New Health Coverage Option for the Uninsured - The Pre-Existing Condition Plan
Are you providing care to uninsured patients who have a pre-existing condition and can’t find health coverage? If so, a new federal program - the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan - can change or save the lives of your patients who’ve been locked out of the health coverage market because of a medical condition.
This program does not base eligibility on income and enrollees receive comprehensive health coverage at the same price that healthy people pay.
To qualify for the program, applicants must:
- Be a citizen of the United States or residing here legally;
- Have been uninsured for at least 6 months; and
- Have a pre-existing condition or have been denied coverage because of a medical condition.
The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan covers physician and hospital services and prescription drugs. All insurance benefits are available to enrollees - even to treat a pre-existing condition. Premiums vary by state and annual out-of-pocket expenses for enrollees are capped.
Each state may use different methods to determine whether a person applying for the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan has a pre-existing condition or whether he or she has been denied health coverage. As such, people need to check on how to establish eligibility in their state. For more information about the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan and how to apply, visit www.PCIP.gov or, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 11 p.m. EST, call 866-717-5826 (TTY: 866-561-1604).
We hope you will tell your patients and colleagues about this important new health coverage option.
Source: LEARNRESOURCE-L Email Update, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services dated January 14, 2011
