After having the same health insurance coverage for 17 years my husband lost his job. We were then on Cobra for 18 months. When he lost his job we applied for private health insurance because we preferred to go ahead and get coverage rather than go on Cobra.

We applied with BC/BS. They approved me and denied my husband. So we went ahead with the Cobra coverage. We then applied to BC/BS again. This time, just a year and a half later, they approved my husband and denied me. There have been no changes in the health of either of us. No new health problems, no new medications. Everything the same except that I was taking hydrocodone and haven't had to for several months. How can they approve you and then deny you when everything is the same? Our insurance broker was shocked - he kept telling us all along that there shouldn't be any problem getting the coverage. Anyway I still have no coverage I just found out about HIPPA and that I need a certificate but I need a private policy so I don't think it will help much.

Your story is one reason we need some national health insurance plans NOW. Sorry, but until we have one, you're at the mercy of private insurance plans and they are totally unaccountable -- at least government officials are partially accountable.