Question:
Those who are self employed what health insurance do you have?....different question

Hi all, This may be a strange question but here is my dilema. My husband works for a very small company and they are dropping the health insurance since they can't afford to pay it and are looking else where. We don't want to go without insurance while the company is looking for a better plan. I am finding that insurance companies will not insure you if your a certain amount overweight for your height for example BC/BS of Illinois. I have had the surgery and have lost 170lbs but i still have a ways to go to meet the insurance weight limit for coverage. Anyone out there have this problem or have health insurance that has no weight requirement. This is so ridiculous i am in so much better health and i am still discriminated against for still being overweight with a ways to lose. Any suggestions or ideas are appreciated. Oh and i am unemployed and my husband doesn't make all the much so we need some somewhat inexpensive health coverage. Thanks....    — Tammy N. (posted on April 20, 2004)

April 19, 2004
Try calling your local chamber of commerce if you have a small business. Often for joining the group for a small yearly fee it gets you health insurance at group rates. Before I met jen I did this to save nmoney on health insurance although the group was useful in other ways too. Nice folks let us know what happens. Being a GROUP the policies tended to have less rules than individual ones and lower rates too.
   — bob-haller

April 20, 2004
BCBS in the state of Alabama has begun offering individual insurance policies for only $143.00 month. They even have open enrollment twice a year so anyone can get coverage. They've been doing this a little less than a year so there may be something similar in your area. The key seems to be to ask when they are having open enrollment for individuals. I've been bugging my grown sons to get these policies as they also work for small companies. You might check it out in your state. Another option - though quite expensive - is COBRA until your company establishes a new policy. Best wishes to you!
   — ronascott

April 20, 2004
BCBS in the state of Alabama has begun offering individual insurance policies for only $143.00 month. They even have open enrollment twice a year so anyone can get coverage. They've been doing this a little less than a year so there may be something similar in your area. The key seems to be to ask when they are having open enrollment for individuals. I've been bugging my grown sons to get these policies as they also work for small companies. You might check it out in your state. Another option - though quite expensive - is COBRA until your company establishes a new policy. Best wishes to you!
   — ronascott

April 20, 2004
Not sure about you, but in WA state, your portability is very important. In other words, if I decide to change ins., I need to hold onto what I've got til I get there. If I actually drop coverage and leave my people uncovered, they will likely be slapped with a pre-existing condition clause when we do sign up. When I first was able to offer ins, those of us with intact coverage went right on to full coverage, but those who were coming from no insurance had a 9 month pre-existing clause stuck onto them. I believe there was a 90 day window there. One of my people had only been without for 60 days, so she was ok. So, while worrying about the next ins., you might beg, plead for your company to carry you a lil longer on the old one. The laws are so very different in each state, but just in case that one is in yours, it's worth it to check it out. Also, here, it isn't as if my people COULD pay the whole premium if I can no longer afford it. One of the loopholes is that I MUST pay at least 50% of their coverage.
   — vitalady