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About private or individual (Non COBRA - non group) health insurance plans
There is no state or federal laws that require private employers to offer health benefits to their workers. If you have benefits through your employer, and you quit or lose your job, you most likley will not be able to pick up the identical coverage for the same price. There no no state or federal laws that requires your old employer to extend your benefits past your last day at work. There is no required grace period after you do leave your job where you must be covered. So here are some tips when shopping for your own policy:
- Shop around, since premiums can vary greatly.
- You lose your pre-existing-conditions coverage in most states if you go without insurance for more than 63 days, so get that insurance card into your wallet!
- Consider COBRA (the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) if you have pre existing conditions
- (HIPAA) restricts the ability of insurers to exclude pre-existing medical conditions from coverage, if you were in a group health insurance plan.
- With no medical history,you don't want to pay up to 102 percent of the employer's cost (The extra 2 percent is an administrative fee) for COBRA. Get a private or individual health insurance quote.
If you can't afford an individual plan
- Medicare, a health insurance program for people age 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with end-stage renal disease. Here's the Medicare Web site.
- Medicaid, a program for the poorest individuals and low-income families with children.
- The Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a plan that provides health care to children whose parents make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but earn too little to afford individual health insurance.
- If you're a university student and you need coverage, your school may be able to provide you with student health insurance
If you decide to go through a health insurance broker:
- Consult relatives, friends, and business associates for recommendations.
- Check whether the agent is a full-time advisor or one who sells insurance as a sideline.
- Are you negotiating with captive agent who works for one insurance company or an independent agent or broker who sells policies for a variety of companies.
- Look for an agent who specializes in health insurance.
- If you have even mild pre existing conditions, can your agent discuss them with underwriting on send in an anoymous inquiry? (if you get turned down by one carrier, this may be communicated to others).
- If available from your stat's dept of insurancde website, find out if the Agent's continuing education courses are mostly in health insurance.
Individual health market choices include health maintenance organizations (HMOs), preferred provider organizations (PPOs), point-of-service (POS) plans, high deductible plans, medical savings accounts and fee-for-service plans. If all this is confusing, post a message to our free cobra message board and we will assist you. There is no registration or fee required.
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