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How do you get health insurance? (USA)

Discussion in 'General Support and Advice' started by Kodo, May 19, 2016.

  1. Kodo

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    I am not sure if health insurance works differently in other states (I am in California) but I thought I'd ask anyway. This is probably a dumb question, but I didn't know who to ask. My family doesn't have health insurance, but I would like to try to get some once I've turned 18 so that it could cover the cost of HRT and therapy. Furthermore, I cannot ask my parents because they would want to know why I want to pay for all of that if I have "no reason to."

    Can anyone walk me through the steps?

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. mobrien1993

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    Usually your work will offer health insurance for you to purchase if you work full time. If not there's different government sites that you can get something like Obamacare. However if your main reason for getting it is for hrt you really need to research to make sure that would cover it, I know a lot of companies won't.
     
  3. jmkfour

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    I am also a California resident and have health insurance through medi-cal.

    There's a few resources online you can look at (search/google medi-cal California and it should be the first thing to pop up). If your like me with no job or income, medi-cal is your ability to get the help you need with health care. However from personal experience there's a lot of hoops, but it's worth it so you can receive healthcare.

    Here in California they first ask you to apply for something called Covered California (again the medi-cal info will probably re direct you there). Its a form of low cost private healthcare. I know it sounds weird, to apply for something with no income, but you kind of have to. Good news is once you've applied for Covered California (CC), you will be in the system and if they reject you for CC, they will start the process to set you up with medi-cal. From there you get a bunch of things in the mail with info and additional forms you need to fill out. They will ask what service you want with medi-cal ( IE Molina, Blue Cross,etc). You sign up for a specific plan in order to receive your medical needs. If your lucky the service you sign up for will cover your hormone needs.

    My boyfriend is getting his hormones using medi-cal ( that may take some additional research to find a clinic or other health center in your area that can take medi-cal ), but yeah, all this should not require your parents to be in the loop and they wont have a say in the manner once you have it.
     
    #3 jmkfour, May 19, 2016
    Last edited: May 19, 2016
  4. Domosuke

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    1.Apply through it based on your occupation.
    2.Apply through it based on being a dependent of a mother or father who has a family extended healthcare plan.
    2.1.Apply through it based on being a dependent of a mother or father who is/was in the armed forces.
    3.Join the armed forces.
    4.Apply for Obamacare (Not advisable)
    5.Find cheap/bendable healthcare plans. (There are some health insurances to where if you have a mental disability, or a chronic illness, or have no dependents and are on poverty line, you can join for free.
     
    #4 Domosuke, May 21, 2016
    Last edited: May 21, 2016
  5. Chip

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    Not the best advice. Since the OP is under 18, employment-based care isn't likely available, and he can't joined the armed forces. There's also no way to apply for "obamacare" as that refers to a law that changes the availabllity of commercial and government-based healthcare. The ACA also eliminated the so-called "cheap" healthcare plans because they were generally junk that didn't actually cover much of anything.

    jmkfour has the right idea. In California, anyone who is under 18 is automatically eligible for Medi-cal coverage, which is actually pretty decent. Once you turn 18, you can still be covered under medi-cal as long as your income isn't above a certain level (which, even if you are employed full time at minimum wage, you'll still have eligibility.)

    CoveredCalifornia is California's medical exchange which integrates both Medi-cal and private commercial insurance. Your parents should be able to apply for coverage for you since you are a minor, even if they don't get coverage for themselves. Once you turn 18, you should be able to apply for it yourself if they have no coverage.

    There are definitely some hoops to jump through to get coverage, and then to get the care you need, but if you're persistent, it isn't that difficult.