Keeping your pre-existing conditions covered

Thank you so much!
-- Concerned About Coverage

Dear Concerned,
Keeping your health insurance in force is critically important, especially for someone with pre-existing medical conditions that would preclude you from qualifying for individual coverage in the open market.

The good news for you is that whether you quit, get laid off or your employer goes out of business, you're assured of having access to continuous health insurance with coverage for your pre-existing conditions.

If you quit or get laid off, you will be able to continue your current group coverage under COBRA for 18 months at your expense. After that time, you can switch to a similar individual policy under HIPAA and can keep it all the way to Medicare.

If, on the other hand, your employer drops its group coverage or goes out of business, there won't be a COBRA option. You would immediately be able to access individual coverage under HIPAA.

I hope that this helps ease your pre-existing conditions concerns.

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