Health Insurance - Pre-Existing Condition

[Crohnie]

Hi All,

I wanted to know what individuals are doing in order to get health insurance for med school if they already have a pre-existing condition. I can't be on my parents health insurance anymore since I will be 25+. Not sure if anyone else has gone through this but any advice/information would be helpful. Thanks!

~Crohnie

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[nlax30]

Are you already accepted somewhere? Are you currently a student?

If accepted to a med school contact them as they'll probably have some sort of school plan available, some may even you require to be on theirs.

 

[Chocolate Bear]

Group plans, like those given at school and jobs, generally don't require a history and couldn't exclude for a pre existing condition. However, if you went to a school that didn't provide insurance, you'd have to get your own private, individual insurance through a company like Blue Cross Blue Shield or something. If that was the case, the pre-existing condition could raise your rates significantly or even exclude you altogether. The exact outcome would depend on if you previously had uninterrupted coverage and the details of your disease and treatment requirements.

 

[punkiedad]

Hi All,

I wanted to know what individuals are doing in order to get health insurance for med school if they already have a pre-existing condition. I can't be on my parents health insurance anymore since I will be 25+. Not sure if anyone else has gone through this but any advice/information would be helpful. Thanks!

~Crohnie

They should have agroup plan that they require you to have at your school. I don't think they can not accept you because of a pre existing condition though. I am not sure though.

What I do know is if you are out in the real world and have no health insurance, and then go get your own you will get flagged. this is because they assume you bagged your insurance coverage when healthy and tried to sign up when you got sick. This is what my Dr. said. So, if you lose your job, or have to give up your parents coverage cause of age, do not let it lapse. Get some osrt of policy that will protect you and more so you will hosw you have no gaps in your coverage and therefore nothing to hide.

As far as if you have had coverage all the time, I think it is just switching from one to another, kinda like switching jobs. I switched ocmpanies when my wife was preganat with our youngest. The new insurere took care of it because that was just a part of doing business and I got a new job, but if I would have had no insurance prior, and then went out and bought by own then it would hav ebeen a pre existing condition.

 

[Crohnie]

Thank you all for your replies. I guess I'll have to do COBRA since the school's insurance plan isn't that great, my out of pocket expenses would be too high. The student health insurance plans aren't that great, especially if you are taking very expensive medication. I'll try to search to see if there are any other companies that offer better insurance plans for students. I'llbe starting Med School in August, looking forward to it! Wish you all the best and thanks again.

 

[ShyRem]

COBRA only lasts so long - I think they only have to offer it for 18 months max. Talk to your school and see what other options are available for insurance. Also look into AMSA or SOMA for health insurance. They have several plans last I saw.

 

[beckhunter116]

Thank you all for your replies. I guess I'll have to do COBRA since the school's insurance plan isn't that great, my out of pocket expenses would be too high. The student health insurance plans aren't that great, especially if you are taking very expensive medication. I'll try to search to see if there are any other companies that offer better insurance plans for students. I'llbe starting Med School in August, looking forward to it! Wish you all the best and thanks again.

This may be too much work, but you can qualify for the pharm companies to give you the medicine (reduced price or free) you just have to document that your student insurance does not cover that much. I believe it requires a lot of calling and objecting, but someone else on here mentioned this once. I don't know if they will override it for you though so look into all your options. Good luck!

 

[punkiedad]

Thank you all for your replies. I guess I'll have to do COBRA since the school's insurance plan isn't that great, my out of pocket expenses would be too high. The student health insurance plans aren't that great, especially if you are taking very expensive medication. I'll try to search to see if there are any other companies that offer better insurance plans for students. I'llbe starting Med School in August, looking forward to it! Wish you all the best and thanks again.

You may want to look at your school's insurance in the context of where you will be living. I am not sure where you are from or what school you are going to but, sometimes insurance pans in one area seem really bad, but when you live in the specific area where the insurance is offered, it is much better.....I may have butchered that explanation, but it is sunday night.

Also, if you have to go with a private plan, make sure you do not let your coverage lapse for any reason......I feel your pain. My son is on a couple expensive monthly medications. Combined, they would be as much as my mortgage.