Question:
Do insurance company's or employers drop you because of expensive medical procedures you have had?

Had surgery in October... I work for a company with over 75,000 employess worldwide. When I had my surgery, it was during the time in which we were doing our benefits enrollment for the following year. I had BC/BS at the time and they paid for my surgery without a second thought or question. However, when I signed up for my benefits for 2001, I was told that my zip code was out of BC/BS area. I have Cigna and they cover the same service area as BC/BS. Do insurance company's or employers drop you because of expensive medical procedures you have had over the year. I liked BC/BS and wanted to stay on with their benefits. One of the things I like was not needing a referral but now I have to get one through my pcp with Cigna. I was lucky enough to keep my regular pcp because he is under Cigna and he is good about doing my referals. But I do like having the freedom to go to a specialist without going through him.    — Jan M. (posted on August 11, 2001)

August 11, 2001
You mean you have to reenroll every year? Is this through your employer or privately? I'm not sure but I think that is illegal - especially if it is through your employer (they have no choice but to cover you). Two things you can do. Go to BC/BS website - they should have a page where you can put in your zip code and see what plans are offered for that zip code. Or you can go to you state insurance commission site and put in your zip code and "all" the insurance companies who service your area should come up. And if your zip comes up - call the insurance commission and tell them that BC/BS discriminated against you and call the civil rights commission, call the EEOC, and then call an attorney. Oh but before you do that why don't you just call BC/BS and act like your someone else inquiring about insurance give them a different address (close to yours incase the cut off isn't accross the street) and give them the same zip code. that ought to tell you right away. Good luck.
   — [Anonymous]