Nov 30, 2010 07:33AM Alpal wrote:

Lucky - check with your state to see if they already have a pool for the uninsurable. My state has had such a program for years and we're really backward!

Nov 30, 2010 05:59PM germangal wrote:

I'm in the same position. And you are right, the pre-existing condition for adults does not go away until 2014. And there is no guarantee that the insurance you will be able to receive will be affordable ... not unless we are able to keep that 100% participation clause.

Fortunately (?), I was awarded SSDI because of the IBC diagnosis and in March I will land on Medicare. Before I got SSDI, I checked into insurance options (my COBRA was over $1000/month!!)  I found the folks at the American Cancer Society's 1-800 number (1-800-ACS-2345) useful. They told me about some state programs that might assist, as well as told me of some foundations that would provide one-time grants to help with medical expenses.

 Unfortunately, the state's high-risk insurance program was even more expensive than my COBRA! That really got me going - how can someone with no or part-time income be able to afford a premium of $1200/month??  If the person was working full-time, chances are they wouldn't need the high risk pool, since they would be enrolled in a group policy ... and group-to-group usually don't have pre-existing rulings.

The social worker at the local cancer center also was able to provide some assistance. I hated like heck to ask for charity (before diagnosis, I had a 6-figure income and was a donor to these organizations!), but, I really needed to swallow my pride and do it. There is help out there.