21 year old part time worker, tried every way to get health insurance..or not?

[sugarmagnolia09]

Hey ladies, I'm new to this site and let me tell you it is a comfort. I have been loosing so much of my sweet pleasant personality over PCOS as it's hit me out of nowhere and is getting rapidly worse in the most embarrassing ways, which now I finally know, other people understand.

Anyways, I have been denied health insurance by every company in existence. I live in Florida if that is of any importance.

I am being denied because in the past I had taken a pap smear when I first became sexual active because I wanted to be safe. This was about a year ago. The test came back and said I did not have any STDs but I DID have cancerous cells.

Because of this one little thing, I can not get health insurance.

Blue Cross Blue Shield decided yesterday to give me something called Blue Options. What this does is allow me to go to a doctor and they will put 50 dollars towards the walk in charge, and will cover the lab work 100 percent. This is definitely a minor help because when I did my pap smear I paid 300 to walk in and 400 for blood work... amazing how they took advantage of me once I said "I'm new to going to the doctor alone, can you please let me know beforehand if anything will cost a lot?" .. (and they didn't, haha, hooray for bills coming in the mail and giving me a heart attack)

Anyways I was told to use the Blue Options and keep going back (obviously to a new gyno now) until I get TWO normal paps, and then I can get health insurance. I mean really... two normal paps? Is that going to happen?

Is there something else I could be doing to get health insurance? Is there any way to have PCOS and not have a bad pap? Any other way to see a specialist (I'm guessing endocrinologist?) and not go broke in day?.. =/

I also see that a lot of you are having trouble getting the PCOS problems covered by insurance once you get it. How do you get around that? Even medication is not covered?

Sorry for all the questions, I'm young and have no parents to rely on so I'm new to the whole doctors and insurance thing, and really want to take care of myself for reasons I am sure you all understand.

[ShyChicagoGirl]

I don't have many answers for you. I have BCBS PPO insurance through DH's work so they couldn't deny me..lol..

But as far as two normal paps, I've never had an abnormal one, even with PCOS so it is possible.

[sugarmagnolia09]

I don't have many answers for you. I have BCBS PPO insurance through DH's work so they couldn't deny me..lol..

But as far as two normal paps, I've never had an abnormal one, even with PCOS so it is possible.

I'm so glad I got a reply! And wow, thank you for the info.. I am shocked. I thought my PCOS was the reason I was getting the abnormal paps. Hmph, I guess it's time to just go back and see what happens this time around.

[mjaygirl]

I too live in Florida and my husband just switched jobs so our insurance will be terminated within a month or so. I looked at the Blue Options plan that you are talking about. If you are just looking at the blue options plan, there is also a plan through Cover Florida. I am not sure if that is where you went through to get your insurance. The info can be found by googling coverflorida healthcare. My husband and I can't get an underwritten policy because I have to take Metformin for my PCOS, so it is an automatic no even though I am not diabetic Anyways, there is also a discount drug card that florida has that may give you bigger discounts that Blue Options on some medications. You can even look on their site to get the prices of drugs. Google florida discount drug card to find the site. As far as the abnormal pap, did they do any other tests afterward like a biopsy. Did they find that it was cancer for sure. I have HPV and had abnormal paps for five years and then they finally became normal again. I was told that the way that the cells in our lining are always changing that if checked at a certain time in our cycles, we may get a abnormal pap but nothing is wrong. Anyways, I hope this helps some.

[KWilliams2329]

I'm not sure if your still looking - but I live up in NY and used to work for registration at the hospital here, and I heard alot from people without health insurance. Our hospital offers a "Cares" program - which lowers the cost of treatment, and sometimes gets rid of the cost all together. We also have a special health program, it's called Upper Hudson Primary Care Consortium, maybe where you live there is something like that - it helps find health insurance options and see what you qualify for. Call your local hospital - they maybe able to help you find some options (Financial Office, Patient Services departments - etc). And what about Planned Parenthood? Do you have any near you - they are really good if you dont have health insurance and often can't pay for treatment. Just some ideas - hope it helps!!