The Savage Arithmetic of the Pre-Existing Condition

[nobodyspecial]

19. You might get luckly if you migrate into an employer-based plan

and you are shielded by the umbrella of group coverage. Your rates will be the same as all others in that employer's group. However, expect to have every claim questioned and challenged for the first year or two. If your coverage did lapse, expect to pay for any treatment or meds for pre-existing conditions for 12 to 18 months. And, if you have a chronic condition, like diabetes, think how many illnesses can be traced back to that pre-existing condition.

However, as mentioned, if you are trying to buy on the open market, the company can't deny coverage, but can set ANY price it wants. It will deliberately price these customers out of the policy since they will lose money on them. Sometimes you can get a policy if you deliberately exclude these conditions, but what good will that do you?

Any chronic condition or something like cancer can destroy you financially in a heartbeat. And don't expect any state or federal help until you've sold all of your assets to put you in poverty. It's criminal to see all of these fund-raisers to help people pay cancer treatment. It's also the most inefficient and expensive way to deliver health care. Maybe they are hoping more of us will just voluntarily off ourselves when faced with a major illness.