Before you get too excited, HIPAA premiums are 150% of the total health care insurance costs, so if your premium was $700 under COBRA (plus the 2% admin fee), your new premium would be $1050. Ouchie! Before you pay those kind of rates, call the number on the back of your insurance card and ask if you can convert your policy to private with the insurer. This might only work before COBRA begins.
You are guaranteed coverage under HIPAA if you haven't:
Had less than 18 months of continuous creditable coverage
Qualified for a group health plan, or Medicare / Medicaid
Bought private individual or family health insurance
Had your policy canceled for nonpayment of
premiums (unless your employer slow paid)
Violated health plan rules
Moved outside of your insurer's service area
If you meet these requirements, any insurer offering individual health
plans in your region can't refuse your application, but must offer an individual plan under HIPAA. Federal laws don't set premiums, which are high.
Under HIPAA, you can't be denied coverage for:
Mental illness
Disability
Past claims
Pregnancy
Federal law does not require health plans to provide maternity coverage of a pregnancy. Check with your state law to determine if maternity is covered.Written by Craig J. Casey
Craig Casey is an Writer, Coach, Blogger, Husband, and Former Health Insurance Agent helping people on the web since 1999 with their health insurance problems.
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