Jen M asked:
I have a form of lymphoma cancer and have been paying for my own insurance while laid off. My new employer offers medical insurance, but I am afraid to cancel my existing insurance until I know for sure that I will not be denied by my new employer. I live in Michigan (if it matters).
I think it depends on how many members your new employer’s plan covers; over a certain number, I think they have to cover you…
The decision about coverage should not depend on your employer, but your employer’s insurance company may deny coverage due to your preexisting condition. (extremely unfair, but as you know, it does happen).
Talk with your employer and try to find out how the insurance company deals with preexisting conditions (Ask your employer to call the company, or check the company’s website) before you cancel your current insurance.
I live in PA and did not have trouble getting coverage from my employer’s insurance company, even though I have a birth defect. I do not know what the situation is in your state.
Personally, I understand (financially), but disagree with, the use of “preexisting conditions” as reason to deny coverage, because, using birth defects as an example, it is not the person’s fault that they have that condition.
talk with your pending insurance company and find out if they would cover it. if you have continous coverage(no break between insurances) they may cover you. normally when you have a break in insurance it is then pre existing. but talk to your pending insurance to find out for sure.
Depends upon the specific rules for your employer’s policy.
I would not cancel your current insurance until you are 100% positive that you are covered by your new employer. I also would not say anything at all about your current cancer diagnosis to your new employer until any probationary employment period was up and you were a full time employee with benefits.
Whether you are covered also depends upon the size of the company you work for and whether the insurer has any clause concerning pre-existing conditions. Most large employers do not have a pre existing condition clause but many small employers will have – due to the very high cost of having even one or two employees with a pre-existing cancer condition potentially running the insurance costs way up for a small self insured company. HR could give you a copy of your company insurance plan but make sure your probationary period is up before asking for a copy.
It is always better to have too much insurance rather than not enough – even if it costs you a couple thousand bucks to make sure you do not fall through the ***** of being uninsured and dealing with cancer. Falling into the no medical insurance ***** with any serious health problem in this day and age the can quickly cause you to soon be facing bankruptcy or worse.
good luck