high risk insurance

[choirfarm]

Trying to be discrete but what options are there for friends of mine who have been without insurance. Just got a job but they were turned down for insurance. He has a long term illness and she is about to need to be hospitalized for bed rest for 2 months. How in the world can they get insurance or what can they do not to wrack up huge medical bills? They were paying themselves for his treatment while he was without a job. He has one now, but was turned down for insurance. Any options out there since they are in the middle of this??

Edited March 19, 2011 by choirfarm

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Thank goodness the Affordable Care Act has a provision for those with pre-existing conditions and eventually no insurance company will be allowed to discriminate based on pre-existing conditions. The are high risk pools in the meantime as provided by the healthcare reform:

 

http://www.healthreform.gov/forums/blog/blog_20100430.html

[Anita in NC]

Healthcare reform for adults with pre-existing conditions doesn't kick-in until 2014. Who knows it may even be repealed by then and never take effect.

 

High risk healthcare pools are available in some states. In NC there is still a 6 months wait before you can get treatment for a pre-existing condition and then premiums are $400 per person.

 

The only option is to search and see if their state has a high-risk insurance pool. Even if they do there is probably a waiting period and premiums are going to be super expensive.

Edited March 19, 2011 by Anita in NC

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

Actually the high risk pools provided for by healthcare reform are in effect now:)

 

http://www.healthcare.gov/law/provisions/preexisting/index.html

 

These high risk pools are meant to provide coverage now until healthcare reform fully takes effect which then would not allow any health insurance company from denying insurance to someone with a pre-existing condition. Thank God for that IMHO.