Christine O'Kelly offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print. Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum. ----------- PUBLICATION GUIDELINES - You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety. - Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity. - Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only. - If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links. - Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to [email protected] - Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article. ----------- Article Title: Top 10 Things You Need to Know About Unemployment Medical Insurance Author: Christine O'Kelly Category: Insurance, Health Word Count: 876 Keywords: health insurance for the unemployed, unemployment health insurance Author's Email Address: [email protected] Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com ------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------
Whether you've suddenly lost your job or been out of work for a long time, you are no doubt concerned about health insurance. Certainty is important, and without medical insurance there is no certainty about your health. But how do you get the kind of unemployment health insurance that you are looking for? How can you tell what unemployed health insurance companies to trust? And how can you tell which unemployed health insurance benefits are really worth it? In this article, we will walk through the ten most important things to know about unemployment medical insurance and health care for the unemployed. We'll go through them one by one in detail, and once we're done, you'll be armed with everything you need to get the right unemployed health insurance. 1.COBRA: COBRA is the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act, a Federal law that allows ex-employees to stay covered under their old employer's medical insurance. If your old company holds a group plan that covered more than 20 people, you are eligible under federal COBRA, to remain covered with up to 18 months of unemployment health insurance. Your dependents will remain covered by your previous plan as well. If your old employer doesn't meet the requirements for federal COBRA, some states also offer regional variations. Check your state COBRA to see if you can still get unemployment medical insurance through the program. 2.Research is the key. If you've decided not to go with COBRA, then you're looking at the private unemployed health insurance market. Health insurance for the unemployed can be a rough area of business, and some providers will try to take advantage of you. Your best remedy is to know what's out there. Take the time to look around online. 3.Learn from experts. The Better Business Bureau and state Department of Insurance will endorse certain trustworthy insurance advisers who will provide unbiased advice at no charge. Take their advice, but be certain that they are licensed experts. Those endorsed by the state Department of Insurance have met a specific code of ethics and can provide you with great advice. They know the insurance business, and their policy experience can be invaluable in helping you make the right choices. 4.Remember that group membership pays. At your old job, you were probably covered under a group policy. A provider sees a group policy as lower risk, and so charges a lower premium. If you find similar unemployed health insurance coverage from a private insurance provider, it will usually be more expensive. 5.Consider what you need. If you are choosing private unemployment health insurance, do you really need every feature that your old insurance policy offered? Look for edges that can be cut without sacrificing the safety that insurance provides. Health insurance for the unemployed should still be comprehensive - never sacrifice an important benefit to save a few dollars on unemployment health insurance now, because you'll more than likely end up losing much more down the road. 6.Watch maternity benefits. There are state regulations that require group insurance plans to provide for certain maternity needs. Private health insurance for the unemployed isn't bound by the same rules. Be sure to check your unemployment medical insurance plan very carefully to ensure that all the benefits you need and expect are included. 7.Not healthy as a horse? COBRA might be your best bet. If you have a current health condition that requires treatment, or if you have had a serious health challenge in the past, you're probably not going to find good unemployment health insurance coverage at a reasonable price on the private unemployment medical insurance market. If that's you, then you'll probably want to look at COBRA and use that while you find another job. 8.Don't delay. If you're recently unemployed, the best thing you can do is get your new unemployment medical insurance policy quickly. Companies can check your previous insurance status, and if you have just ended a group policy, you may be able to avoid a lapse in coverage. There may be delays in underwriting, and the sooner you get started with the process, the less likely you are to wait while your policy is processed. 9.Contact an agent. Now that you know the basics of health insurance for the unemployed, you're ready to look for an independent insurance agent. These agents usually offer unemployed health insurance from a number of different companies, so you'll have quite a few choices available to you. Work with the agent. A good agent will guide you in the right direction based on your needs. 10.Don't cut corners. Cutting back to save money is a sensible decision, but never cut back so much that you risk serious trouble if there is an unexpected injury. Accidents happen, and serious injuries are more common than some might like to think. A single hospital admission can bankrupt a life savings. If you're already struggling with unemployment, don't forego unemployment health insurance and risk financial ruin just because you're hesitant to pay for the coverage you need. With these important points, you are ready to take on the unemployment medical insurance market. You will be able to get the health insurance for the unemployed that you need at the price you want to pay, with little hassle and great reward. Christine O'Kelly is a writer for Health Insurance Finders. Check out the guide to unemployment health insurance for more information: http://www.healthinsurancefinders.com/unemployed/guide/ ------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
