Alabama Health Insurance (AL)
Given today's climate of economic and financial uncertainty, people know that finding affordable, quality Alabama health insurance is an important step towards securing peace of mind concerning the health and well-being of themselves and their loved ones.With the price of medical care and treatments continuing to climb at extraordinary rates, it is reassuring to know that people have a reliable source to call upon when they need Alabama health insurance quotes. And that source is insuranceUSA.com. In its most basic form, health insurance is simply an insurance plan which covers medical expenses, whether customary or emergency. It can also be expanded to cover long-term care or disability, depending on one's needs.
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The following article will provide information regarding the regulations of Alabama health insurance, both for individuals and small groups. It will also give fundamental information concerning COBRA, The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. This plan basically provides workers and their families who lose their health insurance coverage (usually through the loss of employment) the right to continue group health insurance benefits, most often at their own expense.
You will also find interesting statistical information which can help you compare the health of Alabaman residents with the health of people from other regions of the country.
Alabama Individual and Family Health Insurance
Your eligibility to purchase individual or family health insurance in Alabama is greatly influenced by your current and past health status and history. Alabama health insurance companies may deny coverage to an applicant if they feel that the cost of insuring the individual will pose a risk to the company's claims ratio- that is, they will be paying an exorbitant dollar amount in claims.
Many times this is based on whether a person applying for health insurance has a pre-existing condition. Alabama health insurance companies are permitted to look back 5 years to determine whether a person has a pre-existing condition. They may agree to offer you coverage, but may attach a rider to your policy which, in effect, exempts the company from having to pay any medical expense related to the pre-existing condition.
Alabama health insurance companies are also allowed to exclude a pre-existing medical condition for 2 years, regardless of whether the insured member had prior health insurance or not.
Alabama Group Health Insurance
To qualify for Alabama health insurance, a company must have between 2 and 50 employees on staff. However, a company is not required to offer Alabama health insurance to all employees.
For instance, those who only work part-time, or who do not live within the insurance service area may not be eligible for the group coverage. Under Alabama health insurance regulations, an employer may require a waiting period before employees are able to obtain group insurance.
This waiting period is decided on by the employer, and not the insurance company. Pre-existing conditions may make an employee ineligible for total coverage under their plan. This usually applies to conditions that you were treated for within the past six months prior to the start date of coverage.
However, there are types of Alabama health insurance that will cover pre-existing conditions that are not covered by the group insurance. Eligible employees who meet all the requirements are guaranteed insurance benefits regardless of their current health.
Alabama COBRA Insurance
Alabama health insurance follows the federal guidelines for COBRA coverage. The COBRA plan is for companies with 20 or more employees. After leaving a job, a person can keep their group insurance through COBRA for up to 18 months if they qualify for COBRA. In addition, some eligible dependents can stay covered for 36 months, and disable people can receive benefits for 29 months. Alabama health insurance rules state that if your employer discontinues the group plan, then your COBRA coverage will end as well. But, there is additional Alabama health insurance coverage that is available through the Alabama Comprehensive Health Insurance Association (ACHIA) that is designed for people who have ended their COBRA coverage.
Alabama Health Information and Statistics
If you are in the market for quality Alabama health insurance, the following facts may be of interest to you. You will find helpful statistical information outlining how Alabama ranks in many categories related to overall health, both medical and lifestyle, plus other pertinent material.
Some of the positives of residing in Alabama are a low geographic disparity within the state, moderate immunization coverage, and a low prevalence of binge drinking. Alabama also faces many challenges, including a high percentage of children in poverty, high levels of air pollution, and a high prevalence of obesity.
According to a 2008 study, Alabama had some significant changes over the past year. These include the rate of uninsured population decreasing by 9% and the percentage of children in poverty increasing by 20%. Since 1990, the rate of uninsured population decreased by 19% and the prevalence of obesity rose by 151%.
Following is a variety of statistical data related to living in Alabama, as compared with the rest of the country. These state rankings may be helpful when you consider purchasing Alabama health insurance.
- Prevalence of Smoking-40th
- Prevalence of Obesity-49th
- Violent Crime-30th
- Children in Poverty-46th
- Air Pollution-47th
- Cancer Deaths-43rd
- Lack of Health Insurance-22nd
- Prevalence of Binge Drinking-6th
- Infant Mortality-47th
- Infectious Disease-34th
- Premature Death-48th
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