"Keith Hughes" wrote in message
...
Skip Gundlach wrote:

"Dene" wrote in message
...

It's Lydia's and I'm the one who needs it, so it would be a family plan
COBRA.


Blue Cross does a nice job but it will be tricky getting you on to their
plans unless you happen to have Cobra through them.

Nope - doesn't matter as long as you're *on* COBRA. When COBRA expires
in 18 months, you can get on a BC/BS *portability* plan. They don't
advertise that, 'cause they don't want to sell it, but it's part of the
COBRA legislation (any private health insurer in your state will have a
portability plan). It will be a higher risk group (i.e. more money),
but at 60+ with heart history, you'll almost certainly never make
through underwriting.

My suggestion, based on personal experience, is to get on COBRA, then
look for something cheaper. Don't let your COBRA grace period expire,
else you'll not be eligble for a portability plan, and if you can't get
underwritten, you *will not get* insured. End of story. I'm 'only' 50,
with not much medical history (High BP, under control and some
arthritis) and with the exception of the portability policy (which they
are required to sell to me) I'm uninsurable. Trust me, get the COBRA
while you look around!

Oh, and trust *no* agents' assurance of acceptance - not until the
policy is underwritten. We went through several who said "no problem",
only to find out - 3 months later - that underwriting rejected the
application. Sure, the money is refunded (yes, you have to pay each
month, not knowing if you're insured for real), but if your eligibility
for COBRA/Portability has expired, you're hosed.

Keith Hughes

I agree and would add that there may be a state program for high risk which
one could be eligible for. My wife is on the Oregon version. We bled
Cobra's enrollment period (waiting 90 days to committ, then another 90 to
pay) before we ditched it and put her on it, leaving me and the kids to get
a cheaper individual plan.

No agent in his right mind would guarantee anything in underwriting. Sad
you encountered a couple of clowns.

-Greg