Posted by Corinne M. on Tue, Jun 22, 2010 @ 02:53 PM
In her last post, Melissa urged individual health consumers not to wait until health care reform is completed before getting coverage. I'd like to build on this by sharing some hard numbers from a survey sponsored by eHealth, Inc., which measured consumer expectations following the passage of legislation.
eHealth's Health Reform Survey found that 39% of the uninsured respondents would wait for health reform legislation to be fully implemented before researching and buying health insurance, and 44% believe there is "no risk" in going without health insurance coverage until government programs become available.
Additionally, a substantial number of the uninsured respondents expect the following reforms to be fully implemented in 2010:
- 62% expect to have access to private insurance regardless of any pre-existing medical conditions
- 56% believe the government health insurance exchanges will be up and running
- 56% expect to receive subsidies to help cover the cost of health insurance
It's critical for consumers to understand that the timeline for implementation of the various health reform provisions span through 2014, and some reforms are slated for 2015 and beyond. Delaying the important task of buying health insurance puts uninsureds at tremendous risk - to their physical and financial health.
That's why there remains a need for individual health insurance. People need coverage to protect their physical health and financial stability, and waiting until health care reform is completed is not the answer. While health care reform in imminent, there's a need in the here and now for coverage.
Posted by Mary K. on Wed, Mar 03, 2010 @ 08:49 AM
A friend of mine, "Mike," is about to change jobs. He has a waiting period of three months before coverage under his new employer's plan begins. That means he has a three-month period in which he'll either pay to extend his benefits under COBRA, buy individual health coverage, or go uninsured.
At first, Mike was inclined to go uninsured, save the money, and "hope and pray" no big medical expenses arise. He doesn't plan on going to the doctor during his hiatus from coverage, and his wife is covered through her job and they have no other dependents to worry about.
He knows I work in the health insurance industry so he asked me for my opinion: "Do I really need insurance before my new group coverage begins? Can't I pay out-of-pocket for any medical expenses that come up?"
"Not so fast!" I warned. Being uninsured can cost a lot more than paying health insurance premiums. Mike may be able to pay for a doctor's visit or prescription out of his savings, but what if he's in a serious accident or develops a serious illness? Without major medical coverage he'd be responsible for paying all of these unexpected - and costly - medical bills on his own.
Mike decided it's not worth the risk. He doesn't want to become a cautionary tale. He's purchasing a short-term individual health plan to fill the gap. It's less expensive than COBRA, and far less expensive than taking on the risk of huge, unexpected medial bills he's not planning for.
If you, like Mike, find yourself between jobs, ask yourself if being uninsured before your new group plan takes effect is a risk you're willing to take. Individual health coverage can provide peace of mind during this time.
Visit Celtic's Individual Health Insurance Learning Resources page to learn more about how individual health insurance can meet your coverage needs.