Low cost medical insurance/preexisting condition

[LadyBeBop]

My future son-in-law just got out of the hospital about two weeks ago after a two months stay. Several times, we thought we were going to lose him; however he pulled through. Thank God for insurance.

However, since he won't be going back to work for a long time, and he has more than used up sick leave, he will lose his health insurance on January 1.

He can get COBRA, but with his health condition, it's way too expensive. He lives with my daughter and granddaughter, and I think their household income is too much for Medicaid. Right now, the plan is for them to get married before December 31, so he could get on DD's health insurance at work. They were originally going to get married next summer.

I want them to have a proper wedding, not a wedding at the Justice of the Peace. But they can't think of how they could afford insurance for him without them getting married.

Please help.

 

[MomToOne]

Most people I know that have been in this situation do a quicky wedding at the courthouse for the legalities, then follow it up with the "proper wedding" when they are ready. You can even keep it a secret that they are already married (obviously not out of embarrassment, but just to make the full-blown wedding feel like the big event for everyone).

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as "low cost" insurance these days. And since it sounds like he has lingering health issues, the last thing you want is a bad medical plan.

 

[Sadie22]

It's about the marriage, not the wedding. They can always have a religious ceremony or a party later. That may not be the answer you wanted, but I for one am glad this couple is thinking about finances.

 

[4GoofyCrew]

Most people I know that have been in this situation do a quicky wedding at the courthouse for the legalities, then follow it up with the "proper wedding" when they are ready. You can even keep it a secret that they are already married (obviously not out of embarrassment, but just to make the full-blown wedding feel like the big event for everyone).

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as "low cost" insurance these days.

I agree, they will probably just have to do the legal ceremony so he can get insurance coverage. If they are already living together anyway no one will probably even realize that they legally got married. Then, if they can still afford it, they can plan a 'proper wedding' for next summer.

 

[disfan07]

He won't qualify for private insurance until 2014 because of his pre existing conditions. That is when insurance companies are required to start covering everyone. But right now, I can guarantee that after 2 months in the hospital, no private company would touch him with a ten foot pole!

Check with the state. They should have a plan specifically for individuals who have pre-existing conditions and are considered uninsurable.
I know California has a plan and I think it is required under the ACA but I'm not 100% sure.

Also, if they are not married, he might still qualify for Medicaid. I don't know if living together will disqualify him. I'm not entirely up to date on mediciad requirements but he might want to check it out since they are not legally married.

And worse comes to worse, they get married 6 months early. Not ideal, but unfortunately they would not be the first to do that for health insurance. It's just unfortunate that it's the way our system works right now. You can always have a big celebration later. They were already planning on getting married so it wouldn't be a terrible idea to do that.

 

[sissy_ib]

I say they get married legally now with you and the important people present and they go through with the ceremony they have planed for next summer. It does not have to be in the basement of the courthouse. (That is where the JP is here!) They, or you, can hire an officiant to marry them anywhere they want.

 

[twinboysmom]

Most people I know that have been in this situation do a quicky wedding at the courthouse for the legalities, then follow it up with the "proper wedding" when they are ready. You can even keep it a secret that they are already married (obviously not out of embarrassment, but just to make the full-blown wedding feel like the big event for everyone).

Unfortunately, there is no such thing as "low cost" insurance these days. And since it sounds like he has lingering health issues, the last thing you want is a bad medical plan.

This! This is what we did. I had by far superior health insurance than my DH and we knew he needed major surgery for what they thought was a cancerous tumor. We were married by a justice of the peace and had our real wedding several months later. Very few knew we were already married. To us, the day we were married legally is our wedding date. Despite both of us getting married in shorts and t shirts, that day is so very special to us.

By worrying about waiting to have a "proper" wedding, you set him up for a lot of future troubles. If he is without health insurance for that long of a period, he takes a chance that the health insurance your daughter had denies him coverage for his preexisting condition until changes to the laws come into effect. Also, it would be risky for him to be without health coverage to wait for a proper wedding. He will be very unlikely to find any health insurance at all much less something low cost on his own.

Good luck to their future marriage.

 

[Pigeon]

I agree with the pps. It's the marriage that's important, not the wedding. They should get married not worry about the "proper wedding."

 

[clh2]

I agree with the other posters...getting married is the fiscally responsible thing to do. Celebrate the wedding some other time with family and friends.

Good luck to them!

 

[Shagley]

I agree with everyone else. My friend just got married on Monday at the courthouse and she was back at work on Tuesday. They are still planning their big wedding next year, but he worked at Hostess (so he lost his job last week) and has quite a few few medical issues and couldn't be without health insurance. They should get married now for practical reasons, and have the "wedding celebration" this summer as planned.

