, but I'll try to answer what I believe you are asking. If your family income is too high to qualify for your state's Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), you will be faced with purchasing individual health insurance for your child. Premiums for the most basic plans are a minimum of $50 per month.

Posted by Phil Daigle on January 17, 2008 11:46 AM
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Medicare Coverage Declined

Question: I was informed that Medicare would no longer cover my grandson (age 3) because I'm not his legal guardian anymore- but he and his father live with me and (father) cannot afford health insurance. Will this insurance cover my grandson?

Answer: Yes, individual coverage can be obtained for your grandson alone. Your son does not need to apply for coverage at the same time. The best way to approach this would be for you to complete the application form in your grandson's name. As his guardian, your son will need to sign the application, however you can be noted as the payor if you would prefer. You can review possible quotes at the quoting area of our website or contact us at (800)557-5693 so that we can help you find affordable coverage for your grandson.

Posted by Phil Daigle on July 24, 2007 1:56 PM
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