Has a Pre-existing Condition Kept You From Getting Insurance? Now It's Yours

i thnk it was helpul for us n get benifit

There are states that already have state-run High Risk Pools. For example, Mississippi's HRP will accept you immediately after COBRA runs out, or if you lost your individual insurance for reasons other than nonl-payment of premiums.

I have been insured thru the Oregon Medical Ins. Pool and paying a premium of about $475. per month. I am insured as an individual. I just got a notice that they are raising my rate to $546. per month. that is: $6552. per year. your web site quotes: Under the law, the premiums for this pool will be the same as would be charged for a standard population of people with varying risks. Maximum out-of-pocket cost sharing for enrollees will be $5,950 for individuals and $11,900 for families, per year. Is the Oregon program wrong? How does a working guy afford such a hugh amount for insurance? The whole system stinks!

I think it was very helpful

The dates of available eligible enrollment. The heads up about the costs. The age ranges.

My wife has just been turned down for health insurance because of a pre-existing condition ( 9-07-2010 ) Do we have to wait until 2012 until this pre-existing or 2014? Seens to me this insurance that Obama and the congress and senate is one big joke. Can not see why pre-existing conditions didn't start now when they passed the ins. plan. Just another ripeoff to the citizens that pay their salary. They do not think of us because they have their on plan ,but they should have the same plan that all the people are on.

Now the insurfance co cant drop us if our health is caused by a terrorist attack

Anything is possible when funded by the tax dollars of hard working Americans. It's statistics plain and simple. Those of us who have been paying by the rules all our lives, paying premiums, paying taxes, going to work each day, not overusing the system will shoulder the inevitable burden in the form of reduced quality of care, higher taxes and higher premiums. Are there people who have also been playing by the rules who have been caught up by misfortune and pre-existing conditions and general hard times? Of course, but that is not be the large majority we are being asked to subsidize. The real issues such as pre existing conditions massive malpractice abuse and the prohibitive cost of bringing new medical innovations to the public could have been solved by taking a laser approach not the shotgun approach that was politically motivated by those in Washington. Or at least we could have tried to fix what is arguably one of the best medical systems on the planet before scrapping it for political gain.

Melanie - I hoped that was what you meant! If anyone complains or is surprised when insurance companies increase their rates to ALL of us in light of their soon-to-be new requirements, please remember that insurance companies are not charities! They do their best to understand the odds of premiums versus payouts and hope to strike a balance between what their customers will pay and what it they eventually require to pay back to their customers. At the end of the day, the insurance companies, like all businesses in the private sector, hope to make a profit on the transactions. If they do not, they go out of business and their services need to be provided by other entities. If these other entities end up playing with "house money" (tax-payer money!) then services rendered can be customized to fit monies available. Read into that scenario what you will!

Dear John, I'm sorry if I wasn't clear. What I mean is that, because the high risk pools can no longer refuse to accept you with a pre-existing condition, it's not necessary to hold off on getting treatment when you need it because you're trying to apply for insurance, a situation which has been common in the past.

I began to wonder today, what about Long Term Care Insurance do the new laws effect that type of insurance. I have a friend who is diabetic who can not get Long Term Care Insurance because of her pre-existing condition. It also appears to me that the insurance companies are still going to up their rates.

"However, what's different is that you don't have to try to hide a pre-existing condition, worrying that it will prevent you from obtaining coverage." ?