Labor & Employment Law

Looking for Health Insurance? HealthCare.Gov. Can Help

By Mike Hall

Most union members get their health insurance through work, but if you don?t, or if a family member or friend is looking for health coverage, HealthCare.gov has a brand new tool to help folks find quality and affordable care where they  live.

And it?s real easy to use. Just select the state in which live and your situation, then follow the prompts. Give it try above or here at HealthCare.gov.

Say you?re a family in Zanesville, Ohio, that hashealth insurance through work. But when your daughter, a freshmen at Ohio University, turned 19 in January, she was dropped from your policy by your carrier. When you tired to by a new policy for her, you were rejected because of a pre-existing condition.

The insurance finder tool gives your four options, including information on how to return your daughter to your policy under the new health care reform law and information about the pre-existing condition insurance plan that is also new under health care reform.

Or, if neither you nor your spouse have health insurance or any special health care needs, the finder shows that 18 health insurance companies offer more than 50 family plans in the Zanesville area. The site provides details of each plan, and in October, will have price estimates for each plan.

If you need health insurance, this is sure a good place to start. Also, if you or your local union have a blog or a website, you can easily embed the insurance finder widget. Click here to learn how.

Launched in June, HealthCare.gov served as the nation?s ?helpdesk? for health care reform questions. Along with the new insurance finder, the site also provides information on prevention and how to stay healthy; comparisons of health care providers and quality care; steps to fully implementing the new health care reform law and special sections for families with children, individuals, people with disabilities, seniors, young adults and employers.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on August 25, 2010 (boomark / email).