Health Insurance: How To Obtain

Going without health insurance is not a good idea if you can avoid it.

The odds are that you can obtain health insurance in spite of your health condition. There may even be help available to pay premiums.

To get health insurance, you have to be a detective. Insurance is regulated on a state-by-state basis, so the place to start is in your state.

Step 1. Look at the reason you don't have insurance.  The reason may provide an answer for obtaining health insurance coverage. (For example, you were just fired.)

Step 2. Get a general understanding of the health insurance situation in your state. There are several reputable web sites that describe the state of affairs on a state-by-state basis. If you have a choice of policies:

• National Committee for Quality Assurance has reports on different types of health plans available at http://hprc.ncqa.org/search.asp
• Our Health Plan Evaluator helps you choose between policies based on your health condition and priorities.

Step 3. Read information about each category that describes you or your situation.

Step 4. Speak with a knowledgeable insurance broker who has experience in helping people with a serious health condition -- and ideally a condition such as yours. It may be that you qualify for standard coverage in spite or your health history, or a rated premium (a premium higher than the norm) or at least a policy that excludes your pre-existing condition but gives you some protection.

Step 5. If all else fails, consider drastic steps such as getting married if you're single, asking a spouse or significant other to take a job with better health coverage, moving to a state which provides what you need -- or even to another developed country that provides universal health care. Consider the down side of these options before taking action.

Step 6. Compare your options and take the step that seems best for you.

Also look at whether you may be eligible for health coverage under Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Administration or another benefits program.

Until you get permanent health insurance:

• Consider joining a medical discount plan.
• Consider purchasing Short Term Health Insurance to cover you if it will be a while before you can obtain permanent insurance. Short Term Health insurance can count as "creditable" coverage against a pre-existing condition exclusion in new coverage.
• Learn how to access health care until you become insured.

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