Thank you all for your responses. I am so grateful for this forum and all of the wonderful people here.
Brando
We have little information to go on so based on what you do provide...
I would be cautious. How do you know you will like this new job? You have been at the same job for 20 years. This is going to be a major life change along with completing treatment, selling your home in this economy. You may have to pay for COBRA to continue your insurance as many new jobs only provide insurance after 30-90 days. Also in these economic times no one is safe at any level of corporate America. Since you are the last hired you could also be the first let go. Do you really want to put all of your eggs in one basket, that basket being a job that in reality you know nothing about?
I would at the very least tell them you have commitments until you finish and recover from treatment. If they really want you they will wait.
As far as treatment, you can always get PCR tests to see if you are SVR in the future. Based on what I have experienced in my own working life, ( I have seen friends sell there homes and then lose their jobs within a year and then have to move back to where they sold their home) I would keep your home and work for a few months before deciding to sell it. You could even stay with family members so it would be of no cost to you. To try to sell your home with all this going on in these times you could lose a lot of money in the process because you are in a hurry. It is a buyers market now. Homes are not selling like they used to. It could take some time.
What is the insurance that will be available? Are you sure you will be able to qualify now that you have what many insurance companies define as a preexisting condition? Do NOT end your current insurance without being 100% sure you will be covered by new insurance. Having hepatitis C could prevent you from ever having affordable health insurance again!
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What is a pre-existing condition. The official definition reads as follows:
Pre-existing Condition
Any illness or health condition for which you have received medical advice or treatment during the six months prior to obtaining health insurance. Group healthcare policies cover pre-existing conditions after you have been insured for six months, and individual policies cover pre-existing conditions after you have been insured for one year. Creditable coverage must be counted towards any pre-existing condition exclusion in either an individual or group policy.
Essentially, it is a medical condition, illness, or injury for which you just had treatment, are undergoing treatment, or have had treatment in the past. The context in which an insurance company will look at pre-existing conditions strongly depends on the type of insurance.
Private insurance companies may choose to deny your application for health coverage because of a pre-existing condition, or agree to sell you a policy, but exclude coverage for benefits associated with certain pre-existing conditions. Or the insurance company may charge you more because of a pre-existing condition.
What this means is that if you have a pre-existing condition, you may have been unable to obtain coverage or afford coverage.
The good news is that, under the Affordable Care Act, denying coverage or excluding benefits due to a pre-existing condition will no longer be allowed. This protection will be in place by 2014. After 2014, insurers also will no longer be able to charge higher premiums based on a pre-existing condition. (Assuming the Republicans don't chance the current Affordable Care Act).
I would think twice, three times at least before making any decision. Only you know your circumstances and what is right for you.
Good luck.
Hector
That certainly sounds like a lot to take on ...selling your home,leaving a secure job,learning a new job, leaving a secure insurance plan,finding new doctors....all with 2 months to go on treatment plus any after effects you may have.post treatment....
Always hard to advise someone in their personal circumstances.however I agree with Paen53... lots of added stress,when you still need to focus on your health....
Good luck...
Will
IMHO - No and resounding "no"!! It's too much stress in the best of times. On tx and especially at the end of tx when many of us are worn down - too much change. I had the same option about 12 weeks into tx and almost jumped on it. Common sense prevailed - a friend's, not mine, thank goodness!
I think the thing that really concerns me in the offer is the possible change in insurance providers and doctors. You will need both for some time, even after tx is completed.
Do give it more thought, PLEASE!!!