Bridging The Gap To Affordable Health Insurance

By Amanda Pickett

One in five Americans is currently living with a pre-existing medical condition which affects their ability to obtain affordable health insurance. Starting 2014, insurance companies will be prohibited from excluding people with pre-existing conditions from coverage, but that does nothing right now to help the millions who are currently uninsurable due to their medical conditions. Until that portion of the Affordable Care Act takes effect in 2014, the government established the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan which is available in all states. The plan makes health insurance available to people who have had a problem getting insurance due to a pre-existing condition and covers a broad range of health benefits, including primary and specialty care, hospital care, and prescription drugs. This would seem to be ideal for the 57 million people with existing health problems who are either uninsured or who are paying astronomical premiums for private health coverage, yet fewer than 19,000 people have signed up to date. Why?

The answer appears to be the plan's waiting period. Dropping a costly private insurance plan for a lower-premium government plan sounds like a no-brainer, until you consider that you will have to be without any insurance coverage at all (including temporary insurance like COBRA) for at least six months before you apply. Anyone with diabetes, heart disease, or any other condition that requires daily medication or maintenance will tell you that the risk of going without any coverage is simply too great.

However, for those who are still considering canceling their private insurance plans in order to apply for the government plan, there is another option that would provide coverage and peace of mind during those six months. Non-insurance health plans can help bridge the gap between an individual's private insurance plan and the government's affordable coverage.

Non-insurance health plans market health services to a large group of individuals. When these individuals become members they have increased buying power, therefore the company can negotiate discounted prices on all medical and ancillary services performed. The discounts typically range between 25% to 80% on medical, dental, and vision services, medical supplies, and prescription drugs.

For hospitalization costs, the medical discount companies can either pre-negotiate the cost reductions on hospital procedures for a scheduled hospital stay or assign an advocate on your behalf to negotiate with the hospital to lower the costs significantly, usually greater than 80% off the total charges. The hospital advocate may also apply for financial assistance to pay the hospital balance off on your behalf where appropriate.

These discount medical programs are typically very affordable. For less than $50 per month you will be able to get a program which includes medical, dental, vision, prescription, chiropractic, and telemedicine discounts for your entire household. Most require no contracts and your benefits begin as soon as you sign up. And, since PCIP does not cover dental care, you may choose to simply downgrade to the dental-only benefit once you have enrolled in the government health plan.

If you or someone you know is struggling with high insurance premiums due to an ongoing condition and is considering the PCIP option, a non-insurance medical discount plan can help save money on all medical expenses during the waiting period. More information on the medical and dental plans available as well as a nationwide provider directory may be found at www.MyDentalAndHealth.com.

Amanda Pickett is an independent health benefits consultant and an advocate of affordable healthcare. Her work focuses primarily on the health and financial issues that impact American families. You may find more at Amanda's personal blog, http://www.myhomebasedcareer.blogspot.com or email her at amanda@myhealthanddental.com

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