Losing health insurance is one of the biggest concerns that employees and their families can face. Usually the loss of health insurance is associated with job loss due to layoffs and plant closings. Loss of health insurance could also be caused by employers dropping health care, job changes. Presently, people losing health insurance face two major difficulties as follows:
- If they have pre-existing conditions, commercial insurance may not be available.
- COBRA or other options for health plans available for people with pre-existing limitations may be unaffordable, especially with the income loss that accompanies a layoff.
Today the only viable alternatives for most people is to acquire Government programs such as Federal/State Children’s Health Insurance Plans (CHIP) or Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC’s), which provide primary care and Rx Drugs based on the patient’s ability to pay. Limited coverage for Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital confinements are available, but these plans are designed to be supplemental as opposed to primary coverage.
Fortunately in 2014, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will address the two major issues for people losing insurance by
- Eliminating pre-existing condition limitations as barriers to obtaining health insurance.
- Providing subsidies to individuals and families to help pay for health insurance.
Double Health USA will help people losing insurance both before and after 2014.
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