My insurance premiums soared through the roof, so I recently switched to a $3000 deductible plan.  Reading more, and asking BOTH the insurance company and the insurance commissioner's office, I determined that the $3000 deductible plan is considered catastrophic in WA state, and thus is not "creditable" for the purpose of waiving pre-existing condition clauses if I were to need to change coverage.  Panic stricken, I went through a huge rigamorole to switch to a $1000 deductible plan that would be creditable.  Finally today, the insurance company said they switched me to the $1000 deductible plan.  Phew, relaxed.

My DH and I were discussing the HIPAA tonight (and BTW, HIPAA was enacted on Bill Clinton's watch) and I looked something up which triggered a new panic and the reality that I'd wasted my money changing to the $1000 deductible plan.

The bottom line and if anyone in WA State wonders about this: When switching from an individual plan to a group plan, the HIPAA applies. The HIPAA is quite liberal -- ANY health insurance, including catastrophic coverage (but with the exception of things like accident riders on an auto insurance plan, and other half-hineyed insurance coverage) is considered creditable for the purpose of determining if  pre-existing conditions clauses can be waived.  It is only when changing between plans which are both on the individual market that catastrophic plans (defined in Washington as having deductible of $1750 or more) aren't considering creditable.  Of course, for me it's moot.  I can't switch to another provider.  I have 3 seemingly small conditions that result in my flunking the health questionaire so if I were to want to change plans, the new plan would like refuse me.  So, I just paid a bunch of money for retroactive coverage on the $1000 deduct plan when it makes more financial sense to stay with the $3000 plan....sigh.

Not a Jay fan, but Robin Williams could make me watch :)