A question about Tony Snow concerning health insurance

[rurallib]

I thought it was rather curious that Snow would leave the employ of the White House AFTER he learned he had pancreatic cancer. The reason was that with his condition why would he leave his health insurance behind to "make more money?" I can't imagine another employer picking up a few hundred thousand in almost certain liability for their health care coverage. I know he ended up with Fox, but I gotta wonder what his health care coverage situation was.
Anybody know if there is a story on this anywhere? Was he on a COBRA plan with the White House? Did Fox put him on group coverage knowing full well it would cost them? Or was that extra money he set out to earn eaten up by hospital costs?
I am among many working for universal health care. I have been curious about the Snow situation since the day he decided to leave the White House with a terminal illness and certain major medical expenses.

[auntAgonist]

1. I don't know, but it was COLON cancer. Not Pancreatic cancer. n/t

[rurallib]

3. Whoops - still not good.

[tanyev]

2. I wondered that, too, at the time.

Most of us regular folks fortunate enough to have any health insurance would be unable to leave our current employers if we, or a family member, were diagnosed with a serious illness. Some people are trapped in miserable work situations because of this.

[rurallib]

4. Lots of people are trapped in miserable work situations because

of health care coverage. I know of no one in my experience who could have been able to leave a job in such a situation.
I believe not having universal HC is one of the biggest deterents to entrepeneurship in this country. Folks fear leaving a job and starting a business because of HC.
We were discussing this very situation the other evening and a couple members of the group said they had toyed with starting a business, but didn't because of HC.
I have long seen employer based HC as one of the best ways to gain control of employees lives and bind them to a job.

[Maine-ah]

5. never mind

duh, my reading comprehension is low today.

[Clear Blue Sky]

6. He probably "left to make more money" because

he knew the probability of not beating the cancer and wanting to leave his family in as good of a financial shape as possible. Three kids. College tuitions, etc.

[PA Democrat]

7. If you transfer from one group plan to another, there is no penalty

for a preexisting condition. In 1996, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) which guarantees coverage for preexisting condition in most cases if you change employers and have continuous GROUP insurance. People who have private insurance are not covered by this law. I know there are also some exceptions in group coverage, but I'm not sure of all of the details.