Group Health Insurance Eligibility

Health insurance is important for most families. If you have a medical emergency and you are not covered by insurance, you may not be able to afford the health care costs associated with treating you. Your medical bills could end up creating a financial hardship for your family. While individual health insurance is available in every state, it's not always the cheapest form of insurance. Instead, you should investigate whether you are eligible for group health insurance. This means you must work for an employer that offers a group health insurance plan and meet the employer's specific requirements to be covered under the plan (such as being a full-time employee).

Pre-Existing Conditions

• When you apply for health insurance, you may already have a health problem. This is known as "a pre-existing health condition." A pre-existing condition means that you'll need to use your health insurance right away. When purchasing insurance through a group health plan, you'll be able to sign up for insurance with a pre-existing condition.

Health Status

• You cannot be turned down for group health insurance because of your health status. This means that you cannot be turned away for past medical conditions (along with current ones), for any genetic information that may be used to show you might use your health insurance more than other individuals or for any disability that you might have. You also cannot be turned down because of weight or any chronic conditions you suffer from.

Child Coverage

• Your eligibility for health insurance extends to your children. Your children are covered under your health insurance plan up to the age when they would normally be terminated under the policy. In most cases this is age 26, but coverage may be extended if your child is attending college or is mentally or physically disabled. As long as your child is dependent on you for care, your child may remain on your policy indefinitely.

Guaranteed Renewability

• A health insurance plan renews every year. With group health insurance, the group plan renews every year. However, all members in the group do not have to worry about coverage being stopped. You, as a member of your employer's group plan, are guaranteed the option to renew your subscription to the policy every year. As long as you pay the premiums due on the policy, you are guaranteed coverage.

Termination

• If your health insurance is canceled because you've left your employer, your employment status has changed or you're laid off or terminated, you are eligible for other plans, including temporary health insurance coverage under COBRA. COBRA is state continuation coverage. This plan is an extension of your employer's group plan. You receive the same benefits as under your old group plan, but you must pay the full premium. If your employer was paying part of the premium for you, he won't be required to pay anymore.