Annette

[Guest guest]

Annette,

I'm so sorry to hear that your deferment orders were turned down... does

the fact that you won't have insurance have to do with that? Is your

husband leaving the AF as a result of the deferment not coming through?

I am sorry I haven't kept up better with the options ahead of you.

Please tell me more about the insurance issues and what choices you are

making/have had to make. I know that you were very unhappy he was being

sent to Korea, because they cannot medically care for Alissa there...

and I know you've fought for the deferment... but I think I missed the

step about what will happen in a year.

Is there any way to buy into Tri-Care after you leave the military?

Like a COBRA plan for it? Is the military health plan considered a

group health plan, because if so, if you change to another group health

plan within 60 days of her current plan finishing, she must be covered

without a pre-existing clause. As we've seen with Ginger's son Adam,

that's not always a guarantee of IVIG coverage, but most of the time it

works, and they can't deny you for the insurance at least. Is there a

particular reason you're stopping the IVIG now, rather than when the

insurance lapses? No matter what you do right now, her immune issues

will almost certainly be considered pre-existing conditions, and even if

you move to a plan that doesn't cover pre-existing conditions, they will

go through her records and find that she has received a diagnosis of

CVID and at one point got IVIG (whether it was ten days or ten years

before starting the new plan)... that will be enough for them to exclude

her... so it makes sense to get the IVIG for as long as you can.

Can you please write out what you've requested and been denied, and what

your current options are (either here, or just sent to me personally, if

you prefer). I realized as I read your message that a man in my adult

group is retiring from the AF this summer, after 30+ years of service,

and he has had to go through a bunch of reviews and such this year over

health and his long term benefits. He seems to know the ins and outs of

the system *very* well, and he also is somehow managing to keep the

TriCare after he leaves, I believe. I would be happy to forward your

information to him and see if he has any thoughts.

You are DEFINITELY in my thoughts and prayers, for something to work out

in a way that will be good for your WHOLE family.

Take care,