Applying for individual insurance before or while being pregnant
While pregnancy is considered to be a natural process and medical professionals will state that there is little risk of complications, there still exists some level of risk. In the medical industry the risk is insignificant; however, to the insurance company the risk is one in which they do not wish to insure or take and they can do so by categorizing pregnancy as a pre-existing condition.
A private health insurance company is allowed to underwrite any pre-existing condition and take adverse action as they see fit. If you feel that your pregnancy to delivery will be of low risk, because you are in good standard health and always have been in good health, then you may consider asking the insurance company to offer an individual insurance [http://www.healthinsurancefinders.com/individual-health-insurance-plans.html] plan to you, but with a waiver (an exclusion) for any complications related to pregnancy. This way the insurance company will not be contractually liable for the risk and thus will grant an amended policy.Â
In addition to asking companies that have declined coverage to reconsider with a waiver for pregnancy expenses, there should be companies that will underwrite and offer coverage with a waiver without first denying coverage. Of course, this route will require that you cover your pregnancy expenses out-of-pocket without any cost sharing from the insurance company. If you absolutely must have coverage for expenses related to pregnancy another option is to apply for the guarantee issue individual insurance plans or a state wide high-risk pool that is available in your home state.Â
If the high-risk health insurance pool is too expensive of an alternative, then perhaps the only options left are to seek out government assistance. Medicaid is another option, but this option will require meeting eligibility guidelines, the major one being low-income stipulations. The WIC program is another federal government aid program to consider, but it too comes with a list of requirements one of which being that there must be a nutritional need as well.
A private health insurance company is allowed to underwrite any pre-existing condition and take adverse action as they see fit. If you feel that your pregnancy to delivery will be of low risk, because you are in good standard health and always have been in good health, then you may consider asking the insurance company to offer an individual insurance [http://www.healthinsurancefinders.com/individual-health-insurance-plans.html] plan to you, but with a waiver (an exclusion) for any complications related to pregnancy. This way the insurance company will not be contractually liable for the risk and thus will grant an amended policy.Â
In addition to asking companies that have declined coverage to reconsider with a waiver for pregnancy expenses, there should be companies that will underwrite and offer coverage with a waiver without first denying coverage. Of course, this route will require that you cover your pregnancy expenses out-of-pocket without any cost sharing from the insurance company. If you absolutely must have coverage for expenses related to pregnancy another option is to apply for the guarantee issue individual insurance plans or a state wide high-risk pool that is available in your home state.Â
If the high-risk health insurance pool is too expensive of an alternative, then perhaps the only options left are to seek out government assistance. Medicaid is another option, but this option will require meeting eligibility guidelines, the major one being low-income stipulations. The WIC program is another federal government aid program to consider, but it too comes with a list of requirements one of which being that there must be a nutritional need as well.
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