High Risk Pool Update

As you know, high risk pools to help provide insurance coverage for people who have pre-existing conditions and have been without coverage for six months are to be opened for enrollment on July 1 and start covering people on August 1. The federal government reportedly has given states to June 25 to tell the feds how the state will satisfy this requirement. Twenty-nine states will run their own pools, with the remaining states leaving it to the federal government to set up a pool. The new reform law has allocated only $5 billion to pay for these pools from now until 2014. Many states (and people like me) are concerned that this is not anywhere near enough money to meet the need since, even though these pools will charge a premium to enrollees, the premiums will not cover the cost of these high-cost patients (like me).

To see whether your state has agreed to run its own pool or leave it to the feds, go here.

I'll keep you up to date on this as information becomes available. Jennifer