Nc Health Insurance Risk Pool - Starts Jan 1, 2009

Starting January 1st, 2009, North Carolina will begin offering health insurance coverage to high-risk individuals. It is called the North Carolina high-risk health insurance pool. The state legislature passed Session Law 2007-532 (House Bill 265), AN ACT TO ESTABLISH THE NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH INSURANCE RISK POOL (NCHIRP). The NC High-Risk Health Insurance is not free, however. It is not a welfare program or public assistance. It is, also, not an entitlement program.

For years, unhealthy residents of North Carolina have been unable to afford health insurance coverage. Even though Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina offers to insure anybody regardless of pre-existing conditions, in practice it doesn't work well. The problem is the high premium. Practically speaking, it does not matter if you can get a health insurance plan offered to you, if the premium is so high that you cannot afford it. Premium quotes in the range of $1,200, $1,800, $2,300, and higher per month are offered to people with health issues. Obviously, these premiums are much too high for the average individual.

Here is how the, North Carolina High Risk Plan works:

The high-risk pool means Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, (BCBSNC), is the provider of last resort. It cannot charge high-risk individuals more than 200% above the standard health rate quote. 200% is still a large differential to pay, but it is about 50% better than what is offered currently. For example, if you have had heart problems, your current quote might be $1,900 per month. Under the new high-risk pool, you would probably get covered for about $950 per month. This is a savings of 50%, even if it is still a high premium.

There are a number of disabled people who are currently receiving Social Security Disability and Medicare benefits who would like to re-enter the work force. It doesn't make sense for them to re-enter the work force because the cost of health insurance that they would be responsibile for, even if it is the high-risk pool, is just too much for them to pay. It would exceed the pay they would receive from the job. Actuaslly, the loss of Medicare coverage is far more important than the loss of the SSDI beneifits. Therefore, many people who might likely become productive citizens are not able to do so.

The NC Health Insurance Risk Pool for North Carolina will definitely help a large number of people who have pre-existing conditions that make it too expensive to obtain health insurance. This risk pool is available January 1st, 2009.

For more information, you can contact:

North Carolina Health Insurance Risk Pool
3739 National Drive, Suite 228
Raleigh, NC 27612
Customer Service Center at (866) 665-2117.