Health Insurance

[RStoller]

My wife and I are renting a house in The Village of Largo for the month of May. If we love it, our plan is to purchase a house and move to TV in 2010.

We are looking for some advice on health insurance. We can keep our current NY group plan via Cobra but know that all of our medical expenses at TV will be "out of network" and therefore not well covered. Does anyone know of any options for affordable (that is a relative term) health insurance in Florida? We have several years before we qualify for medicare.

Thanks for any assistance.
Bob

[rshoffer]

check out a BC/BS HSA (health savings account)

[Number 6]

There a a couple of factors to consider. If your NYS coverage is a BCBS plaln, then you will probalby still stay "in network" through the Blue Card program. If you buy FL coverage through, say, BCBS then you have to watch out for the pre-existing condition problem. I beleive that if you have "compariable coverage" then they waive that. BCBS of FL has a whole department for this. You purchase coverage through a knowledgeable agent or direclty through the company.
Given the snowbird community, physicians and hospitals are quite used to dealing with out of state coverage.
Lots of WNYers in The Villages. An Akron native myself. If you need any further help, let me know.

[rshoffer]

If you are currently in a group plan HIPPA protects you from pre-existing cond issues

[JohnN]

Aarp

[Number 6]

HIPAA does not protect you from a pre existing condition exclusion UNLESS you have "credible coverage".

http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq_consumer_hipaa.html#CreditableCoverage

[RStoller]

Unfortunately my insurance is not with BC, but Independent Health. I looked at AARP but did not find a full health plan - only HSA's with large deductible additional coverage.