USA: when job insurance disappears

[Guest guest]

Few options remain when job insurance disappears

By Tom , AP– Mon Nov 3, 3:39 pm ET

INDIANAPOLIS – Leah shells out more than $730 a month for health

insurance but you won't hear her complaining.

Among the jobless, is one of the lucky few with solid health

insurance that she can afford. And it covers thousands of dollars in

prescription drugs she could never pay for herself.

Health problems forced the 55-year-old to leave her job as a human

resources director several years ago. She takes medication to help

cope with spine problems, multiple sclerosis and high blood pressure,

among other ailments.

She's covered under the Indiana Comprehensive Health Insurance

Association, a state-backed safety net program, and pays $2,198 every

three months. That's not cheap. It's about what the average worker

pays over three years for her portion of a single-coverage plan

through an employer, according to statistics from the nonprofit Kaiser

Family Foundation.

The Indiana insurance pool is one of the limited possibilities for

people who lose their jobs and are searching for health insurance.

It's a problem more Americans will face as more people lose jobs in

the economic downturn.

" There are not adequate options, " said Cheryl Fish-Parcham, deputy

director of health policy at the nonprofit Families USA, which

advocates health care reform. " People may face prices that are totally

unaffordable, and they often can't get the same benefits they had before. "

Still, calls her insurance " a lifesaving plan. "

She landed in Indiana's insurance safety net after first paying about

$400 a month for 18 months of COBRA coverage. That's the program that

allows a departing employee to remain under the employer's health plan

by paying the full premium cost. Many unemployed people can't afford

that, but said disability insurance gave her a portion of her

former salary to help cover it.

Once COBRA coverage ended, she searched for an individual policy and

found it wasn't easy.

" I even wrote letters asking them to please cover me, " she said. " They

had no interest as soon as they learned of all the (health) issues. "

Eventually, she found refuge in what's considered Indiana's insurance

of last resort. The state helps fund the program, which charges

relatively high premiums but provides its estimated 1,200 customers

insurance with no lifetime maximum on benefits.

The program rejects no one and, like similar ones in 20 to 30 states,

it provides coverage for people who can't afford it on the open market

but are too well off to qualify for Medicaid.

To afford it, scrimps in every possible way. She downsized from

a condo to an apartment. She cut out basic cable and trimmed caller ID

from her phone service.

" I go out to do dinner maybe twice a month, I don't go to fancy

dinners, " she said. " Obviously I don't go on a lot of occasions anymore. "

In return, her insurance covers most of the expense of her nausea

medicine, which costs about $1,600 for 120 pills. It also covers a

patch she needs for nerve pain, a blood thinner, blood pressure drug

and other medicines.

Many others in Indiana aren't so fortunate. The unemployment rate in

this key presidential election state stood at 6.2 percent last month,

a shade higher than the national figure, which experts say could rise

in the coming months.

The first and best option for people who lose their employers'

insurance is switching to coverage through a spouse or family member.

Then there's COBRA, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation

Act. The cost of extending this employer's insurance, however, usually

rises about fivefold once you leave the payroll.

" You would go from paying 20 percent to paying all of it, " said

Pollitz, a research professor at the town Health Policy

Institute. She said the cost of a COBRA policy quickly becomes a

" conversation stopper " for those who have just lost their income.

Poor families may find coverage through state programs like Medicaid.

Some people might convert the group policy from their employer to an

individual plan or buy a separate policy on the open market.

Insurers offer scores of individual plans for a wide range of prices.

But these polices may not work if the applicant has a pre-existing

condition. That can lead to insurance that costs too much or excludes

expensive conditions like diabetes.

For Carroll, there were no affordable options when he lost his

job as a truck driver. At $1,000 a month, COBRA proved too pricey for

the 44-year-old with a wife and daughter. He also found nothing but

big fees when he searched online. He said some polices wanted as much

as $241 a week.

" They need to come up with an affordable plan for a common working

man, " said Carroll, who has since found another job and is waiting for

health coverage to start. " Joe Blow off the street can't afford it. "

King has managed to get by more than five years without

health insurance. She left her job as an accounting clerk in 2001 to

take care of her sick mother, who died the next year. King, 46, dipped

into her retirement savings to stretch COBRA coverage into 2002.

But now she can't find steady work for more than $7 an hour, let alone

a job that also offers health insurance.

" I took bits and pieces of little jobs, and it's a joke, " she said. " I

can't even buy gas on $7 an hour. "

King, who has no dependents needing coverage, says she hasn't looked

for insurance because she knows she can't afford it. She used to visit

the doctor twice a year for checkups. Now she pops vitamins and hopes

to stay healthy.

