Got turned down for health insurance - again.

[leftyladyfrommo]

The problem is I'm 63. Cut off point in this game is 62.

I currently have insure thru Assurant at $618 a month - $1500 deductible. I just can't pay that anymore.

I tried to find cheaper insurance last year. The insurance gents would get all excited because I really have no health concerns - except I take some blood pressure medicine and I take some prozac for my OCD (which does nothing that affects my health).

So a new agent called. Said he was all excited because he could get me in thru Blue Cross.

And then he didn't call back. Just like all of the others.

Let's face it. Once you are over 60 you just become completely invisible in this world. Can't get a job interview, can't get health insurance.

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. My heart breaks for you llfm...

I am 41 and have been unable to procure affordable insurance since my husband's COBRA ran out 2 years ago. If you aren't "healthy" at any age...you become expendable. :( :hug: Sorry you had to join this group.

[MrModerate]

2. For what it's worth . . .

I would never put my age on an initial application or a CV, and wouldn't recommend giving any dates for educational qualifications -- at least until you've gotten in the door. I often have to supervise the writing of resumes as part of my job, and we scrub them so the calendar age of the person is simply not discussed.

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. The sad part is you just never realize just how bad the

age discrimination in this country is - how prevalent it is - until you actually hit the wall.

Then it comes as a horrible shock.

[madrchsod]

4. yes we are....

i was thinking of getting a walmart greeter job but my local does`t hire retires anymore. i retired at 62 and a 4 months i`ll finally get medicare. even medicare payment is expensive!

[tblue]

5. Wish we could reform the Reform to help people NOW!

I hope you're healthy sweety. I'm sorry. Btw, what state do you live in? I want to search around for you. :hug:

[leftyladyfrommo]

19. I'm in Kanssas City, Mo. n/t

[Uncle Joe]

6. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, leftyladyfrommo.

[RebelOne]

7. Well, look at this way. If you can stay healthy

until you are 65, which is only 2 years away, you can get Medicare.

[Randypiper]

10. Unless they move the goal post.

And it seems both sides are talking about it.

[MedicalAdmin]

40. Moving the goalposts? Ha.

They are plowing up the field.

[Le Taz Hot]

8. I so understand.

I have a health issue now that I won't go to the doctor for because if it is what I think it is, not only would I not have the money for treatment, it would establish a pre-existing condition which would totally screw me over should I ever have even the chance of getting insured again.

[leftyladyfrommo]

20. That is just so wrong - on so many levels.

I feel the same way.

Then they ask when I had my last physical exam - like I can afford something like that. I pay $600 a month insurance. There is no money left over for anything else. And if the tests actually came up with something that something would be a pre-existing condition and that would knock me out.

It is just such a major Catch-22. The whole system just is awful for older people. They always get you one way or another.

[bvar22]

9. Same boat here.

61,
healthy (luckily),
unemployable due to age,
living on savings,
growing our own food,
can't afford Health Insurance,
still have some resources from a life of working, so no Medicaid,
65 & Medicare a long way away


Just curious, but what was the Co-Pay on the $1500 Deductible Plan?
If it only covers 80%, "they" are still going to get everything we still own anyway if something bad happens,
so why waste the money?


In civilized countries, the term "Medical Bankruptcy" is unknown.
Even after ALL the provisions of the "historic" Health Care Reform kick in (2014),
Medical Bankruptcy will STILL be Big Business in the USA,
probably BIGGER as MILLIONS (40 - 70) are forced to buy Junk Health Insurance with high Deductibles & Co-Pays.

”In a Thursday interview, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel argued that rather than recoiling against Obama, business leaders should be grateful for his support on at least a half-dozen counts: ... the overhaul of health care preserved the private delivery system..."

http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=B2F85DDF-18FE-70B2-A835FE1E7FA8D74C

That is certainly something "Business Leaders" should be grateful for.


You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[leftyladyfrommo]

21. There is no co-pay. I pay for everything.

I think I pay everything up to $1500, then 80/20 up to $5,000. Then they pick up the rest.

[Peacetrain]

11. Call BCBS back..my brother had the same issue..and you have to do a little

hounding..

