Pre-existing_Condition_Insurance_Plan
The Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) was a form of health insurance coverage offered to uninsured Americans who were unable to obtain coverage because of a pre-existing condition. These provided coverage to as many as 350,000 people to fill the gap until the Affordable Care Act went into effect in 2014. The plan was funded by congress through the Department of Health and Human Services to monitor and distribute. States had programs either operated individually run or administered by HHS with 23 states and the District of Columbia. The plans were open through an Association or Government Employees Health Association (GEHA). The program has since ceased in order to make certain funding would be sufficient to carry the existing approximately 100,000 members it has taken on since PCIP inception.
This article needs to be updated. (July 2014) |
To be eligible, patients were required to have a pre-existing condition, be uninsured for at least 6 months, and be a US citizen or a legal resident.[1]
The Affordable Care Act provides federal funding to support Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans in every state and downloadable applications are available in the states where the US Department of Health and Human Services is running the PCIP. In those states, coverage will begin on August 1, 2010 for applicants who apply by July 15, 2010.[2]
Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plans are designed to provide affordable insurance to Americans with pre-existing conditions. The premiums are based on the standard cost of an individual health insurance policy in the health insurance pool's geographic area and out-of-pocket maximums are limited to $5,950 for individuals and $11,900 for families.[3]