Getting Individual Health Insurance
Choosing an individual health insurance plan requires more effort than easily enrolling in your company's group health insurance plan. If you have a choice, group health insurance is a better option than individual health insurance. However, because some people are self-employed, they can't get group health insurance, or because they work for a small company, their COBRA benefits will expire soon, or a number of other reasons. Their last option is to turn to individual health insurance plans which is insurance one must buy themselves. There are many insurance companies who offer individual health insurance plans. However, if you're age is over 50 years old, there may be difficulty in acquiring a individual policy due to the following: If you have a serious medical problem or pre-existing condition. You may have to get a medical exam to prove you don't have a serious medical problem. Individual Health Insurance Options There are quite a few choices when shopping around for individual health insurance: Fee for Service ( Indemnity Plan ) Managed Care Plan ( HMO or PPO ) Open Enrollment Plan ( period to enroll in plan ) Association ( Insurance through professional trade associations ) High Risk Pools ( people who have been denied or refused insurance )