If you live in Connecticut and want to find the best prices on health insurance, you have a lot of options. Most likely, employers with a lot of employees can get the best rates. But if you just lost your job, are self-employed, or have been out of work for more than 18 months, you can still get health insurance.
Here are some ideas:
- People who are unemployed and whose COBRA benefits have run out have options through the Health Reinsurance Association of Connecticut (HRA). HRA is a group of insurance companies and HMOs that offer health insurance coverage in Connecticut. It is a non-profit group. They have three types of insurance plans for individuals (Portability Plan). You can pick an HMO, a PPO, or a SHCP plan.
- Recently fired: If you were recently fired from your job, COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) lets you keep your company-sponsored health insurance plan as long as you pay the monthly premiums. But you should know that your employer is no longer paying their share of your premiums. This means that you will have to pay more for the same coverage. The coverage from COBRA lasts for about 18 months.
To be eligible for any of the three plans, you must be under 65 and have had health insurance for at least 18 months. You must, however, apply for coverage before the insurance you already have runs out. Depending on which plan you choose, you may have to meet other requirements.
- Self-Employed: If you are self-employed and want health insurance, you should talk to the Connecticut State Insurance Department first. They have a list of insurance companies that will cover people who work for themselves.
In addition to the ideas above, if you belong to a group association, you may be able to get health insurance through that group. Before making a choice, you should always get more than one quote.
