News & Record, Greensboro, N.C., Janice Carmac column
My husband and I are in our 40s, and we have two daughters, Harmony, 10, and Zoë, 13.
We are not eligible for health insurance through our workplaces.
Purchasing health insurance and dealing with the health-insurance companies has been an ongoing hassle for us, particularly because Zoë is a Type 1 diabetic.
Before
We paid
Whenever a blood glucose strip read "error" -- something that happens frequently when a small child is checking her sugar -- I wanted to cry.
We tried to switch insurance companies but were denied because of her pre-existing condition.
Through the years, the rest of us experienced frustrations, as well.
When my husband had a physical, his first in more than 10 years, we learned that Coventry did not cover physicals. I think the final tab for that physical was more than
I used to think that if I ever found a lump in my breast, I would ignore it. My children would be better off if I was dead than financially impoverished by medical expenses.
Though we went outside the marketplace in 2014, we didn't see a lot of difference moneywise. Zoë's monthly premium with
We purchased a gold plan for her through
The rest of us stayed with our grandfathered high-deductible plan with
We got a letter from BCBS last fall informing us that Zoë's plan would rise to
That's more than
So I thought that I would take a look at the health care website again.
I was amazed at how quickly it worked. It took about an hour to fill out the online application.
With the tax credit, our gold plan will cost
It's not optimal, of course. My husband keeps asking, "So when is the affordable part of the Affordable Care Act going to kick in?"
I don't know the answer.
But if I find a lump in my breast, I just might go to the doctor.
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