Amy – it’s highly unlikely that either of them would mess with COBRA, at least not without replacing it with something else…there are too many people who rely on it. In California, though, you’re also protected by CalCobra, which (to simplify things a bit) acts like an additional layer on top of Federal Cobra and extends it out to 36 months. We also have the MrMIP plan, which is guaranteed issue (with some exceptions) to people that have been declined by an individual health plan and haven’t voluntary terminated other coverage.

And then there’s the Federal HIPAA legislation which requires health insurance companies that sell to individuals to offer at least two plans to people whose Cobra has expired or been involuntary lost. Those plans can be expensive, but they’re standard plans with (generally) a decent level of benefits.

There’s a non-profit foundation that runs a website designed to help uninsured people sort out free and low cost coverage options…there’s a questionnaire that will tell you what local, state or federal programs you can qualify for… Check out http://www.coverageforall.org for more info.

Note: The standard disclaimer applies…none of this is legal advice. You need to consult an attorney or a qualified benefits specialist if you have questions about your specific situation.

I was on COBRA a few years ago and then paid my own insurance premiums for a year or two and I never came close to spending $5,000 unless you count the year that I spent a week in a hospital after a bad bout of the flu.

Right now I have a very inexpensive health plan through my university employer, but the prescription copay is ridiculously high and uses some percentage rate which means I pay for almost half of my supplies. That still doesn’t take me much above $1,000 if it even goes that far.

I suppose you are using some of the newest treatments which insurance companies may balk the most at paying for which is probably part of the problem, but it might be worth checking out what other plans are available.

Anyone who reads this blog regularly has surely figured out that I’m voting for Obama

Amy, you should have the guts to say what is very clear, Obama’s plan is better for this community. It is painfull to see you dodge this fact, and it has forced me to question whether you care more about losing some readers than you do about being a strong advocate for diabetics. I am not trying to be rude or offencive and I have a lot of respect for Amy’s opinions. I guess that is why this bothered me enough to write this comment on my phone as I’m reading in bed about to go to sleep.