Further Information about California’s High Risk Health Insurance Program

In my previous blog posting, I discussed how California responded to the federal government’s mandate to make high-risk health insurance available to Californians who have been unable to obtain private health care insurance because they have pre-existing health conditions.

While preparing that blog post, I visited the federal government’s health care insurance website at http://www.healthcare.gov and followed the steps that led to the California state government’s health insurance site. Once there, I signed up to get an email with details for the high-risk health care insurance pool. Today the following email came from the State of California:

Hello:

Thank you for your interest in California’s Pre-existing Conditions Insurance Plan (PCIP), also known as the temporary federal high risk pool.  Currently, we do not have applications available for the PCIP. The Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB) continues discussions on the specific rules for developing, implementing and operating the PCIP.

California’s goal for implementing the PCIP is to begin accepting applications in August 2010 with the first effective date of coverage beginning in September 2010.

To be eligible for the new PCIP, federal law sets out three requirements:

1. Be a US Citizen, US National or lawfully present individual;

2. Have a pre-existing medical condition that meets the guidelines set by the federal government; and

3. Have not had health insurance or public health coverage for at least six (6) months.

Applicants must have been uninsured for at least six months at the time they apply for the PCIP but the State high risk pool does not have such a requirement. You can access info on the CA Major Risk Medical Insurance Program at http://www.mrmib.ca.gov/MRMIB/MRMIP.shtml.

If you have included your name, address, telephone number, and email address, we will place your name on the list for a PCIP application when they are available in the next month or so.  If you have not included this information, please re-submit your request with that information.

We will be posting updates on MRMIB’s website under “What’s New” on the homepage at http://www.mrmib.ca.gov/.  Also, if you know others who want a PCIP application ask them to send us an email with their name, address, telephone number and email address to FHRP@mrmib.ca.gov.

Again, thank you for your interest in California’s PCIP

If you have been denied health insurance coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions, I hope you find this information useful.