 

[JessB320]

Yup! I agree with everyone, in fact this is exactly what I did!! DH had great insurance and I needed it, so a fun weekend trip to Vegas, a signed piece of paper and we were done. Had a ceremony exactly a year later. Five years down the road and I wouldn't have done it any other way!! I think this is so much more common than most people think!

 

[Callie]

What the pp's are suggesting is what I would do!
We actually had the opposite situation at work. One of my coworkers hurried up their wedding because one of the parents was dying. It met that she lost her hell insurance from her parents, as well as some other forms of support.
My suggestion was to have the big blow out ceremony, but just don't make it legal until they could both get health insurance. No one would have to know except them!

 

[marius97]

He won't qualify for private insurance until 2014 because of his pre existing conditions. That is when insurance companies are required to start covering everyone. But right now, I can guarantee that after 2 months in the hospital, no private company would touch him with a ten foot pole!

I'm by no means an expert, but I don't think that this is correct. My understanding is that if you have a preexisting condition and go directly from one insurance to another, then he will be covered. So in the situation of them getting married before the end of the year, he should be able to be covered under the spouses plan.

 

[ilovemk76]

My future son-in-law just got out of the hospital about two weeks ago after a two months stay. Several times, we thought we were going to lose him; however he pulled through. Thank God for insurance.

However, since he won't be going back to work for a long time, and he has more than used up sick leave, he will lose his health insurance on January 1.

He can get COBRA, but with his health condition, it's way too expensive. He lives with my daughter and granddaughter, and I think their household income is too much for Medicaid. Right now, the plan is for them to get married before December 31, so he could get on DD's health insurance at work. They were originally going to get married next summer.

I want them to have a proper wedding, not a wedding at the Justice of the Peace. But they can't think of how they could afford insurance for him without them getting married.

Please help.

A Justice of the Peace wedding is a proper wedding. If they want a ceremony in a church, they have a month to work that out with their pastor. The wedding is the best way to have to get him insurance.

 

[adisneymama]

I'm by no means an expert, but I don't think that this is correct. My understanding is that if you have a preexisting condition and go directly from one insurance to another, then he will be covered. So in the situation of them getting married before the end of the year, he should be able to be covered under the spouses plan.

You are correct. As long as there is not a lapse in coverage he will receive a certificate from the previous insurance as proof and he will be covered under the new plan. Also, even without having previous insurance some plans have a clause that they won't cover pre-existing for a certain period of time. Each plan is different. But since he has previous coverage he will be covered under the new plan.

OP best of luck to them. Could their pastor do a small private ceremony at the church they attend with just family and close friends? Still wouldn't be the big ceremony they originally wanted but would be a little more personal than the court house. Just a thought. Wishing them the best.

 

[sweetdana]

I'm by no means an expert, but I don't think that this is correct. My understanding is that if you have a preexisting condition and go directly from one insurance to another, then he will be covered. So in the situation of them getting married before the end of the year, he should be able to be covered under the spouses plan.

this is correct, as long as there is a change of life (marriage counts) he is not uninsurable.. add him the day they get married, and then have a wedding to celebrate in a few months!

 

[mom of2]

Did you mean that COBRA was too expensive because of him not working? Because the cost of COBRA is the cost that the employer gets the insurance for. For a single person it shouldn't be that expensive.


And as far as not telling anyone if they got married now, it is usually published in the newspaper for the marriage license.

 

[LadyBeBop]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I guess every Mom wishes for a fairytale wedding for their daughters. Her older sister is having one in May. She was either going to have a small wedding in Sept 2013, or a larger one in 2014. They never really wanted a big wedding. Just a small one with close family and friends. Unless she has it next weekend, her sister won't even be at the wedding. Sis is coming in from Louisiana for her bridal shower.

I guess I'm now perplexed at how to plan a wedding on very short notice. I do want it somewhat special...after all, this is a commitment. I'm fine with a justice of the peace.

 

[angwill]

There will be no insurance company that will touch him with his pre exhisting condition. There is usually a state health plan called CHIP he could try and qualify for but some states like mine have a waiting list years long and it is not cheap and typically run somewhere around 700-1000 per month so his COBRA might be more affordable. He and your daughter are lucky to have one another and a few month early getting married should not be a big deal for his health sake.

 

[Arielle22]

There will be no insurance company that will touch him with his pre exhisting condition. There is usually a state health plan called CHIP he could try and qualify for but some states like mine have a waiting list years long and it is not cheap and typically run somewhere around 700-1000 per month so his COBRA might be more affordable. He and your daughter are lucky to have one another and a few month early getting married should not be a big deal for his health sake.

If there isn't a gap in his insurance coverage then he is eligible. So if his insurance ends 12/31/12 and his new insurance picks him up 1/1/13 then he will be covered.