| What should you do if you have been denied health | | | | usually long waiting lists, the cost is much higher than |
| insurance coverage? What options do you have if you | | | | private health insurance plans and you can lose eligibility |
| have been denied individual health insurance | | | | if you move or if you start receiving Medicare and |
| coverage? What are some of the common reasons | | | | Medicaid. If you want to know if your state is one of |
| that health insurance coverage can be denied? | | | | the 29 that offer "high risk" pools or for more contact |
| In a nutshell, if you have been rejected individual health | | | | information to enroll in one of them then you should |
| insurance coverage due to pre-existing conditions then | | | | speak with a health insurance broker local to your |
| you should first of all shop around and compare rates | | | | state. Again, keep in mind that a high risk pool should |
| from multiple companies. After all, different health | | | | be one of the last options that you consider. |
| insurance companies have different underwriting | | | | With the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability |
| guidelines and just because you have been denied | | | | Act (HIPAA) passed in the year 1996, new doors |
| coverage with one company does not necessarily | | | | were opened for the people that weren't able to |
| mean that the next company will do the same. Having | | | | qualify for private individual health insurance. Within this |
| the services of an experienced independent health | | | | act a law was passed that states that a person |
| insurance agent at a time like this is a definite plus. | | | | cannot be denied health insurance for any reason if |
| If for any reason you are rejected from receiving | | | | they decide to join a group health plan. This means |
| health insurance by a company, you may also want to | | | | that if you have a job with an employer that offers |
| try to look for companies that don't require you to | | | | group health insurance coverage, more than likely you |
| answer questionnaires, or even better go for some | | | | won't be denied coverage. The only way in which |
| that can give you at least a little coverage for a | | | | coverage wont be given to a person in the even that |
| low-cost - this is a last option though as almost all | | | | they seek group health insurance, is in the event that |
| individual plans that do not have medical underwriting | | | | you do not meet the eligibility requirements of your |
| are really just discount plans in disguise and will not | | | | employer. |
| give the coverage that a true major medical | | | | Some of those eligibility requirements could be the total |
| comprehensive health insurance plan will. | | | | number of hours you work per week and whether |
| Some states (29 to be exact) have what are called | | | | you have a salaried or an hour employee. It is of note |
| high risk pools. These were created to serve those | | | | to highlight that group health plans may refuse to cover |
| people that are considered medically uninsurable or | | | | a person with pre-existing conditions; however if you |
| those that are described as a "high risk" for the | | | | have at least 12 months of continuous creditable |
| insurance companies. What these pools do is give | | | | coverage, a group plan will not be able to deny you |
| those people that have been turned down an | | | | insurance due to pre-existing conditions. |
| opportunity of having health insurance. With a high risk | | | | This doesn't mean that if you have had health |
| pool you will never be turned down for any reason | | | | insurance in the past and you have a pre-existing |
| and the best part is that it will help you pay for large | | | | condition you are covered. If you have had a break in |
| medical costs. | | | | coverage (lapse in coverage) and you apply for group |
| There are however, a bunch of things that might be | | | | coverage you will be given an exclusion period. During |
| viewed as disadvantages to the customer deciding | | | | this exclusion period the insurer will not pay for any |
| whether or not to consider a high risk pool. Some of | | | | treatment or doctor visits related to your pre-existing |
| the disadvantages include that the state can terminate | | | | conditions, instead you will be responsible for all |
| your coverage if there is legislation against it, there are | | | | unrelated treatment. |