Health Insurance for Small Business
Some people have challenges finding affordable health insurance in Georgia. A recent article told of a 55-year-old entrepreneur who 10 years previous had a liver transplant. He decided to leave his safe, secure corporate job to start a new business, but was surprised when health insurance companies declined to cover his blood tests and anti-rejection drugs or when they rejected his insurance application altogether.
If you are going to start a business do your homework on the front end. Understand that there are two major types of medical insurance: small group health insurance (employer sponsored plans) and individual and family health insurance.
Small Group Health Insurance for Georgia Small Business
In order to be eligible for group health insurance you must be an active employee or on COBRA / state continuation with your former employer. Group health insurance coverage has a number of advantages:
- Guarantee Issue. Insurers are required by law to accept a small employer group no matter what pre-existing conditions exist.
- Creditable Coverage for Pre-existing Conditions. An insurer must credit prior insurance coverage against its pre-existing condition provision.
- COBRA / State Continuation Protection. If a plan participant loses coverage (termination of employment, for example) he or she may continue the group coverage for a period of time (COBRA insurance and/or “state continuation” coverage).
- Individual Conversion Protection. If a plan participant loses active coverage and/or exhausts COBRA / state continuation coverage, an “individual conversion” policy may be available as a health insurance safety net.
Make sense yet? If it’s still a little fuzzy, go ahead and contact a qualified QuoteJuice insurance agent in one of our four convenient ways — call, email, schedule a call or chat with us live. Our Georgia health insurance agents know a lot about all this stuff, and they like answering questions.
Family and Individual Health Insurance in Atlanta & All of Georgia
Starting a small business is no easy task. Stay focused on the important tasks by first covering the fundamentals – like your health insurance policy. An individual medical policy is an excellent alternative for some people. Individual health insurance coverage is not, however, a universal solution.
Individual health coverage has a number of advantages that may be helpful to you:
- Low Cost Insurance. Compared to group health plans, often times individual insurance may be less expensive.
- Flexibility. You do not have to be employed in order to get individual health insurance.
- Plan Design. With an individual health plan you have a wide variety of deductible, coinsurance and physician and drug copay options – compared with just a few plans typically offered by an employer.
- Creditable Coverage for Pre-existing Conditions. Many insurance companies are now crediting prior insurance coverage against their pre-existing condition provision.
Compare Health Insurance Plans & Get a Georgia Health Insurance Quote Today!
Whether you decide to go with a group or individual health insurance plan is determined by your own set of circumstances. Each option has its advantages. Having a quality, affordable health insurance plan is a key part of anyone’s financial plan.
QuoteJuice is dedicated to helping you buy individual health insurance coverage. Whether you are a self-employed entrepreneur with a home business, a college student, or you just need an affordable health insurance quote for family coverage, we can help. QuoteJuice a full-service health insurance agency in Atlanta that represents quality, blue chip insurers – Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGA), HumanaOne and Kaiser Permanente. Compare health insurance plans now.