My recent note to PA's Arlen Specter to encourage him to step up...
Dear Senator Specter,
I recently left a job (which provided quality health insurance for my family) to join our family's small business in Washington DC. Since then, I've struggled to secure an affordable health insurance plan for my wife, myself and our 10-month old son.
A decent group plan from United Health Care (UHC) listed premiums, initially, at just over $1,000/month. After we applied, they rated us and so our quoted premiums jumped to nearly $2.2k/month (over $26,000/year). Although we couldn't afford it, we picked up this plan anyway (at least for the short-term) just to ensure we had coverage that couldn't be denied.
It's awful to feel pressured to buy a "life essential" that you can't afford because you fear it might be your only option. It's the sort of thing that breaks the back of small business owners and working families who aren't blessed with employer-provided insurance or personal riches.
Since picking up this cost-prohibitive plan, I've tried to apply for some more affordable individual plans...
Please read on for how well that worked. Not!
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