Health Insurance After Cancer - Learn How to Get the Best Coverage

Being labeled as a cancer survivor can spell trouble when it comes to employment and getting medical coverage. Thousands of individuals did not have the luxury of healthcare before their cancer diagnosis. Now these same individuals are facing an even bigger challenge... obtaining health insurance after cancer. And if they are unable to work they can not participate in an employer-sponsored health plan.

Quite often the door to medical insurance is slammed in the face of cancer survivors by the insurance companies who label them as "uninsurable". Because of their pre-existing condition, these individuals are going without any healthcare coverage. It seems the insurance companies only want to insure those who are young and healthy.

Group insurance is usually better than individual insurance plans. This is especially true for those with cancer. The surest way to gain access to group insurance is to get employed by a large company. We know this is not always possible. A licensed insurance agent can assist you in finding an individual health package.

One thing to be aware of... if you join a new healthcare plan... you may face the "preexisting condition exclusion period". What this means is you may have to wait as long as a year before the insurance company will pay any medical costs associated with the pre-existing condition. The solution is to look for a healthcare plan that is HIPAA compliant (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996). This feature allows a person who has had healthcare coverage for at least 12 months and with no more than 63 days loss of coverage, to change plans and be guaranteed healthcare coverage. There may be no waiting period at all because the preexisting condition exclusion period is reduced or eliminated. Most employer-sponsored group plans are HIPAA compliant; however, you will need to look long and hard to find an individual policy that is HIPAA compliant and will cover pre existing conditions.

By Matt Mayfield