California Medical Insurance

California health care policies are increasing in price along with medical care policies across the United States. Regardless of who is carrying your policy, it is important to understand what your legal rights are available to you.

Legal Protections and Group Medical Insurance

The State of California and the Federal Government protect policy holders in many ways. Employers must provide health care, if they have it, in a consistent manner. For example, companies cannot deny coverage to employees who have cancer in order to lower their costs. Another legal protection is that while insurance companies can limit their coverage for pre-existing conditions, they can only limit it for a six month to twelve month period, depending on whether your insurance plan is fully insured or self-insured. Insurance companies can only consider a pre-existing condition to be one with which you were diagnosed or treated within six months before you applied. If you leave a company, you may be able to keep your current plan by applying to COBRA. COBRA coverage is available to anyone who has been working for a company that employs at least twenty people and if you are not leaving the company because you made really, really inexcusable decisions (gross misconduct). While you will have to pay the full premium plus 2%, having coverage might be better than having no coverage at all.

Legal Protections and Individual Medical Insurance

In California, insurance companies are not allowed to cancel your policy if you get sick. However, they can pull the whole plan from the market. Insurance companies can deny you coverage for pre-existing conditions for up to twelve months, depending upon the number of family members your policy covers. Individual medical insurance can be very expensive. However, if you are HIPAA eligible, California offers you some protection. If you are HIPAA eligible, insurers are required to give you the choice of two policies and are not allowed to exclude you for any period of time for pre-existing conditions.

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