? for Arizona members -- no state health ins. pool?

[Marguerite53]

Hello all. And especially anyone who knows about the state of Arizona.

Here in Oregon we have a state run high-risk health insurance pool for those who cannot get health insurance from private companies. It is expensive, but for those of us who are unemployed and not yet old enough to be eligible for Medicare and whose Cobra is about to run out ..... there is the option of this state run insurance pool.

Hubby and I are considering retiring to a warmer, dryer clime and Arizona is certainly that! But it appears that there are no options for people like me who cannot (as of yet, anyway) buy health insurance due to the heart valve replacement (or pre-existing condition).

I would appreciate it if anyone knows more than we have been able to discern from our google research. Are we missing something?

Thanks!

Marguerite

 

[Dennis S]

Marguerite--Why don't you check out New Mexico--Last time I checked, we had a pretty good state insurance pool for people. I am going out on a limb here, but I think they might have had a lifetime out of pocket limit. (But I wouldn't swear to it.) At any rate I remember thinking it wasn't half bad. Besides, Arizona would be awfully hot for someone from Oregon.

 

[Lynlw]

There is a list somewhere that has all the states that have the high risk pool, I'm pretty sure NJ isn't on it last time I looked and I seem to remember only about 1/2 the states offer it. I wish all states had it, since I always worry about Justin being able to have insurance when he is off ours.

Here is one of the sites that list the states, I don't know how update it is, but Az is not one of them http://www.healthinsurance.org/risk_pools/

Here is a better link it has a chart with info about each states plan rules/ waiting periods ect (there are 29 states)http://www.cobrahealth.com/statehighriskpools.html

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Come south to Texas..!

Come south to Texas..!

Marguerite - We're going to vie for your retirement in our elective states and I'm gonna put my 2 cents worth in for a Texas hill country retirement..!!

We took the Christmas lights down today and we were in shorts.. Gotta love the weather here.

I have first hand knowledge of the Texas High Risk Pool insurance since I was on it for almost 10 years. I automatically qualified because I have an "artificial heart valve". Here's the website: http://www.txhealthpool.com/

It's administered by BCBS and my premium was less than half of what it would have been on a private policy. Also important is to make sure the state you choose is accepting new enrollments -- Texas does.

Also, we have no state income tax..

 

[Dennis S]

Texas is a state well worth looking at. One thing that was important to Barb and I was the travel time invested in getting to the closest commercial airport. There were some tempting places in southern New Mexico, but we anticipated a fair amount of air travel (going to see the kids, and having them come to see us). We decided that a drive of 2 hours or less to the airport was non-negotiable.

 

[ShezaGirlie]

Right on Dennis..! That's why we planted ourselves here 35 minutes from San Antonio International Airport and 50 minutes from Austin International Airport.

 

[catwoman]

Right on Dennis..! That's why we planted ourselves here 35 minutes from San Antonio International Airport and 50 minutes from Austin International Airport.

Some call the Texas Hill Country "God's country."

 

[Jkm7]

Though I live in Massachusetts, we were in Texas with the Military early in our marriage and loved the state. It is definitely a state in which we would consider retirement. We very much enjoyed our time there.

 

[Marguerite53]

Thanks Ya'll!

Dennis, my husband is very interested in Albuquerque and we love Santa Fe; we have read about your state insurance pool and while expensive, I think, it is available. Your "needing to be close to airports" comment is a definite consideration for us also because we have no idea where our 3 kids are gonna land (in their 20's now) and we want to remain the home base where everyone comes for the holidays and such. We've visited both Phoenix and Tucson and I survived (well, heck, it was February once, heavenly!) but I know.... it would be pretty hot for me.

Janie. So cute!! Um, my husband is bound and determined to get me to Marfa!!!!! (it holds some cultural fascination for him) Too remote for me. I like your ideas. I have not actually visited Texas. Perhaps it is time! I will send him to the link for the insurance pool -- thanks. Washington state has no income tax. We could move across the mighty Columbia River (20 minutes away) and be without that -- many do live like that here in the Portland Metro area. But, their state insurance pool apparently has quite a waiting list.

Marsha -- okay, Texas hill country.... I guess that means that there are parts of Texas that are not flat? It would be hard for me to give up my mountainous Northwest, so that's good to know!

Lyn, thanks for the links. My husband mentioned that he had one saved, but I bet he doesnt' have this other one with the waiting periods and such. Thank you very much for that.

My great-grandparents came by wagon train from Kansas to Oregon back in the mid 1800's. I didn't get to grow up here, but I moved out as soon as I realized I could! I love it here. If I never leave, I'm fine with that. But I also want to be open to other ideas, too. It's fun to do the gathering! And with the internet you can look up skadillions of homes and dream and dream!!! We just want to be sure we're "shopping" in a somewhat logical way.

