Another insurance story

November 8, 2008

I have been paying for my own health insurance for almost 20 years. My

employer didn't provide insurance and now I am retired. When I was

diagnosed with RA 6 years ago, First Choice, Blue Cross/Blue Shield

was and still is my insurance company. Back then I was paying $230 a

month and over the years the premium has risen most every year. I

fractured my ankle last year and occurred even more medical expenses

and my premium went from $423 a month to $501. I received a letter

from them in October of this year letting me know the premium would be

$563 effective November 1st. I was telling friends that soon my

medical insurance would be like a mortgage payment. Then last Saturday

I got another letter telling me the last letter had been in error (I

thought, good, it was just to high). I kept reading and I find that

effective December 1st my new premium is $580. Funny how the $563

doesn't seem that bad now. This insurance I have has a limit of $1500

annually for prescription drugs. For the first time ever, I reached

that amount in August (it is usually October or November) and I simply

couldn't believe it. I get my Humira from Abbott directly. They have

been very generous in providing me with free Humira for almost 5 years

now. I have a auto immune form of colitis and I buy my Asacol directly

from Canada so that doesn't go on my insurance. After looking at my

history of this year, I found the antibiotic I took twice for sinus

infections was $120 each time billed to my insurance, the cough syrup

$36 and the Tami-flu that I also took twice was $160 each.

I thought I was being pro-active with my doctors about my

prescriptions, but I have found out that I haven't been at all. I was

on Crestor which doesn't have any generic and was costing $110 a

month. I met with my pharmacist and I am now on much cheaper drugs for

my blood pressure and cholesterol and I have a formulary to take with

me to the doctors when I'm sick so he can prescribe one that is one

the list and doesn't cost so much. Hopefully, I won't hit the

deductible so early next year.

I never tried to file for disability because I have found the things

that tend to make me flare is stress and cold. I knew trying to fight

for a disability would be very hard on me so when I was able to make

good money on the sale of my home, I sold it in VA and moved to a much

cheaper area, housing wise, SC. Now I wonder if I did the right thing.

I am 61 years young, I have 3 1/2 years until I qualify for medicare

and with the market the way it is, I hope I can make it that long. Out

of pocket I have spent over $17,000 on medical this year alone. I had

a virus which was flu like that I honestly couldn't shake for over 2

months and I've had two sinus infection. Nothing serious, thank God.

I thought my story would help put everyone else's in some perspective.

If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them I know this

company cannot drop me, but they can charge me as much as they want to.

Conniekay (Colleen in SC)

November 8, 2008

Colleen,

This is horrible. Such an injustice to you and your wallet. Do check

into cheaper drugs. I even do the $4 folic acid from Walmart. It is

cheaper than going through my insurance.

I needed an antibiotic a few months ago (Keflex), I got it filled at

the pharmacy at Publix (grocery store) because it is on their list

of free drugs. This list is designed for children so that parents

will take their children for medical care. If it is on the list, it

is free.

You might reconsider filing for disability. I know this financial

burden has to be a great stress. Contact an atty. and let him deal

with the stress of filing.

Something worth checking out.

Shirley

>

> I have been paying for my own health insurance for almost 20

years. My

> employer didn't provide insurance and now I am retired. When I was

> diagnosed with RA 6 years ago, First Choice, Blue Cross/Blue Shield

> was and still is my insurance company. Back then I was paying $230

a

> month and over the years the premium has risen most every year. I

> fractured my ankle last year and occurred even more medical

expenses

> and my premium went from $423 a month to $501. I received a letter

> from them in October of this year letting me know the premium

would be

> $563 effective November 1st. I was telling friends that soon my

> medical insurance would be like a mortgage payment. Then last

Saturday

> I got another letter telling me the last letter had been in error

(I

> thought, good, it was just to high). I kept reading and I find that

> effective December 1st my new premium is $580. Funny how the $563

> doesn't seem that bad now. This insurance I have has a limit of

$1500

> annually for prescription drugs. For the first time ever, I reached

> that amount in August (it is usually October or November) and I

simply

> couldn't believe it. I get my Humira from Abbott directly. They

have

> been very generous in providing me with free Humira for almost 5

years

> now. I have a auto immune form of colitis and I buy my Asacol

directly

> from Canada so that doesn't go on my insurance. After looking at my

> history of this year, I found the antibiotic I took twice for sinus

> infections was $120 each time billed to my insurance, the cough

syrup

> $36 and the Tami-flu that I also took twice was $160 each.

> I thought I was being pro-active with my doctors about my

> prescriptions, but I have found out that I haven't been at all. I

was

> on Crestor which doesn't have any generic and was costing $110 a

> month. I met with my pharmacist and I am now on much cheaper drugs

for

> my blood pressure and cholesterol and I have a formulary to take

with

> me to the doctors when I'm sick so he can prescribe one that is one

> the list and doesn't cost so much. Hopefully, I won't hit the

> deductible so early next year.

> I never tried to file for disability because I have found the

things

> that tend to make me flare is stress and cold. I knew trying to

fight

> for a disability would be very hard on me so when I was able to

make

> good money on the sale of my home, I sold it in VA and moved to a

much

> cheaper area, housing wise, SC. Now I wonder if I did the right

thing.

> I am 61 years young, I have 3 1/2 years until I qualify for

medicare

> and with the market the way it is, I hope I can make it that long.

Out

> of pocket I have spent over $17,000 on medical this year alone. I

had

> a virus which was flu like that I honestly couldn't shake for over

2

> months and I've had two sinus infection. Nothing serious, thank

God.

> I thought my story would help put everyone else's in some

perspective.

> If anyone has any suggestions, I would love to hear them I know

this

> company cannot drop me, but they can charge me as much as they

want to.

> Conniekay (Colleen in SC)

>

November 8, 2008

Colleen and group;

I am truly sorry about our economy in our country the great USA. It wasn't

always like this I am sure you know. I have made friends from other countries

that have free medical insurance. We know there is very few things free , and

they still pay for their insurance through high tax's as I have heard them say.

It is sad that the medical insurance has become so expensive or not available to

people at all, except through low income medicaid very hard to get also. I

tried to get a private insurance nine years ago and was turned down and wouldn't

accept me at any price cause of my health. I realized it was time to apply for

disability.

My dad use to say Blue cross/blue shield was the best insurance any one could

have. If he was alive today could he still say that? I don't know anymore. I

would like to believe it is. I am glad you're able to pay for your insurance

and I hope you can continue to pay and not have to get on disability because of

government ignorance. I am deeply saddened how much you pay. There are

people ending up on disability due to lack medical insurance.

What I mean is if people like myself could afford medical insurance before our

health fail so bad beyond repair, we wouldn't have had to get on disability

which is just weird. In other words if our gov would help us get medical we

would be able to pay more taxes, stay healthy, thus making the economy grow.

duh lol.

My husband is laid off work and can't afford medical insurance. He has high

blood pressure and a doctor is just out of the question. I have tried to get

him to apply for help but he knows he is not sick enough for disability. I

don't know what to do either.

I read your post in disbelief. How did we let our government get this bad. We

are the greatest country in the world. It worries me now because we are

failing each other as a country. I am hoping with our new president we will see

improvements. I know we wont see them soon. I am hoping!

gentle hugs

Clora

*************************************************

From: Colleen <cmcpherson@...>

Subject: [ ] Another insurance story

Date: Saturday, November 8, 2008, 3:36 PM