Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996

Protecting Your Health Insurance Coverage

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, known as HIPAA, includes important new - but limited - protections for millions of working Americans and their families.

HIPAA may:
Increase your ability to get health coverage for yourself and your dependents if you start a new job.

Lower your chance of losing existing health care coverage, whether you have that coverage through a job or through individual health insurance.

Help you buy health insurance coverage on your own if you lose coverage under an employer's group health plan and have no other health coverage available.

Help you maintain continuous health coverage for yourself and your dependents when you change jobs.

Specific Protections of HIPAA include:

Limits the use of pre-existing condition exclusions.

Prohibits group health plans from discriminating by denying you coverage or charging you extra for coverage based on you or your family member's past or present poor health.

Guarantees that certain small employers, and certain individuals who lose job-related coverage have the right to purchase health insurance.

Guarantees, in most cases, that employers or individuals who purchase health insurance can renew the coverage, regardless of any health conditions of individuals covered under the insurance policy.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Ill. Dept. of Insurance | 320 W. Washington Street, 4th Fl., Springfield, IL 62767 | 217-785-0116 OR 877-527-9431 | www.hippa.com