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Article: Over 50, out of luck.(Local)
- Article from:
- The Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, VA)
- Article date:
- October 30, 2009
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2009 The Virginian Pilot-Ledger Star. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of the Dialog Corporation by Gale Group. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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By JOHN HEWKO
I AM A Republican who did not vote for Barack Obama, but I support his health-care initiative because I have just experienced first-hand our system's dysfunctional wrath .
Recently, I left my job with the federal government -- I was a political appointee, so my tenure was limited -- and became an independent consultant. Although I have access to health insurance under the COBRA law, the premiums are extremely high and the coverage expires after 18 months. So I applied for individual (nongroup) coverage with CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, the carrier that covered me while I was a federal employee.
I am a healthy 51-year-old. I am ...