Money and Health:Health InsuranceTopic Guide

What You Need to Know
Get Your Insurance Company to Pay for a Denied Claim
How to Get Insurance Coverage for a Preexisting Condition
Leaving Your Job?
Health Insurance Jargon Defined
HOW-TO
How to Get Your Insurance Company to Pay for a Denied Claim
Don’t assume the first "no" is final

Denied insurance claims—even for care that seems obviously necessary—are, unfortunately, all too common occurrences. If your claim is denied, the first step is to contact your insurance company. While there is always the chance that the denial was an unfortunate and harmless misunderstanding, don’t get your hopes up for an easy resolution. Read More
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How to Get Covered by Insurance Even if You Have a Preexisting Condition
Q: What’s the best way to maintain my health-care coverage if I have a chronic condition?A: The first thing I recommend is to see if there is any way you can qualify for job-based coverage. Are you in a job that offers benefits that you hadn’t signed up for, or do you have a spouse with a job that has benefits? The reason is that you have the most legal protection in job-based health plans. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), if the coverage is offered, the employer can’t say, "I’m not going to let you into my health plan because you have breast cancer"—or any other health issue. They must offer you the same benefits and they must kick in the same percentage of premium as they would for anyone else. Read More
How to Keep Your Insurance Benefits When You Quit or Get Fired From Your Job
Learn how to keep your insurance benefits when you quit or get fired

If you leave your employer—whether voluntarily or involuntarily—you’ll need to take steps to stay covered by your insurer. When you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, heart disease, or cancer, it is crucial that you avoid any breaks in coverage that could trigger a preexisting-condition exclusion. This could make all the difference in your ability to continue using the same doctors, especially if you are in the middle of receiving important treatment. Read More
MY STORY
I Lost My Insurance, Stopped My Medication, and Had a Heart Attack
Tod should have called his doctor

My father had type 2 diabetes. When I was 27 years old, he underwent surgery for blocked carotid arteries in his neck. He had a stroke a few days after the surgery and was in a vegetative state for a year and a half until he died. After that I began to think that maybe I wasn't invincible... Read More
Health Insurance Jargon Defined
A glossary of basic insurance terms

COBRAStands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985. It’s a federal law that gives you the right to temporarily (for 18 months or more, in most cases) continue with the group insurance plan of your employer even after you leave a job—voluntarily or involuntarily—or when you reduce your hours, such as from full-time to part-time. Read More
MY STORY
His Diabetes Journey Took Him Farther Than He Ever Expected
Andy Mandell—who went years without insurance—launched the Wake Up and Walk Tour, a 10,000-plus-mile walk around the perimeter of the United States

Diabetes has been in my family for generations. But frankly, by the time I was in my 20s, I was sick of hearing about it. It was always, "Don’t do this, you’re going to be diabetic; don’t do that, you’re going to be like your grandparents." Read More
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