Is A Preexisting Condition Stopping You From Getting Health Insurance Coverage?

Reality is sobering. In regards to health insurance coverage, your pre-existing condition has caused you to experience discrimination. I’m sure you would agree because you’ve been turned down for that same reason; maybe even more than once. You’ll cost them more money than everyone else and that’s why insurance companies don’t want to cover individuals with a pre-existing condition. Considering that a preexisting condition includes diabetes, cancer, heart disease, obesity, etc., it can be with you long-term or chronically for the rest of your life. Insurers are for profit companies. They’re not in business to lose revenue. Getting the same results is common if you try looking for coverage with various insurance companies. Underwriting is pretty much done the same way; so you can not escape ultimately being declined. But getting around it is within reach with the following available options. 1) You obviously have coverage through your employer sponsored group plan if you are currently employed and your employer offers health insurance. All employees are covered in that group and you can not be excluded. So, you are covered in this scenario. 2) COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985) - If you lose your job, you and your family can continue to participate in your employer’s group health benefit plan; but, at your own expense for 18 to 36 months. Although your pre-existing condition will be covered, it will definitely cost you more than what you were paying while working. 3) You are able to get guaranteed issue health insurance coverage if you have a preexisting condition or are considered uninsurable. But, unlike a major medical plan, it’s actually a limited medical plan. That simply means you’ll have coverage up to a certain dollar limit for specific benefits. Anything beyond that amount rests upon you. But, depending on which of these guaranteed plans you choose, you’ll find that they cover a pretty fair percentage or amount of the Medicare Reimbursement Schedule. It also comes with additional benefits. rnWith a preexisting condition, you want to make sure that you are going with a guaranteed issue health plan that’s HIPAA-compliant because as long as you’ve had continuous (no more than a 63-day break) creditable coverage (individual, group, managed care, standard indemnity, COBRA) for at least 12 months prior to applying, you’ll be covered immediately. Otherwise, your preexisting condition will have a 12-month exclusion or waiting period and then after that, it will be covered. At least you’ll know that it will be eventually covered and you will not be denied. Again, there are many other benefits that you’ll receive too. You will be amazed. 4) This final point is something that most people have no clue about which is called state-guaranteed subsidized health insurance coverage. That’s not surprising because for obvious financial reasons, states do not spend money on advertisement for it. Unfortunately in some states, HIPAA-eligibility is a requirement (see above) for this. I’ll preface by saying that it’s specifically designed for people who are uninsurable which means they can not qualify for private health insurance. It’s not designed for those who can not afford to pay for health insurance. It’s typically more expensive than private coverage for individuals with no health issues. Unlike commonly in an individual/family policy, the lifetime maximum benefit is lower; about $1 to $2 million. Some states require that you must be a resident of that state for a minimum amount of time before you are eligible; it varies. But, HIPAA-eligible individuals are not subject to state residency requirements. A high-deductible health insurance plan is what I would encourage that you purchase if you or a family member have not developed a pre existing condition yet and are still healthy. If a pre-existing condition does develop in the future that coverage will already be in place and your premium can not be increased because of it. It is guaranteed renewable meaning as long as you don’t miss any payments it can’t be canceled. Overall, for your pre-existing condition, you should be able to find some kind of health coverage, unless you are severely broke. Even in that case, there should be some kind of low income (or no income these days) Medicare program in your state. Maybe someone that you are close to has good health insurance. Find out what you can legally do to become eligible under another person’s health insurance plan. You never know.