State Health InsuranceThe fact that not everyone can get health insurance can be a harsh reality to the roughly 15% of Americans who are uninsured. This alarmingly high number has moved states to action to provide risk pools for those who are denied health insurance. Most of those that are denied have a pre-existing medical conditions which puts them at too high of a risk for health insurance companies.
State Health Insurance: The UninsuredMost Americans receive their health insurance through their employer. A large portion of the country receives government-sponsored health care, which comes in the form of various programs from Medicaid to military health care. Those that do not fall into either of these two categories are likely either self-employed or they work for a company that is too small to provide health insurance to their employees. These people must search different types of health insurance through private companies. Unfortunately, people that are considered to be a high risk medically or who have already been treated for a medical condition may have trouble finding an insurance company that will accept their application. Those that are rejected for health insurance because of their poor health are the reason that many states (34 at the time of this article) have put together a risk pool.
State Health Insurance: The Danger of Individual CoverageSince insurance companies that cover entire businesses are forced to take all employees regardless of their health, these companies hope to have more healthy employees than unhealthy ones. But when evaluating individual insurance applications, companies in many states have the option to deny your application based on your health status. This can make it difficult for people with medical conditions to find good health insurance coverage even at a very high cost.
State Health Insurance: How Risk Pools WorkA risk pool offers state-sponsored health insurance to those who could not otherwise qualify for insurance through private companies. Although the cost is higher than individuals would pay through a private company, most of these individuals could not find a company that would offer them health insurance.
State Health Insurance: Pros and Cons of Risk PoolsRisk pools are not necessarily helpful. Not all states have well designed risk pools and some have very low funding. Most risk pools are not funded through taxes. Instead, the risk pool runs very much like a normal insurance company, using the funds that are brought in through premiums to make payouts. Unfortunately for the uninsured, some states only offer insurance through the risk pool at very high costs that cannot be afforded for most of the uninsured people. Some states have great risk pools which can be very beneficial to those who could not otherwise get insurance. These risk pools could also be helpful to high risk people who have been getting insurance through their employer, but want to branch out and start their own company or switch to a smaller company that might not offer them insurance. A risk pool can provide the security that is needed for these people to live their own lives and follow their dreams.
State Health Insurance: Get a Free QuoteIf you have been denied health insurance by private companies in the past, this is by no means a dead end for you. Your state may offer a risk pool of their own or they may offer some other kind of assistance that can help you find the health insurance coverage that you need. Enter your zip code at the top of the page and we can get you started on your health insurance search right away with a free quote that compares insurance policies from several different companies. Even for those at high risk, a good health insurance policy is available. |
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