Another health insurance senario

[Florida]

My cobra expires in a few months. I will then be hippa eligible.

I plan on maintaining my Florida address but will be traveling outside the US alot and will be in the US a few months over the next year or two.

I'm thinking about not applying for hippa at cobra termination date but I would like to maintain my hippa eligibility.

Any suggestions?

Maybe travel insurance can cover me from the end of cobra until I reside in the US full time and apply for a hippa plan. Need coverage in and out of the US. Would also prefer a plan without alot of limitations.

Anyone know of a broker or agency that is well versed on the hippa laws and the types of insurance to fill the cobra / hippa gap.

A broker who specializes in international insurance may be helpful.

Will appreciate any ideas.

 

[Martha]

HIPAA only guarantees you a plan if you your most recent plan was a group plan, so this is going to be tough. You might want to read the FAQ on purchasing private health insurance. Are you uninsurable? Do you know? HIPAA protections are only vital if you cannot buy insurance on the private market.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f47/buying-private-health-insurance-30756.html

 

[Florida]

HIPAA only guarantees you a plan if you your most recent plan was a group plan, so this is going to be tough. You might want to read the FAQ on purchasing private health insurance. Are you uninsurable? Do you know? HIPAA protections are only vital if you cannot buy insurance on the private market.

http://www.early-retirement.org/forums/f47/buying-private-health-insurance-30756.html

Probably uninsurable. I was thinking about returning to a guarantee issue state or a risk pool state when I am back in the US full time.
I would not need the hippa protection then.

I would need to find an international plan that would cover me with minimal limations in Latin America and emergency coverage for the few months I am in the US.

Any broker or insurance company suggestions?

Also company must comply with laws that will not create the 63 day lapse.

 

[Coach]

Consumer Reports, January 2008, has a very informative article on buying private health insurance.

Coach