That worked until she became dizzy and passed out about a year and a

half ago.

An ambulance rushed her to Wishard Memorial, the public hospital

serving Indianapolis. Doctors treated her for a urinary tract

infection. The ambulance ride alone cost $400.

" I still haven't paid the bill yet, " King said. " I'm probably going to

be out a thousand bucks. "

She thinks people like her might be helped if Barack Obama wins on

Tuesday. She normally votes in every election, but this year offers

extra incentive.

, on the other hand, said her situation shows that coverage is

available. People just have to look long enough and hard enough to

find it.

" I think if you're determined to find something to get covered, I

think it's out there, " she said. " It's not going to fall in your lap. "

is leaning toward McCain. She isn't eager to see a

government-run health plan. She envisions long waits and limited

choices of doctors.

Most importantly, she's worried she'll lose the security it took her a

year and a half to find.

" I'm very nervous about that, " she said. " I would hate for them to

come and replace the health coverage I have. "

http://news./s/ap/20081103/ap_on_he_me/unemployed_uninsured_3

[Guest guest]

I am truly one of the lucky ones when it comes to health insurance. My monthly premium has just been raised to a paltry $71/month and Medicare takes about $95/month out of my Social Security. I have super-comprehensive coverage and have never had a problem getting the insurance co to pay for things.

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Eleanor Roosevelt

From: <rumjal@...>Subject: [Flu] USA: when job insurance disappearsFlu Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2008, 4:18 AM

Few options remain when job insurance disappearsBy Tom , AP– Mon Nov 3, 3:39 pm ETINDIANAPOLIS – Leah shells out more than $730 a month for healthinsurance but you won't hear her complaining.Among the jobless, is one of the lucky few with solid healthinsurance that she can afford. And it covers thousands of dollars inprescription drugs she could never pay for herself.Health problems forced the 55-year-old to leave her job as a humanresources director several years ago. She takes medication to helpcope with spine problems, multiple sclerosis and high blood pressure,among other ailments.She's covered under the Indiana Comprehensive Health InsuranceAssociation, a state-backed safety net program, and pays $2,198 everythree months. That's not cheap. It's about what the average workerpays over three years for her portion of a single-coverage planthrough an

employer, according to statistics from the nonprofit KaiserFamily Foundation.The Indiana insurance pool is one of the limited possibilities forpeople who lose their jobs and are searching for health insurance.It's a problem more Americans will face as more people lose jobs inthe economic downturn."There are not adequate options," said Cheryl Fish-Parcham, deputydirector of health policy at the nonprofit Families USA, whichadvocates health care reform. "People may face prices that are totallyunaffordable, and they often can't get the same benefits they had before."Still, calls her insurance "a lifesaving plan."She landed in Indiana's insurance safety net after first paying about$400 a month for 18 months of COBRA coverage. That's the program thatallows a departing employee to remain under the employer's health planby paying the full premium cost. Many unemployed people can't

affordthat, but said disability insurance gave her a portion of herformer salary to help cover it.Once COBRA coverage ended, she searched for an individual policy andfound it wasn't easy."I even wrote letters asking them to please cover me," she said. "Theyhad no interest as soon as they learned of all the (health) issues."Eventually, she found refuge in what's considered Indiana's insuranceof last resort. The state helps fund the program, which chargesrelatively high premiums but provides its estimated 1,200 customersinsurance with no lifetime maximum on benefits.The program rejects no one and, like similar ones in 20 to 30 states,it provides coverage for people who can't afford it on the open marketbut are too well off to qualify for Medicaid.To afford it, scrimps in every possible way. She downsized froma condo to an apartment. She cut out basic cable and

trimmed caller IDfrom her phone service."I go out to do dinner maybe twice a month, I don't go to fancydinners," she said. "Obviously I don't go on a lot of occasions anymore."In return, her insurance covers most of the expense of her nauseamedicine, which costs about $1,600 for 120 pills. It also covers apatch she needs for nerve pain, a blood thinner, blood pressure drugand other medicines.Many others in Indiana aren't so fortunate. The unemployment rate inthis key presidential election state stood at 6.2 percent last month,a shade higher than the national figure, which experts say could risein the coming months.The first and best option for people who lose their employers'insurance is switching to coverage through a spouse or family member.Then there's COBRA, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget ReconciliationAct. The cost of extending this employer's insurance, however,

