Finding Insurance

[dr.chance]

Hello all.  This is my first post, so sorry if it's in the wrong place.
My partner and I are having difficulty finding affordable health insurance. We've check with ASO and even called around - no one seems to know.
We feel at a loss on how to go about it.  We're about 200/mo. above the line. for free/health department use.  COBRA coverage is 1200/month and we can't get insurance until we've exhausted that option.  Anyone know of legal aid or poz friendly health insurance companies in Virginia?

[bearby]

 Getting health insurance after being  diagnosed as poz is a near impossibility ( of not completely impossible ).
 Beacuse of the costs assiocated with being poz ( ie:
 labs every so many months, Meds et al ) most health insurance companies will not touch a poz person I know this for fact since I almost lost my life insurance beacuse they thought that my diagnosis of poz was determined before the policy was issued thereby making a fradulent policy beacuse when it came to the health questionare even tho I had not as of the time of the policy issue know about my status they thought that I knew  I ws and tried to cancel the policy under the guise of fraud .

[achim-martin]

This is not a big help for american infected guys, but as an information for europeans it might be of some use:  In most countries the public healthinsurance covers all costs. Depending on the country, some more some less.
For example does France give Interleukin II for restoration and support of the immunesystem, while Germany claims it wouldn'T work and does not pay for it. (the truth is of course, they don'T want to pay for it) But at least they cover HAART costs.
Here in Spain you get that social care automatically by getting a resident number. So in case any of you don'T get treatment in your country for any reason, come to Spain, apply for a resident number (just go to the Police and get the paper, thats all) With that number you can go directly to a clinic or hospital and they treat everyone without bothering.

For the Netherlands I have read, that even life insurances start accepting long term survivors who have good blood-figures!

For americans I can only suggest to try to put that on the election-agenda of Obamas campaign. Your country won't fall to poverty if it would cover those costs!

[Miss Philicia]

Can you be a bit more specific with what you posted.  Are you stating that you have the COBRA option but that you can't afford it?  And you state that you went to an ASO but "no one seems to know" -- what exactly does this mean?  How hard did you push them?  What exactly did they say?

I know where I live that there exists places (clinics) for medical treatment for those of us who fall through the crack, but you live in Virginia, not Philadelphia, so that's not much help for you.

I don't understand why you're not opting for the COBRA coverage if you're looking for insurance, and until you clear that up I don't see how this post is very clear in what your problem is.

[dr.chance]

The COBRA option is twice the price of our rent.  The ASO offices don't know anyone/any company that can offer insurance to HIV poz individuals.  The only insurance we can find offers us a 50% discount on Truvada and Viracept.  The problem (in addition to the $1200 a month insurance payment) is of course, that with the discount, the medicines are an additional $600 or $700 a month.  Anyway... I hope that helps.  The ASO in Virginia will completely cover meds and labs if we made $200/mo. less.

[madbrain]

Hi,

Hello all.  This is my first post, so sorry if it's in the wrong place.
My partner and I are having difficulty finding affordable health insurance. We've check with ASO and even called around - no one seems to know.
We feel at a loss on how to go about it.  We're about 200/mo. above the line. for free/health department use.  COBRA coverage is 1200/month and we can't get insurance until we've exhausted that option.  Anyone know of legal aid or poz friendly health insurance companies in Virginia?

Assuming your partner and yourself are not married, did you try to qualify for free health department insurance separately ? Your respective incomes should not be counted together by the health department. Perhaps you would qualify that way ?
If that doesn't work, it may be worth it to try to reduce your work hours so that your income is also reduced by $200/month, causing you to qualify.