Good info. COBRA just ran out for my wife, 62 and as she has pre-existing conditions, no private co will insure her. So we are left with a high risk state pool or the federal pool. Both will cost us $800 a month for just an (OK) plan which is one third of our total income. So we have decided to put that $800 a month into a savings plan and become self insured. Hopefully nothing big will happen to her until she gets to Medicare and we can pay as we go. That is if the Republicans don't gutttttt that program! Meds. We already pay for her meds out of pocket because with United Health COBRA the copay was more than whan what we could pay out of pocket for generic at Costco etc., go figure? Keeps me awake at night just thinking about it.