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!

Comments

Unknown said…
That’s really good to hear! It can be worrisome to lose your insurance and have to make a switch to another plan. Anyway, I’m curious if the policy is still as it is. Were there any changes that you've noticed in the new one? Thanks for sharing!

Patricia Briggs @ Source Brokerage

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