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President 2008
Although I like Obama in some ways, I'm not supporting him for president at the moment--because he fails on one of my most important policy issues, health care. He's not committed to universal health care (forcing everyone to buy into the system in some way) and hasn't, as far as I know, proposed a way for more people to get it, other than universal children's insurance.
There's a lot of good things about the US health care system (it tends to get a universally negative portrayal in the UK, a la Sicko) but the insurance market, especially for people not covered through their jobs, is a mess. I was looking into buying individual insurance to cover us until Neil gets a job. If we go uncovered for more than 60 days, it has implications for pre-existing conditions.
New York is a funny state. The individual insurance market is tightly regulated. All plans have to offer 2 options (basically, HMO is more restrictive, POS you can see anyone you like) at a uniform rate based on your area of residence. They cannot reject you for any reason other than not living in the service area (e.g. Nassau-Suffolk is one area). These are the only options available on the free insurance market. It's fair and transparent, but it's insanely expensive: http://www.ins.state.ny.us/hmorates/html/hmonassa.htm
(Don't be fooled by HIP's cheap rate--it's terrible insurance!)
If you're low enough income you can get insurance through HealthyNY, but we don't qualify--max of $3,667/mo for a family of 3, and it will be complicated because we're coming from abroad.
I was told to look into incorporating and getting small business insurance, but I seem to remember that when my parents looked into that they needed a certain number of employees. Of course if my parents want to change to self-insuring through my dad's business we could go through them, but I can't ask them to do that.
It's just crazy. And that's only the individual market. Most people get it through their employers. Cheaper, but you're stuck with whatever your employer wants to make available, which is neither fair nor efficient. I think that insurance should be decoupled from employment. Make employers contribute to the cost, sure; that's done everywhere. But it would be fairer to both individuals and companies, since as it stands companies that are good to their employees are put at a disadvantage over companies (like Wal-Mart) which aren't.
There's a lot of good things about the US health care system (it tends to get a universally negative portrayal in the UK, a la Sicko) but the insurance market, especially for people not covered through their jobs, is a mess. I was looking into buying individual insurance to cover us until Neil gets a job. If we go uncovered for more than 60 days, it has implications for pre-existing conditions.
New York is a funny state. The individual insurance market is tightly regulated. All plans have to offer 2 options (basically, HMO is more restrictive, POS you can see anyone you like) at a uniform rate based on your area of residence. They cannot reject you for any reason other than not living in the service area (e.g. Nassau-Suffolk is one area). These are the only options available on the free insurance market. It's fair and transparent, but it's insanely expensive: http://www.ins.state.ny.us/hmorates/html/hmonassa.htm
(Don't be fooled by HIP's cheap rate--it's terrible insurance!)
If you're low enough income you can get insurance through HealthyNY, but we don't qualify--max of $3,667/mo for a family of 3, and it will be complicated because we're coming from abroad.
I was told to look into incorporating and getting small business insurance, but I seem to remember that when my parents looked into that they needed a certain number of employees. Of course if my parents want to change to self-insuring through my dad's business we could go through them, but I can't ask them to do that.
It's just crazy. And that's only the individual market. Most people get it through their employers. Cheaper, but you're stuck with whatever your employer wants to make available, which is neither fair nor efficient. I think that insurance should be decoupled from employment. Make employers contribute to the cost, sure; that's done everywhere. But it would be fairer to both individuals and companies, since as it stands companies that are good to their employees are put at a disadvantage over companies (like Wal-Mart) which aren't.
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Child Health Plus might be able to cover Aliza until Neil gets a job but I don't know what other options you have.. did you look at Family Health Plus?
I think Paul went without for a couple of months until he got a job and I was still covered under my parents.
Assuming you're moving back to LI, did you check out the chamber of commerce?
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As well as not wanting to take the risk (and sometimes work insurance takes a few months to kick in) I'm worried about pre-existing conditions exclusions if we let our coverage lapse for too long.
Didn't think about calling the chamber of commerce - not sure what they can do though since New York's insurance market is so regulated.
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Child health plus has income limits too.