Can someone explain how HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act) works?

Question

How does it work in conjunction with COBRA?

Answer 1

HIPPA relates to COBRA in that it allows you to continue your group coverage after you have a qualifying event for a period of 18-36 months (usually) until you are able to get individual coverage or another group coverage. (That's called portability-it "moves" with you...) Sometimes if you lose your insurance and you have pre-existing conditions, it is extremely difficult if not impossible to get coverage. HIPPA makes it illegal for a group coverage not to take you if you had coverage prior to your new carrier or it will at least limit the amount of time a condition can be considered pre-existing. See the link below for more info:

Answer 2

There are 2 Federal laws that protect people in every single state in the US that face difficulty in getting and keeping health insurance coverage.

The 2 laws are the HIPAA laws and the COBRA laws.

In a nutshell as long as someone does the responsible thing and tries to keep their health insurance coverage for as long as they can then if they lose the coverage due to reasons beyond their own control then the COBRA and HIPAA laws step in and mandate guaranteed issue coverage that covers all pre-existing conditions.

Here is some more information on the COBRA and HIPAA health insurance laws:

Answer 3

HIPAA refers to PHI or Personal Health Information.  It is a privacy act that protects people from your PHI from being discussed by other parties.  It works the same with Cobra as with anything else.  Nobody but you or a designated in writing other party can be provided with your info.

Answer 4

Basically if you lose or quit your job you can take your insurance with you until you obtain new insurance (I thought the max was 18 mos. but another poster says 18-36 it may have changed ask your HR dept). A Cobra notice will be sent to you to sign up and maintain your present coverage. This is however at your expense. While employed you may be paying $100.00 month to your employer for your insurance. Your employer may be paying $300.00 for the coverage. When you leave you are responsible for the full $400.00 per month as example.

For someone with a pre-existing condition this is crucial because if you get a new job, new insurance, you must show that there has been no lapse of insurance coverage for more the 62 days or the new insurance will not provide any benefits for that condition as it is "pre-existing." Some companies won't cover a opre-existing condition until you have been covered for one year.

So it have diabetes, high blood pressure, pregnancy etc. They will not treat or provide benefits for medications relating to that condition.