fairy2323

I hate how impossible it seems to be to find individual insurance. Both my friend and I are about to lose our insurance and we need to each find individual plans. Today she called a couple of companies and so did I. Mostly we were just calling around to ask them to send packets so that we could look over the info and decide what to apply for. However, one of the companies she called convinced her to apply over the phone so that they could "give her an accurate quote." So she talked to the person who takes the information and they transferred her to an underwriter who is the person that you have to basically explain all of your "yes" answers to. One of the questions that they asked was height/weight. She told them approx 5'5 and 200 lbs. The underwriter told her that at 200 lbs she was right on the "cut off" and that if she weighed even 1 pound more than that, that she would be automatically denied and that at 200 lbs that they would increase the rate from what she had just been quoted by 25%. So basically she will most likely be denied because they are going to pull her medical records and they will probably see that like most of us her weigh fluctuates (sp?) by about 10 lbs and 200 is on the low end.

This really p!sses me off that they would deny someone for being overweight. This means that they would most definately deny me because I am shorter than her and I weigh like 220. While I am not in denial about my weight, I don't think that either one of us is so grossly overweight that we should be denied insurance automatically- they should at least look at other factors. That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard of. I mean if you want to deny me because of my PCOS or because of something else that you read in my medical records, fine- but to deny me simply because I am fat is really upsetting.

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More than half way to my weight loss goal!
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Mini Goal- 140
26 years old- no meds- trying to get healthy through diet and exercise- DX at 16

stellarnix

Insurance is a mean business. Unfortunately, being overweight usually means you WILL have other health issues, even if you don't now, which is why they will deny you just because of the weight.

Hope you and your friend are able to find some coverage. I am so grateful I have it thru work, or it would never happen for me.

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Lucky mommy of Quinn, 6 years.

PCOS, IBS, Clinical Depression, Lyme Disease, allergies
trying to go natural, down to 1 script, 1 OTC(love u Zyrtec!) and lots of vitamins

luvbug00

Are you losing group health coverage? If so you can elect cobra coverage for up to 36 months. If you choose this option you will be responsible for the entire monthly premium (that your employer was paying), it can be very expensive.

What state do you live in? In Texas they have a "at risk" insurance carrier that will insure those who have been denied "standard" individual health coverage. This too is expensive, however, the rates are based on your age not your medical conditions.

Somethine to remember, when you insurance cancels you must obtain insurance within 63 days to avoid the pre-existing condition clause most insurance carrier have on their plans.

I recenlty lost my cobra coverage and applied for an individual plan that denied me. Because I can't afford to have an insurance lapse (I can't wait 1 year to have my many medical conditions covered) I chose to apply for another individual plan omitting the fact I have hypertension, diabetes type I, PCOS, Hepatic Hemangioma, Mitral Valve Prolapse, etc. I also decreased my weight by 70lbs. KEEP IN MIND, this is highly unethical, by choosing to do this I realized that I will never be able to use this insurance plan. It was only purchased to maintain coverage until I get a job and find a group plan. If you do this and then use your insurance they will cancel your coverage and make you pay back all the monies they spent on your care!! It is insurance fraud......Again, I am only using this to avoid a lapse in coverage. {please don't think less of me for making this difficult choice}

Good luck, when your calling carriers or searching on line see if you can find an at risk group that insures everyone. (p.s. I didn't go this route because I could not afford the monthly payment of $450.)

Take care,

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Staci
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“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently allows you to grow.”

William Shakespeare

shenacat

It must be a regional thing. I've never had an insurance company even ask what I weigh, let alone deny me for being overweight. Here, they all have a standard questionnaire that they go by, that is monitored by the state, and you can go look up on the state website to see how it is scored and everything.

I'm sorry you're getting such bad response from the insurance companies you're trying. Maybe look for a national plan?

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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.		PCOS+IR, Hypothyroidism Sleep Apnea (cured by tonsillectomy) Age 30, DH 37, 4 furrball babies! Logan Scott born April 9, 2004! Conor James born Nov 1, 2006.
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mzamethystcrow

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LadyNaomi

I completely understand your frusteration. The insurance company looks at the weight/height as a major factor, b/c it's a fact that obese/overweight people have more health problems than our skinny counterparts. The cost of obesity is mind-numbening so that's why they are getting to be such sticklers.

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KatCarney

For the first time, I'm now on individual coverage, and the insurance company sent a nurse to my home to weigh me, take blood pressure, and other stuff for lab tests...

I agree with the pp about cobra and lapse in coverage - avoid a lapse, at any costs.

I waited until the last second of my Cobra before I remembered to apply for individual coverage. To cover the gap between my Cobra and what would hopefully be my new policy, I purchased month-to-month coverage (but you can only do that for 3 months.)

There's an article in today's USA Today about a former advertising exec for a megga agency who was laid off, so he took a job at Starbuck's to make sure he had health insurance for his family. (o/t He learned a lot about himself and life while working there, that he wrote a book, that is being made into a movie staring Tom Hanks. The book deal was worth six figures, but he's still working at Starbuck's because he likes it so much.)

Back on topic...to the OP, if you can go on Cobra, you should...

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LadyNaomi

Yup, I agree, do everything you can to avoid a lapse in coverage. COBRA is really expensive, but it's worth it.

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fairy2323

We are both on COBRA right now. That is what is about to run out. Per the HIPPA laws in our state (Nevada) the insurance companies have to offer at least 2 plans to us that can't deny based on prior health conditions. The 2 plans they offer though are sooooo expensive. COBRA is $315 a month and the HIPPA plans are way worse. The lower of the 2 plans is $575 and the other plan was over $900 per MONTH! There is also a conversion plan that is offered through the insurance company that we have now for people coming off of COBRA however I don't know how much it costs yet because they haven't sent out the packet yet. I'm still not clear on the difference between a conversion plan and the HIPPA plans, but I guess once I receive the paperwork I can figure it out. I just hate how hard it is to find healthcare. And in regards to Kat's comment- I have been seriously thinking about just getting a job anywhere- even Micky D's (HA) just to get the insurance. Even if I only worked there a few months so I could get the insurance and then go back on COBRA, it would be better than this!

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More than half way to my weight loss goal!
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Mini Goal- 140
26 years old- no meds- trying to get healthy through diet and exercise- DX at 16

KatCarney

Unless you take a high deductible, individual coverage will be in that range...

Def, look into Starbucks. Apparently their health insurance program is very good.

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fairy2323

I've heard that before about Starbucks. I used to know someone who worked there. I don't know if I could make all that coffee though. I could just picture my clumsy self getting burned and spilling everything.

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More than half way to my weight loss goal!
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Mini Goal- 140
26 years old- no meds- trying to get healthy through diet and exercise- DX at 16

mzamethystcrow

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KatCarney

Oooh, that would be cool! Plus, you'd get a discount on healthy food!

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mzamethystcrow

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LadyNaomi

lol, my only issue with whole foods is the smell-worse than a dr. office. ick.

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