I saw many subjects on other types of insurance, but my question is in regard to medical insurance.  Have any of you had a hard time getting medical insurance?  I know that many insurance companies do not require a physical before covering you, if it is through a large company.  But if you are self employed, is it possible for the insurance company to deny covering you based on MM ?  Just questions I have before I quit my job.

Wayne

Hi Wayne                                                                          If you are self-employed and have documentation(tax returns,1099,etc.) you can get group ins.But if you have not been covered in the last 63 days your pre-existing condition clause would kick in,and you have to wait 12 to 24 months          to get treatment     That was two years ago.I would check with a licenced insurance agent to be sure.    Hope it helps a little    Kevin

Wayne,

Sorry if this isn't well worded but I'm using a computer in a hotel right now and am rushed.    I really wanted to answer this one though!  I am self-employed and I have been denied health insurance coverage all together (not just a waiting period) from over a dozen insurance companies- from the very well known to the unknown companies.  My previous health insurance company dropped me before my MM diagnosis because of an adrenal problem, which isn't that big of a deal, so I knew that the MM would be a huge problem for the future, which has proved to be the case.  I've paid over $50,000 out of pocket expenses for tests and appointments in the past 4 years.  That amount doesn't include my bypass surgery because I finally got Medicaid which paid for that.  I am very active on this issue politically now as there is a national healthcare crisis in this country- 45 million people uninsured.  Check out Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or .

Please really check this out thoroughly before letting go of your present insurance.  I would hate for anyone else to go through what I did.

Lisa

Thanks you all for the information. 

Lisa,  you brought out my worst fear, but that is reality and I will have to deal with it.  I am so sorry to hear how you had to put forth much of your money on your own.  The sad part is, we all know that the hospital charges 300 % more for the uninsured. It is completely shameful, but the hospital does it that way, so they can write off a large sum of money if you don't pay.  It is sad that it is at our credit reports expense. 

Your link was very informative and I read it all about 20 times.  It looks like the only way I can get my wife insurance is by, offering it at my store.  It said that if you insure 2 - 55 people in a small business, under California Law, they can not refuse insuring an employee, because of a medical condition. I think it was called guaranteed issue.  I will also make sure that I pick up insurance before I quit, so that the preexisting rule does not stand.  Why does life have to be so complicated?

What also bothers me, is when this issue comes up, there is always someone who scares the voters in thinking that the illegals would send the rate up for tax paying Americans. That statement is used to cover up the fact that 40 million Americans do not have insurance.  It sometimes seems that many of people care about the issue, but do not pursue the issue because they have insurance and it is not their problem.  I have insurance, just because I do does not make it OK.  Everyone should have the right to affordable medical insurance.  Where is my soapbox?

I work in the medical industry, and we are predicting a national health care crash, by 2011.  The government will be forced to get involved at that time.  We can already see it happening in Los Angeles.  We have about 23 hospitals that are about to close, because lack of money.  Our emergency operators do not know where to send trauma victims, because there are not enough hospitals to cover a city with a metro of 16 million people.  This will be happening everywhere and hospitals are now changing their names to surgery centers, so they will not have to take emergency patients.  Business like the one I work for, charge more money on services to hospital and insurance companies only pay an agreed amount that is based on ten years ago charges.  The hospital gets the squeeze and shuts down.  I rambling on again

Thank you all, it really did help.

Wayne