Guaranteed Healthcare

Diagnosed with Bladder Cancer in 2005. Went through 3 years of treatments and must have recurrent cysto's every 3 months for rest of my life to assure no recurrence (Bladder Cancer has high rate of recurrence and usually comes back with vengeance). Husband and I are both consultants in the health care industry. I work with the insurance companies daily negotiating provider contracts for physicians.

I continued on Cobra for the 18 months, then once that was over, no health plan will accept me. My husband and I both work so I can't qualify for Arizona's AHCCCS (Medicaid) system. I can't even get insurance with a cancer rider. Now I am paying for my quarterly cystograms & lab work out of pocket.

My doctor has negotiated a cash-pay discount for the cysto's at $250 per scope, but the lab won't negotiate, so I'm paying $1,100 every 3 months for the pre-scope lab work. Three years of chemo has deteriorated my bladder muscles, I have severe muscle aches, and the chemo sent me into early menopause (which also requires medication & blood work). I had a collapsed esophagus due to reflux (side effect of chemo) & colon problems to boot.

My only option is to go to work for a large employer. However, how do I devote to an employer with an understanding that my health fluctuates daily? I can't keep a full time job due to the up & down days. I have two young (10 & 12) daughters that I would like to see grow up, but I can't continue to put a financial burden on our family with all my medical expenses.

What does anyone do in this situation? Insurance companies hold the bag. They charge more in premiums every year, pay the physicians & providers less, deny more claims & cancel more policies. But a CEO of a health plan can bankrupt the company and walk away a billionaire. Even the provider reps that I work with every day get claims denied by the very employer they work for. My husband just found out that his cholesterol is high and Humana increased his premium 40%. He has a HSA plan, so now he has high deductibles and a high premium. We have been getting quotes from other plans and they will only write him with a rider for the cholesterol. Just gets better everyday!