hey gang,

i figured i'd pose this question here, because the advice section is hardly used these days… i need to buy some health insurance because i've been without for about 5 years. i'm working pretty minimal hours and the job doesn't offer insurance as far as i know (i'm down to my last 150 hours or so before the temp job ends anyway.) i'm going to look into getting a job a starbucks - or another part time position that offers insurance, but in the meantime, i suppose i better start looking.

do any of you have any advice? i'm barely making ends meet. and by barely i really mean, 'i'm not making ends meet' - i'm just being selective about which bills to pay these days. so i probably won't be able to afford optimal coverage… and i have a history of kidney problems so i'm not sure i look like a prize to the insurance companies out there. does anyone have any recommendations for insurance resources?

thanks a ton.

I don't really have any recommendations, just a horror story that you won't want to hear.

When Jenna lost my coverage because she was between undergrad and grad school, we bought her a WPS (Wisconsin Physicians Service) basic policy just enough to cover any major issues. It was around $500 for a year policy.

Well, long story short, she ended up with some strange vision and ear problems and ended up running up some large medical bills for CAT scans and several MRI's.

Needless to say, once the shit hit the fan and the bills started rolling in, WPS started digging and found a loophole in her application. We failed to let them know she was treated 5 years earlier for an eating disorder. Even though the application said "List any treatments or diagnosis in the the last 4 years."

They dropped her like a hot potato. We appealed to the Wisconsin Insurance Commission and after two appeals, ruled with WPS.

Buyer beware I guess is all I can tell you. Make sure you read all the fine print.

Does your state offer insurance? I live in MA and we have a program that offers reduced rates or free healthcare to those who qualify. Other than that, I can only recommend finding a job that offers health insurance benefits.