Health coverage 'plan' was no insurance at all

Our Cinergy Health Preferred Insurance Plans are limited medical benefit plans, which provide first dollar coverage for the predictable medical care people need most frequently. These insurance plans provide coverage starting with a member's very first doctor's visit without a deductible so that you don't put off important medical care. From doctor visits and diagnostics to maternity and surgeries you can feel confident that you have the essential coverage you need that's easily within your budget. And best of all, you can choose your own doctors and hospitals without being confined to a list.


Cinergy Health Preferred includes benefits for:

• doctor visits
• hospital stays
• surgical procedures
• ICU
• critical care benefits
• labs and x-rays
• diagnostic testing

• wellness check-ups
• preventive tests
• pregnancy
• medical accidents
• emergency room visits
• accidental death and dismemberment coverage and more...

The Cinergy Health Preferred Plans are guaranteed issue, so everyone qualifies regardless of pre-existing medical conditions. All eligible applicants pay the same rate provided you are under age 65 upon enrollment.* However, there is a six month waiting period for benefits related to conditions for which the member was seen, treated or diagnosed within the six months prior to enrollment unless proof of prior creditable coverage is provided.

The P in HIPAA stands for portability of medical coverage. This part of HIPAA went into effect on July 1, 1997. On the date the plan or insurer becomes subject to the HIPAA provisions, the plan or insurer may not exclude coverage for any pre-existing medical conditions for more than 12 months after an individual's enrollment date (18 months for a late enrollee).
In addition, the medical plan must count any creditable coverage that individuals accumulated prior to their enrollment date to reduce their remaining pre-existing condition exclusion period. So what does this mean? Suppose a new employee has had continuous creditable coverage for 9 months prior to the effective date of the new employer coverage. The new medical plan can enforce a waiver of any pre-existing conditions for a maximum of three more months. After 12 months of continuous creditable coverage, all pre-existing conditions must be covered as any other illness. It also means that if the employee has had at least 12 months of coverage prior to the new coverage, then no pre-existing conditions can be waived.
A late enrollee is an employee that does not elect coverage when offered and delays joining the medical plan. The creditable coverage period can be extended to 18 months. However, if the employee still has 18 continuous months of coverage, pre-existing conditions are still covered.

In terms of finance, we force 700,000 Americans into bankruptcy each year because of medical bills. In France, the number of medical bankruptcies is zero. Britain: zero. Japan: zero. Germany: zero.

In terms of finance, we force 700,000 Americans into bankruptcy each year because of medical bills. In France, the number of medical bankruptcies is zero. Britain: zero. Japan: zero. Germany: zero.

tnt, I usually agree with you, but I think this "people need to take responsibility for their choices" is a straw man argument. If you read my post on the previous page, you know I'm all about personal responsibility, but I'm STILL getting screwed by my insurance company..........just like a lot of other middle-class people in this country.

To listen to some folks tell it, everyone who's having trouble affording healthcare these days is a lazy, irresponsible loser. Well, I don't consider myself one, and I am heartily sick of listening to people try to justify denying millions of people basic health services on account of the relative few who DO abuse the system.

That is all.