Health Care Reform: Can we sign up yet?

[supernova]

I am someone with a preexisting condition (by anyone's definition) and I am looking for when we can actually sign up for the insurance pools that are supposed to operate from now until 2014.

So far, I'm not having much luck. Lots of info about what will happen and how it should look when it gets operating but I can't find anything that says when we can sign up.

I did find this at the HHS web site:

HHS has asked states to declare how they intend to participate in the program by April 30, 2010. Regardless of whether or how a state participates, all Americans who meet the eligibility criteria will have the opportunity to join a high risk pool.

....
The law appropriates $5 billion of federal funds to support the new temporary high risk pool program. It will be available beginning on July 1, the start of many state fiscal years, until the program ends on January 1, 2014. The program is funded entirely by the federal government...

http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/initiative/hi_risk_pool_facts.html


I need to find what the various state reports are mentioned here or even if they have finished.

Anybody else have any better luck?

edit: link

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Start here or do a search on NC pre existing health.

http://www.ehow.com/how_5870466_health-pre_existing-conditions-north-carolina.html

[supernova]

2. I think that's for the

existing state-level HR pools that don't function all that well and have very high deductibles and max lifetime payouts to boot.

edit: I'm looking for the new national level temporary pool that is supposed to be created because of the HCR bill.

[Vinca]

3. I was trying to find information yesterday and had zero luck.

My state's high risk pool is just for a handful of conditions and the premium - if you're "lucky" enough to qualify - is unaffordable for an average person. I also checked Medicaid again, since our business has tanked and our income is so low this year. Apparently you have to be living in a box to think about qualifying for that since the income level is so foolishly low. Since I live next door to Vermont, I tried to find a list of the community health centers Bernie Sanders keeps talking about and didn't have much luck there, either. Apparently how to access medical care is a state secret. At this point I'm banking on getting into whatever the high risk pool is that was promised in the legislation. Supposedly it will be set up by the end of next month. If that doesn't pan out I don't know what I'll do. My arthritis is getting so bad I can barely walk.

[supernova]

4. Yes, I'm finding the same

If I do the Kaiser thing, it tells me I should look into medicaid since I'm not working right now. edit: But I don't qualify for it since I'm not on their list of people who should use it.

:banghead:

[Vinca]

5. It's very discouraging.

We've been priced out of insurance for about 6 years now (age and pre-existing conditions). I remember right after Obama was elected I gleefully told the doctor that now that Democrats were running the show I would probably be getting some coverage so I could get my deteriorated hip taken care of. If you look "foolish optimist" up in the dictionary, you'll find my picture.

[supernova]

6. Found it!

Well, more specific info for citizens, anyway (bold is mine):

Gathering Insurance Information
Under the Affordable Care Act, a website is being established on July 1, 2010 to assist people and small businesses in identifying affordable health insurance coverage options in each State. The consumer information will be clear, salient, and easy to navigate, and include:

Individual health coverage offered by health insurance issuers,
-Medicaid coverage,
-Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) coverage,
-State health benefits high risk pool coverage,
-Coverage within the small group market for small businesses and their employees.

The website will evolve over time and begin to include pricing information in October 2010 on insurance available to individuals and small businesses.

http://www.hhs.gov/ociio/gatheringinfo/index.html

[Vinca]

7. I had the impression that the high risk pool in the bill was a national program,

not a state program. In any case, if it's "clear, salient and easy to navigate," that will be a bonus. I think I'm a halfway intelligent person and the New Hampshire state web sites for any kind of health coverage might as well be written in Greek.