AHands
Distinguished member
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2007
- Messages
- 206
- Reason
- PALS
- Country
- US
- State
- NC
- City
- Carrboro
i finally talked to HR about going on disability. it sounds like i can keep my family on cigna insurance using corba for $1600 / month, or keep myself on cigna for $ 600 / month and buy a policy elsewhere for my family. the advantage of staying with cigna / corba for myself is that they would cover als, as its not a pre-existing condition to that policy. blue cross/shield quotes $ 400 - $ 1400 / month for the family, as a "base" rate, without any knowledge of my current status--not really, officially, technically diagnosed'ed, although they're writing me rx's coded "335.20" (als).
i guess the major expenses i'm looking at down the line are:
- powered wheelchair ($500 - $3000),
- peg ($2000)
- bipap ($2000?)
- rilutek ($900/month)
- lithium and blood pressure (minimal?)
plus some home care.
i guess it makes sense to stay on corba for myself and something else for family, but...considering that conventional western medicine (that insurance will cover) seems to offer little or nothing, i'm not sure that staying insured is worth it. if i'm willing to quit rilutek, it sounds like i might as well pay for the rest out of pocket instead of paying insurance premiums.
also, if i sign up for blue-cross/shield, and my als is denied as a pre-existing, would that only be for 12 months?
i guess the major expenses i'm looking at down the line are:
- powered wheelchair ($500 - $3000),
- peg ($2000)
- bipap ($2000?)
- rilutek ($900/month)
- lithium and blood pressure (minimal?)
plus some home care.
i guess it makes sense to stay on corba for myself and something else for family, but...considering that conventional western medicine (that insurance will cover) seems to offer little or nothing, i'm not sure that staying insured is worth it. if i'm willing to quit rilutek, it sounds like i might as well pay for the rest out of pocket instead of paying insurance premiums.
also, if i sign up for blue-cross/shield, and my als is denied as a pre-existing, would that only be for 12 months?