United Brachial Plexus Network

Can someone please point me in the right direction to find the law that was passed a few years ago that says an insurance company in the states can't deny you coverage for a pre-existing condition if you have never had a lapse in coverage for that condition?

A link I could print would be great.

My new job messed up my insurance converage and now I'm told I can't get any treatment for my BPI till 11/02. Needless to say I'm very upset and ready to flood them with stacks and stacks of documention in appeal. It seems like the only way to get things done in this country when the insurance people goof.

Thanks

Ryan - how about a patient advocacy organization?

http://www.patientadvocate.org/

maybe these people can help you?

good luck,
francine

ps- I will ask my attorneys for you, too.

here's another link...

http://home.patientaccess.com/pac/

there were a few that might be helpful...on my resources page...maybe check there for more ok?

www.injurednewborn.com/resources.html

good luck!
francine

Thanks for the reply Francine.

I'm not at the point yet of having to bring in others as they don't even know they made an error. Am just trying to make sure they fully understand the error they made so they can quickly correct it. It seems like you need the largest bat when you go after the insurance companies so am trying to get enough documentation to hit them with so they can't hit back.

I found this site:
http://www.insure.com/health/hipaa.html

It contains the following...

HIPAA imposes limits on the extent to which some health plans can exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions. For instance, if you've had "creditable" health insurance for 12 straight months, with no lapse in coverage of 63 days or more, and you switch to a new group health plan, it cannot invoke the pre-existing condition exclusion at all. It must cover your medical problems as soon as you enroll in the plan. (Newborns and adopted children who are covered within 30 days are not subject to the 12-month waiting period.)

My problem is the last company I was with was around less then 12 months after I got there, which caused the confusion. (this does not reflect on my work and it was not my fault

Which is exactly what I was looking for. For those of you who may be on hard times because of the decline in our economy you may want to remember the above. If you are without coverage for 63 days then you have to wait 12 months to get coverage for a pre-existing condition. COBRA payments are horrid but may be worth it.