Field Trip No. 2: Lobbying in Olympia

I get my health insurance through a very expensive plan in Washington state, a high-risk pool for people like me who health insurance companies refuse to insure.

This plan, the Washington State Health Insurance Pool, or WSHIP, has a couple of problems: One is the high premiums, which are determined by age and not prorated by income. So, even though my income (from Social Security disability and child support) is only about $2,600/month, I pay more than $700 a month for my health insurance premium. Ouch!

Because the premiums are so high, many, if not most, of the people this plan was designed to insure cannot afford it, and they are without health insurance.

The other big problem is that there is a cap on benefits of $1 million. Now, that may sound like a lot of money, and it is, but it doesn’t buy a lot of health care in today’s market, especially cancer care.

I have been on the plan only since 2003, and as of February 19, WSHIP has paid out $740,756.76 toward my lifetime max of $1 million.

My care costs more than $300,000 a year, or about $30,000 a month, so I calculate that I will hit that cap before the end of the calendar year.

I applied for Social Security disability in January 2006, so I should be eligible for Medicare starting in January of next year, but there is a gap there of several months (at $30,000/month) that I have no way to bridge.

I’m not poor enough for Medicaid (incredible, but true). I’m also not poor enough for Basic Health, the other state plan designed to help the otherwise-uninsured working poor.

Read more:

So What to Do?

WSHIP Is a Failure

@ Jeanne Sather 2007.

Feb. 18-24 Is National Blank Greeting Cards Week.

Comments

[Carrie]

Jeanne, come to Canada. I so wish I could adopt you. Of course you probably don't want to move, much less being physically up to all that entails.

I cannot believe what it's costing you for insurance and for care. This is horrifying and i'm just reading about it...I can't imagine how it is to have to deal with all of that while undergoing treatment.

I'm keeping you in my thoughts and hoping for some good news on this front for you. {{Hug}}

[Jeanne]

Carrie--I would love to live in Canada, but I don't think the government would let me in!

Thanks for the hug and the good thoughts. Moving would be a big ordeal, but actually I'm thinking of moving to Hawaii by the end of the year if I can get my health insurance muddle sorted out.

Jeanne