Florida Medical Insurance for the Uninsured

Author: Andy West


Purchasing the right kind and amount of Florida medical insurance should be the top of the to-do list for those who are uninsured. Of course that is easier said than done when certain conditions exist. In Florida the insurance companies can include pre-existing conditions in their policies in order to be exclusionary. In fact pre-existing conditions can prevent you from buying the individual policy you have chosen, but it is not the end of the story. There are many different insurance companies offering health insurance and one denial does not automatically mean you will get the same response from other companies.

Defining a pre-existing condition would seem to be simple, but nothing in the insurance world is truly simple. With full latitude given insurance companies as to how they define pre-existing the clauses in policies are as varied as the number of policies written. For example, a pre-existing condition could be defined as one where you have already seen a doctor previously just to discuss a particular issue. In the strictest definitions, there is no requirement that you actually received a diagnosis or treatment. You can merely have sought advice.

In other pre-existing condition definitions, the requirements are not quite as limiting. Some insurance policies require that an actual diagnosis or treatment have been involved in order to be considered pre-existing. The time limit applied is that the treatment or diagnosis must have occurred within the last 2 years. Of course a health insurance provider can also issue an elimination rider attached to the policy which permanently excludes a previously diagnosed or treated condition. When looking for Florida medical insurance it is important to understand the terms as an informed consumer.

People find themselves uninsured for many different reasons. A job loss is one of the primary reasons. People who work for themselves after working for someone else for years frequently do not have health insurance because they believe the cost is prohibitive. When you cannot afford health insurance under a COBRA within the allowed time limits and have a pre-existing condition, it may seem as if you have no options left other than accepting a policy that covers very little. There are plenty of policies issued that only cover a doctor visit, some basic procedures and very few prescriptions. But just like anything else, you get what you pay for.

The issue of pre-existing conditions can cause a lot of heartache when shopping for health insurance. Using an experienced insurance broker who can get quotes from multiple insurance companies for Florida medical insurance is important. An expert that understands the different policies and premium structuring can help the uninsured find private or government backed insurance that provides affordable coverage.

The good news in Florida is there is guaranteed renewability. This means your Florida medical insurance cannot be cancelled even if you get sick. So once you obtain the insurance and keep the premiums up to date, the insurance company cannot cancel your policy.

Just because you have a pre-existing condition and are currently not insured, you do not have to assume you are unable to get coverage. Florida has a number of income based health insurance programs available even if you are unable to purchase private health insurance. There is a lot of talk in the media about uninsured citizens, but the fact is that states like Florida have made a real effort to make Florida medical insurance available to everyone including children. For example, Florida KidCare insurance is offered by the Medicaid program.

You can find affordable health insurance that fits your budget and your needs even if you have pre-existing conditions and are uninsured. The media likes to talk about people without insurance, but they would be better off letting people know about the large number of options available. After you talk to an insurance broker, you will be amazed at the number of possibilities for coverage open to you.