Comments on: Schwarzenegger vetoed universal healthcare for Californians

By: David

David — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 01:44:47 +0000

Ugh, seriously? Hmmm… Can you join a freelancers group to get group insurance? I know there are some out there that you should check into. I will ask around to see what others have. Good luck Siel, that sucks…

By: Siel

Siel — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 00:44:38 +0000

David — I’ve found out those with pre-existing conditions are generally not “qualified” for catastrophic health insurance :( Blue Cross and Pacificare both turned me down for all policies, including catastrophic.

Roz — I checked with the local chamber of commerce. Not only does it not offer health insurance, it actively opposes universal health care :(

By: Siel

Siel — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:30:09 +0000

David and Roz — Thank you both for your personal and thoughtful suggestions. I will pursue both paths!!

M — Yr awesome. I’m off to watch this now!

By: M

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:33:45 +0000

If you didn’t catch it on tv this weekend, PBS is streaming Critical Condition online until November 11: http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2008/criticalcondition/fullfilm.html

By: Roz Cummins

Roz Cummins — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 15:51:49 +0000

Hi, Siel. As a freelance writer, I get my insurance through my local chamber of commerce. Massachusetts has pretty good rules about companies not being able to exclude pre-existing conditions. (I was still shocked, however, to see that my new health plan doesn’t cover pain clinic visits. Why would they deny someone treatment for pain? I guess it’s just easier to prescribe pain meds and leave it at that. I feel lucky that that’s not a service that I need.) Anyway, if you are currently making your living as a writer or have a business of some other kind, I would definitely encourage you to check out the local chamber. I think that the American Association of University Women (I am not sure that’s the exact name) also has some sort of insurance program, or did so at one time. Good luck! It’s absurd that we live in a country where one’s health insurance is tied to employment.

By: David

David — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 16:58:55 +0000

Siel, my wife and I were paying for private BCBS insurance when living in Santa Monica. We paid $370 a month for both of us, with HUGE deductibles. But late last year, when I was first misdiagnosed with leukemia, and then this summer when I had an actual melanoma cancer removed, I have now paid out over $10K in “extra, uncovered” expenses in addition to that $370 a month. I guess my point is that since if you even do get approved you will be paying for anything major anyway like I did, could you just find a catastrophe-only insurance plan that covers you in case of dire emergency? We have a good plan now (wife is a public school teacher here in NM) but if I had known then what I know now, I probably would have just found catastrophe-only insurance, as the insurance I paid for all year barely covered anything anyway. Just my 2 cents…