Buying insurance

[Turtles]

Hi, sorry if I'm breaking the rules. I made a post earlier but it got deleted or something and I wasn't notified why. So, my situation is I haven't really had insurance for a year now. I had insurance through my work sporadically until I got laid off. I recently tested with one of those anonymous tests and tested positive. My question is if I should go for insurance and get tested and get treated or if I should just try and go for government assistance. I don't really want to go on government assistance and take up treatment from someone that is less fortunate than me. Would the insurance company deny me? Should I just go on government assistnce until the insurance companies accept pre-existing conditions?

[Ann]

Turtles,

Yes, your first post was deleted because you did indeed break our rules. It's not our fault that you neglected to read out posting rules before posting.

Here's your first post:

Hi poz members, I'm new to this board and had a quick question. I haven't tested so I don't know my status, but I'm almost sure Im positive. The problem is I don't have health insurance and haven't had it for about 3 years. If I were to get health insurance and tested positive, would they kick me off due to a health insurance gap, or call up my doctor to determine if it were a pre-existing condition? I really have no clue as to what they would do. Or does anyone have any other suggestions to get treatment, I could provide more info if it is needed.

The only forums a person who doesn't accurately know their hiv status is allowed to post are the Am I Infected?, Someone I Care About and to a certain extent, the Off Topic forums. The OT forum is ONLY for subjects that have nothing to do with hiv, and the Someone forum is ONLY for people who are posting on behalf of an hiv positive loved one.

Your post fits best in the Am I Infected? forum because you do not yet accurately know your hiv status.

If you did actually test in between your first post and your recent post, you need to know a few things.

Sometimes rapid hiv antibody test can return false positive results. You need further testing to determine whether or not you are actually hiv positive.

You cannot be considered to be hiv positive until you have had further confirmatory testing.

Assuming you really did test in the time between your first (deleted) post and your second post, you need to have your positive result confirmed or ruled out by a test called a Western Blot.

You can find testing places near you where you can get this sorted out by putting your zip code into our Health Services Directory.

Until such time as you accurately know your true hiv status, there is no point in members taking time to explain the ins and outs of health insurance and/or programs available to un or under insured hiv positive individuals. You're putting the cart before the horse.

Until such time as you have your hiv status confirmed one way or the other, I'm moving your thread into the Am I Infected? forum. It sounds to me as though you actually haven't yet tested but are still simply assuming you're hiv positive.

Please be aware that here in the Am I Infected forum, you only have two free posts left so I urge you to use them wisely.

As it sound to me like you haven't actually ever tested but are only assuming you're hiv positive, you need to test. It would help us to help you if you tell us WHY you "assume" you're hiv positive.

Please let us know 1) why you think you've been at risk, 2) how long after the perceived risk you tested (if you did really test) and 3) what are your plans for confirmatory testing. A lack of insurance should not be a barrier to confirmatory testing.

Ann

[Turtles]

It was about 3 years ago, preformed anal and the condom broke. I just tested a couple of days ago with a quick swab, but I'm sure with the symptoms that I have I already knew, constant diarrhea, seborrheic dermatitis, hair falling out, receding gums, foliculitis. All things I never had before yet showed up about two years ago. Anyways, I have a  home access kit on the way. I know I might be jumping the gun but it would be better to plan ahead a nd have insurance and a fallback, than none at all. I'm sorry for the mix up, I just wanted to know before I accually get tested to see if the insurance company would base the infection date on when I got tested or have the doctor provide an estimate of when I got infected.

[jkinatl2]

It was about 3 years ago, preformed anal and the condom broke. I just tested a couple of days ago with a quick swab, but I'm sure with the symptoms that I have I already knew, constant diarrhea, seborrheic dermatitis, hair falling out, receding gums, foliculitis. All things I never had before yet showed up about two years ago. Anyways, I have a  home access kit on the way. I know I might be jumping the gun but it would be better to plan ahead a nd have insurance and a fallback, than none at all. I'm sorry for the mix up, I just wanted to know before I accually get tested to see if the insurance company would base the infection date on when I got tested or have the doctor provide an estimate of when I got infected.

If you were the insertive partner in this event then the chance of contracting HIV are remote. Not impossible, but remote. You have waited this long, why not wait until you get a confirmation before we start discussing insurance issues.

Write back when your test results return.