Many Americans deal with a number of diseases and maladies at any give time throughout their lives. These diseases, often termed “pre-existing” health conditions through health insurance companies, can often mean not being able to receive health insurance if you lose your current health insurance.
However, having a pre-existing health condition does not always mean not being able to be insured if you lose your existing health insurance coverage. You do have options; it’s just a matter of knowing your rights and your options:
- If you lose your health insurance with one company, but then find another job with group health insurance coverage, you cannot be denied coverage for your pre-existing health condition. However, if group health insurance coverage isn’t available through your employer, you may consider being a group by yourself for health insurance purposes. This “group of one” policy is only available in about 12 states throughout the country, so check to see if this type of policy is available through your state.
- Check to see if your state offers a “risk high pool” health insurance - a type of health insurance for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions. This type of health insurance is available in about 30 states, so look into whether this option is available in your state.
- If you lose your job, consider continuing your health insurance through COBRA. COBRA allows you to continue with your health insurance coverage, but you must pay for it yourself. Although this is an expensive option, many individuals with pre-existing health conditions find it invaluable if they lose their health insurance coverage due to a lay off.
- Don’t wait too long to apply for new health insurance, as most states require health insurance companies to accept you if you lose your employer health insurance and apply for new insurance within 60 days of being laid off.
- Inquire about professional organization health insurance. If your new employer does not offer group health insurance, you may be able to get group health insurance through a professional organization that relates to your profession. Again, this will vary from state to state and profession to profession, so it is up to you to do the research necessary to find professional organization group health insurance.
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