OT: ACM insurance

David, Welcome to the wonderful world of health insurance. You are about to learn why health care and health insurance reform was/remains so necessary. And I truly hope neither you nor your wife have anything that can be construed do be a pre-existing condition. Way back in the early nineties when I became an "independent" programmer/consultant, I bought insurnace thru ICCA (Indepentent Computer Consultants Association) but they soon became unaffordable. I then became a "group of one" and bought insurance thru the company that I set up to be my employer. About ten years ago the insurance agent with the best deal (for real coverage) sold me an individual policy with Anthem Blue Cross. This was pretty good until Anthem switched from a mutual insurance company (ie: owned by the policy holders) to a publicly traded company. Since then my rates have climbed every year. In six more months I get Social Security and I can't wait. Whatever you get, be sure to plan ahead. Once you have a pre-existing condition you are locked in and can't change even the type of policy within the same company. As the Healthcare Bill starts to take effect, this problem will be reduced or even eliminated but the rates for such policies are not limited unless your state has regulations. Good luck, Jim Chuck Guzis wrote: