A key issue to consider if you become unemployed is the loss of your health insurance coverage. You won’t want to be without it, but you will also have to face the fact that it can be quite expensive. Consider the choices you have and how you can make use of them as you hunt for a new job.
What you can expect
At the time you are laid off, your employer should provide information regarding the health benefits available to you at. In addition, if you feel that the information you are given is insufficient, find out if you can continue your coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA).
What you should know
Note that the law requires your employer to make health insurance available to terminated employees for 18 months via COBRA, usually at their expense. However, some employers provide this insurance in the severance package they offer for a specified time. To obtain this coverage, you must enroll within 60 days.
What you can do
You can also get in touch with your state health department because a number of states offer health insurance that covers families and individuals for a fee. If this is true in your case, you will have to meet certain asset and income requirements in order to participate in the plan.
Above all, don’t delay in looking for health care insurance that is right for you, and avoid making an uninformed or hasty choice that you come to regret. If you have a pre-existing condition, you have 63 days to find other coverage and avoid a waiting period in your situation.
Here are some options for you to consider:
With a major medical plan, you will pay a premium that is really affordable by choosing a high deductible. However, while this program will cover you if you face a medical event that is catastrophic, you cannot rely on it for in routine, predictable health care situations. You can also opt for less-expensive short-term medical insurance coverage that will expire in six or twelve months.
If you want to find an insurance plan with a lower premium, you can also look for one that doesn’t provide treatment at many facilities or find an inexpensive medical plan without a deductible that includes coverage for your basic health care needs, such as a brief hospital stay or a routine office visit. In addition, determine whether any school alumni associations or insurance companies in your state provide temporary medical coverage for the unemployed that would meet your needs.
Certain members-only warehouse clubs, trade associations and unions also provide various types of medical coverage, such as vaccinations and screening, and you can contact them for information.
While being unemployed reduces your income and a pre-existing condition may keep you from qualifying for the various options mentioned above, assistance from your state or certain high-risk pools may help you in paying for your medical coverage until you find a new job.
If you are an unemployed worker under the age of 26, you can be covered by your parents’ group insurance plan. This is part of the health care reform bill, and you don’t have to be a dependent or a full-time student to qualify.
Determine if your children can participate in the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), which is available in every state.
If you currently participate in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program that means that you are eligible for Medicaid. Others may also qualify for this assistance, depending on the income and resources currently available to them.
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