Health Insurance
Laws in Kansas
The state of Kansas has established health insurance laws to help its 2.7 million residents stay healthy year-round. In addition to minimum requirements for health insurance coverage, Kansas has created several programs to deal with the problem of underinsured residents. According to the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, the average Kansas resident earned about $3,000 less per year in 2007 than residents of the other 49 states. In order to get the best deal on health insurance in Kansas, residents need to know their rights and access the state's various health insurance programs.
Guaranteed Renewal Requirement in Kansas
Kansas state law has led the way in the United States in protecting its residents from dropped coverage from health insurers. The state's guaranteed renewal law denies insurers the right to pull coverage from patients with chronic illnesses and sudden injuries as long as premiums are paid on time. This guarantee eliminates the vicious cycle of uninsured and underinsured Kansas residents who are forced to seek out high-cost plans that cover few medical expenses.
Coverage Requirements in Kansas
According to Kansas health insurance laws, residents have the right to access policies immediately if they are switching from group plans to individual coverage. These laws dictate that insurers cannot prevent applicants from coverage or require excessive waiting periods for plans that they would be approved for in ordinary circumstances. Kansas also requires licensed insurers to provide equivalent coverage for mental health conditions as traditional medical issues, addressing an overlooked aspect in health insurance policy.
Covered Care Required by Kansas Law
Every insurer providing coverage in Kansas must cover basic vaccinations for children, screenings for most cancer types and prenatal care for pregnant women. The state has also created a program called Early Detection Works to offer affordable care for low-income women found to have breast cancer. Women who qualify for Early Detection Works can access free mammograms as well as full Medicaid benefits for those diagnosed with breast cancer.
Kansas HealthWave Program
The Kansas HealthWave Program provides low-cost coverage for families who cannot afford health insurance through major insurers. The program is available to state residents who can prove their American citizenship and at least three months worth of steady income that is a maximum of 200 percent of the national poverty level. HealthWave 19 is essentially the Kansas version of Medicaid with no premiums and low co-pays for covered adults available upon approval. Kansas Health Policy Authority and its partners also offer HealthWave 21, a more robust coverage with no co-pays and no prohibitions on pre-existing conditions.
Kansas Health Insurance Association
Another alternative to health insurance available under Kansas state law is the Kansas Health Insurance Association. This program is geared to residents with high-risk profiles including chronic illnesses and excluded conditions that are red flags for insurance companies. The Kansas Health Insurance Association provides high-premium catastrophic coverage to Kansas residents in case of serious accidents and workplace injuries. The lone detriment of this program for low-income workers is that participating insurers are allowed to deny coverage for certain pre-existing conditions.
Tags: health insurance, Kansas Health, coverage Kansas, Health Insurance Association, Insurance Association, Kansas residents, Kansas state
