[1stTimeMomOf2]

So - I applied for insurance for my family back in August because my insurance I had through work was going to expire the end of September. They sent me consent forms in the mail to fill out so they could get my children's medical records from the doctors' offices and I just felt like something bad was going to happen. Apparently they looked at the records from the Neonatal Associates (the ones that they had in the hospital and had went to a few times for follow up) and they reported back to me a couple days ago that because of something in their records we were not eligible for coverage. I faxed the letter to the agent that my husband uses and she said basically that they considered them too high risk and that we weren't going to be able to get any kind of coverage from that particular company or any other private company. We also cannot get state or federal government assistance because my children do not have disabilities and we are not in the income range for what is considered poverty level.
So - I am eligible for COBRA coverage and thats really our only option. It will cost us $787.50/month for the kids and I and then another $124/month for my husbands personal coverage. I called to see if there was any way we could change the level of coverage so the price would be cheaper and I was told that I could not, I had to go with the exact coverage I had before. UGH. I am so frustrated and stressed out. I don't think we can afford it and I'll probably have to end up going back to work. It won't pay us really, because after you take the cost of insurance out of my take home and the cost of day care for the babies then we may break even. I really don't want to go back to work and put my babies in daycare.
And - as if it wasn't enough stress my husband got in a car accident yesterday in his work vehicle which is not in our name. He was supposed to get it transfered but ended up getting stuck at a site all day, so we have insurance on it but his name is not on the title. I don't think the insurance will pay for the accident because of it and we can't afford to pay to get it fixed. Sorry for the long post ladies, I would vent to the babies but they don't understand me!

[KR258]

I am so sorry!!!! That is crazy!!!!!! There has to be something else........but I don't know what. I hope someone can help because that's just not fair! 's I am sorry about your dh. I hope he's okay.

[stephanienminnesota]

Awww Sweetie. ((((((HUGS)))))) I am so sorry you are ging through all this right now. I hope things work themselves out and things start getting better for you. Also, hope Dh is ok. Keep us updated!

[1stTimeMomOf2]

Oh - sorry I didn't put this in the pp. DH is fine. He has a knot on the back of his head where he hit the glass (it's a pick up and he got rear ended) but he said he's not sore. I'm crossing my fingers that he stays that way, I know sometimes it takes a little while for whip lash to start hurting.

[2girls]

YIKES, that is a LOT of money each month for insurance!
I hope you can figure something out. Do you have any friends or family that could watch your babies while you are at work?
Or could you work the opposite hours of your DH so your kids could always be at home?

[DivasMomma]

Does your state offer state insurance for kids? I know here in PA we have CHIP, which is health coverage for kids no matter WHAT your income level is. You will pay a little more depending on how much you make, but its still a lot cheaper then private!

[ruthann8]

I hate insurance companies! My dh is ALWAYS denied coverage. The only way he can get insurance is through his employer. It sucks!!! It's not fair.

[twinzplus3]

While you're not poverty level, undoubtedly your state has coverage that has a lower premium than COBRA. Not only that but you're likely eligible (or at least the twins) because you were turned down due to their "high risk" status. If you didn't check into it because you just assumed you wouldn't qualify--I would encourage you to check again. Almost all states have some type of coverage for children and many have for their parents as well. . .You may have to pay a premium based on your income but I doubt it would be as much as COBRA and is probably more comprehensive.

[mcmama]

Some states do offer alternatives for the kids. But there are income guidelines. And they don't insure parents. It is very minimal. Look into it. Better than Cobra. Way better.

If I lose the coverage I have now, I can't get any. Period. I am a diabetic. So I am going blind and my feet will fall off. And I'll have a stroke and a heart attack.

The fact is, I manage the diabetes pretty well, have good glucose levels, my blood pressure with medication is lower than it was in high school, my retina scan is perfect, and my feet are beautiful. But I can't get insurance. Anywhere. Unless it is through an employer.

Right now as a self employed person with no family, my insurance is over $600 a month because I moved. Oh, it's still the same company, but I moved to a better state for me, healthier and all, so now it's more expensive because I have to be in their "Choice" network which is everyone outside the NY/NJ/CT area. Why can;t medicare kick in at 50 instead of 65? We'd all be healthier if it did.

When the policy renews, they'll renew it - at the rate of being in state - with the same company but a different company because it is a different state. Huh? So my broker says the premium will go down in December. But of course, I'm a diabetic, so that means I'm just a terrible risk and should die.

Two of the medications I take are widely prescribed for other ailments - blood pressure, cholesterol - but they don't have the blind lady whose feet fell off label attached, so it's ok for people who need those meds for reasons other than diabetes to stay insured and consume them, but not me. And the fact that I keep the diabetes under control with metformin and diet and exercise and have pretty feet doesn't matter - because since I have that label, I am going to die while blindly steering my wheelchair in traffic since my feet fell off and then I'll have a stroke.

It's called "pre existing condition". And when you are 50+ and lose your insurance, you probably have one and are in trouble. And the other part of the population that are affected are folks like you, who have babies who miraculously lived and thrived thanks to the NICU. Oh but hey, those children are so fragile, and this is such a business.

I would really like to give all the health insurance companies and the corrupt officials who legislate them the business.

[1stTimeMomOf2]

I have checked into KCHIP (income based, we don't qualify) and something called Kentucky Access but we don't qualify for that because I can get COBRA. My mom said to check into Passport (which I will do but I'm sure it's income based too) and Medicaid. I'm just lost in the sea of information, but the insurance agents have even told us that COBRA is the best we can get. I'll keep looking, but it's frustrating.