usuallyrises about fivefold once you leave the payroll."You would go from paying 20 percent to paying all of it," said Pollitz, a research professor at the town Health PolicyInstitute. She said the cost of a COBRA policy quickly becomes a"conversation stopper" for those who have just lost their income.Poor families may find coverage through state programs like Medicaid.Some people might convert the group policy from their employer to anindividual plan or buy a separate policy on the open market.Insurers offer scores of individual plans for a wide range of prices.But these polices may not work if the applicant has a pre-existingcondition. That can lead to insurance that costs too much or excludesexpensive conditions like diabetes.For Carroll, there were no affordable options when he lost hisjob as a truck driver. At $1,000 a month, COBRA proved too pricey

forthe 44-year-old with a wife and daughter. He also found nothing butbig fees when he searched online. He said some polices wanted as muchas $241 a week."They need to come up with an affordable plan for a common workingman," said Carroll, who has since found another job and is waiting forhealth coverage to start. "Joe Blow off the street can't afford it." King has managed to get by more than five years withouthealth insurance. She left her job as an accounting clerk in 2001 totake care of her sick mother, who died the next year. King, 46, dippedinto her retirement savings to stretch COBRA coverage into 2002.But now she can't find steady work for more than $7 an hour, let alonea job that also offers health insurance."I took bits and pieces of little jobs, and it's a joke," she said. "Ican't even buy gas on $7 an hour."King, who has no dependents needing coverage,

says she hasn't lookedfor insurance because she knows she can't afford it. She used to visitthe doctor twice a year for checkups. Now she pops vitamins and hopesto stay healthy.That worked until she became dizzy and passed out about a year and ahalf ago.An ambulance rushed her to Wishard Memorial, the public hospitalserving Indianapolis. Doctors treated her for a urinary tractinfection. The ambulance ride alone cost $400."I still haven't paid the bill yet," King said. "I'm probably going tobe out a thousand bucks."She thinks people like her might be helped if Barack Obama wins onTuesday. She normally votes in every election, but this year offersextra incentive., on the other hand, said her situation shows that coverage isavailable. People just have to look long enough and hard enough tofind it."I think if you're determined to find something to get covered,

Ithink it's out there," she said. "It's not going to fall in your lap." is leaning toward McCain. She isn't eager to see agovernment-run health plan. She envisions long waits and limitedchoices of doctors.Most importantly, she's worried she'll lose the security it took her ayear and a half to find."I'm very nervous about that," she said. "I would hate for them tocome and replace the health coverage I have."http://news. / s/ap/20081103/ ap_on_he_ me/unemployed_ uninsured_ 3

[Guest guest]

Who do you have it with, ? I think we live in the same city

and in Feb I will be on Medicare (Healthy San Francisco now).

>

> From: <rumjal@...>

> Subject: [Flu] USA: when job insurance disappears

> Flu

> Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2008, 4:18 AM

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Few options remain when job insurance disappears

> By Tom , AP– Mon Nov 3, 3:39 pm ET

> INDIANAPOLIS – Leah shells out more than $730 a month for health

> insurance but you won't hear her complaining.

>

> Among the jobless, is one of the lucky few with solid health

> insurance that she can afford. And it covers thousands of dollars in

> prescription drugs she could never pay for herself.

>

> Health problems forced the 55-year-old to leave her job as a human

> resources director several years ago. She takes medication to help

> cope with spine problems, multiple sclerosis and high blood pressure,

> among other ailments.

>

> She's covered under the Indiana Comprehensive Health Insurance

> Association, a state-backed safety net program, and pays $2,198 every

> three months. That's not cheap. It's about what the average worker

> pays over three years for her portion of a single-coverage plan

> through an employer, according to statistics from the nonprofit Kaiser

> Family Foundation.

>

> The Indiana insurance pool is one of the limited possibilities for

> people who lose their jobs and are searching for health insurance.

> It's a problem more Americans will face as more people lose jobs in

> the economic downturn.

>

> " There are not adequate options, " said Cheryl Fish-Parcham, deputy

> director of health policy at the nonprofit Families USA, which

> advocates health care reform. " People may face prices that are totally

> unaffordable, and they often can't get the same benefits they had

before. "

>

> Still, calls her insurance " a lifesaving plan. "

>

> She landed in Indiana's insurance safety net after first paying about

> $400 a month for 18 months of COBRA coverage. That's the program that

> allows a departing employee to remain under the employer's health plan

> by paying the full premium cost. Many unemployed people can't afford

> that, but said disability insurance gave her a portion of her

> former salary to help cover it.

