Now it's my turn

[DerbyCity]

Hi Folks:

I have been looking at this forum for around 2 years. 1st I would like to thank everyone for the civil, respectful and well-informed information I have gathered from this site. It has been most useful during my planning phase.

This isn't really an ER by much - last date is 1/11/13. I will turn 62 in March 2013 so I'm in the class of 2013. Better late than never....

My DW and I are healthy and plan on celebrating the occasion with a 2 month ski vacation in CO for Feb and March. We have been skiing for over 30 years and did't want to "tempt the gods" waiting for an ankle, knee or hip blow-out to derail those plans. Condo is rented, season lift ticket purchased so we are good to go.

I just wanted to introduce myself and express my gratitude for all the forum posts. I'll add another post under the appropriate forum topic about what I learned while applying for a personal, family BCBS insurance policy - not a happy ending. Will have to cobra the transition to the Aff Care Act program.

 

[pb4uski]

Welcome from out of the shadows Derby City and enjoy your ER in CO. We spent a week skiing at Purgatory Mountain a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it (other than a bit of altitude sickness for DW).

DW and I are both skiers too. We have our season passes lined up and are just waiting for after the holidays. At this age, I tend to be more of a fair weather skier, and won't bother going unless it is at least in the teens.

Don't forget to pb4uski.

 

[Midpack]

Welcome aboard, and you're not late, congrats!

 

[LauAnn]

Don't forget to pb4uski.

I finally understand your screen name. LOL

 

[Nodak]

Welcome aboard

 

[braumeister]

Enjoy it to the fullest!
I've been a skier for nearly 40 years, and still love it. Have tried practically every ski area in Colorado (used to live there) and they all have their charms.

These days, we mostly go to Crested Butte to avoid the big crowds, but probably the most memorable trips for me were to Wolf Creek Pass for incredible depth of powder and Cooper for its historical link to the original WW II ski troops.

 

[GLM]

Welcome. I've been learning here too. Insight. Wisdom and humor. Excellent

Looking forward to reading your post on searching for insurance . DH is getting ready to hang it up with Megga Corp . ( Lately his disgust makes it a daily possibility ) Probably to go to part time with a consulting firm that has been courting him . It's a big change to go out on your own - establishing an LLC and searching for insurance.

I was just checking out E insure today and BCBS is the only one I found that seems to use our current Doctors- that we like . (And after moving frequently over 25 years for Megga Corp I know that is rare for us )

So you have obviously piqued my curiosity.

 

[DerbyCity]

We have also been to most of the CO resorts. The front range resorts (from Denver out to around Vail & Beaver Creek) offer great season pass deals assuming you can ski more than 7 - 8 days. Several have common owners, so they package their resorts together on one lift pass. I guess they figure if they can get the Denver folks up for lodging, drinks and food, it is worth the reduced season pass cost.

The "destination" resorts (Steamboat, Telluride and the San Juan resorts) offer a higher season pass - once you get there, you don't have many options, but they each have a niche that makes them unique and worth the trip.

Our season pass is for Copper mountain, but Ski Cooper has senior days on the 6th and 20th of each month ($27 per day per person), so we have that on our "to do" list.

 

[DerbyCity]

BCBA Application

GLM:

I assumed (when will I ever learn) that the agent for med insurance would have given us some info on pitfalls in the application process. I take a low grade med for cholesterol, and asked if that was likely to be a problem. I am not a smoker - he gave us the estimated cost on a high deductible plan with me considered as a smoker. He thought the "smoker" category would off set the cholesterol meds for a cost estimate. So far, so good....

We completed the BCBS apps and sent them in shooting for a $7,000 high deductible plan. I included on the apps that I had a squamos cell carcinoma removed in the last year. That was the only issue on the app. I was ruled ineligible for the high deductible plan at regular cost (family plan around $550 per month) based on that, but they were "kind enough" to offer the same plan at $1,900 per month.

