What do you do about health insurance during the transition period

[violetandrichard 1]

I plan on getting the inbound immigrant insurance that is offered by 7 corners:

http://www2.sevencorners.com/immigration-medical/

I expect that I will be able to go on my Fiance's insurance within a month.

I also have a preexisting condition that will not be covered by 7 corners. Basically, in my situation, I am about as likely as someone without my condition to find myself hospitalised for it, because I respond extremely well to drugs. As a result, I will not have coverage for it for the month I am without insurance, but my specialist here in Japan is sending me away with a couple of months worth of pills to tide me over,

[NickD 202]

Please stay on topic. I don;t want this very good discussion to degrade into a debate on our healthcare system.

Just the key to why we are all having this same problem whether dealing with immigration or not. During the Reagan administration, precondition was invented. Had a kid diagnosed with Crohn's disease and kicked off my policy, that just ten years earlier was only paying 78 bucks per month for full non-ductable coverage that in that short time grew to 700 bucks a month with a deductable. Completely wiped out my IRA, life insurance, savings accounts with outrageous medical bills, and came very close to losing my home as well. After that, could put him on Medicade that was the only alternative.

That same exact hospital that use to cost 30 bucks a night is now $3,700 per night. And be darn careful letting those volunteers coming in your room offering to give you what you think is free counseling, will see your bill go up another 500-70o bucks. What use to cost 5 bucks for a two minute visit even with a specialist is today over 500 bucks. It's crazy.

When you read a health insurance policy, read all the exclusions, a list a mile long, you may be paying a stiff price for premiums and learn you actually don't have any coverage at all. Wife would love to bring her mom here, no way in hell could we afford health insurance for her.

Just saying the cost of health insurance is a factor, and a very strong factor at that. And all this started in the last 25 years.

[NickD 202]

Wife recently got a new grandson in Venezuela, kids didn't have any health insurance and no money either. Total cost was 16,000 VEF, but at the so called fair exchange rate is $2,546.07, so she took down $500.00 US dollars that was worth five times as much on the black market to get 16,000 VEF to pay off that bill.

That same birth here would have cost us $16,300.00, kicked that around for a couple minutes, but wouldn't dare due to other legal implications. But the kids alson needed a new washer and dryer, here would have cost us 600 bucks for the pair, there was the equivalent of $5,000.00! Since we had that money locked up in a bank down there we still can't get out, just told her to go ahead and use it. Ha, they get you one way or the other.

[jenni17 36]

I plan on getting the inbound immigrant insurance that is offered by 7 corners:

http://www2.sevencorners.com/immigration-medical/

I expect that I will be able to go on my Fiance's insurance within a month.

I also have a preexisting condition that will not be covered by 7 corners. Basically, in my situation, I am about as likely as someone without my condition to find myself hospitalised for it, because I respond extremely well to drugs. As a result, I will not have coverage for it for the month I am without insurance, but my specialist here in Japan is sending me away with a couple of months worth of pills to tide me over,

Look into the requirements of the health insurance plan you intend to be added to after marraige. Many insurance companies will not provide coverage for pre-existing conditions if you have had a break in coverage for that pre-existing condition.

My company has Blue Cross Blue Shield and they will not cover a pre-existing condition for the first year if you cannot provide proof of continuous insurance that has been covering that condition. If there's a lapse of a month where the inbount immigrant insurance doesn't cover it your insurer may have the same policy.

We plan to get around this by using the same concept of COBRA here in the US. He can continue paying (more) for his insurance that is provided by his insurer in Peru even after he stops working there. We will continue paying for coverage under his peruvian insurance company until we are married and I can add him onto my policy with work. The only issue I haven't ironed out is how to prove the continuous insurance, someone switching insurers in the US would need a HIPPA cert of continuous coverage. Obviously foreign insurers dont adhere by HIPPA regulations, my HR dept didn't know if a certified letter from his insurer stating the dates of his coverage would suffice, i have to call BCBS directly this week to make sure.

Edited June 29, 2013 by jenni17

[Bugs 455]

I thought Obamacare took care of the pre-existing conditions problem.

[jenni17 36]

I thought Obamacare took care of the pre-existing conditions problem.

Either way, it doesn't go into effect until 2014 and he would be traveling in Sept so it wouldn't really apply to our situation. However, I from what I understand the law provides alternatives for people who have been without coverage for pre-existing conditions, but I don't think it is necessarily covered under all insurers. They can't deny you insurance based on a pre-existing condition, but I know BCBS at least currently has a 365 day waiting period before they will begin to cover pre-existing conditions if you have been without coverage.

Edited June 29, 2013 by jenni17