Insurance
When facing job loss or a reduction in hours, you should know your options ahead of time so you don’t lose your health coverage. Luckily, you may have options when you lose your job:
Special Enrollment in Another Group Plan If other group health coverage is available (for example through a spouse’s employer), you should think about enrolling in that plan. However, to qualify, you have to request enrollment within 30 days of losing eligibility your coverage. After your request, you have to enroll no later than the first day of the first month following your request for enrollment. In lot of cases, this is the most cost-effective of all the options.
COBRA If your employer stays in business after you lose your job, COBRA continuation coverage may be available. Read more about COBRA.
Health Coverage Through a Government Program Affordable health coverage may be available to you through the State or Federal government programs such as the ones listed below:
- Medicaid - Help for low-income individuals and individuals with special needs
- State Children’s Health Insurance Program - Insurance for children of qualified families
- Medicare - Coverage for people aged 65 and over, and for certain people who are disabled or have end-stage kidney disease
Private, Individual Health Insurance Another option for you to consider is private individual health insurance coverage. The cost of individual coverage is often higher than similar coverage under a group health plan obtained through special enrollment in another group plan or COBRA. More information on individual health coverage is available here.
More Great Resources
- Women at Risk: Why Many Women Are Forgoing Needed Health Care - In 2007, more than half (52%) of women reported problems accessing needed care because of cost and 45 percent of women accrued medical debt or reported problems with medical bills.
- Trends in Underinsurance and the Affordability of Employer Coverage - A study of trends in employer-sponsored health insurance found that plan enrollees’ out-of-pocket expenses grew by more than one-third between 2004 and 2007
- Maternity Care Coalition’s Insuring Healthy Births Report - Insuring Healthy Births reviews the healthcare services childbearing women need and the kinds of health insurance currently available in our state.
- Getting Covered: Finding Health Insurance When You Lose Your Job - Families USA
- Foundation for Health Coverage Education - The Foundation for Health Coverage Education (FHCE) offers four unique ways to help you find health coverage in your area
- Advice for Consumers - PBS Frontline: Sick Around America - Georgetown University Research Professor Karen Pollitz talks about the challenges in finding available, affordable and adequate health insurance.
- US Department of Labor - Job Loss
- Health Insurance for Grads - An article from KYW1060.com with tips for grads and information about a website that let’s you compare plans.
- Pennsylvania Insurance Department - Out of a Job?
- Artist’s Guide to Accessing Health Care in the Philadelphia Area
- Talking Health: Health Insurance - Live webcast on health insurance reform
- Health insurance options when you are unemployed - LA Times, 1/19/09
Information for this article has been provided by Families USA and the US Department of Labor.
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