Alaska Health Insurance Plans and Insurance Companies covering Alaska

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In Alaska, as in most other states, you have limited guaranteed access to individual health insurance. Health plans can design different policies; therefore, you must read and compare them carefully. This is necessary to find the most affordable and best health insurance plan that will fit your personal needs. In Alaska, individual plans can count any condition for which you received medical advice, diagnosis care, or treatment in the individual coverage begins pre-existing. Your health status can be used to determine the premium you pay. Some health plans have elimination riders for specific pre-existing conditions. The state of Alaska also has guaranteed the ability to renew and you cannot be denied coverage if you become ill if all premiums are paid. Individuals can also receive health insurance coverage through the state’s income based health insurance programs through government subsidized programs.

In Alaska there are 3 options for purchasing health insurance other than through employer or union plans:

Private Heath Insurance
Health Insurance through High Risk Pools
Health Insurance through Income Eligible Programs

For more on Alaska health insurance visit www.ahirc.org

Alaska also offers a high risk pool for the medically uninsurable called CHIA. You may be eligible for CHIA due to your HIPAA rights, Health Coverage Tax Credit federal program, or if you have been denied health coverage due to a medical condition. You must be a resident of Alaska for at least 12 months and ineligible for any other health insurance including Medicaid.

Alaska coverage under high-risk health insurance includes:

Doctor visits
Prescription drugs
Out-patient and In-patient hospital care
Ambulance
Labs and x-rays
Skilled nursing care
Hospice
Home health visits
Transplants
Rehabilitation
Durable medical equipment
Mental health and substance abuse
Physical, speech, and occupational therapy.

In Alaska, medical underwriting is allowed within group health insurance. Rates may vary by plus or minus 35 percent of the indexed rate based on the health status of the group. For preexisting condition requirements the carrier may look back in a consumer’s medical history 6 months and impose a 12 month exclusionary period for those that did not have prior medical coverage.

Group or small business health insurance coverage is offered as selected by employer with a variety of plan designs available. If an individual is uninsured for a previous 63-90 days, a waiting period for coverage of pre-existing conditions may apply.

Today in Alaska, people are paying the highest premiums for small business health insurance according to www.ahip.org. The single monthly premium is $436 while the family monthly premium is $1,141. There are some guidelines that determine the eligibility of a small business to receive group health insurance coverage.

Owner can count as an employee, proprietor

Name on license must draw wages

No Guarantee Issue for group sized 50+

For more information visit www.coverageforall.org

Alaska offers COBRA, the Consolidate Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985. Many companies with 20 or more employees that offer health insurance are required to offer employees and their dependents continuation coverage for benefits that were lost due, for example, to job loss, reduction in hours worked, death, or divorce.

Medicaid is a state/federal program that pays for medical and long-term care services for low-income pregnant women, children, certain people on Medicare, disabled individuals and nursing home residents. These individuals must meet certain income and other requirements.

Children
Ages 1-5: 75% of the Federal Poverty Level
Ages 6-19: 175% of the Federal Poverty Level

Dental, doctor, eye care, family planning, hearing, home health, hospice, inpatient and outpatient hospital care, laboratory and x-ray, maternity, mental health, nurse midwife, nursing home, prescription drugs, renal dialysis, transplant, transportation, and well-child visits.

Co-payments vary. There are no co-payments if you are under 18, pregnant, living in a nursing home, or receiving family planning services.

You may learn more about Alaska Medicaid at http://www.hss.state.ak.us/dhcs/Medicaid/default.htm.

Alaska also offers a program called Chronic and Acute Medical Assistance (CAMA) which is designed to help Alaskans who have specific illnesses get the care they need. This program is typically for people ages 21-64 who do not qualify for Medicaid, have little income, or have no health insurance.