Health Insurance Safety Nets

Page 1

Health Insurance Safety Nets When I was first assigned this article, I found myself swimming in a large pool of questions. What is a health insurance safety net, I asked myself, and so I started out on an adventure to find the answer to my questions and help my readers become more knowledgeable about the benefits health insurance can provide for those who have it.

What a Health Insurance Safety Net is The first question I needed to answer on my quest was what exactly a safety net was in relation to health insurance. And so, I took to the knower of all wisdom, the internet. After some exploration, I realized that a safety net is a tool to help you maintain coverage after leaving a position, or when you are generally difficult to insure. The first type of safety net is COBRA, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. This act ensures that you can maintain your employee health coverage, after leaving a job for around 18 months. This is a wonderful act because it allows individuals who are in a transition period with employment to have health coverage.

A Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan The next type of safety net is, a Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan. This type of plan will not be as important in 2014, but in the meantime, this plan can help those who have difficulty finding insurance because of a pre-existing condition. There is one condition though, that must be met, and that is that you must have gone 6 months without insurance. A State high-risk insurance pool is another version of pre-existing health condition insurance plan. These plans are run by your state of residence.

Medicaid Medicaid is a good insurance safety net, especially for Children, Pregnant Women, and people with disabilities. Through this kind of plan you can get great coverage at many providers for limited costs. The main problem with this plan, however, is that it can be difficult to be accepted and enrolled into the program. It is easiest for pregnant women and children. You should also be aware of open enrollment periods, so you can apply at the right time. The Children’s Health Insurance Program is available in every state, and is designed to help children be covered by insurance when their families cannot afford it. Participation in this program can help children be healthy. You must meet eligibility criteria to apply, and coverage will only apply to the children, adults cannot be covered by this plan.


Check out County and State Insurance Programs As you look for Utah Health Insurance, you should be sure to also check out county and state insurance programs, these more local insurances can be extremely helpful, especially if you are visiting local doctors. Finding the right plan for you and your family will help you all to be healthier and financially secure as you look for insurance. No matter what kind of coverage you find for your family, having a knowledge of safety nets will help you to feel more secure throughout the many transitions of life. You deserve to be healthy, and this will certainly help.


Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.