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State high risk pools if you are denied health insurance

Currently 34 states offer a health insurance risk pool, covering over 180,000 people. For many people, risk pools provide a bridge between jobs or becoming self-employed. Advantages of getting into a state run insurance plan include:

Usually can't be turned down
Helps you pay for large medical cost

Disadvantages:

Have to prove state residency to enroll
How proof that you have been rejected for similar health insurance coverage to enroll
Can not have enrolled in a high risk pool with the last 132 months
The state can end the plan - legislative risk
Long waiting lists
Usually much higher than private health insurance
Have to prove your current policy is rated to enroll
You can lose eligibility if you move
You candon't qualify if are eligible for, or receiving, Medicare or Medicaid
You cannot be incarcerated
Plan typically only accepts certain numbers of individuals
Rates can increase
There are maximum benefit lifetime benefit ceiling
You may not qualify with certain diseases

STATE	PROGRAM	CONTACT	ENROLLMENT/WAITING PERIOD FOR PRE-EXISTING CONDITIONS
Alabama	Alabama Health Insurance Plan	(877) 619-2447 (334) 833-5907	Open To New Enrollees* - No Waiting Period *Limited to high-risk individuals eligible under the federal Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996
Alaska	Alaska Comprehensive Health Insurance Association	(888) 290-0616 (907) 269-7900	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
Arkansas	Arkansas Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool	(501) 378-2979	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
California	California Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board	(800) 289-6574	Open To New Enrollees - 3 Month Waiting Period NOTE: Currently there is also a 12 to 18 month waiting list (Time on the waiting list is credited toward the waiting period if on waiting list for more than 6 months)
Colorado	Cover Colorado	(800) 672-8447 (303) 863-1960	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
Connecticut	Connecticut Health Reinsurance Association (HRA)	(800) 842-0004	Open To New Enrollees - 12 Month Waiting Period
Florida	Florida Comprehensive Health Association	(850) 309-1200	Closed To New Enrollees - Effective 6/30/91
Idaho	Idaho Individual High Risk Reinsurance Pool	(800) 721-3272(208) 334-4300	Open To New Enrollees - 12 Month Waiting Period
Illinois	Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan	(217) 782-6333 (217) 782-6410 (TTY)	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
Indiana	Indiana Comprehensive Health Insurance Association	(317) 614-2133 (800) 552-7921	Open To New Enrollees - 3 Month Waiting Period
Iowa	Iowa Comprehensive Health Association	(515) 248-2186	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
Kansas	Kansas Uninsurable Health Insurance Plan	(800) 290-1368, x19 (785)296-3071	Open To New Enrollees - 3 Month Waiting Period
Kentucky	Kentucky Access	(502) 573-1026	Open To New Enrollees - 12 Month Waiting Period
Louisiana	Louisiana Health Plan http://www.lahealthplan.org	(225) 926-6245 (800) 736-0947	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period NOTE: Currently there is also a 3 month wait list
Maryland	Maryland Health Insurance Plan http://www.marylandhealthinsuranceplan.state.md.us/	(866) 780-7105	Open To New Enrollees - 1 Month Waiting Period
Minnesota	Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association http://www.mchamn.com/	(952) 593-9609	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
Mississippi	Mississippi Comprehensive Health Insurance Risk Pool Association http://www.doi.state.ms.us/mchirpa.html	(888) 820-9400 (601) 362-0799	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
Missouri	Missouri Health Insurance Pool http://www.mhip.org/	(816) 531-6405 (800) 821-2231	Open To New Enrollees - 12 Month Waiting Period
Montana	Montana Comprehensive Health Association	(800) 447-7828	Open To New Enrollees - 12 Month Waiting Period
Nebraska	Nebraska Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool	(402) 343-3337	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
New Hampshire	New Hampshire High Risk Health Insurance Pool http://www.nhhealthplan.org/	(800) 578-3272 (603) 271-0239	Open To New Enrollees - 9 Month Waiting Period
New Mexico	New Mexico Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool	(505) 816-4248	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
North Dakota	Comprehensive Health Association of North Dakota	(800) 737-0016 (701) 277-2271	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
Oklahoma	Oklahoma Health Insurance High Risk Pool	(913) 362-0040	Open To New Enrollees - 12 Month Waiting Period
Oregon	Oregon Medical Insurance Pool	(800) 848-7280	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
South Carolina	South Carolina Health Insurance Pool	(800) 868-2500, x 42757 (803) 788-0500, x 42757	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
South Dakota	South Dakota Risk Pool http://www.state.sd.us/bop/RiskPool.htm	(605) 773-3148	Open to New Enrollees - No Waiting Period
Tennessee	Tennessee Comprehensive Insurance Pool	(800) 669-1851	Open to New Enrollees - No Waiting Period
Texas	Texas Health Insurance Pool http://www.txhealthpool.org	(888) 398-3927	Open To New Enrollees - 12 Month Waiting Period
Utah	Utah Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool	(800)705-9173	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
Washington	Washington State Health Insurance Pool	(800) 877-5187	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
West Virginia	AccessWV Pool	(866) 445-8491	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
Wisconsin	Wisconsin Health Insurance Risk Sharing Plan	(800) 828-4777 (608) 266-2833	Open To New Enrollees - 6 Month Waiting Period
Wyoming	Wyoming Health Insurance Pool	(800) 442-2376 (307) 634-1393	Open To New Enrollees - 12 Month Waiting Period