8 Things to Know About HIPAA If You Lose Your Job

Losing your job is a life event that nobody wants to endure, but unfortunately it all too common. Especially in the current economic climate and job market, a job less is a real risk for many people. Along with job loss often comes the loss of group health insurance. If this happens to you, you do have some safeguards put in place by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, more commonly known as HIPAA. To understand your options fully, you may want to consider enrolling some sort of HIPAA training or finding an information resource that is convenient for you.

Title I of HIPAA, addresses access and availability of health insurance coverage. One of the major changes HIPAA initiated was expanding additional opportunities for individuals and families to get health insurance coverage. It took away some restrictions on pre-existing conditions by limited what qualified for denying of benefits. Title II of HIPAA deals with security compliance issues such as requiring all employees take HIPAA training courses.

What this means for you is that if you lose your job, and thus your health benefits, for some reason, you have more options to keep you and your family insured as well as a lower risk of being denied health insurance coverage by your next employer. The HIPAA act is quite detailed and expansive so the following list is generalized for convenience. The following highlights some of the benefits that HIPAA has made regarding health insurance coverage.

– HIPAA increase the options for health coverage for yourself and any dependents once you find another job by eliminating a lot of restrictions on preexisting conditions.

– HIPAA lowers the risk of losing your existing health care coverage

– HIPAA regulations make it easier to maintain health care coverage when you lose your job or change jobs

– HIPAA helps individuals purchase health care coverage on their own if they lose group coverage from their employers or job

– HIPAA limits health care plan providers use of pre-existing condition exclusions

– HIPAA prohibits health care plan providers from denying coverage, or charging extra for coverage, because of a pre-existing condition

– HIPAA assures individuals who lose health care coverage from their employer have the right to purchase health insurance

– HIPAA assures employers or individuals who purchase health insurance are able to renew coverage regardless of any health conditions in almost all cases

It is important to note that HIPAA does not guarantee health coverage for all individuals and families, but the regulations it employs does make it a lot easier to obtain health insurance coverage if you do for some reason lose your current coverage. Eliminating restrictions on pre-existing conditions is a huge milestone to allow more people the health insurance coverage they deserve. Also increasing access and opportunities to purchase health insurance regardless of employment, helps more individuals and families to be covered by health insurance in tough times. Overall, HIPAA lowers your chance of losing existing coverage, expands your options for coverage if you lose your current coverage, and ease your ability to switch coverage if you want to switch for a better premium or find you need to switch because your current coverage does not cover a condition you or your family may have.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA Training website.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA Training website http://www.hipaaexams.com/hipaa-training.asp

Author Bio: For more information, please visit our HIPAA Training website.

Category: Advice
Keywords: HIPAA Training

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