Q: My boyfriend needs open brain surgery but does not have any insurance. What is the best affordable insurance andd can we be on the same plan without being married or related?
A: There are no individual insurance companies that will accept your boyfriend with pending surgery. That's like trying to buy auto insurance after the wreck. Also, the insurance companies require you to be married to be on the same policy. One option is to get on a group policy through an employer but the surgery will be considered pre-existing and won't be covered for up to one year. A few states will allow domestic partners on the same health plan but most don't. Another option would be through your state Medicaid office. Search the internet for "your state + Medicaid" for more information. All states have an income and asset limit. Some states do increase that limit for "medically needy" people.