There has been a rise in Illinois individual health insurance plans in todays society.  Having health insurance is a necessity for everyone. Today’s economy has caused some employers to drop their group heath insurance plans so that they can afford to keep their employees by cutting costs on health care. When you’re company no longer offers health insurance for you or your family it might be necessary for you to look for a plan that provides health insurance for individuals in Illinois.

The cost of health insurance varies with your age, your current health condition, your family health history and also varies in cost if you are a smoker or use other tobacco products. When you’re searching for Illinois health insurance for individuals you will find that there are many different options available for you to choose from. You want to choose a helath insurance plan that allows you to customize your Illinois health insurance the way you want it so that you aren’t wasting money on things you don’t need.

When searching for individual health insurance you need to consider using a health insurance broker in Illinois.  An Illinois health insurance broker like Health Insurance Services, Inc. can help guide you through the various options available to you.  There is no charge for using a health insurance broker in Illinois so you get to take advantage of our expertice free of charge.

When choosing your Illinois health insurance for individuals plan you will want to first find out how much you want to spend a month for health insurance. You will also want to write out a list of the things you’d like to have covered; these options can include prescription coverage, vision, dental, mental health, chiropractic care, addiction coverage, maternity, and much more. Knowing what you need and what options you would like to have will help you decide on your health insurance for individuals plan much easier.

You should also educate yourself on the insurance lingo; knowing exactly what a deductible is, what co-insurance means, and also the types of health coverage plans that are available. There are many different types of health insurance for individuals options; these include Health Savings Accounts or HSA, Comprehensive Coverage, HMO plans and many more. You should decide which plan will work best for your current and near future needs.

Planning ahead by purchasing health insurance for individuals is a great way to save you money in the future. If you become ill or are injured and you don’t have health coverage you could end up paying a lot of money for medical bills. If you are covered by health insurance you will pay much less for these surprise medical emergencies.

There are many different companies that you can choose from when searching for health insurance for individuals. You will want to make sure that the company and plan you choose is covered by your regular doctor or a doctor that you’d be interested in having. If you don’t know which insurance company you want to go with there are several online health insurance finder websites that will help match you to an insurance company that is right for you.

Before signing a health insurance contract and applying you will need to make sure that you read through all the terms and conditions and learn what is covered and what isn’t. You will also want to make sure that you fully understand every aspect of your insurance. 

Health Insurance Services, Inc is here to help you make these important decisions in your life.  We are Illinois Health Insurance experts with over 20 years of industry experience.   Our advice and guidance is free of charge.   We are here to understand your needs and provide you with the professional advice you require.

How does an Illinois resident with a pre-existing health condition find a quality Illinois health insurance plan? why does it seem like it is so difficult to find a pre-existing condition Illinois health insurance plan?

Pre-existing conditions are defined as illnesses in which the person has gone to a physician, clinic, or medical facility and has received medical care in the past. Insurance companies are using these questionnaires as well as an exclusion period in order to defend themselves from people with pre-existing conditions that are seeking medical insurance.

In the state of Illinois people that are applying for an individual health insurance plan can be turned down at the insurance company’s discretion due to pre-existing conditions unless that person is eligible for an Illinois HIPAA health insurance plan.

In the state of Illinois they follow HIPAA laws very strict. the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act created in 1996 and effective in 1997 provides protection for people that have medical pre-existing illnesses. the law protects people by limiting their exclusion period when purchasing health insurance, lowering the chances for a member with a pre-existing condition to lose coverage, providing protections when they change jobs and guaranteeing that your health insurance policy gets renewed at the end of your coverage year.

The law however, has not eliminated the ability of individual carriers of denying health insurance to pre-existing condition people or exclude medical conditions. the only guarantee issue provisions lie in State sponsored plans and insurance company funded plans. what HIPAA does provide is for guaranteed acceptance health insurance coverage for people that meet 6 HIPAA requirements. When someone meets these 6 requirements they are considered HIPAA eligible and can qualify for a guaranteed issue HIPAA health insurance plan. the 6 requirements for HIPAA eligibility can often be the only avenue of health insurance coverage available to some high risk individuals with major pre-existing health conditions.

Some of the most important insurance companies in the state of Illinois handle pre-existing conditions a little bit differently, because of this it is important to do some research and actually shop around for a policy before deciding to apply. Individual plans have more exclusion that group plans and that is why they are quite a bit less expensive, because they are more restrictive.

Aetna Health Insurance who is one of the big dogs in the health insurance business across the United States is a primary example of exclusion period. They offer a 365 day period starting from the day of enrollment, in which a person with a pre-existing condition is not covered. it is important to note however, that if the person that has a pre-existing condition has had prior creditable coverage within 63 days immediately before the signature of the application; then the exclusion period will be waived.

Another example of this can be seen with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois, who is one of the 39 independent, community-based insurance companies that make up the national Blue Cross Blue Shield network. Since they are independent that means they might not have the same provisions as Blue Cross Blue Shield companies in other states. In Illinois, BCBS requires a member with a pre-existing condition to wait a 365 day exclusion period from the day that they sign the policy before receiving coverage for their illness.

Compared to individual coverage, group plans are a little better. They cannot turn you down due to a pre-existing condition, which makes group plans more expensive. under HIPAA law an employer can only deny pre-existing condition coverage if the person is diagnosed, receives treatment or has care and treatment 6 months before the enrollment date. a good thing to note is that pregnancy cannot be accounted as a pre-existing condition by an employer insurer.

The total time a person can be excluded from a group health plan if they have a pre-existing condition is 12 months after enrollment (18 months if they enroll late), for this reason it is important for a person to sign up for health insurance as soon as they are offered it (if not you can be subject to 18 months instead of 12). Fortunately for some, the time can be less in case that they were covered by an insurance company for the 63 days before enrollment. Also, an insurer cannot deny coverage to a small employer (2-50) under HIPAA law.

Finding Illinois health insurance coverage when one has a pre-existing condition can be very tough. not to mention that pre-existing conditions cover everything from cancer, HIV, Hepatitis C and even high cholesterol. it is key however, for a person that has a pre-existing condition to know all the exclusions and their rights that are provided under the HIPAA law. This is important because once you know your rights, you will be able to be more knowledgeable about the subject and avoid long exclusion periods.

 If you have any questions about pre-existing conditions and Illinois health insurance please call us at Health Insurance Services, Inc.