Do urgent care visits go on your medical record?

[blueberrycake]

First time getting health insurance, single male 33 y/o. Just signed up yesterday with UHC during open enrollment period.

I’ve waited so long to get health insurance because I’ve essentially been spending my disposable income on booze, and could never afford insurance.

I had a health scare about 6 weeks back where I physically couldn’t bend over to put my shoes on due to horrible abdominal pain. My breathing was reduced to very shallow bursts because of my chest cavity got too big, searing pain would shoot through my abdomen starting from the upper right hand side. Fearing I had a burst appendix, I went to urgent care where the Dr. Paid me on my back, poked my belly, heard me yell out in pain, and told me to go to the emergency room. I did not go, because I didn’t have insurance.

He thought it was my Liver or Gallbladder. I was uninsured at the time of the visit.

Since then, I’ve stopped drinking, cut fried foods, eating more fruits, nuts and veggies, and even make kale/spinach/fruit smoothies regularly.

Would my abdominal pain and the Dr. Recommendation be on my record as a pre-existing condition now and I’m SOL for any testing or treatment? It’s a super basic plan, and only costs $168/month.

I’m sure from my rambling you’re assuming I know nothing, and you would be 100% correct. I just don’t know anyone in the industry, don’t trust the salesmen, and calling the UHC line is 0% helpful.

PS. I was also advised by my salesman to not include the abdomen pain scare in my application

 

[chelseamc]

@blueberrycake ACA compliant plans do not look at pre-existing conditions. If your employer does not offer health insurance, you should look at healthcare.gov or your state’s equivalent.

It’s generally a bad idea to lie on a health insurance application.

 

[juie]

@chelseamc Agreed with this. However as you mentioned, if you enroll in an ACA compliant plan they won’t ask super detailed medical background other than whether you smoke or anything major. So just be honest, it won’t affect your premium on the marketplace as far as I know.

 

[elev8]

@blueberrycake Whatever you bought, if you were asked underwriting questions, will not cover you. You're throwing away money. Please listen to everyone suggesting real health insurance, on healthcare.gov. You need it.

 

[blueberrycake]

Thanks guys! Canceling now!

 

[ferfi]

@blueberrycake Did UHC do a medical underwriting? Or did you sign up for an ACA plan and get a tax credit? What sort of plan do you have?

Either way, you NEED to get some liver labs like yesterday. I'm really glad you're changing things up. You only get one liver and alcoholics that still drink can't get a transplant.

 

[blueberrycake]

@ferfi ACA I’m guessing.
PremierAdvantage Fixed Indemnity, and MedGuard-critical illness

 

[chelseamc]

@blueberrycake Neither of those are health insurance. Just go to healthcare.gov to find a plan to start on January 1st.

 

[ngocvncom]

@blueberrycake Both of those are supplemental health insurance plans meant to be purchased alongside real health insurance by high net worth individuals. They're completely unsuitable as your only health insurance and whoever sold you them completely ripped you off. See if it's not too late to cancel. As other said; you go to www.healthcare.gov to buy real health insurance and they don't ask health questions.

 

[juie]

@ngocvncom This this this, OP.

 

[ferfi]

@blueberrycake Those plans are not normal health insurance. They just pay for a set list of items or diseases that you hopefully won't get.

You need to get a real major medical plan, either from work, Medicaid or the ACA market place. Especially bc you need your liver checked out if you say you used to drink and spend all of your money on it and now have abdominal pain

The critical illness might pay you a flat sum for a liver issue but they'd prob say you didn't disclose your abdominal issues that aren't diagnosed.

 

[jander8629]

@blueberrycake Yes, but the ACA prevents insurance companies from discriminating against you because of it.

Also charity care laws are very useful so if you need care, get it

 

[erin30ga]

@blueberrycake Health insurance doesn't ask about medical history.

That is one of the great achievements of the AHCA - so long as you enroll during Open Enrollment - which is currently going on for plans starting 1/1/24 - you will be covered fully despite any pre-existing condition.

Prior to AHCA if you did not get insurance through your employer, you were effectively disqualified from getting insurance if you had even the slightest medical issue OR you were put in a high risk pool which was unaffordable.

Get rid of this "salesman". I don't know what he is peddling but it isn't decent health insurance.

Go to the marketplace of your state and you can review all of the valid medical insurance plans. They differ but they all have certain protections including full coverage for all medical conditions and a cap on out of pocket costs.

Do take the time to at least learn what a deductible, co-pay, out of pocket annual cost caps are and what a network medical provider means as well as difference between HMO, EPO and PPO.

There are decent health insurance agents that can help you navigate through stuff. They receive a commission even if you purchase through the marketplace and receive a tax credit.

 

[blueberrycake]

@erin30ga Thanks for the info!

 

[erin30ga]

@blueberrycake Once you have reviewed various options you can come back with specific question in terms of what works best for your specific condition.

You haven't mentioned your income. You might qualify for a subsidy against the cost of the premium if you purchase on your state's marketplace. You can tell if you go to the site because you fill in your data including income and then all the plans plus the premium cost will come up for you.

 

[manzanopeek]

@blueberrycake The days of pre-existing conditions is really a thing of the past. I am old so I remember the pre-existing condition dance of the US healthcare system. those days are really over.