[Broderick]

12. Saddening and Maddening

We need single payer in this country. We are supposed to be civilized. I drive by the insurance companies, and they always have the most elaborate skyscrapers and posh buildings. We are being ruined by big business. RD is merely a footnote at drug companies as the marketing efforts dwarf spending on RD exponentially. We are a sick country.

Feel for you.

[postatomic]

13. Have you contacted these folks?......

http://www.mhip.org/

Each state is different but if you've been turned down by other 'traditional' carriers it usually meets the criteria for qualifying. I have no idea what the cost is so I'd suggest giving them a call and finding out.

We can't qualify in our state because of 'pre-existing' and there are no real Rx benefits. Even if we did qualify the Rx costs would wipe us out.

Our doctors are understanding, thankfully. Help us out when they can to keep the co-pay and other preventive testing costs down.

Don't like playing 'russian roulette' with health but that's what it has come down to.

Wish I could help you with a job. You are probably waaaaay more qualified than most applicants but being "old" means you can't be 'micro-managed' and work for peanuts. Companies like hiring the 'disposable' types. Young and desperate for work.

Hang in there.
:hi:

[WingDinger]

14. Republicans want single prayer health care.

[Liberal_in_LA]

15. sorry to hear this. n/t

[dixiegrrrrl]

16. You may or may not find this helpful:

List of clinics in MO who offer free or low cost health coverage.


http://www.needymeds.org/free_clinics.taf?_function=list&state=mo

I have Medicare Part A but did not sign up for Part B, because I spend MUCH less a year on medical costs than I would have on the annual premium, and where I live, office visits and prescriptions for most drugs are very cheap. So I bank the difference in a "medical" account.

In fact, a 90 day script for me is much less than the Co-Pay for my neighbor who has insurance!
We take the exact same drug, same amount, same dose.

[LynneSin]

18. I know alot of CVS and Walgreen drugstores have wellness care

It's not going to help for the major issues but will cover the everyday ones pretty cheaply!

[leftyladyfrommo]

24. I've used them for a tetanus shot.

They are cheaper - but still not cheap. The visit and the shot was about $70 I think.

[eridani]

17. We MUST prevent the SuperCongress from making this a lot worse--

--by raising Medicare and Social Security eligibility ages. Please call or fax them.


Email, for obvious reasons, is restricted to constituents. Phones and faxes are not. For critical issues, consider adding faxes to your activist arsenal. Sometimes staff will ask your address when you call. If you are not in the district of the representative you call, explain that you are calling about his/her role in the SuperCongress, not as a member of the particular district.

A note on free faxes: they must be from a valid email address. When you send a fax, they send it first to your email address and give you a link to click on. Only clicking the link you got by email will send the fax. Limit 2 per day, no more than 3 pages. For $10/month you can send more faxes and more pages. If you want to ramp up your activities as an online activist, and can afford it, this would be a good investment.

http://faxzero.com/
http://www.gotfreefax.com/

Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-SC)

2135 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

1225 Lady Street, Suite 200
Columbia, SC 29201
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Business & Technology Center
181 East Evans St., 314
Florence, SC 29506
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

176 Brooks Blvd.
Santee, SC 29142
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA)

1226 Longworth House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

1910 W Sunset Boulevard
Suite 810
Los Angeles, CA 90026
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MA)

1707 Longworth H.O.B.
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

51 Monroe St., Suite 507
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

6475 New Hampshire Ave., Ste C-201
Hyattsville, Maryland 20783
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Max Baucus (D-MT)

511 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

222 N 32nd St Ste 100
Billings, MT 59101
[phone]

220 W Lamme Ste 1D
Bozeman, MT 59715
[phone]

27 N Wyoming St Ste A
Butte, MT 59701
[phone]

122 W Towne St
Glendive, MT 59330
[phone]

113 3rd St N
Great Falls, MT 59401
[phone]

30 W 14th St Ste 206
Helena, MT 59601
[phone]

8 3rd St E
Kalispell, MT 59901
[phone]

280 E Front St Ste 100
Missoula, MT 59802
[phone]

John Kerry (D-MA)

218 Russell Bldg.
Second Floor
Washington D.C. 20510
[phone]

One Bowdoin Square
Tenth Floor
Boston, MA 02114
[phone]

