Massachusetts Health Insurance

Health insurance is a necessary part of protecting yourself and your family in the event of injury or illness. Although shopping for health insurance can be a difficult process, once you have a policy you will find that it comes as a large relief to know that you are covered. If you live in the state of Massachusetts and are 18 years of age or older, it is not only necessary for your peace of mind but it is also necessary in order to not be penalized on your state tax returns.

The law in Massachusetts that states that everyone 18 and over must carry health insurance that they can afford at their income level is called the Individual Mandate law. The Massachusetts Department of Insurance does not permit insurance companies to deny you health care coverage because of your current or past medical history. If you apply to a health insurance company, they are required to offer one of the three categories of standardized plans the Department of Insurance has made mandatory.

The Massachusetts Department of Insurance has made it mandatory that all plan options offer certain things. The types of coverage that all policies must provide are medical plan option, preferred provider plan option and managed care plan option. All of these options must cover hospital and physician care, pregnancy care, preventative care (which includes cancer testing and prevention), prescription drug coverage, and coverage for immunizations.

There have been limits put on look back periods and exclusionary periods of 6 months. This means that the insurance company cannot exceed 6 months worth of medical records on any individual. They have also made it mandatory that credit be given for prior coverage as long as there is no more than a 63 day break in coverage.

Several factors help the insurance company determine how much you will pay for your premiums. These factors can include where you live, how old you are, your gender, and your family size. All of these elements are used to calculate your monthly payments.