Timeframe to secure Health Insurance

[shiny]

There are many here who have secured individual health insurance upon ERing - how long did it take from the initial application until you were officially covered? I'm trying to determine when to start the process.

If there is already a thread on this, please let me know as I could not find it.

Thanks!

 

[REWahoo]

Shiny, we're coming off COBRA and I just got through securing individual health coverage for DW and me. I would advise applying 60 days in advance to allow plenty of time for possible foul-ups. Happy to say my experience was a positive one and we got notification of approval roughly two weeks after sending in the applications. My advice: you can’t be too detailed or too precise in completing all the information they request. If they asked me what time it was I told them how to build a clock.

 

[Dawg52]

I applied for coverage in early October of 2004 and requested an effective date of 1/1/05. Everything went through just fine as requested. I didn't have any real health issues, so that helped I'm sure.

Edit: Oh yes, got my renewal notice today and it's going up just 4.8% next year.

 

[MJ]

When I moved to Tucson this past August, first thing I did was to head down to the agent representing BCBS. I made out the application in the office and got approved 2 days later. Since this was my 1st health insurance application outside of employment, I was nervous about getting it, as I am 58, but based of my answers, I had no problems.

 

[SC]

I put the start date about 6 or 7 weeks out. My agent gave me the impression that I could have set the start date just a few weeks from the time of application. I was glad to have the extra time since each of the three companies (Golden Rule, UniCare, BCBS) had lots of follow-up questions for DW & I.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

I have posted about my serious screw ups in this area before. I just wasn't
paying attention early on. My biggest problem was not that I didn't start
soon enough, but that I moved the coverage all around while I was
getting older and less healthy. Anyway, 2 years and 10 months until Medicare, so now I am hanging on with fingers firmly crossed. In my own
defense, it's hard to see this stuff coming when you are young and feeling frisky and believe that anyone would just love to insure you.

JG

 

[Donzo]

For me - it was a month from filing the request and getting approved.

 

[shiny]

Thanks for the replies. I'll plan to give it at least 60 days!

Did y'all set up HSAs at the same time or do that seperately - are they tied together? the einsurance website has some policies marked as "HSA eligible" but not all the high deductible policies are.

 

[Dawg52]

Thanks for the replies. I'll plan to give it at least 60 days!

Did y'all set up HSAs at the same time or do that separately - are they tied together? the einsurance website has some policies marked as "HSA eligible" but not all the high deductible policies are.

My policy was not eligible for an HSA. Not sure if I would have fooled with it anyway.

 

[REWahoo]

Thanks for the replies. I'll plan to give it at least 60 days!

Did y'all set up HSAs at the same time or do that seperately - are they tied together? the einsurance website has some policies marked as "HSA eligible" but not all the high deductible policies are.

I have an HSA eligible policy and am setting up the HSA separately with www.hsaadministrators.com/ T-Al uses them and seems to have had a positive experience. Their fees are lower than most and you can put your HSA money in Vanguard funds.

 

[wabmester]

Thanks for the replies. I'll plan to give it at least 60 days!

Did y'all set up HSAs at the same time or do that seperately - are they tied together? the einsurance website has some policies marked as "HSA eligible" but not all the high deductible policies are.

Shiny, I signed up for an indivdual policy with Regence Blue Shield in my first month of retirement. It was less expensive than the COBRA I was offered. When Regence raised their rates by some double-digit percentage, I went shopping.

Ended up with an HSA-eligible policy from these guys:

KPS

Good coverage (including Seattle, I believe), and good rates. They don't lock you into any specific financial institution for the HSA.

 

[sailor]

About 50 days for DW and DS with Kaiser.

 

[tryan]

Took us 2 months with BC/BS. That includes 1 lost application on thier part.

Also want to know when the employer bennies END. My Megacorp provided 30 days coverage - at no charge - with the severence package. Then COBRA covers another 60 window to allow time for people to switch coverage.