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Diane Said:

Medical Insurance and Pre-existing Conditions?

We Answered:

Usaully pre-existing conditions are judged by insurance companies. Gov, is involved in certain states. Please visit this website.
www.healthsavings.ourperfectcard.com
I signed up online 3 years ago, along with my work benefits and they had my benefits active in 2 hours and accept all pre-existing conditions without a medical history check or a phisical. They have saved me thousands of dollars on all of my procedures, test etc...
Good Luck, hope this helps.

Tammy Said:

COBRA insurance and pre-existing medical conditions?

We Answered:

The best way to get clarification may be to contact the new insurance carrier or the new employer and see what their terms are. The reason the new company would cover without a gap is because you would show a COCC (certificate of credible coverage) and this would prove you have had ongoing insurance.
The rule is no more than a 63 day lapse in coverage from one insurance to the next. Some insurance companies use your 'hire date' with the new company not the start date of the insurance for this.
Example:
Your old insurance ended 06/01
You started your new company 07/01
Your insurnace doesn't start till 10/01
You would only have a 30 day lapse.
However, some insurance companies may use the start date of the insurance and not your time with the company.
If this is the case, then if you don't elect COBRA during at least one of those three months, your new insurance company would not be waiving any part of the preexisting waiting period, and you would have to wait until that time is up for treatment of any preexisting condition. If that is the case, you may want to have COBRA for enough time to make sure you don't have more than a 63 day lapse in coverage.

Glen Said:

Does anyone know how the pre-existing medical conditions work in Singapore?

We Answered:

That is why Americans are very stupid who oppose Obama heath care proposals. Insurance companies do all the cherry picking and those with pre-existing illness are not entitled for the illness affected. Not only that it only a matter of time people become uninsured temporarily when they switch jobs for example or are laid off. Then any illness suffered prior to that become pre-existing illness and you are denied cover. Insurance companies run scams even on co-payment. Let say your insurance is renewed in April. In March you have an operation and a follow up treatment in May. You only need to make copayment once since its only 2 months apart but the insurance company tells you need to make 2 copayments as its a policy renewal. Singapore Insurance companies follow exactly the same scams and of course the Singapore Government allows them to get away. People opt for cheap health care but now cheap option is only allowed for people who have to go through certain means test first. The rest of the citizens are forced to sip expensive lattes at Starbucks in Tan Tock Seng Hospital and pay exorbitant amount for private wards. Non-subsidized medicines and stuffs like syringes are even more expensive than what private doctors charges. The whole aim is not to help citizens save on health care but to suck them dry. Its not corruption but it is just as immoral. Asian people are fatalistic and quietly die when health costs becomes unaffordable. Americans scam the insurance system for the most expensive treatments they entitle themselves to not knowing the system scams them instead. I suggest in your case, get your current US insurer to extent cover for overseas treatment, this way there is no break and you would not be denied your old insurance plan when you return back to USA. Buy whatever you can get from local insurers, its cheap even though it does not cover a lot of stuffs plus co-payment.

Pauline Said:

What are the guidelines for pre-existing medical conditions and changing medical insurance?

We Answered:

This is a question for the HR department at the job he intends to go to.

Normally, companies (and their insurance carriers) have "open enrollments" at set times during the year. This means that you will be added to insurance coverage as if you had it all along.

However, a lot of companies have probation periods in which you are ineligible for full benefits pending the successful completion of you probation.

Your friend needs to sit down with the HR/Health Insurance specialist to see when he will be eligible for benefits and whether or not his daughter will be subject to a pre-existing condition clause (normally exists for 1 year).

He should also check into COBRA. It's expensive, but he may be able to extend his current insurance while serving his probationary period or while waiting for open enrollment.

Best of luck.