222 Milliken Place
Suite 312
Fall River, MA 02721
[phone]

Springfield Federal Building
1550 Main Street
Suite 304
Springfield, MA 01103-1427
[phone]

Patty Murray (D-WA)

448 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Toll Free: [phone]

2930 Wetmore Avenue, Ste. 903
Everett, Washington 98201
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

The Marshall House
1323 Officer's Row
Vancouver, Washington 98661
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

402 E. Yakima Ave, Suite 420
Yakima, Washington 98901
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

2988 Jackson Federal Building
915 2nd Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98174
Phone: [phone]
Toll Free: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

10 North Post Street, Suite 600
Spokane, Washington 99201
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

950 Pacific Avenue, Ste. 650
Tacoma, Washington 98402
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ)

730 Hart Senate Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

2200 East Camelback, Suite 120
Phoenix, Arizona 85016-3455
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

6840 North Oracle Road, Suite 150
Tucson, Arizona 85704
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Pat Toomey (R-PA)

502 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

United States Federal Building
17 South Park Row
Suite B-120
Erie, PA 16501
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

United States Federal Building
228 Walnut St.
Suite 1104
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Richland Square III, Suite 302
1397 Eisenhower Blvd
Johnstown, PA 15904
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

8 Penn Center
1628 John F. Kennedy Blvd.
Suite 1702
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

100 W. Station Square Dr.
Suite 225
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

538 Spruce Street
Suite 302
Scranton, PA 18503
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Rob Portman (R-OH)

338 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: [phone]

420 Madison Avenue
Room 1210
Toledo, OH 43604
Phone: [phone]

37 West Broad Street
Room 300
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: [phone]

1240 East 9th Street
Room 3061
Cleveland, OH 44199
Phone: [phone]

36 East 7th Street
Room 2615
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: [phone]

Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)

129 Cannon HOB
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

810 East Corsicana Street, Suite C
Athens, TX 75751
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

6510 Abrams Road, Suite 243
Dallas, TX 75231
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Dave Camp (R-MI)

341 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, DC 20515
Phone: [phone]
Toll Free: 1-800-342-2455
Fax: [phone]

Traverse City Office:
121 East Front Street, Suite 202
Traverse City, Michigan 49684
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

135 Ashman Street
Midland, Michigan 48640
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Fred Upton (R-MI)

2183 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

157 South Kalamazoo Mall
Suite 180
Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

800 Centre, Suite 106
800 Ship Street
St. Joseph, MI 49085
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

[leftyladyfrommo]

22. How can it get worse?

Nothing from nothing is nothing.

I am just so grateful I am healthy. What if I had diabetes or heart problems, or cancer?

As far as I can tell you are just on your own.

My new motto is
"Let Me Die Cheaply"

[leftyladyfrommo]

23. I'm trying it again.

Everyone hold your breath.

This coverage is only $187 a month with $5,000 deductible. Not great but at least it covers catastrophic illness. And I can afford the payments.

I fully expect that I will get denied because I take generic prozac for my OCD.

But I'm hoping for the best.

[David Sky]

25. Do let us know how this turns out! A deductible like that is crazy but

better than nothing.

[leftyladyfrommo]

29. Well, I only have to pay if I get sick.

The coverage I have now I pay just about the same amount no matter what. And that is getting screwed in a major way.

[MedicalAdmin]

42. That is a great deal. I hope you get it.

My latest offer from the insurance ghouls was about $2000 per month premium with a $10,000 deductible. So I would pay about $34,000 out of pocket before I could use it.

Guns are cheaper and more permanent.

[jtown1123]

27. Because it is likely they will propose raising the Medicare eligibility age.

[ScreamingMeemie]

28. If you had heart problems you would triple your term life insurance.

I have myself covered "life-wise" so that my kids won't suffer financially when something happens. That's about all those of us with heart issues, who can't find insurance, can do.

[leftyladyfrommo]

30. That is so sad.

You know, this whole health care thing is really pathetic. It would be a great comic routine if it weren't so painful.

[GreenPartyVoter]

32. *hugs* I hear that, Meemie. My worst fear is that I get hurt or sick, linger, and run up

a huge bill on my family. I hope when I go, whatever I go from, that it's quick, painless, and cheap as possible.

