http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/ Answers to Your Questions About Health Insurance en Copyright 2008 Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:54:06 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Question: My husband has been offered a job with a good company.They have offered to pay for cobra for the 90 day waiting period until his new insurance kicks in. My question is, my husband is in pain managment where he gets steriod shots and is administered medications from a previous back surgery over a year ago. I myself have high blood pressure.This new insurance company United Health Care, has told me that he must be evaluated by the underwriters to see if they will cover these preexisting conditions,if he denied we will be out of luck. Is there anything that we can do, or any resouce that we can contact to get information. Thank You]]> http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/11/preexisting_condition.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/11/preexisting_condition.html Getting Health Insurance individual health insurance Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:54:06 -0800 Question: I am retired and on Medicare with a BC/BS Medigap policy which continues to be administered by my former employer. I pay about $100/month for this coverage. If my previous employer discontinues this insurance, will I have the same COBRA-HIPPA options for continuation of the MediGap coverate that apply in layoff situations to persons who are not yet eligible for Medicare?]]> http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/10/continuation_of_medigap_covera.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/10/continuation_of_medigap_covera.html Medicare Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:55:01 -0800 Question: A number of years ago, we had a layoff from my long time employer; only one of the senior staff remained. That person has an autistic child. Recently, I have been told that he could not be terminated because he had an uninsurable dependent. Is that true?]]> http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/10/layoff_of_person_with_uninsura.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/10/layoff_of_person_with_uninsura.html Group Health Insurance Group health insurance Fri, 24 Oct 2008 06:49:08 -0800 Question: I have recently changed jobs where the health insurance is very cheap for me but very expensive to add my wife. I'd like to get a private plan for her, but she takes several medications that could make it prohibitive. Is there some obvious option for this situation? She's otherwise healthy and I would consider high deductibles.]]> http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/10/health_ins_for_wife.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/10/health_ins_for_wife.html Health Insurance Coverage Thu, 23 Oct 2008 11:29:00 -0800 Question: I am a single parent with a job that does qualify my children for all kids coverage under the guidelines, however, when you add my child support into our income, we have too much. My shopping around is getting us nowhere fast, insurance comparable to bcbs is ranging from $590.00-$900.00 a month. What can you suggest? I really had hoped that bcbs all kids would cover them.Thank you. http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/09/bcbs_all_kids.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/09/bcbs_all_kids.html Children's Health Insurance cheap health insurance for children Thu, 18 Sep 2008 06:28:16 -0800 Question: My mom is currently insured under COBRA/CAL-COBRA (which expires Oct. 1, 2008). She applied for the "Kaiser Permanente Individuals and Families" health care coverage and was denied coverage. The reasons being: she has High Cholesterol, was diagnosed with tendonitis of the shoulder and bursitis of the hip (she gets steroid injections to relieve the pain) and was diagnosed with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome with surgery performed on the left hand in April 2007. Can you please suggest an affordable health coverage plan that will not deny her? She is 64 and will be 65 in 2009.]]> http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/09/denied_for_kaiser_permanente_i.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/09/denied_for_kaiser_permanente_i.html Health Insurance Eligibility Denied for health insurance HIPAA guaranteed health insurance Thu, 04 Sep 2008 19:11:20 -0800 Question: I'm 21, and just moved out of state and am not on my moms health insurance anymore because im taking a semester off school. Is there anyway I can get health insurance so I can afford cheaper birthcontrol?]]> http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/09/not_on_parents_insurance_anymo.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/09/not_on_parents_insurance_anymo.html Getting Health Insurance cheap birth generic birth control Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:14:27 -0800 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? http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/08/court_ordered_medical_coverage.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/08/court_ordered_medical_coverage.html Health Insurance Coverage health insurance Thu, 14 Aug 2008 13:48:15 -0800 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... http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/06/uninsurable_after_cancer.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/06/uninsurable_after_cancer.html Getting Health Insurance COBRA health insurance HIPAA Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:04:13 -0800 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. http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/06/daughter_turning_19_in_a_few_m.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/06/daughter_turning_19_in_a_few_m.html Getting Health Insurance isk pools uninsurable Tue, 03 Jun 2008 11:49:29 -0800 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. http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/05/insurable.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/05/insurable.html Health Insurance Eligibility pre-existiing health conditions Fri, 30 May 2008 22:36:17 -0800 Question: my question is bcuz of my weight which I have no health problems. I was denied health insurance. Thank you Tina http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/04/denied_medical_insurance.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/04/denied_medical_insurance.html Getting Health Insurance Sat, 12 Apr 2008 13:09:15 -0800 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. http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/02/daughter_denied_health_insuran.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/02/daughter_denied_health_insuran.html Getting Health Insurance Fri, 29 Feb 2008 21:48:03 -0800 Question: What are the guidelines for privacy when applying? Is information submitted for application of Insurance protected? http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/02/privacy_of_you_info_when_apply.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/02/privacy_of_you_info_when_apply.html Getting Health Insurance Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:58:34 -0800 Question: Three years ago I was denied BCBS coverage. Can I ever get coverage again? http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/01/denied_health_insurance.html http://www.healthcareshopper.com/advice/2008/01/denied_health_insurance.html Health Insurance Eligibility Sun, 20 Jan 2008 11:03:10 -0800