Sticking with my Health Insurance: Lupus and I are covered!
On March 31st, 2008, I published my very first blog post on Despite Lupus. It was about my victory in scoring private health insurance, despite my pre-existing condition. It was such a relief back then to know that all of the medical procedures, doctor's visits, medications, lab tests, and hospital stays that often accompany a disease like lupus would be covered, to at least a degree. My out-of-pocket costs would be minimized as much as possible, putting me in the best position to manage my lupus and the healthcare I would need. Back then, the insurance was half of what it costs today...but we're hanging in there. Johnny and I realize that my health insurance is not something to skimp on - so we just make room for it in the household budget, and thank our lucky stars that we have it.
Since 2008, I've maintained the same health insurance, and yesterday, I confirmed that my Blue Cross Blue Shield plan has been grandfathered in so that I don't have to seek a new plan under the ACA. Hooray! I'd received a letter at the beginning of the summer, confirming this fact, but when I went to look for it recently in the insurance file, I couldn't find it. Then we got a letter saying that Johnny's insurance (under which the girls are listed) is no longer acceptable under ACA, and I started to doubt my memory of that sacred insurance letter. Then...Johnny sent me a link to a story saying that more than 76,000 BCBS customers in the D.C. Metro area are losing their insurance, and I really began to worry. So I called, and the associate told me what I feared the most...that my plan wasn't acceptable under ACA, and that I'd have to make a switch. But then we talked, and then talked some more. And then she checked, and checked some more. And then she found a copy of a letter (the letter) that I was sent back in the summer, confirming that actually, I do have a grandfathered plan. Talk about a 30 min emotional roller coaster! Turns out their computers only allow them to see a certain chunk of information that indicated that my plan wouldn't comply with ACA. But upon further investigation, she confirmed that I'm in and covered.
Now, in time, will I check out the ACA plans to make sure mine is still the most favorable? Absolutely. Will my premium likely go up once everything shakes out? Most likely. But am I super relieved that I'm "in", and that I don't have to make a switch? Oh yeah.
So almost 900 blog posts later...insurance is still top of mind. Go figure!
Since 2008, I've maintained the same health insurance, and yesterday, I confirmed that my Blue Cross Blue Shield plan has been grandfathered in so that I don't have to seek a new plan under the ACA. Hooray! I'd received a letter at the beginning of the summer, confirming this fact, but when I went to look for it recently in the insurance file, I couldn't find it. Then we got a letter saying that Johnny's insurance (under which the girls are listed) is no longer acceptable under ACA, and I started to doubt my memory of that sacred insurance letter. Then...Johnny sent me a link to a story saying that more than 76,000 BCBS customers in the D.C. Metro area are losing their insurance, and I really began to worry. So I called, and the associate told me what I feared the most...that my plan wasn't acceptable under ACA, and that I'd have to make a switch. But then we talked, and then talked some more. And then she checked, and checked some more. And then she found a copy of a letter (the letter) that I was sent back in the summer, confirming that actually, I do have a grandfathered plan. Talk about a 30 min emotional roller coaster! Turns out their computers only allow them to see a certain chunk of information that indicated that my plan wouldn't comply with ACA. But upon further investigation, she confirmed that I'm in and covered.
Now, in time, will I check out the ACA plans to make sure mine is still the most favorable? Absolutely. Will my premium likely go up once everything shakes out? Most likely. But am I super relieved that I'm "in", and that I don't have to make a switch? Oh yeah.
So almost 900 blog posts later...insurance is still top of mind. Go figure!
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Patricia Briggs @ Source Brokerage