NA Health insurance underwriting

Let'sgoflying!

Let'sgoflying!

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Dave Taylor
How does that work these days ie for 2017?
I buy individual insurance privately. Not sure of the term but it's not through the exchange, and it's not a group policy. Recently its been a PPO with a high deductible.

Can insurers look at your past health history to decide either if coverage will be offered or what the premium will be? Also where are we on exclusions?

Thanks
 
My policy I had for the year 2015 was a private off exchange plan with BCBS Louisnana. It was just like you described. high family deductable, $6000 or so, but covered 100% after that.

The only tables they use now for rating are age. They can't exclude pre existings, no more lifetime limits either. So basically you tell them how old you and your wife are and how many kids.

I am not even sure of tobacco get's rated differently anymore, you'd have to check into that one.
 
I'm not an expert on this but here is my understanding:

They cannot exclude for pre-existing conditions IF it is a qualified policy (meaning that it provides the Minimum Essential Coverage "MEC"). But you can only apply for qualified coverage during the Open Enrollment period, unless you have one of the qualifying events that allows you to apply outside of open enrollment. Alternatively, you can apply for Short Term Health Insurance. The short term coverage does not exempt you from having to pay the "tax penalty" the IRS imposes for not having insurance coverage. Short term coverage can exclude pre-existing conditions.
 
omg. can someone pleease tell them, we just want to buy, and have, coverage?
Thanks.

PPC1052 said:
I'm not an expert on this but here is my understanding:
They cannot exclude for pre-existing conditions IF it is a qualified policy (meaning that it provides the Minimum Essential Coverage "MEC"). But you can only apply for qualified coverage during the Open Enrollment period, unless you have one of the qualifying events that allows you to apply outside of open enrollment. Alternatively, you can apply for Short Term Health Insurance. The short term coverage does not exempt you from having to pay the "tax penalty" the IRS imposes for not having insurance coverage. Short term coverage can exclude pre-existing conditions.
Click to expand...
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
omg. can someone pleease tell them, we just want to buy, and have, coverage?
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Before, unless you were an expert at reading fine print and being medically savvy, chances are what you were buying didn't cover what you thought it did, and you didn't discover that until you needed it.
 
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