Temporary High Risk Pools to Help the Uninsured
Thirty states have agreed to take part in a new program to offer insurance to people with pre-existing health conditions. Missouri and Kansas have both agreed to participate. Both states will use the current administrators of their high risk pools to administer this program as well. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City administers the Missouri High Risk Pool today in our service area.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), as part of health care reform, is allocating $5 billion for the program nationwide for people with health conditions that have prevented them from obtaining health insurance coverage. The program will cease in 2014 when guaranteed issue and a mandate go into effect. Secretary Kathleen Sebelius calls the high risk pool a “bridge strategy for those who can’t get insurance.”
The federal government will step in to administer a high risk pool in those states which choose to opt out of the program. We expect further clarification on the high risk pool on or around July 1, 2010.