Post tx change of Health insurance?

[dutch_boy]

Hello everyone,  I have not visited this sight in 2 years and it so good to see it's new design. I was involved with this  sight throughout my Geno 4 Hep C battle and am very pleased that 2 years after my tx that I am clear of the virus.  It was a difficult tx but I got through it with the results I only dreamed of!  Those of you battling through it have my best wishes and hopes for the best outcomes possible for you.
During my tx I was insured with Blue Cross / Blue Shield which was challenging at times but they did honor my insurance through my long tx. I could not have done it without it.  The costs of their individual policy which I've had both before, during and after tx is now too expensive for me to continue with them.  I am now considering a Health Savings Account with United Healthcare and have anxiety about getting new insurance post Hepatitis C tx.  Their policy states that they don't cover pre-existing conditions and they consider them to be anything within the past 2 years.  My last Hep tx shots were over 2 years now but has anyone out there tried to change health insurance post tx and had their coverage either denied or premiums increased dramatically when they learned of your Hep C past?  I am too worried to tell my new insurance agent who recommended United HSA plan about my past Hep C tx even though I am now clear of the virus and my tx was over their 2 year pre-existing clause.  I just don't know what to expect and I am frightened to change to a new insurer but have to due to the costs of the premiums with Blue Cross.
If any of you have experience with changing your health insurance post tx please let me know. Aslo any of you who has experience dealing with United Healthcare would be helpful.  I appreciate your input.  All of you who are presently in tx I wish you all well.  I've been through it and understand it's challenges first hand and am so lucky to have this in my past.
Best to you all,
Scott

[dutch_boy]

Thanks for all your input regarding my decision to change health coverage.  It is a difficult decision and has given me a great deal of anxiety.  I assume and am very hopeful that my Hep C is now a thing of the past but I would hate to be faced with it again and the insurance company denies me of coverage for not "telling all" to them from the start......even if it means I have to pay higher premiums which has been my whole reason to change from Blue Cross.  
Thanks again for your input..........and I hope you are all hanging in there.
My best,
Scott

[copyman]

i would not take the chance , you may find yourself with no health insurance. one of the questions asked on the application is previous illness. if you lie they can cancel your membership, not pay a claim or take you to court to recover all money they spent for your health.

[scratchinghead]

Aren't you done with treatment?

[Trinity4]

I've had private pay health care through Golden Rule which is UNHC for the last year.  It was basically a hospital/surgery policy which I call catastrophe insurance.  I took the policy out in July and found out I had hepc in Oct.  If I ended up in the hospital or needed surgery it would pay.  I do not have any rx coverage and it has never paid for any of my labs.  It did pay for biopsy, endoscopy and CT but the deductible was very high.  I started my job last August and in order to switch over to their group insurance without any pre-exisiting restrictions I had to have continuous medical coverage for one year.  As of July 1, I will be on BCBS group policy and they can't by law, deny me coverage for any pre-existing illness.  Med, labs, doc's visits are all covered.  That is the law.  I did not have to disclose any information regarding my current health status.  That is how it works with employer coverage but if you are purchasing a private plan and have been clear for 2 years which is the time they designated as no longer pre-existing I think you should be fine.  You do not have to disclose if their terms are specifically guided by a 2 year period.  Good Luck and I hope things go well.
Trinity

[redrodeo]

     Thats a good question. I am faced with a similiar situation. During my tx I was terminated by my employer. So now when I get a new job how do I answer those questions. If you have a specific insurance in mind I think you could call their benefit office and just ask a general question. I don't think you would need to identify yourself. Just say I see under pre-exciting conditions you say 2 years. So you want to ask them does that mean the last time a person was treated or from date of starting new policy. I would guess its from the start of the new insurance. The intent of pre-excisting conditions is to keep people from getting the policy and immediately using it for that condition. When you find out let me know. As I am going to be looking myself within the next month. Thanks
Red

[alagirl]

My bcbs policy has been so good throughout this that they will have to throw me off of it.  I'm on cobra, but if it starts to run out, they'll put me back on their health policy at the plant I use for my products, and then I'll bump off to cobra again.  That's my plan, anyway.  They even let me pay late one month without canceling me when I was in the hospital.  And if ever there would be a good person to cancel, Lord knows it would be me.

[ladybuglola]

Hi,
I'm sorry I didnt quite understand your questions till I read it again.  I've had uhc b4 treatment so I'm sorry i'm not able to answer your question.
well wishes, d

[ladybuglola]

I am 4th week into treatment and have united healthcare.  
I'm happy to say that I've been very pleased with them so far, they have covered 6 mo's of my meds; They go thru caremark for the meds and they send them ups overnite to you 3 mo's at a time.  I'm covered only 6 mo's because the nurse felt that if my viral load wasnt down enough then I wouldnt be continuing treatment so why try and get the full yr covered. Caremark assignes a worker to you for any questions or concerns about the meds.  
Good luck,  

[Marcia2202]

I don't know anything about insurances in the US, but I just wanted to congratulate you on your SVR. I hope it will work out well with your insurance.

Marcia