My wife has a preexisting condition and she is on COBRA from blue cross blue shield of SC.?

Question

Will she be able to still receive some sort of coverage from blue cross blue shield after her COBRA period is over?

Will she be able to get some sort of coverage from Blue Cross Blue Shield after her COBRA period ends? I had heard something about a guaranteed issue policy.

Answer 1

Yes, she'll be able to get "portability" coverage through BC or any other insurance company. However, she can expect to pay up to three or four times the "normal" rate if her Pre-existing conditions are major.

If her condition is minor you'll still be able to get regular coverage but the insurance company may have a waiting period or may issue the policy with a rider, which means they won't cover that condition for 1 year to permanent. However, even permanent riders can oftentimes be removed. You'll want to see an independent agent that can give you all your options. You may even want to do this before COBRA expires because it may be possible to get her on a policy for much less than she is paying now.

Answer 2

Under Federal law (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also known as HIPAA) your mom cannot be denied an individual policy, nor can she have any waiting periods imposed on her pre-existing conditions if she has had continuous creditable coverage (as COBRA would be) with less than a 63-day gap in coverage. (See the Dept. of Labor web site: http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/health-plans/portability.htm )

However, depending on her pre-existing condition, she may very well be better off to apply for a fully underwritten product, rather than the guaranteed issue. She can't be turned down either way, but if her pre-existing conditions aren't considered to be "serious" -- a relative term in the health insurance industry, of course -- she may very well pay less if she goes through the underwriting process. The only way to know for sure is to apply -- and since it typically takes 30-90 days to get a final rate for anyone with pre-existing conditions (because there's often a lot of waiting for medical professionals to respond to requests for info), she will probably want to apply well before the last day she'll have COBRA coverage (though she can ask for an effective date to coincide with the end of COBRA.) I recommend applying at least 90 days ahead of her COBRA end date to make sure that she doesn't run out of time to make her decision.

The rates for the guaranteed issue products are likely to be 3-4 TIMES what she's been paying on COBRA, so she will come out well ahead if she goes through underwriting and gets approved.

I'm licensed in 10 states, including SC and I'd be happy to talk with her about her conditions and whether or not it's worthwhile to consider going through underwriting (for instance, there would be no reason to bother for anyone with diabetes, or cancer, while someone with high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol would still likely qualify for an underwritten product.) Feel free to email me and I can give you my toll-free number, if she'd like some advice.

On a personal note, one of the reasons I specialize in health insurance is because I got a very rude and brutal education in the subject when I lost my business after 9/11. And as a diabetic, I had few options. These days I try to make sure that people understand their options and, most critically, their deadlines.

Answer 3

Sorry approximately your mom's abdomen worry. regrettably, the others are staggering that the colonoscopy is on the subject count of the diverticulitis & hence could be seen pre-present. that's a shame or she did no longer be certain with the wellness practitioner's workplace or BCBS the potential of it being pre-present. precise now, almost all wellness coverage has a pre-present situations exclusion that lasts as much as 18 months (decreased via any previous recent coverage); that's a HIPAA provision. the only exceptions i'm attentive to contain Medicare and Medicare complement plans gained by using the Federal open enrollment era (the 1st 6 months after the beneficiary's area B smart date AND sixty fifth B-day. i could see approximately contacting the carriers and clarify your situations, asking for a alleviation interior the charges and/or a cost plan to pay it off, even in straightforward terms some money in line with month. good success!

Answer 4

She may be able to extend cobra. She may get coverage excluding the pre existing. Get employment with group coverage if she can work.

Answer 5

As long as she has a certificate of previous coverage from BCBS and goes to a new plan immediately after BCBS ends (as in BCBS ends on 5/31 and a new plan starts 6/1 - that kind of thing) MOST - not ALL - will waive the pre-existing clause.

Answer 6

Not unless she has a job that offers insurance or you put her on your insurance. As long as she remain on COBRA until she switches she'll be fine. If she ends COBRA, waits awhile, then tries to get another insurance plan they will make her wait 6 months due to her pre-existing conditions. (I used to work in HR, that's how I know this.)

Answer 7

you do know you are paying more than double using COBRA right?