Does anyone know how to get health insurance extremely fast (within 1-2 weeks?)?

I know someone who has a detached retina and needs surgery soon but has no insurance. I know there are funds and things to help people with no money but how does it work? How and where do you apply? How long does it take and how fast can it get done? THANKS!!!

Even if you can get insurance coverage within two weeks, if you have seen a doctor for a condition prior to the effective date of coverage, it will not be covered by the new insurance. The insurance company will ask for your doctor's records and see the date of your first diagnosis. It's called a pre-existing condition and will not be covered unless you can prove that you have had continuous health insurance coverage without interruption for an extended period of time. Your best bet would be to ask the doctor for references to charitable or reduced cost healthcare providers/hospitals. There is help out there.

It is unlikely your friend will be able to get insurance when they have a pre-existing condition.

I don't think it is right but unfortunately that is how it works

this is why everyone needs to make sure that they have current health insurance. i've seen many people, especially young people go w/out because they think it will never happen to them. i know it's expensive but you have to have your priorities straight.

Your friend will not be able to get insurance that will cover this surgery. That's not how it works. You can't go without coverage and then all of a sudden expect someone else to foot the bill when you have an immediate need for it.

If she applies for insurance, she will either not qualify for a policy at all (depending on the rest of her health history) or the surgery will be excluded due to a pre-existing condition.

If she lies on her application and says that she doesn't have any current conditions, she will get caught. Having a surgery like that right after a policy begins is a big red flag, and the insurance company will request medical records to see when she was diagnosed. Then she'll be in trouble for insurance fraud in addition to her medical problems.

If she is low-income, she can try to apply for Medicaid in your state to see if she qualifies. Otherwise, she'll have to try to work out a payment plan with the doctors.

They can try to go to a local agent, but the surgery to fix something that's already broken is NOT going to be covered. You might get the policy, but the insurance company will find out about the diagnosis, and will end up not paying the bill, even if they don't disclose it on the application (which is fraud, by the way).

They're going to have to work out a payment plan with the opthamologist. That $400 a month they were going to pay for the insurance, can go to him instead, towards the surgery.