The only one who can give you advice about your son's insurance is the benefits coordinator at their work. Get them to ask, but don't hold your breath. It is unlikely this benefit will be included. If it is possible, pre-existing conditions may be excluded.

Another place to get information about specific insurance questions is your state insurance commissioner's office.

Otherwise, I think you need to sit down with the dr's, testing facilities, and hospitals involved (everyone, that is) and discuss your situation, and see if any of them reduce their fees for uninusred patients.

I don't know where in the country you are, nor who you're dealing with, but there is an excellant heart hospital in Brown's Mills, NJ--Deborah Heart and Lung Center--that is a top heart hospital and never charges patients. I don't know, however, if they take patients from out of the area, or ones who are already engaged in treatment with other dr's. It is, however, where most folks around here try to go if they have a heart issue, partly because of the cost, but mostly because of the expertise they offer. Maybe that will help you? Might be cheaper if you could get him here.

May I ask how old he is?

Might he be a candidate for AARP group insurance of some sort?

I think when we get to a certain age, most all of us have pre-existing conditions.

I Googled AARP medical Insurance, and there is much to check out.

To qualify for AARP membership, one only needs to be 50. Retirement is not necessary.

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: AARP medical insurance search results

Is there a teaching hospital there? A state run hospital cannot refuse to treat you if you are severely ill as far as I know. Some of the Catholic hospitals used to be charity hospitals you may want to check into that if there's one close. Also, he may qualify for medicaid so check into that. Check with your state's Human Services Division and see if they have anything else. I may be wrong but I think the only way you can add a parent to your insurance is if they live with you and are dependent upon you for the major part of their support.

AARP is a good idea but they ask 2 questions before they will insure you and one of those is have you been treated or seen a doctor in the last year (or 6 months) with heart problems. I know this because they're always sending me things wanting me to take it out and I've sent back several telling them that I have Congestive heart failure.

I hope he feels better and won't have to have the surgery but if he does it's very important for him to have it ASAP.

Oh, I don't think they can take your house if you're living in it. I don't know about if you are renting it but they probably could. Have you thought about signing it over to your sons? Of course you'd have to be able to trust them and you'd want to pay for taxes and any expenses for maintainance unless you are truly giving it to them.

I'd be interested in what you find out. We have insurance thru my job but I may have to go on disability and I'd qualify for medicaid but my DH is going to retire soon and he's only 62 so won't qualify for medicare until he's 65. He's already have a quadruple bypass 3 years ago.

Nancy

A question for our Canadian readers: how much do you think you save in Canada on doctors, hospitals and prescriptions compared to what is spent in the U.S.?

Let me add one caution to some advice above--if you consider transferring any of your assets to your sons or others, PLEASE don't do so without the advice of a good eldercare attorney. Those kinds of transfers have to be done exactly right, or you can end up getting into some serious trouble later on. To do that sort of thing right, you will probably have to have several thousand $$$ upfront for the lawyer, so that they can do the proper transfers, filings, etc to protect you and your future. And you need to be able to trust your relatives 200%. My in-laws made the mistake of trusting the wrong relative, and it's cost my MIL a quarter of a million $$$--money that was needed for her care, since she's an Alzheimer's patient.

I don't know if you'd be eligible or not, but it looks like Tennessee has a state high risk pool for health insurance that might be worth checking into (see link below).

Here is a link that might be useful: TennCare website

Sorry, I should have mentioned that you need to go thru the proper legal channels to give the property to your children if you chose that way.

Nancy

Thank all of you for the good information. Please have my husband in your prayers. I'll keep you posted.