Insurance Melt Down.....

Being self-employed for the past 12 years we understand the trials of finding insurance that we can afford. Over the years we've generally increased our deductible to afford the premiums. When our premium hiked up over twice it's "normal" hike this year, my husband called to see if there was anything we could do. Unfortunately with J.J.'s diabetes the options are limited, or extremely complicated. We decided to stay in a holding pattern until after the baby came and we had time to really evaluate all our options...especially in light of the new laws.

So you can imagine....well maybe not.....being prego has a lot to do with this story.....my total distress when I opened up a package from "our" (I use that term loosely since we don't even know this guy....he was assigned to us we think!)... insurance agent which had a cover letter stating that we needed to fill out and sign all the highlighted areas and mail it all back with a canceled check ASAP. I was in a little mini-shock. I was thinking Jason HAD to have called this guy....we wouldn't get a packet like that without a call from him to move forward!!

As I thumbed through the packet I was flooded with thoughts of CHANGE......and all that means with J.J.'s diabetes......will he need new insurance, what about all the prescriptions? My mind didn't shut off with all the foreseeable HASSLES that would ensue with a change in insurance. I was... to say the least... OVERWHELMED.....and in tears, thinking...."Doesn't he get this? Doesn't he know that I can't handle this change right now? Doesn't he see that I will take the brunt of this change, and right before a baby....there's no way I can do this....."

O.K....so yeah....I will admit the tears flowed quickly mainly from baby baking, family, & life STRESS....(it was 4-H entry day.....any 4-H mom would understand the STRESS of that!!:). But I was literally bawling. Couldn't stop crying. I did try to call and text Jason, but knew that if he didn't answer he was in a meeting he couldn't leave. So I began to look at the packet more closely.

Some of it didn't make sense. The agent had highlighted the date of renewal which is 6/1/2010, and another line that made it look like we didn't have insurance. But I knew for a fact that our insurance is automatically renewed yearly.....said so in fine print....we just needed to ignore the letter.....which we did. But the way the guy highlighted certain aspects of the letter(dated April 2010).....it made it seem like we were insurance-less.

The other weird thing was that the agent filled out a good couple of pages of the application FOR US!!! Some of it was untrue. Like the very first question is : The applicant and/or any person to be insured has or ever had any of the ineligible medical conditions? The agent circled "N"......well, a quick glance on the insurance website of ineligible medical conditions shows diabetes mellitus as ineligible!!! Another question asked if we'd ever had coverage from this company before......he stated no, but we have had coverage!!

There was so much in the "packet" that didn't make sense for our situation.....it's not a simple look at premiums & deductibles....we have to evaluate the coverage in light of J.J.' specialist visits, his lab work, his prescriptions, etc.

So....anyway, I decided to move on with my day....when Jason called I asked him an indirect question about insurance. He said he hadn't thought about it since he looked at it months ago. I replied, "So you haven't talked to any insurance agent in months, and especially in the last day or two?" NOPE was his answer. I explained to him the package I received and what was in it. He was not a happy camper.....a little miffed with this insurance guy.....and promising me up and down that he didn't authorize nor ask for this CHANGE.

PHEW!!!! Well....I don't have to be upset with him then!!!:) And we know we don't want to deal with this insurance guy in the future......but still this has me wondering about all the new laws, and how they will effect us, and J.J. especially......also has me contemplating all the "research" I'll need to do to ensure we get what's in our (and J.J's) best interests. Sigh......OVERWHELMING!!

BUT.....I can put it out of my mind for now....stick with what I know......and thank Mr. Insurance Man for the sinus headache!!!