>

> Once COBRA coverage ended, she searched for an individual policy and

> found it wasn't easy.

>

> " I even wrote letters asking them to please cover me, " she said. " They

> had no interest as soon as they learned of all the (health) issues. "

>

> Eventually, she found refuge in what's considered Indiana's insurance

> of last resort. The state helps fund the program, which charges

> relatively high premiums but provides its estimated 1,200 customers

> insurance with no lifetime maximum on benefits.

>

> The program rejects no one and, like similar ones in 20 to 30 states,

> it provides coverage for people who can't afford it on the open market

> but are too well off to qualify for Medicaid.

>

> To afford it, scrimps in every possible way. She downsized from

> a condo to an apartment. She cut out basic cable and trimmed caller ID

> from her phone service.

>

> " I go out to do dinner maybe twice a month, I don't go to fancy

> dinners, " she said. " Obviously I don't go on a lot of occasions

anymore. "

>

> In return, her insurance covers most of the expense of her nausea

> medicine, which costs about $1,600 for 120 pills. It also covers a

> patch she needs for nerve pain, a blood thinner, blood pressure drug

> and other medicines.

>

> Many others in Indiana aren't so fortunate. The unemployment rate in

> this key presidential election state stood at 6.2 percent last month,

> a shade higher than the national figure, which experts say could rise

> in the coming months.

>

> The first and best option for people who lose their employers'

> insurance is switching to coverage through a spouse or family member.

> Then there's COBRA, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation

> Act. The cost of extending this employer's insurance, however, usually

> rises about fivefold once you leave the payroll.

>

> " You would go from paying 20 percent to paying all of it, " said

> Pollitz, a research professor at the town Health Policy

> Institute. She said the cost of a COBRA policy quickly becomes a

> " conversation stopper " for those who have just lost their income.

>

> Poor families may find coverage through state programs like Medicaid.

> Some people might convert the group policy from their employer to an

> individual plan or buy a separate policy on the open market.

>

> Insurers offer scores of individual plans for a wide range of prices.

> But these polices may not work if the applicant has a pre-existing

> condition. That can lead to insurance that costs too much or excludes

> expensive conditions like diabetes.

>

> For Carroll, there were no affordable options when he lost his

> job as a truck driver. At $1,000 a month, COBRA proved too pricey for

> the 44-year-old with a wife and daughter. He also found nothing but

> big fees when he searched online. He said some polices wanted as much

> as $241 a week.

>

> " They need to come up with an affordable plan for a common working

> man, " said Carroll, who has since found another job and is waiting for

> health coverage to start. " Joe Blow off the street can't afford it. "

>

> King has managed to get by more than five years without

> health insurance. She left her job as an accounting clerk in 2001 to

> take care of her sick mother, who died the next year. King, 46, dipped

> into her retirement savings to stretch COBRA coverage into 2002.

>

> But now she can't find steady work for more than $7 an hour, let alone

> a job that also offers health insurance.

>

> " I took bits and pieces of little jobs, and it's a joke, " she said. " I

> can't even buy gas on $7 an hour. "

>

> King, who has no dependents needing coverage, says she hasn't looked

> for insurance because she knows she can't afford it. She used to visit

> the doctor twice a year for checkups. Now she pops vitamins and hopes

> to stay healthy.

>

> That worked until she became dizzy and passed out about a year and a

> half ago.

>

> An ambulance rushed her to Wishard Memorial, the public hospital

> serving Indianapolis. Doctors treated her for a urinary tract

> infection. The ambulance ride alone cost $400.

>

> " I still haven't paid the bill yet, " King said. " I'm probably going to

> be out a thousand bucks. "

>

> She thinks people like her might be helped if Barack Obama wins on

> Tuesday. She normally votes in every election, but this year offers

> extra incentive.

>

> , on the other hand, said her situation shows that coverage is

> available. People just have to look long enough and hard enough to

> find it.

>

> " I think if you're determined to find something to get covered, I

> think it's out there, " she said. " It's not going to fall in your lap. "

>

> is leaning toward McCain. She isn't eager to see a

> government-run health plan. She envisions long waits and limited

> choices of doctors.

>

> Most importantly, she's worried she'll lose the security it took her a

> year and a half to find.

>

> " I'm very nervous about that, " she said. " I would hate for them to

> come and replace the health coverage I have. "

> http://news. / s/ap/20081103/ ap_on_he_ me/unemployed_

uninsured_ 3

>