State Health Insurance Pools – Insurance for High-risk Medical Category

By Michael Wong

state health insurance program

Health insurance is a very significant thing to people in everyday life, but it will be hard for you to find it through the voluntary insurance market if you’re considered to be in the high-risk medical category. Many people are paying an unreasonably high insurance rate or rejected by the insurance companies because of their medical condition. By most of these providers, they are considered high-risk clients. Even though you can find a company that is willing to take the risk, be ready to reach deeper to your wallet to pay the premium. Insurance firms are businesses that aim to make money and profit and usually don’t like to cover high-risk clients. Majority of states give risk-pools to help those with high-risk health condition or those who may not be able to pay or have health insurance coverage.

To understand more about your choices, read the following information:

Who is classified as a high-risk individual?

If you have serious sickness or a pre-existing condition that would increase your medical risk so it is likely that you will file for high cost insurance claim, you are in the high-risk category. These individuals are generally rejected by conventional health insurance providers or charged with excessively high rate.

What can I do as a high-risk individual?

You can shop around for health insurance that will accept your condition, but it is likely that you will be charged with extremely high premium. I didn’t say that you can’t get it, but it’s going to be hard to find it. If you have been rejected due to your medical condition, your other option is to find coverage offered by a state sponsored health insurance pool.

How can I be eligible for State Health Insurance?

If you want to know whether you are qualified for free or low cost health coverage, you can access coverageforall.org. The Foundation for Health Coverage Education (FHCE) gives four unique approaches to help you find health coverage in your area. FHCE mission is to simplify private and public health insurance eligibility information with the purpose of helping more people to access health coverage. This site will guide and help you to answer five questions to help determine which programs you and your family could qualify for, print or download your state’s free quick-reference guide to public and private health care options, and to find resources and applications for a health coverage program in your state. They even have “uninsured help line” 24/7.

What states offer a risk-pool?

There are many states that have a pool of insurers who are willing to provide insurance for high medical risk clients. You can check with your state’s insurance to see if you state has a health insurance pool or access The National Association of State Comprehensive Health Plans’ website at http://www.naschip.org. It gives information such as pool vendors, states with pool, phone number for states that have pool, and many more.

Who qualifies?

To become eligible for insurance under a state’s health insurance pool, you must reside in the state where you’re applying for insurance coverage. The coverage is invalid if you live in a different state or if you’re considering to move to another state. If you move, you must re-apply under the new state’s pool. Therefore, applying for coverage under the state you are live in is a must. Also, you must proof that you have been rejected by insurance companies or are paying premiums higher than those offered by the pool.

If your present insurance firm has rejected claims because of a pre-existing medical condition, you might qualify for coverage. However, remember that if you apply insurance to the pool due to your pre-existing condition, it may set up a waiting period for any of your previous uninsured condition.

How do I find more information?

For an overview on health insurance pools, read Family USA’s brochure High-risk Health Insurance Pools. For more information on state risk-pools, contact your state insurance commissioner Alaska (907)465-2515, Alabama (205)269-3550, Arizona (602)255-5400.

The health insurance pool is not the one and only solution. Every state’s rules and regulations is difference, so it is wise to research your state’s plan comprehensively. If you can get insurance somewhere else, then do so because the insurance rates charged through the pool are not cheap.

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