| When you receive your health insurance benefits | | | | best kept secret in purchasing private health insurance. |
| through an employer, it will seem so easy to qualify for | | | | When a plan discusses the need for medical |
| coverage and to choose the best policy for your | | | | underwriting of the policy, they intend to screen your |
| situation. However, once you leave the protected | | | | medical history (including covered family members) for |
| confines of an employer plan (if you are laid off or | | | | any indications of problematic health conditions. Now, |
| become self-employed), you may be shocked to learn | | | | please be aware, they are not just screening for |
| about the overwhelming restrictions now facing you. | | | | serious conditions. Rather, they are attempting to |
| Many people find it extremely difficult to purchase | | | | screen out all policy holders who might ever require |
| reasonable healthcare coverage on their own. If this is | | | | significant health care. For example, if your weight is |
| your task, here are some tips to help you navigate the | | | | too high, you may be denied coverage! Obviously, if |
| complicated and worrisome world of private health | | | | you or a family member has a serious issue such as |
| insurance. | | | | heart disease, diabetes, asthma, a disability, etc., then |
| 1. Start early. When you know you'll be needing new | | | | you can assume health insurance will either be denied |
| health coverage in the near future, begin your research | | | | or that coverage will be offered for all health care |
| at least 60 to 90 days before the new coverage is to | | | | except for the specific health issue (known as a |
| begin. As you start researching and applying for | | | | waiver of coverage for a specified condition). |
| potential plans, you may get the nasty surprise of | | | | 5. Research state sponsored plans. Because of the |
| being turned down for coverage. Unlike an | | | | numerous restrictions experienced by consumers in |
| employer-sponsored plan, in the world of private health | | | | pursuing individual healthcare coverage, many state |
| insurance, an insurance company can simply refuse to | | | | governments have stepped in to offer reasonable |
| cover you for any number of health situations. You | | | | plans and health coverage for their citizens. These |
| don't want to learn about this just before your existing | | | | plans may cover children, low income families, the |
| coverage is due to expire! | | | | self-employed and small businesses, or the |
| 2. Cover children under other spouse's employee plan. | | | | hard-to-insure (known as a risk pool). These plans are |
| Private insurance options are almost never as | | | | not strictly limited to low-income families as you might |
| comprehensive or as affordable as the health benefits | | | | assume, so take the time to see what your state |
| provided under an employer-sponsored plan. If either | | | | government has in place for people just like you. |
| you or your spouse has access to health coverage | | | | 6. Read the fine print. When you zero in on a health |
| through an employer, even when the parents are | | | | insurance plan you like, take the time to read the fine |
| divorced, you should definitely research the terms of | | | | print. All insurance policies have restrictions and |
| this coverage. Don't be afraid to cover family | | | | exclusions, and they will hold you to every comma in |
| members under different plans in order to find the best | | | | the policy. You'll want to understand what services are |
| health care coverage for each family member. | | | | covered or excluded, if there are waiting periods, and |
| 3. Consider routine vs. emergency coverage. As you | | | | what doctors, specialists or labs you'll be authorized to |
| begin comparing plans available to individuals and | | | | visit under the plan. |
| families, take a moment to consider your priorities for | | | | 7. Never cancel prematurely. Health insurance |
| future healthcare. For example, does it make sense to | | | | coverage is closely regulated by Federal and state |
| have a $0 co-pay for office visits (saving you perhaps | | | | laws which have put various protections in place for |
| $50 per year), but with restricted hospital coverage for | | | | consumers. These protections are often negated |
| dealing with car accidents or the onset of a serious | | | | when you willingly cancel a policy in writing. For this |
| disease (possibly putting your life or savings at | | | | reason, and due to the various complications noted |
| extreme risk)? It's not hard to see which benefits the | | | | throughout this article, you should always have your |
| insurance companies will play up in their sales materials! | | | | new confirmed coverage in place before canceling |
| 4. Understand medical underwriting. Ahhh, here's the | | | | any existing policies. |