Question about self-employment and health insurance

[Droopy]

I've wanted to go into business for myself for a while now. What's been keeping me from doing it is health insurance. I've heard of self-employed people with families having to spend $1200 a month for coverage. I've heard of individuals paying $400 a month.

Well, I decided to get some quotes tonight just for the hell of it. Part of the information that I gave them was about the fact that I've been diagnosed as having a mental illness and that I've used tobacco in the last 12 months. The automated quotes surprised me. I found a pretty good plan for $105 a month that covers mental illness and the associated prescriptions.

My question is: are they going to hike my rate up every chance they get when they realize my prescriptions cost $500 a month? When I talk to a real person instead of a computer program and disclose this illness to him or her will the rate go up?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. Insurance depends on a number of factors:

1. How old you are

2. Your previous health records and current habits

3. What state you live in

4. Whether you get good advice

5. How much of a deductible you're willing to accept

If you're getting quoted $105 a month as a smoker with a history of mental illness, you must be young.

[Droopy]

2. 35, they don't pull medical records, Ohio, $2500 deductable

I gave them all of that stuff. I don't know about the advice. But like I said, it was a computer program that responded to me and not an actual person.

I quit smoking recently, btw, but that won't count for another year if I manage to remain tobacco-free.

[madrchsod]

3. you`ll need to talk to a real person

105 seems really low... i was looking into blue cross in illinois and a decent plan was around 400 a month. i`m 61 with some heart problems. i think you`d be in the 250+ range for decent insurance.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

4. My dear Droopy!

You want to go into business for yourself?

Would you still be a trucker?

Or did you have your eye on something else?

Please forgive me if I'm being too curious!

I have no idea what your health insurance would cost...

:hi:

[Droopy]

6. I would likely still be in the transportation industry

But I wouldn't be driving a semi. I've been looking into freight brokering or driving an expedited cargo van.

[quakerboy]

5. My observations

indicates that they will call it preexisting, and refuse to pay for it at all, at least for long enough to be problematic.

[Droopy]

7. They can't do that because it's not really pre-existing

The illness has been covered by health insurance companies since I was diagnosed as having it, so any future health insurance companies have to cover it. It's against the law for them to refuse to cover it under those circumstances.

However, they can jack the rate up so high that they wouldn't be losing any money by covering me. At least not for the mental illness. That's perfectly legal.

[Lorien]

8. That's a little steep-well, maybe not for really good coverage

I'm single and pay about $225 a month, but I have a $5,000 deductible. A friend of mine in Ohio pays about $600 a month for a family of three. Whatever you do, avoid NASE insurance (National association for the self employed) . A trip to the ER and some vascular surgery put me $32,000 in debt-all AFTER they had agreed to pay for the services, then reneged on every penny. If you Google NASE, NOW, PBS you'll discover that my experience is not unique. Really do your homework before signing on with any insurance company!

Good luck!

[raccoon]

9. Also, some company may offer to insure you but attach a rider saying they

won't cover mental illness.