Where can I buy group health insurance besides work?

Question

I'm thinking of starting my own business, or just going on sobatical. I need catastrophic coverage (emergency room visits) and a good prescription plan (to cover long-term meds) at a minimum. For the Rx plan, I'd like to avoid any pre-existing conditions exclusions since some of my meds are expensive. Ideally, I would like to have hmo/ppo coverage like I have now, but it would seem like that can't happen. I've heard some stories about joining certain clubs to this end, but have no specific info.

Thanks in advance!

Answer 1

You can purchase group plans through independent agencies such as ours. We offer companies such as Blue Cross, Assurant, Humana, Unicare and more.

In Illinois, Group plans may be purchased by as small a group as 2 people, but you need to prove w-2 status and a certain amount of hours worked per week. A husband and wife operating a home business could qualify. Group plans are garaunteed issue, however if it is a "new" group plan and your "company" has not had group insurance before, pre-existing wait periods apply.

In Illinois, individual and family applicants are subject to underwriting and pre-existing conditions. Certificates of continued coverage apply only when going from a group plan to another group plan.

Be careful to understand what you're purchasing in a temporary policy. They are underwritten post claim, which means if you do file a claim at that point they will examine your medical records to see if in fact you qualified for the insurance. Companies have the right to deny claims and cancel policies if they determine something was pre-existing.

State laws and company rules vary. It's best to have an agent research your needs with various companys and connect you with the right company, the right plan at the right price for you!

Feel free to contact us for more information. And good luck!

Answer 2

Sometimes a local business club will offer a buy in to group insurance, or your church, or other civic organization. The problem is, people who want GROUP coverage, and don't want the exclusions of a private plan, usually have pre-existing conditions, so on the whole, this type of group coverage costs A LOT more than it would through the employer.

Answer 3

I suggest you to visit this web site where you can get quotes from the best companies: http://PROTECTIONQUOTES.NET/index.html?src=2YAalp8o7Vi

RE :Where can I buy group health insurance besides work?
I'm thinking of starting my own business, or just going on sobatical. I need catastrophic coverage (emergency room visits) and a good prescription plan (to cover long-term meds) at a minimum. For the Rx plan, I'd like to avoid any pre-existing conditions exclusions since some of my meds are expensive. Ideally, I would like to have hmo/ppo coverage like I have now, but it would seem like that can't happen. I've heard some stories about joining certain clubs to this end, but have no specific info.

Thanks in advance!
1 following 14 answers

Answer 4

Well, you can't get group insurance on your own, unless you are part of a group....like an employer.

If your employer subsidizes the cost of the employer's health plan, I can almost guarantee you will not be able to find any cheaper coverage from an out of your pocket standpoint....because most employers subsidize a significant portion of their employee's premiums.

There are good individual health plans out there, but they will most certainly cost you more than what you could get from your employer.

If you are leaving your employer's plan to go to another, you should be able to qualify for continutation of coverage benefits, but if you are uninsured even for a little bit and try to get coverage after briefly being uninsured, you will not be able to avoid pre-existing exclusions.

If you are only going on sabbatical and will be out temporarily you could try short term insurance coverage, which is inexpensive and easy to buy. Try Assurant's plan. It's only good for six months, however. You can pick up another short term plan from some other company and get it up to a year, but by then you'd better have something else lined up.

Answer 5

I don't know when people got the idea that the only way to get health insurance is through their employers. You can sometimes get good deals with group coverage, but these days companies like Blue Cross, Humana and Kaiser Permanente are giving great deals on individual coverage. The only way to find out is to do the research yourself. It depends on what you need, but there are a lot of choices out there.

Answer 6

I understand your concerns, because you are taking meds you probably have pre-existing conditions that would either get you a highly rated plan, or more than likely declined for Individual healthcare. What you are referring to is a Association plan, example most realtors who join local real estate boards are offered health plans from old association plans that were put in place when they were legal to do so, the rates on these plans are highly rated.
Since you have current group coverage, I would suggest you opt for the Cobra coverage that will be offered to you when you leave your current employer, Cobra is the same insurance group plan that you will be offered when you leave, cost will be 2% more than the total premium.
Group insurance would require a minimum of two employee's, and to qualify for group you would need to show a history of payroll (DE-6), some companies only require a business license and or Corporation papers, the truth is that most health insurance co.'s don't want to insure groups under 5employee's. In 2006 Kaiser Permanente started a re-certification process for groups under five employee's-- what this means is that existing groups that had under five employees are being asked to re-qualify for group insurance, this is called cleaning house. Blue Shield just recently (very quietly) started asking for payroll records on groups under 5, again cleaning house of small employers. Basically the health insurance co's know that a high percentage of small groups with under five employees are not legit actual groups, most were formed just to get benefits for people that would otherwise be un-insurable (based on health conditions, ET) in my opinion, in the next few years groups will make requirements much tougher to qualify for group insurance.
Over the past few years it is getting tougher and tougher for individuals and families to qualify based on pre-existing health conditions. Most companies now decline people for things like Silicone Breast implants, to Diabetes to Abnormal Pap test to Asthma, starting 2007 (next month) blue cross in ca. will automatically rate individuals who smoke with a 25% rate increase just for smoking, if that person has any other health conditions or is overweight at all will be rated higher or declined.

Answer 7

Online
http://www.ehealthinsurance.com

Answer 8

Every state has it's own set of laws as they apply to insurance companies and their policies so my answer may not be entirely accurate as it applies to your particular states set of laws. What you are asking I think is "How can I continue to receive adequate benefits for conditions that exist now if I leave my current insurer?" In short - you can't. Ask yourself, why would an insurance company take me on as an insured when they are guaranteed to lose money on me? Check with the HR dept at your current employer to see if COBRA benefits can be extended to you and for how long. You may also want to call your state insurance dept to find out about current laws as they pertain to your situation. As previously mentioned, there may be a state pool that you qualify for. Most of those waive pre existing condition exclusions after a preliminary waiting period.

Answer 9

I've been self employed for 5 years and I've done a ton of research on health insurance companies. This is the company I use. Their quote form is easy, the prices are good and I have not had any problems with them. Good luck.

Answer 10

You cannot buy a group health plan alone. However, you can buy health insurance through an insurance sales agent. For example, you can buy Blue Cross by yourself.