As important as they are, the federal and state health insurance reforms are limited. Therefore, you also should understand how the laws do not protect you.
- If you change jobs, you usually cannot take your old health benefits with you. Except when you exercise your federal COBRA or state continuation rights, you are not entitled to take your actual group health plan with you when you leave a job. Your new health plan may not cover all of the benefits or the same doctors that your old plan did.
- If you change jobs, your new employer may not offer you health benefits. If coverage is offered, employers are required only to make sure that their decision is based on factors unrelated to your health status.
- If you get a new job with health benefits, your coverage may not start right away. Employers can require waiting periods before your health benefits begin.
- If you have a break in coverage of 63 days or more, you may have to satisfy a new pre-existing condition exclusion period when you join a new group health plan.
- If you work for certain non-federal public employers in Minnesota, not all of the group health plan protections may apply to you.
- If you are HIPAA eligible, your only option for individual health insurance may be through the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association (MCHA).
- If you have a break in coverage before your new individual health insurance policy or coverage through the Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association (MCHA) becomes effective, you may have to satisfy a new pre-existing condition exclusion period
.
