Some Information on Medical Insurance For The Chronically Ill

Today I had an insurance agent at my home, discussing medical/dental/vision, etc. coverage for the self-employed. I am so impressed with this company, and their view of those with the dreaded pre-existing conditions. The name of it is the 'National Association for the Self-Employed'. More info @http://www.needinsurance.org/. It is for anyone that writes a check themselves for their insurance. This happens to also pertain to many Chronically Ill people, not just the self-employed. Although it is important to note that many Chronically Ill have to obtain their own insurance now because they have become self-employed due to chronic illnesses!

I have not only owned my own company for Clinical Micropigmentation for 3 years now, but I am becoming a free agent in Nursing. I have many options for insurance coverage through companies I will be working with, but I prefer to cover myself, and take the stipend offered for any insurance I pay myself. In Travel Nursing, a high percentage of companies start the medical benefits on the first day, since most assignments are 13 weeks. If they held to the usual 90 day policy before benefits, we would have one week of insurance before the assignment ended! lol

Having a Chronic Illness leaves so many either rejected from insurance coverage, or made to wait 6 months, then begin coverage at a high cost to the patient, high deductibles and low coverage. The big insurers are the worst offenders of this type of what I consider discrimination. Having found a company that doesn't care what I have now to deal with, what surgeries I have had, what medications I am prescribed. It was amazing. It is formed of a group of those that pay for their own medical insurance. It is something that will follow me around the states, all of them; that I travel to. It is also something for those that have been rejected, or put through the waiting game because of their illnesses.

The link below will take you to a most interesting article in the New York Times, by Marci Alboher; about self-employed people needing health insurance, and also getting health care when pre-existing conditions have kept you from obtaining decent insurance. It is something we must all pay attention to: the fact we NEED health care because we are fighting invisible illnesses, and chronic pain, we are the people that truly need to access health care, and have every right as those that are healthy in obtaining and keeping insurance. It has been a catch-22 for us. It is time to find, research, compare, and look outside the normal box of companies that provide health care.

There are options. I hope that this has been helpful to anyone who is seeking medical insurance-- and running into walls.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/27/business/smallbusiness/27sbiz.html?_r=1&oref=slogin


This site is also in the above article, it is an organization that helps patients get procedures paid for that doctors have ordered, yet their insurance is not covering it, they are advocates for patients, and any organization that is for patients are gold in my book! And even better, it is a non-profit company. Got to love it!

http://advocacyforpatients.org/

I wish you a low or no pain day.......




"The Only Constant in Life....is Change."