How to Get Health Insurance If You Are Overweight

"Morbid obesity is defined as being 100 or more pounds above your ideal weight," according to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. While most overweight people can get individual health insurance, the morbidly obese are often denied because they are at higher risk for many issues, including osteoarthritis, diabetes, hypertension, stroke and heart disease. However, there are still many ways for significantly overweight people to get medical coverage.

Instructions

• 1

  Join a group plan. By law, group plans cannot reject applicants due to pre-existing conditions, and morbid obesity counts as a pre-existing condition. Thus, you or your spouse can enroll in an employer-based plan. If you are a dependent, register for your parents' plan. Many professional organizations like the Freelancers Union or the National Association for the Self-Employed have group plans for long-standing members.

• 2

  Check out COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act). You qualify for COBRA, a comprehensive plan lasting up to 18 months, if you were insured through your employer but lost your coverage when you lost your job. Coverage is guaranteed if you apply within 62 days of insurance loss. Unlike individual coverage, COBRA cannot discriminate based on pre-existing conditions.

• 3

  Apply for individual insurance within 62 days of losing past coverage. Insurance protection laws grant coverage when you apply for insurance within 62 days of previous insurance loss. The previous coverage must be creditable, meaning it lasted at least 18 months and was comprehensive.

• 4

  Enroll in a state high-risk pool. As of July 2010, 30 states had such pools for uninsurable state residents. While expensive, high-risk pools are comprehensive and cover diagnostic and prevention care. Many states offer subsidies for low-income residents to reduce premium costs.

• 5

  Consider non-comprehensive options. Catastrophic plans do not cover diagnostic or preventive care, but do cover medical emergencies, including car accidents, heart attacks or injuries. Such emergencies often land uninsured people in bankruptcy. Discount plans cover a small percentage or number of diagnostic, preventive and catastrophic procedures.