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Can I Have Two Health Insurance Policies From Different States?
Before you answer, please read this thoroughly. I am a student and Illinois Resident. I have PPO health insurance in Illinois that I pay out of pocket for. $1000 deductible, 100% covered. I go to school in Florida and have employer insurance in FL (ever since Sept 2008), but it’s an HMO. The PPO my job offers has no deductible but is 80/20 coverage, so I opted the HMO.
For the average person, it would make no sense to have 2 policies, but I’m not ordinary. I have many pre-existing conditions (some I was born with), hence the Illinois coverage. In Dec of last year, before my FL insurance kicked in, I had a multitude of issues which caused me to have to use my BCBS of IL in Florida where I’m attending school. Many of those things are at bay now, but for doctor visits, exams, etc to arise other than routine check ups, should I start using my FL HMO insurance and just use my IL insurance for when I visit home during breaks? Or should I just drop my FL insurance altogether? The reason this is an issue is b/c I am afraid I my rates will go up or they drop me if I continue to use my insurance which was meant to be for IL, but I have been using it in another state. Yes they will cover b/c it’s PPO and it falls under the BCBS umbrella, but this is the risk I take.
I will NOT drop my Illinois insurance because I have pre-existing issues that is NOT covered by my FL insurance, so switching isn’t even on option. Plus they keep doing layoffs and my certainty at this job isn’t guaranteed. Furthermore, I keep reading about fraud, this is not my intent. I am just trying not to have my rates rise anymore b/c I am a student and not making much as it is. I am looking for the best coverage because good health care is my primary concern. I am NOT trying to file a double claim with both insurances, and I am NOT trying to collect any money out of this. Things happen like the flu, ER visits, and any other reason to visit the doctor when you are sick or injured.
I have a 2 week window during open enrollment to drop my coverage thru my job. I pay only $20 per paycheck for my FL HMO insurance. So the little amount really isn’t that much to fret over, but I need to know b/c I don’t want my IL insurance to go up or to be denied covereage b/c I have two policies out there. Someone please give me some guidance. :)
I have called my insurance company on both ends, but I can’t get a straight answer from either. It’s always the “you need to contact the other company for the answer”. So I am running around in circles. I was even told to just find out after I use my FL insurance to see. I’m afraid to take the gamble.
Yes, you can carry both plans as long as you qualify for each of the plans. As long as they each know that the other exists and can coordinate bill paying, you will be fine. I would only use the FL insurance in FL and the Illinois insurance in IL. It might get kind of sticky that you are doing both, but one will be primary and the other will be secondary.
Your pre-existing doesn’t matter as long as you have had continuous coverage, unless there are actual benefits that one plan has that the other does not (ie chiropractic).
I’m not sure on health coverage, but I know it is possible to have concurrent policies for other coverages.
As long as your IL BCBS insurance is not with the Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan (I-CHIP) through the state, having multiple policies is probably permissible.
If you IL coverage IS with I-CHIP, then it doesn’t matter if you take the FL plan or not, the I-CHIP coverage will end when you become eligible for your employer’s plan. At least, that is how I understand I-CHIP to work. I am on the I-CHIP policy. You should also be able to get back on I-CHIP if your preexisting condition is listed and you have used up COBRA.
Usually, check policy provisions and the application. For information on which one pays first, check this link