When I recently learned that friends of mine had individual insurance from the same hospital for $200/mo. I asked to be put on the more affordable plan.

I did not even ask for prescription coverage under the new plan, since I don’t use any prescription drugs. They denied me and dumped me.

What for? “Mild seasonal allergies and mild osteopenia.” Totally denied coverage. Imagine if I actually had any current illness. This is after paying them from $5000/yr. to more than $7000/year for coverage under which I had not a single covered “event.” This was the cost for insurance with $2500 deductible, BTW.

The upside is that I am now in the state pool for people who have been “denied insurance coverage” and am paying $122/mo for insurance with $500 deductible for the year. I do not have my choice of hospital (which sucks), but most of the doctors accept this coverage, which is BCBS.

I bet BCBS can’t believe their “luck” to have me in the pool. This is the sort of thing that Congress should hear about. I am totally healthy, but I was denied coverage and labled “uninsurable.”

get some rest Tex :D

slinkerwink – just wanted to say thankee – big fan of your diaries over at DKos – I can’t comment or rec through some stoopid technical glitch with Time-Warner –

are ya gonna diary the TWITTERBOMB Action ? I could be wrong, but I think lots of folks who aren’t calling will tweet.

thanks again for your efforts

Actually, I asked around right before the passage of the Recovery Act and my departure from Congress–the COBRA premium subsidy only applies to those who are laid off. I wasn’t laid off from my employer in Congress–I voluntarily quit and continued my COBRA insurance.

I was just going to say you might be eligible for the Recovery Act reduction in COBRA premium. Not sure – it does seem to be phrased such that you are eligible if you couldn’t continue on COBRA because of the cost. I got back on that way; I couldn’t come up with the 3 mos. worth payment all at once, each month being $319.00

Good luck. But honestly, do call in advance to be sure you’ll be covered, make a note of what you’re told and the name of the person who told you, and go see your doctor. There’s no point wasting your money.