For help, call your state's Department of Insurance.
Since diabetes is a costly and potentially fatal illness, health insurance companies frequently reject diabetic applicants. Diabetes ranks with cancer, HIV, morbid obesity, heart disease and autoimmune disorders as the main reasons for health insurance denials in the U.S. Insurance companies are hesitant to accept diabetics since their medications can cost thousands of dollars annually. Despite this, many of the 23.6 million American diabetics are insured, since several options are available to them.
Instructions
1. Enroll in a group plan. Unlike individual insurance plans, group plans cannot deny applicants due to pre-existing conditions. If you have a job with benefits, sign up for your employer's health insurance plan. If your spouse gets insurance through his work, get covered under his plan.
2. Look into COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act). You qualify for COBRA if you were insured through your employer and lost your job for any reason excluding gross misconduct. Unlike individual health insurance, COBRA cannot deny you due to a pre-existing condition, such as diabetes. Even so, a COBRA policy is costly, and premiums can exceed $400 a month. You must apply for COBRA within 62 days of losing your employer-based coverage.
3. Apply for individual health insurance within two months of losing your prior coverage. Many states, such as Texas and Missouri, have insurance laws. These laws guarantee coverage to those who apply for new insurance within 63 days of losing their previous coverage, regardless of pre-existing conditions. To qualify, you must have had creditable coverage, meaning that your previous insurance must have been a comprehensive plan that lasted at least 18 months.
4. Join a state high-risk pool. As of May 2010, 35 states have high-risk pools for residents who cannot get individual coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Although the premiums for high-risk pools are higher than for those in the general population, these plans are comprehensive. Additionally, in some states, such as Missouri, low-income residents may get a state subsidy to waive or reduce premium costs.
5. Consider non-comprehensive options. Many insurance companies cover applicants with pre-existing conditions if they agree to a rider. These riders exempt the insurance company from covering treatments or services related to that pre-existing for a set period of time. A major medical plan is another non-comprehensive option. Major medical plans do not cover basic services, such as doctor visits and prescriptions. But they do cover catastrophic medical problems that could lead to personal bankruptcy, such as cancer, major injuries or falls.
6. Seek government assistance as a last resort. Consult with a social worker to determine if you qualify for programs like Medicaid or federal COBRA subsidies. Furthermore, many government clinics offer diabetics free testing, glucose monitoring and other basic services.
