| In Georgia, state laws protect your access to | | | | were fully covered for six months under that |
| healthcare even if you get sick or would not | | | | group plan. |
| otherwise have ready access to health care. | | | | However, there are conversion policies and you |
| Here's a rundown on current scenarios in Georgia's | | | | can be charged premiums. Thankfully, you do not |
| health care system. | | | | have to be slapped with a new exclusion period |
| - Group Health Plans | | | | for pre-existing conditions. |
| There is such a thing nondiscrimination in a group | | | | - Health Insurance Between Jobs |
| health plan, which means that if you are covered | | | | Even after you leave your job, you still remain in |
| under a company-backed policy, you cannot be | | | | your employer's group health plan for a period of |
| denied or be limited in your access to healthcare | | | | time, which is called COBRA or state continuation |
| because of you health status. You also cannot be | | | | coverage. This continuation helps if you are |
| made to pay more because of your current state | | | | waiting for a new health plan or are between |
| of being. | | | | jobs. |
| Similarly, if you are a small company trying to buy | | | | - Low To Modest Income Health Insurance |
| group health insurance, you cannot be turned | | | | If you can't afford health insurance, you may |
| down because of any factor that may affect the | | | | qualify for free health coverage or a subsidized |
| use of health services by anyone in your | | | | plan. Georgia's Medicaid program offers free health |
| company. Therefore, you as an employer should | | | | care for pregnant women, low-income families, |
| be sold health plan on a guaranteed basis. | | | | and elderly or disabled individuals with little or no |
| As it is, Georgia limits health insurance carriers | | | | income. Median income families in Atlanta can opt |
| from excluding pre-existing conditions. Of course, | | | | for private family health insurance programs |
| there are rules on what can be counted as a | | | | readily available in the market. |
| pre-existing condition and how long anyone must | | | | - Cancer Treatment For The Uninsured Or |
| wait before a new plan begins to pay for the | | | | Underinsured |
| care of that condition. In general, if you have a | | | | If you are at risk for cancer but do not have |
| new plan, your old coverage can be credited as | | | | health insurance or are underinsured, you may still |
| the exclusion period of your pre-existing condition | | | | avail of screening and treatment under the |
| under certain conditions. | | | | Georgia Cancer Screening |
| - Conversion Policy | | | | Program, which provides free screening for |
| If for any reason you lost your fully insured group | | | | qualified Georgians. Some women diagnosed with |
| health plan, you have the right to buy an individual | | | | breast or cervical cancer may qualify for Medicaid |
| health insurance from the same company that | | | | through this program. |
| provided the group coverage, provided that you | | | | |
