Question: group health insurance versus individual

[peace]

Thank you to everyone for responding to my posts before.

Has anyone ever bought group health insurance for their small business? Mamsi wants me to fill out a Census form w/ salary amounts and then an individual risk assessment. Some websites will give quotes for health insurance with just the birth dates.

In the past I thought I read in a VA insurance board or regulation site, that group insurance cannot deny coverage if an employee has a pre-existing condition. I can't find the site anymore.

In the long run does anyone have suggestions of group health insurance versus individual or family insurance? All kids are already over 18 for the person that I'm trying to help out.
Any suggestions?

Don't insurance companies check medical history and records with the doctors anyways? This would be the 1st time that my friend trying to buy health insurance.

[Sunny]

quote:Originally posted by peace

Thank you to everyone for responding to my posts before.

Has anyone ever bought group health insurance for their small business? Mamsi wants me to fill out a Census form w/ salary amounts and then an individual risk assessment. Some websites will give quotes for health insurance with just the birth dates.

In the past I thought I read in a VA insurance board or regulation site, that group insurance cannot deny coverage if an employee has a pre-existing condition. I can't find the site anymore.

In the long run does anyone have suggestions of group health insurance versus individual or family insurance? All kids are already over 18 for the person that I'm trying to help out.
Any suggestions?

Don't insurance companies check medical history and records with the doctors anyways? This would be the 1st time that my friend trying to buy health insurance.

Call Gerald Radican. That is precisely what he does for a living. Let him know Sunny Trippel referred you- he's a friend:)
http://www.geraldradican.com/new/geraldradican/default.asp

[Zansu]

quote:Originally posted by peace


In the past I thought I read in a VA insurance board or regulation site, that group insurance cannot deny coverage if an employee has a pre-existing condition. I can't find the site anymore.
...
Don't insurance companies check medical history and records with the doctors anyways? This would be the 1st time that my friend trying to buy health insurance.


The "no pre-existing condition" clause only applies when you can show proof of previous coverage. it doesn't penalize any insurance company because they're all equally likely to be on the giving and receiving end of "high cost" patients. It was originally designed to keep folks from getting locked into one job... "Can't get out of the job that gave me a heart attack, because I had a heart attack and nobody else will insure me" Or, as one friend of mine found out, his wife was 1 month pregnant when he changed jobs. New company would cover the pre-existing condition, even though they didn't know. bummer. That was in 85, before the law.

[JLC]

When we opened our own business, we went from my husband's previous employer's insurance to being self insured. My son has a medical condition that was covered under the old policy. The new policy didn't turn him away, but they wanted us to pay a $700 per month premium vs. the $300 per month we were quoted before we disclosed the condition. We were able to get the premium reduced to $350 by having his pediatrician write a letter describing the minimal amount of extra care that was needed for him.

So while you can't be denied coverage, you can be charged a lot for it.