OK. I'm worried about my Dad. He's almost 60 years old and hasn't found an insurance company that will accept him. He has some sort of rare condition that has to do with calcium deposits in his arteries. He also has high blood pressure and probably high cholesterol. The way I see it... If insurance companies deny him, shouldn't he qualify for early retirement, or something. Doctors are too damn expensive without insurance. He's a truck driver and doesn't exactly make much money. I would add him to my insurance in a heartbeat, if I could. I was hoping that this wouldn't turn into a D&D thread, seeing that there is a great deal of controversy in the subject. My question is this: What options does he have? Does he have no choice, but to be without insurance until he qualifies for retirement?
He can get insurance through the state insurance pool. But it's not worth having. The premiums are outrageous for what you get. The state insurance pool is insuring all the sick people that cannot get insurance. The only other solution is an indemnity policy. Indemnity just means the policy pays the policyholder cash according to a schedule. Such as if they have surgery it will pay the policyholder up to $7500 cash for surgeon's fees minus say a $500 deductible. Or if they stay in the hospital it will pay $300 per day cash to the policyholder while they are in the hospital. These policies are NOT major medial or hospital surgical policies therefore they are not underwritten by health. They have a set amount of money that they pay, and they pay it to the policyholder. It is up to the policyholder to negotiate and pay their medical expenses. Some of these policies are extensive in what they pay out however and should be considered for people that cannot qualify for major medical health insurance. I would get one of these policies before I got involved in the Texas state insurance pool.
Man, that sucks. Seriously, all necessary healthcare should be free. No one should face death or suffer needlesslywhen technology exist that could easily cure or ease what's killing them. Health problems are so frequently compounded by the financial problems they inevitably cause. Yeah, I know, not trying to make this D&D material. But the lack of universal healthcare in the U.S. seems like archaic barbarism to me.
the skyrocketing cost of health care in this country is just another issue on the long list of things that need to be fixed. of course were too busy trying to outlaw gay marriage, online poker, monitor everyone's phone and email conversations and repeal the estate tax to help the filthy rich of this country to pay attention to the outragious costs of healthcare and phamacuitcals. Sorry. Good luck for your Dad. I'm pulling for him and the hundreds of thousands of other people like him.
He could move to TN where they have a program called TennCare. Though I can't say for sure that he'd get on it as it is getting harder and harder to get on/stay on.
Is it possible that he get a job driving for a company that offers benefits? Honestly, that's about all he can do; insurance companie are not obligated to insure people... unless there is a group certificate. If he runs into health problems and subsequently money problems, he can get help from Medicaid. Those state pools sound nice but here in NC they can charge you up to 7 times the standard premium to get the coverage so it is far all intents and purposes unaffordable for just about anyone--- some great program! What state are you in? Did you ask this question to the agents that came back with denials of coverage. If they didn't steer you in some direction, there must not be a lot of alternatives. Tough situation.
