Insurance

[Guest guest]

Hi Crystal,

Welcome to our group. So glad to have you!!! I really don;t know much

about insurance as I am just starting with the

insurance process. I had BC/BS of Michigan for years and never used it.

When I first started researching WLS a few

years ago I had unfortunately lost the BC/BS because I didn't keep it when

I went to work f or another company

whose insurance company's name I don't remember. I knew that BC/BS was

really good and wanted to get it again. So

I called a BC/BS representative here in this area and he wrote a contract

for me. Unfortunately, it was for an individual

policy which should have never interested me at all. You see- no company is

going to insure me against me. I must be

part of a group so that the insurance company can stay financially secure.

For instance if there are X number of insurance

members in a group for simplicity;so sake I'll say 100 members and 1 member

requires coverage for a certain procedure

there are let;so say 99 members who don't present claims so there is still

money left in the pot from those 99 members.

When I applied to BC/BS of Florida for an individual policy it would have

meant that it was my money against my money

going into the pot. Just me against me. Not only was that big factor a

problem but a paramedic visited me to get Vital

Signs , Blood Pressure, Blood, Urine and YIKES - Ht. and Wt. Needless to

say I say it was very embarrassing when

the BC/BS agent called with the bad news that I had been denied any

coverage due to my Wt, HI cholesterol and HI

Triglyerides. So I didn't even begin to have insurance of any kind.

Then while riding along the highway one day I saw a sign on a telephone pole

stating affordable group insurance. I called

and an agent came to my house and in about an hour I was signed for what

was called Alliance Insurance. I was so

excited and happy and couldn't wait to get my card and policy. Yep - you

guessed it. A few weeks later (going to the mailbox every day to find the

coveted packet) I received the card and policy. The first thing I did was

go to the exclusion

page and guess what was the very last exclusion. Right again- All types of

wei ght loss procedures including intestinal

bypass surgery. Now- I was really depressed for a few days.

After recovering from all that I called the state insurance commissioner's

office to try to find out the name of a large

well-known insurance company that might have a group of some kind which I

could join. That office referred me to a

local certified licensed underwriter (CLU) broker in my area and I called

him. He told me that Aetna had open/change

enrollment during the month of December for small businesses and their

employees. Since I own and operate a small

business I requested and received the Aetna forms- completed them- jumped

through a few more hoops and finally

sent the : " packet " just this afternoon in the mailbox at the post office

back to the broker to be forwarded on to Aetna.

As if it isn't enough to be worried about Christmas, Business matters,

Children, preparing the " packet " for Dr. R etc.,

I'm anxiously hoping things will go A/OK with THIS insurance endeavor.

I'll call the broker this Wednesday to see

if he received the :packet " and if all is well. I don't mean to be common

but I'm feeling nervous as a virgin at a prison rodeo.

So you see I really don't have the Aetna insurance yet and IF and WHEN I get

it there's still the fine print with which

to deal. AND of course the dreaded EXCLUSON LIST.

In any event I will remain optimistic as I more than anything wish to dance

with Dr. Rutledge. He's a tough man with whom

to get a dance. Plus he;s surrounded by so many beautiful, voluptuous

ladies. I'll continue to be persistent until I can

(hopefully) get my name on his dance card.

That's my story about trying to obtain insurance. Sorry this has been so

long. I'll keep you informed as to my progress.

You appear to be far ahead of me in that you already have BC/BS and for the

most part seems to be very good about

covering WLS. The best of luck to you.

Eileen