There are many factors that determine whether you get approved or denied for coverage when you are applying for an individual health insurance Georgia policy.
Group health insurance Georgia plans are what you get through your employment in a Georgia business. If you purchase a family health insurance Georgia policy through the open market, that is considered an individual health insurance Georgia policy, even if it is for a family. It is individual, in terms of it not being part of an employer-sponsored group health plan. Therefore, an individual health insurance Georgia policy can cover either an individual, or an individual and his or her family members. Insurance companies are prohibited from denying coverage to qualified members of an organization when it comes to group health plans. However, they are permitted to deny coverage to applicants for an individual health insurance Georgia plan based on their high health risks, or pre-existing medical condition. Even if they approve coverage, an insurance company may raise the premiums of someone they consider to be a high risk. Although this may seem unfair, it is how health insurance Georgia companies keep premiums lower for individual health insurance Georgia policies, as compared to similar group health insurance Georgia plans.
The number one factor then that affects whether you get approved or denied coverage when applying for an individual health insurance Georgia policy is your current health. Certain behaviors are considered high health risks. These include being overweight, or being a smoker. Both of these behaviors are associated with many health and medical problems, and are therefore considered high health risk categories. Being overweight may lead to diabetes, a chronic medical condition, as well as heart disease. Smoking, of course, is related to many types of cancer, and other chronic medical conditions. If you have either one of these high risk behaviors, you will either be denied coverage, or you will have to pay very high premiums to be covered by an individual health insurance Georgia policy.
Also, if you have a pre-existing medical condition, such as diabetes or asthma, you also have a chance of being denied coverage. Pregnancy also can be considered a pre-existing medical condition. A new health insurance Georgia policy may include a waiting period for these pre-existing medical conditions that can last up to eighteen months, depending on the specifics of your health insurance Georgia plan.
The second factor that affects your approval chances when applying for a health insurance Georgia policy is your age. Children typically get approved, but do cause an increase in premiums. Also, older adults may get approved, but their premiums will be high too. The reason is that these two age groups have frequent physician visits, and a larger number of recommended screenings, tests, and exams. Remember that older adults may also qualify for Medicare, or require Medigap insurance to bridge any gaps in health insurance Georgia Medicare coverage. Medicap helps pay for deductibles, and co-payments, not covered by health insurance Georgia Medicare policies.
Your approval or denial will include both your health and age, and those of your dependents, so they also will play a factor in your application for an individual health insurance Georgia policy. The same rules above apply to dependents.