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Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Finding Temporary Health Insurance

By Amy Kitchel


Most people don't plan on skipping out on health insurance - it just happens. Whether you've recently graduated from college or are in between jobs or self employed or a part of a start-up, health coverage may be one of those things that just slips through the cracks.

It is when you are in the in between, during major transitions, that you need to stop and consider the most responsible course to take to make sure your life stays on track. When you are young and healthy you may think that health insurance is not one of those things, but without it you could end up in a lot of trouble, stuck with major medical bills that will leave you in financial ruin and without health insurance because companies are slow to cover someone with major preexisting illness or conditions.

Since health insurance is so important for every stage of your life, during these times in between it is important to figure out first what type of insurance is best for you and your personal situation, especially since it will just be for the short term. If you have just left a job, you should find out about buying back your COBRA from your former employer. Buying your COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) health-insurance option means you will continue the health insurance coverage and benefits you had with your former employer by paying the monthly fees for this coverage out of pocket.

If this not an option, or if you are starting new and don't have a former employer, or if you're just retired, just discharged from the military or a worker on strike, a short-term health insurance policy is your best bet. This type of policy is designed to carry you over from one policy to another, to help you stand in a health insurance gap temporarily.

Short-term health insurance policies allow you the flexibility to see the doctors and specialists you need and prefer without restriction provided you pay the deductibles. These plans cover most surgeries, ER visits, diagnostic tests, prescription drugs, follow-up office visits and some mental health care. If you require extended hospital care, short-term policies require you get a waiver signed before hand in order to make sure that they will cover the sometimes exorbitant costs of these stays.

While many short-term policies are usually renewable for a total of 36 months, keep in mind that if you file a claim under your short-term policy your insurer will likely not renew the policy again. They might offer you another policy, but they will treat any injuries or illnesses that occurred during your previous short-term policy as a pre-existing condition.

The final option for health coverage in a transition time is catastrophic health insurance. This type of policy is generally has an affordable monthly premium and a high deductible for any medical incident. It is useful to young, healthy individuals who don't require medical care on a regular basis but it does cover medical catastrophes (as the name suggests) and provides an emergency safety net so you are not left with thousands upon thousands of dollars in medical bills if the worst happens.

Having the right kind and the right amount of health insurance is so important for your life, especially when you are in transition. Getting caught without insurance will lead to major headaches - both health wise and financial - so do your research and find the right policy for you so that you stay covered in the in between.




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