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Posts Tagged ‘health insurance premiums’

COBRA Subsidy Expires: Less Affordable Health Insurance for Unemployed

Finding affordable health insurance is one of the primary concerns for people who have recently become unemployed. If your job offered health insurance benefits, the premiums were heavily subsidized by the company. Moreover, the cost of underwriting policies is spread among the entire workforce. This makes employer-sponsored health insurance relatively inexpensive. Since the risk is also distributed evenly among employees, you are virtually guaranteed to recieve health insurance, regardless of any pre-existing conditions you may have.

However, the situation changes when you lose your job; your former employer will no longer pay part of your health insurance premium, so you will be responsible for the entire amount yourself. COBRA, also known as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, lets former employees retain the health insurance coverage from their last job. It won’t necessarily be affordable health insurance, but it’s there nonetheless. Keeping your health insurance policy (whether it is an individual health insurance policy or through COBRA) current is very important, since uninterrupted insurance will help protect you from future coverage exclusions.

Unemployment obviously makes covering the cost of a COBRA health insurance premium difficult. This recession has resulted in millions of Americans becoming out of work and in danger of losing their health insurance. As part of last spring’s stimulus package, President Obama and Congress enacted a 65% subsidy of COBRA health insurance premiums. Qualified ex-employees-those who were let go as a result of a layoff or downsizing between September 2008 and December 2009-were able to take advantage of affordable health insurance made possible by the government’s subsidization. This type of health insurance is still more expensive than insurance provided by an employer, but paying only 35% of the cost of health insurance frees up money for other consumer spending able to stimulate the economy.

Unfortunately, the subsidies only last for nine months. After that, health insurance rates will triple for many people, as they are again forced to shoulder the full cost of a policy. Without an extension of this provision in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, affordable health insurance options for the unemployed will decrease. Congress doesn’t seem to have any plans to address the issue in overarching jobs legislation or separate legislation any time soon. Economic recovery is occuring at a slow pace, which means that a significant percentage of the unemployed remain so after that length of time. Health insurance costs eat up a large portion of state unemployment benefits. COBRA enrollment has doubled since the subsidy was enacted, meaning that quite a few people feel an unwelcome shock at the cost of next month’s premiums.

There are multiple steps a person can take if they are worried about the cost of purchasing a health insurance plan. Affordable health insurance is available for both individuals and families on the open market. In many cases, these policies cost less than retaining a unsubsidized COBRA policy (when paying 102% of the premium’s cost). It is important, however, that a person doesn’t drop their COBRA coverage until another health insurance plan has approved him or her. When a person has pre-existing conditions, buying affordable health insurance becomes more difficult. However, most states have high-risk health insurance pools as supplements. There are also Children’s Health Insurance Programs run by each state that kids may qualify for if their family is earning below a certain income level. No matter what, there are solutions to the affordable health insurance crisis available.

Most Americans have health insurance are covered by an employer plan. However, some employers do not offer health insurance. If you work for one of these companies, you must purchase private insurance individual health. There are certain advantages that buying health insurance on the private market. Instead of the plans before choosing an employer, you decide what items you want to plan and choose a plan accordingly. For example, by allowing you to plan with higher deductibles, or which does not cover certain services, you acknowledge, a strong economy premium each month. Rather than tying your reports to sell to a workplace, the coverage is in private health insurance, no matter where you work to keep. Health insurance can be covered as long as you pay your premiums on time. But besides these advantages are some potential drawbacks • plans employers offer more coverage of individual plans, even if you pay the same premium rate. This is because a single policy, a greater percentage of the premium goes to operating costs such as marketing and payment to satisfy the claims. • A general plan, the group must ensure all employees and family members, while individual plans, candidates who can not refuse in perfect health. You can also use plans that exclude coverage of certain pre-existing conditions. • In most states, private health insurance premiums increase with age. Firstly, you can avoid those increases by periodically changing new plans because prices tend to be lower than the extensions. However, as you get older, it becomes harder for you business and individual insurance policies are more expensive. If you need to shop in the market for private health insurance, you must first find an insurance agent responsible. The determination of what type of insurance you need and how much coverage can be purchased complex subjects. A good agent will help you work on your situation with you and coverage tailored to your specific needs to find. The key to a successful collaboration with the agent aninsurance is a question of trust. You should be able to tell your agent’s experience and trust professional opinion, and you should always feel safe that your agent is acting in your best interests. But remember that trust is a one way street: Your agent must also trust that your information is accurate and complete offers. If you compare several plans, you need to know what to look for before making a decision. When choosing a health plan, ask your insurance agent the following questions: • If the plan cover me for the specific doctor or hospital I want to use? • How the referral system? • What are the pre-existing conditions would affect coverage? • How process and maintain the plan, if I (or a family member) am not at home? Everything is like the plan, the monthly premium, deductible and coinsurance, and what am I obligated to pay? • Are there other costs, like co-payments and additional costs if I use the supplier, the off-grid? • Is there a maximum amount the plan pays more than a year or a lifetime? • What types of benefits are specific to this plan? Purchasing an individual health insurance on the private market can be confusing. Approach the purchase as you would compare all the main points of research your options and prices, and obtain the best possible advice and support you can qualifiedinsurance in this case an agent.