Lisa --

Yes, it does offer a flexible spending account. We have one through my job as well and it's been very useful (two root canals and several crowns, both new and replacement, for me alone this year -- getting older is such fun!). I will encourage him to sign up for that.

Brian --

That's why I was going to keep him on my policy. His new company has great insurance as well, but it's not worth the risk of dropping him from my plan, which has covered what has needed to be covered so far. I had planned to keep him on my plan and use that as the secondary coverage (his birthday comes before mine).

Assuming he CAN get health insurance at the new job, I was wondering if it is worth doing so. Based on what everyone has said, it doesn't sound like it. I wouldn't think there would be much difference in coverage between an Aetna PPO and a BC/BS PPO, though I would appreciate being corrected if I am wrong!

On a related topic, I'm wondering if this whole issue of insurance coverage essentially would keep me from moving on if an opportunity arises, since it's my job's insurance that has covered him so far. I really like what I do, but I've worked odd shifts for several years and there's not much prospect of that changing -- so I was beginning to think about investigating what else might be out there. If he can't get health insurance, though, I'll grin and bear it. (Yeah, yeah, it's all about ME!! )

Has anyone whose insurance has covered treatment changed jobs and had difficulties getting new coverage for the person who has been treated? Do health insurers consider the stage of the diagnosis when deciding about coverage (in situ vs a more advanced stage, for example), or are the words "squamous cell carcinoma" alone enough to sound alarms?

Thanks to you both for your responses. Sorry if I sound a bit dazed and confused in my ongoing questions.

-- Leslie