What did/do people do when health insurance doesn't cover preexisting conditions?

[u/untakenusernameee]

If someone were to leave America and later move back, and by then health insurance companies can again refuse to cover pre-existing conditions, what would the solution even be?

Like in Australia, for example, there is a great, basically free public healthcare system, so although there can be benefits to private health insurance, you are also totally fine without it.

Whereas in America - before Obamacare, at a time when insurance companies could refuse to cover preexisting conditions, and should that happen again - if you let your insurance lapse or moved here from somewhere else then what would you do to get medical care for preexisting conditions, short of paying a billion dollars or just dying instead?

Edit: Wow, so many responses! Forgive me for responding here en masse. Thanks so much everyone for your thoughtful and detailed replies. I have such a better understanding than I did before. And I must say, many of these accounts are quite heartbreaking. I'm genuinely so sorry to each of you who have lived any of the terrible experiences described below. That kind of system and its effects should no question be illegal. As should much of what occurs in the health insurance industry! So thankful for Obamacare but there is still so much that needs to be improved - I hope that's the direction we go in. All the best to everyone. Take care of yourselves. xoxo

[u/fraujenny]

It’s very shifty conundrum that’s repeated over and over… not to mention “the family glitch” that was supposedly getting fixed but never got fixed. It meant that because my employer offered a garbage ICHRA and $300 for me personally toward insurance, that was the total amount for any kind of subsidy for my whole family for insurance. We would have to pay over $1000/month for insurance with only $300 off instead of being able to use the $800+ government subsidy. You know how you solve that problem? You have to quit your job because you can’t afford $700-$800/month for insurance with trash deductibles and a $15k out of pocket max.

[u/beenthere7613 → u/fraujenny]

Yep! I had to go part time at my old job because of insurance. Family plan was half my income every week, deductible was more than the other half of my income.

Went to part time, kids got Medicaid. I didn't get anything but it wasn't really about me. I had a child with a brain tumor and she needed surgery and ongoing care.

[u/Beneficial_Equal_324 → u/fraujenny]

I thought it was fixed in 2023.

https://acatimes.com/understanding-the-acas-family-glitch-resolution/

[u/fraujenny → u/Beneficial_Equal_324]

According to our insurance liaison here in Michigan, there was not a work-around. I had read it was on the docket to be fixed but never was fully amended.

[u/Bobzyouruncle → u/fraujenny]

HR at most companies don’t know shit. Wouldn’t be surprised if the liaison doesn’t know either. You can enter the numbers on your state website to get an eligibility answer.

My wife’s HR rep constantly gave incorrect answers and would literally never communicate on anything, but the phone so that she wouldn’t ever have to be held to the thing she said.

The same company, with over 40,000 employees, also screwed up W-2 reports by not including the taxes that employee is paid on their temporary disability insurance as part of the federal tax number

[u/fraujenny → u/Bobzyouruncle]

Jesus

[u/JessterJo → u/fraujenny]

Yeah, I don't know if Michigan has its own site for their marketplace, but everything I've heard so far is that it's working fine. The fix is an IRS regulation, they can't just not implement it. 🤨