Part Three: I'm an Entrepreneur?

I managed to find health insurance. Yay!

I also found that the system is nightmare to navigate. And that you definitely don't want to just spring for the first offer that's thrown your way, because the range of responses can be crazily wide. I applied for roughly the same plan at each of the four main providers in our state: high deductible + eligibility for a health savings account. And this is what their pricing algorithms spit out:

Company 1: Sorry, we don't take people with your pre-existing condition.

Company 2: Sorry, we don't take people with your pre-existing condition. But because we're the ensurer of last resort, and have to offer you a plan, here's the plan we stick people like you into: $1,500 deductable, $3000 out of pocket max, and no health savings account. The base price on it would be $60 -$75 a month, if we were offering it to a normal person. But you can have it for the low low price of $435 a month!

Company 3: Sure, we'll offer you our policy, charging you $15 more per month than we would a person without your condition.

Company 4: Sure, we'll offer you our policy, charging you $15 more per month than we'd charge a person without your condition. We're also $50 cheaper per month than company 3. (Of course, we don't have any in-network doctors that specialize in your condition within 100 miles of you, but other than that, you're set).

The Federal Government: If you can hold out for a couple more months, I can give you a lower deductible and possibly larger network of coverage than company 3, for the same price.

My one question is: why couldn't I have just paid someone to research all this for me?

I currently work at a small firm that, among other services, will research and compare life insurance plans, investment funds, and long-term-care insurance plans for our clients. I'm pretty sure there's people out there who run comparisons on auto insurance as well. Schools often have advisers that are there to help you start finding the right fit of a college. But I didn't run into anyone who did anything like this when it came to health insurance. Which doesn't make much sense to me; health insurance can be just as difficult and time-consuming an area to navigate as life insurance, and couple weeks ago, I would have happily paid someone a small fee to do all the footwork for me.

So! If anyone's interested in purchasing individual health insurance in Virginia...give me $50 and I'll troubleshoot the system for you? ;) And if you don't have money, I'll do it anyway, 'cuz health insurance is a good thing to have. (And I figure I need a lot more practice before I try to make an actual business out of my newfound expertise ;) ).