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Group Health Insurance
group health insurance quote form.
Group plans cover several people or groups under one policy. Employees receive a certificate that acts as your policy when you obtain insurance through a group plan.
Employers of two to fifty employees are eligible for guaranteed-issue group plans known as Small Group Health Access Coverage. This coverage makes health insurance plans available to small business employers regardless of the health claims experience or health status of an employee. In Florida Insurance companies and health maintenance organizations must offer the state mandated basic and standard plan.
HIPAA
The federal law called Health Insurance and Accountability Act (HIPAA) allows for coverage of pre-existing conditions.
Premiums can be based on the size of group and the medical history of the employees. Final rates are not issued until after an application has been submitted and the medical history reviewed by the carrier.
In Florida self employed persons may apply for their own group plan. This is referrred to as a one person group. One person groups may only apply only during the month of August. Coverage is effective the first of October.
COBRA
Until 1986, group health coverage terminated when a worker lost a job or changed employment. This changed with the passage of health benefit provisions in the Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act (COBRA). Now, terminated or retiring employees, or those who lose coverage due to reduced work hours, may qualify to continue group coverage for limited periods of time. This also applies to their dependents who lose coverage because of divorce or legal separation of the covered employee; death or the covered employee qualifies for Medicare; or a loss of dependent status under the health planıs provisions. COBRA applies only to employers with 20 or more employees.
If you qualify for COBRA benefits, your health-plan administrator must give you a notice stating your right to choose to continue benefits provided by the plan. You then have 60 days to accept coverage or lose all the rights to the benefits. Once you select COBRA coverage , you may have to pay 100 percent of the total insurance cost plus a 2 percent processing fee. For more information about COBRA please contact our office.
Mini-COBRA
Florida law provides similar continuation of coverage protection for employees who work for certain small employers. This law, known as ımini-COBRA,ı applies to employers of less the 20 employees. Unlike COBRA, the law holds insurance companies, rather then employers, largely responsible for the the implementation of key requirements. For example, insurers must provide information about the right to continue coverage and the way to request it in the policy and plan booklet for employees.
The mini COBRA law also features another key difference from COBRA: The employee must contact the insurer within 30 days of the qualifying event to begin the continuation process.
LENGTH OF COVEAGE
Qualifying as COBRA and Mini-COBRA-- Continuation of coverage runs from a minimum of 18 months to a maximum of 36 months depending upon the individual situation. The coverage may continue an additional 11 months for insuredıs disability that occurs during a ıqualifying eventı such as termination (except for gross misconduct) or a reduction in work hours for the employee; however, it cannot exceed the limit of 36 months.
QUALIFYING EVENTS
Qualifying events may include: a beneficiary loses coverage due to the employeeıs death; divorce or legal separation of the employee and a spouse; the employeeıs qualification for Medicare; a dependent childıs loss of status under the health planıs provisions:and the loss of coverage to a retiree, spouse or child within one year before or after an employer officially files for bankruptcy.
In addition, Florida law gives you the option of converting your policy to an individual plan if you leave the group. If you quit your job, get divorced, or reach the age of 25 and no longer qualify under a parentıs group plan, you may convert your group policy to an individual policy. A conversion policy usually cost more than a group policy. It may provide fewer benefits, but you do not need a physical exam to qualify for coverage. Please contact our office for additional information on COBRA. | 
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