A pre-existing health condition is a health condition or illness that you have had before your first day of coverage from your new health insurance policy. Someone that has a previous illness can cost an insurance company hundreds of thousands of dollars. It is in their best interest to reject you if they want to stay profitable over the long haul. Remember health insurance companies are profitable. Insurance companies make money by limiting risk and excluding pre-existing conditions from their health plans helps the bottom line. However, changes will soon take place to help those in need of health insurance with pre-existing conditions
For millions of Americans seeking affordable health insurance with a pre-existing condition, the process will become somewhat easier starting in 2011. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced new plan choices for people enrolling in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) for 2011. A pre-existing health condition can make anyone who is looking for insurance cringe.
The new options will be offered in a three-tiered structure beginning January 1, 2011, and will be available in States where the program is federally administered through the Office of Personnel Management. At present, the federally administered program is available in 23 states and the District of Columbia. Beginning in 2014 all Americans regardless of their health status will have access to affordable health insurance coverage.
There are some basic requirements to qualify for the Pre-existing Condition Insurance plan. You must be a citizen or national of the United States or otherwise lawfully present in the United States. You must have been uninsured for the previous six months. You must have experienced a problem getting insurance due to your pre-existing condition.
The cost of the pre-existing condition insurance plan varies depending on your age. For example in Florida a person under the age of 35 will pay $363 per month for coverage. A person 55 or older will pay $773 per month. While that may not seem like affordable health insurance coverage, previous cost through COBRA and other high risk pools was substantially higher.
While the recent healthcare debate brought different viewpoints and discussion on many different matters most politicians agree that a pre-existing condition plan was necessary to protect the millions of Americans that are uninsured because I the pre-existing condition.
The new plan will include a three-tiered structure to begin in January of 2011. Previously, only one plan was offered to those who applied to federally administered programs.
The standard plan of the past had single combined medical and pharmacy deductibles of $2500. The new extended plan will have two separate deductibles, $2000 for medical, and $500 for prescriptions and drugs. Not necessarily by coincidence, those who have pre-existing conditions are often required to take multiple medications. The new option will help save money for the insured in that regard.
For those seeking a lower deductible a new extended plan has been developed. It has $1000 medical deductible any to learn $250 drug and prescription deductible. Obviously, the premiums will be slightly higher than those found with other plants.
In summary, help with pre-existing conditions health insurance is on the way. You may or may not agree with all are part of the new healthcare plan. However, this particular part of the plan seemingly would help the most people with a real need.
