Unemployed friend told me she applied for private health insurance & was limited to 6 month policies

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

How about that? If she got sick or injured they would only be on the hook for 6 months instead of a year so they could raise her rates through the roof or refuse to renew.

So, in a sense ALL private health insurance is tied to being employed. These are the companies our reps want to make sure stay in business so that they can continue to screw us, kill us and then pick the carcass. The same companies that our reps want to protect from any "unfair competition" with a public option. Because it's really all about the fairness, isn't it?

Anyone out unemployed and with a private insurer at a term longer than 6 months? If so, what state and what company?

Which brings up another factor. Most health plans are regulated more by the states than by the Feds so we have this confusing and contradictory patchwork of what's available to people in different states.

[Bonhomme Richard]

1. Watch out. When she renews the policy it will probably be.....

a brand new policy that doesn't cover pre-existing conditions. She needs to ask that question and read the fine print. That way they never have to cover pre-existing conditions.
They are evil.

[soothsayer]

2. Jeez. Does she belong to any associations that she could try to get a group

rate thru?