Pennsylvania Health Insurance
Pennsylvania HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS
Pennsylvania's Children's Health Insurance Program - For some children who do not qualify for Medicaid, but cannot afford private insurance, they can get covered through PaCHIP.
Pennsylvania adultBasic - This program is designed for adults who have no health insurance and meet eligibility requirements.
The Healthy Women Project - This program, also known as the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment program, provides free cancer screenings for low-income women.
Common Health Conditions in Pennsylvania
- Lungs cancer
- High Cholesterol
- Glomerulonephritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Blood pressure
- Diabetes.
Pennsylvania Health Insurance Regulations
Pennsylvania health insurance laws are the ones that influence the health insurance policy specifically. For instance, at the end of your Pennsylvania health insurance policy's term, you always have the option of renewing it for another term. This is called the guaranteed renewability provision. Also, medical conditions that you have been diagnosed with 5 years before the effective date of your health insurance policy can be excluded from coverage for a period of time. Conditions falling under this description are considered "pre-existing conditions". In Pennsylvania, health insurance companies can exclude pre-existing conditions from coverage, but not for more than 12 months. In instances of switching your health insurance, your old policy's exclusion period credits your new Pennsylvania health insurance policy's required exclusion period. Finally, newborns and adopted children are automatically included under a parent's individual Pennsylvania health insurance plan for a minimum of 31 days as long as the policy already provides coverage for dependents. The other area of importance in regards to health insurance laws is the degree of influence your health insurance company has over your policy and its price. First of all, Blue Cross Blue Shield is required to offer Pennsylvania health insurance to every resident. Premiums, under Blue Cross Blue Shield are based on age, gender, family size and type of plan but will not be affected by health status. Other Pennsylvania health insurance companies selling individual policy premiums can take health status into account but cannot increase the cost of your renewal premiums if your health declines. Also, some Pennsylvania health insurance companies can require a probationary period of no more than 30 days before coverage begins. And lastly, Pennsylvania health insurance companies cannot cancel your health coverage or refuse you renewal on the grounds of illness. If you are seeking temporary Pennsylvania health insurance, conversion policies are a good choice. They are available to individuals who have recently left a fully insured group policy, have lost health coverage because of the death of a spouse, or are no longer covered as a dependent. Conversion policies are guaranteed renewable and no new pre-existing condition period can be imposed. Unlike in other states, the premiums for conversion policies are limited to a percentage of your previous policy's premium. Benefits, however, may be very different than under your former Pennsylvania health insurance policy. Applications for a conversion policy must be received no later than 31 days after the end of your previous policy. If you are ineligible for a conversion policy, temporary health insurance is also available from a few insurance companies.
Pennsylvania
Health and Welfare Building, 8th Floor West, 625 Forster Street, Harrisburg, PA 17120
Website: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/department_of_health_home/17457
Phone: 1-877-PA-HEALTH.
