Hello

Hope you all have a Happy New Year.

I need your input.

The stores I have been managing for Fletcher Music Centers were closed in Floridas panhandle yesterday. I have decided to take an offer here in Pensacola with a local music store rather than move to central Florida with the company I've been with for a number of years.

Here is where the question comes in. Whats's the best way for me to have continueous health insurance?

I know I am eligilbe for Cobra. The new job will cover 1/2 of my insurance for 6 months and all of it thereafter. The only thing is that they want to pay only for what coverage would cost for a normal insurance policy without any pre-existing conditions with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. I would pay anything over that.

Since I do have some pre-existing conditions, not to mention several medications that I take, well, I think you see what I'm driving at here.

Any insurance I would end up with after Cobra, or if I go to a different insurance company right away, would be a policy for individuals rather than a group, as this company is too small to offer group insurance.

So, you can see at some point I will have only individual health insurance.

What do you guys use? Although I don't belong, I wonder if the Musicians Federation would have a group rate plan, or if there are any other groups out there I could join to get a good group rate that covers pre-existing conditions.

Thinking of the advantages of a group plan, I am wondering if the Sythzone gang could form a group for insurance purposes??

OK, I know there is a bunch of knowledge here so, I'm all ears. What would you recommend in my situation?

Best
Scott