Marguerite

 

[Lionheart]

Marguerite
You mentioned in your first post that the high-risk health insurance pool in Oregon was expensive. If you don't mind me asking, how much is it for one person per month?

Best of luck with your search for that perfect place.

John

 

[Cris N]

Oh,yes, there are hills in Texas Hill Country. Another special are is East Texas - such as Tyler- some hills and piney woods.

 

[Marguerite53]

Marguerite
You mentioned in your first post that the high-risk health insurance pool in Oregon was expensive. If you don't mind me asking, how much is it for one person per month?

Best of luck with your search for that perfect place.

John

John, my husband did all the calculating and says that there are enough plans or ways to go about this that it would be best to just send you to the website. It's Oregon Medical Insurance Pool or www.omip.state.or.us

And then so much for the perfect "other" place. It was our 29th wedding anniversary yesterday and we went out for a late lunch, tooled around the "high cool factor" downtown neighborhood, happened upon an open house for condos and now we're thinking about downsizing (dramatically -- 2700 sq ft to 1200!!!). We have been entertaining this notion for several years (ah, well HE has been entertaining this notion more) and I guess I'm willing to give up "the old homestead" notion for a great inner city "lock and leave" kind of place. But ugh. How do you decide what to keep and what to chuck? A lot of stuff!!!

In a way, it's nice to have that youthful feeling of, gee, where can we live now? New explorlations, new "digs", etc. etc. In a way.......

Whatever!!

Marguerite

 

[Dennis S]

I bet I have the record for downsizing. Barb and I went from 12 closets to two! Guess which one of us got the big closet? Hint--the big closet went to the slim one.

By the way--life seems better with only 2 closets. You will love it if that's what you decide to do.

 

[james]

All I know is that Oregon is the most beautiful state in the union and if you want dryer climate Bend is the obvious choice. Easy solution. You get to keep what you already have. (yet i know it gets a bit colder in the winter but, it is a dry cold for the most part compared to the valley.

 

[Marguerite53]

All I know is that Oregon is the most beautiful state in the union and if you want dryer climate Bend is the obvious choice. Easy solution. You get to keep what you already have. (yet i know it gets a bit colder in the winter but, it is a dry cold for the most part compared to the valley.

You're right!! And we are considering Bend, actually! So much sunnier, too. But there is SO MUCH housing for sale there right now it's a little worrisome. So much uncertainty everywhere. Portland is a thriving place -- second "greenest" city in the world by some accounts. A good place!

If you're familiar with Portland, we're not talking Pearl District ( $$$), but Laurelhurst area, SE. Everything within walking distance, bus nearby, etc. etc.. We're old!! late 50's. We need to think less driving; smaller footprint, etc.. I'm not a bicyclist, but that is always a wonderful option downtown here in Cycle City as well.

Marguerite

 

[Marguerite53]

I bet I have the record for downsizing. Barb and I went from 12 closets to two! Guess which one of us got the big closet? Hint--the big closet went to the slim one.

By the way--life seems better with only 2 closets. You will love it if that's what you decide to do.

In our house, HE would need the most closet for his clothes, I would need the most for my "stuff".

Honestly, Dennis. I need an instruction manual!!!! Have you missed any of your stuff??? Do you have a storage unit somewhere? Did you have the "mother of all garage sales"?

I do think it would be a somewhat honorable thing to do, though, in so many ways. It took me 6 months to go through all my father's stuff when he moved out of his house (of course it was close by). Why would I want my 3 kids to have to go through all that?

Okay, off to start some lists!!!

Marguerite

 

[river-wear]

Hi Marguerite,

It looks like you've gotten a lot of helpful answers already, but here's one more site that is a good resource for your questions:

http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparetable.jsp?ind=353&cat=7

 

[Dennis S]

Hey Marguerite--Here is the secret to that kind of garage sale. Let's say someone comes up with a particular item that is priced for $3.00. As they get ready to pay, you ask (in the most friendly, engaging voice you can muster) if they like to bargain. Even before you get the answer you can tell them that, although this item is $3.00, they can have it for $1.00 if they also take these (pick at random) additional 4 items for free. That's the kind of thinking that gets a boring job done!

 

[Marguerite53]

Hi Marguerite,

It looks like you've gotten a lot of helpful answers already, but here's one more site that is a good resource for your questions:

http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparetable.jsp?ind=353&cat=7

Thank you Michele. That is a great link!!!

Dennis --- you are clever!!!! I may try that!! In the past we just truck the leftovers to GoodWill. Easier to let someone else take it away!!!

Thanks.

Marguerite