A squamos cell carcinoma is the alow grade, non invasive type of skin cancer. When I had mine removed, it was done in a group of 20, on an assembly line basis. My dermatologist does this twice a week for this group size (i.e. 40 per week for one dermatologist). His prognosis was that I was more likely to die in a train wreck than from this type of skin cancer.

Obviously, BCBS did not see it this way, so we are looking to Cobra to bridge to the health exchanges in late 2013 (coverage effective 1/1/2014).

Hope that helps,

 

[MichaelB]

Ah, the joys of health insurance. DerbyCity, good thing you have the COBRA option.

GLM, you might want to check and make sure you will get coverage before walking away from the one you have now. A broker should help - but not like the one DerbyCity used.

 

[imoldernu]

Health care, credit ratings... not a lot of difference when it comes to downgrading. Logic and reality doesn't always play into the decisions. It comes down to statistics.
I don't believe you did anything wrong. If you had not listed the medical incident, and later had need to use the insurance, it would give the provider reason for non payment of a future claim.

 

[GLM]

Thanks - that helps. It does seem BCBS is being too cautious. I don't feel we will have any issues underwriting as our health is very good and lab work is excellent . (As long as I take my thyroid medication ) COBRA is a last resort....

Seems I once heard that a good experienced agent can shop policies . That is, some companies will rate certain conditions more favorably than others. you might want to try more quotes.

Good hunting .

 

[REWahoo]

I don't feel we will have any issues underwriting as our health is very good and lab work is excellent . (As long as I take my thyroid medication )

Based on my experience, taking any sort of medication will lead to exclusions in your coverage and/or higher than 'preferred' rates. YMMV...

 

[GLM]

I hope not but may find out soon. I never thought my hypothyroidism would be a big deal to an insurance company. My medications are essentially hormone replacement much like a woman on the other more common HRT (estrogen and progesterone). The medications are not even costly .

One more detail to examine ! Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Mulligan]

We have also been to most of the CO resorts. The front range resorts (from Denver out to around Vail & Beaver Creek) offer great season pass deals assuming you can ski more than 7 - 8 days. Several have common owners, so they package their resorts together on one lift pass. I guess they figure if they can get the Denver folks up for lodging, drinks and food, it is worth the reduced season pass cost.

The "destination" resorts (Steamboat, Telluride and the San Juan resorts) offer a higher season pass - once you get there, you don't have many options, but they each have a niche that makes them unique and worth the trip.

Our season pass is for Copper mountain, but Ski Cooper has senior days on the 6th and 20th of each month ($27 per day per person), so we have that on our "to do" list.

Congratulations on the coming retirement! Enjoy the coming ski vacation. Ski Cooper was the first place I ever skied back in the early 90s. Learned a hard lesson, without practicing went straight to a blue run. Built up too much speed, and didn't know how to stop. I went straight down the slope in a straight line screaming all the way down. Lucky I didn't hit anyone or break my leg. I have gotten better, but now I worry about my 5k deductible and a blow out. Went to Aspen last winter to ski and stayed only on the Buttermilk slopes.

 

[pb4uski]

....I've been a skier for nearly 40 years, and still love it. ...

Same here (actually 51 years - how can that be!). I actually still have my first pair of skis and boots. The skis are about 43" long, wood, no edges and bear-trap bindings. No need for retention straps or ski brakes with those old bear-trap bindings!. The ski boots are about 8" long, leather, laced. It's amazing that I didn't break anything with that archaic gear, but kids are flexible. The skis with the boot in the bindings are mounted in a "V" on the gable end of our great room.

I started at a community ski area across the valley from our house when I was about 6. It had a poma lift and I remember a dip in the trail just before the top where more often than not the poma plate would lift me off the ground and spin me around because I was so short.

Ah... those were the days! Probably a couple bucks for a day ticket.

 

[obgyn65]

Welcome to the forum.