[MedicalAdmin]

44. This is my plan.

[GreenPartyVoter]

46. Except that life insurance wouldn't pay out to your family on that. :^(

[MedicalAdmin]

47. Depends on the policy and state.

In most states the life insurance policy (which I also can't afford to get because of my health issue) will pay out as the suicide clause phases out after 2 years. Thus if one has a vested policy or is paid up after 24 continuous months of coverage the suicide clause no longer applies.

But it depends on the policy and state laws.

[flamingdem]

38. Thanks for this info, very scary idea that they'd raise the ages for Medicare or

Social Security.

Paul Ryan aside I believe the only thing that could pass would impact those in their 20s now, but I could be wrong.

[jtown1123]

26. Don't forget Obama may propose raising Medicare's eligibility age again n/t

[leftyladyfrommo]

31. I wouldn't vote for him again if he did that.

I've stuck by him so far because I have felt he has done the best he could under absolutely impossible circumstances.

But I have been screwed over so many times in the last few years that I think that would be the last straw. I pretty much lost my 401K in all of the melt downs. I lost my job. Now it looks like I won't be able to get insurance. My savings is just about gone.

Maybe I should just spend the last of my money on an RV and hit the open road. At least I would have a pretty good time. Oh, yea. Gas is so expensive I probably wouldn't make it to Kansas.

Sigh.

[jtown1123]

34. Ugh I'm so sorry. Your story should get told far and wide. This is happening

to so many people.

No, I will not vote for him either if he raises the Medicare age.

[flamingdem]

39. This should not impact people over 50 in the near term, as I understand it

correct me if I'm wrong!

[jtown1123]

45. Goody goody gum drops! Let's just shit on the younger folks. I'm going to be a senior

too someday. Good luck my finding health insurance at age 65 if I can't get Medicare yet...

[area51]

33. I'm so sorry.

And yet some people in this country say we're civilized. We're not.

Each day, 273 people die due to lack of health care in the U.S.; that's 100,000 deaths per year. This is not only a moral issue, but a national security issue that we're so vulnerable given that our health care delivery system is so fragmented and dysfunctional.

We need single-payer health care, not a welfare bailout for the serial-killer insurance agencies.

We don't need the GingrichCare of mandated, unregulated, for-profit insurance that is still too expensive, only pays parts of medical bills, denies claims, bankrupts and kills people.

Republinazi '93 plan:

"Subtitle F: Universal Coverage - Requires each citizen or lawful permanent resident to be covered under a qualified health plan or equivalent health care program by January 1, 2005."

"We will never have real reform until people's health stops being treated as a financial opportunity for corporations."

"Employer-based health insurance has always been a bad idea. Your life should not depend on who you work for." -- T. McKeon

"Any proposal that sticks with our current dependence on for-profit private insurers ... will not be sustainable. And the new law will not get us to universal coverage ...." -- T.R. Reid, The Healing of America

"Despite the present hyperbole by its supporters, this latest effort will end up as just another failed reform effort littering the landscape of the last century." --John Geyman, M.D., Hijacked! The Road to Single Payer in the Aftermath of Stolen Health Care Reform

[Vinca]

35. It's ridiculous. I was able to get into the federal pre-existing condition pool,

but I had to take my social security early to be able to afford it and I'm still on the hook for thousands of dollars after finally being able to get my hip fixed. This country doesn't seen to give a rat's ass about its nonwealthy citizens.

[leftyladyfrommo]

37. Nope. Maybe it never did and we just were too brain washed to believe it.

I'm looking for a really good ice flow to go sit on when I get so I get around any more.

Trouble is most of the ice flows will be gone by then.

I have no idea what I'm going to do. It's not like we have a lot of options. You can afford insurance or you can't. And if you can't? Well, tough shit.

[TBF]

36. Recommended. nt

[and-justice-for-all]

41. That is just ridiculous....

If you lived in any other country in the world, you would not have to worry about it.

[Shagbark Hickory]

43. Have you got family or kids nearby?

[leftyladyfrommo]

48. Nope.

Just me and my 3 border collies.

Oh, we'll be all right. My house payment is low. And I can still put in for social security if I just have to. Plus I pet sit for money.