North Carolina Health Insurance

If you’re planning to buy new health coverage in the near future, it is in your interests to be as well-informed as possible about the kind of policy you’re looking for.  North Carolina’s health insurance laws and regulations are different from those found in other states, so you should take a moment to familiarize yourself with them before you begin to compare quotes.  The list below covers typical questions and concerns a North Carolina resident might have regarding insurance regulations in this state.

• Every individual health plan sold in North Carolina is required to guarantee its policy-holder the option of renewing coverage each time the opportunity arises.  As long as you’ve paid your premiums and kept to the terms of your contract, your insurer cannot prevent you from keeping your policy active for as many terms as you see fit.  If your health ever takes a turn for the worse, your insurer is also prohibited from terminating your coverage to avoid paying for your care.
• New additions to your family, either adopted or born, are automatically covered under their parents’ health insurance (assuming that this insurance policy covers dependents as well) for up to 31 days, by which time other arrangements should already be in place.
• North Carolina allows insurance companies to impose an exclusion period for coverage of any pre-existing condition that a customer has when their policy goes into effect.  Pre-existing conditions are defined as those that were diagnosed or treated within a certain period of time before the policy takes effect, and the exclusion period may only last for an equal amount of time after the policy is in place.  The maximum period, in either direction, is twelve months.
• Any application for coverage may be denied by health insurance companies in North Carolina, on any grounds they choose, and the pricing of health insurance can similarly be determined on any basis, including the health and age of the insured.  Blue Cross Blue Shield is the exception to this, accepting any applicant who comes forward.
• Small businesses based in North Carolina have certain advantages in the health insurance market, being automatically eligible to choose from at least two different state-standardized health plans with rates and coverage comparable to what other small companies in the state enjoy.  This guarantee presumes that certain conditions are met, however, such as having at least two (and no more than fifty) employees, and meeting certain minimum-enrollment guidelines.
• Although a group policy held by any small business cannot be cancelled on the grounds of poor health among the employees, risk factors like health status and age can affect the premiums that the employer and staff must pay.
• Self-employed individuals in North Carolina are eligible to purchase either individual coverage or group coverage under the state’s insurance regulations, even if there are no others employed at the company.  Each option has its advantages and disadvantages, but you may be able to deduct a portion of the premiums for individual health insurance from your tax liability.

Anyone who has had to shop for health insurance can confirm that the terminology and standard practices that insurers employ can be confusing to those who don’t know enough about the subject, so if there’s anything you still don’t understand you shouldn’t feel reluctant to look it up before moving forward.  If you’re willing to read over each promising policy carefully and compare any offer you get to those issued by competing insurers, you’ll be in a good position to find the kind of coverage you want at a reasonable price.

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