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Mississippi Health Insurance
Health coverage is plays a pivotal role in to securing your future against huge medical bills and ensuing financial worries. Indeed, purchasing health coverage is costly and requires an assessment of all potential risks and its impact on your financial health. In the U.S., nearly 47 million people are uninsured, among whom most of them are working families. These families, especially children, become the victim of financial catastrophes due to the lack of proper health coverage. For those families who are not covered by their employers’ group plan, there are low-cost state sponsored health insurance programs that provide insurance to the medically-uninsurable individuals.
According to United Health Foundation’s 2008 Health Rankings, Mississippi holds the 49th position when it comes to the state’s health system. Mississippi has maintained its least healthy state slot since last two years as it stood at 50th and 49th spot in 2007 and 2006 respectively. Several factors contributed to the poor healthcare system in the state including low public health funding, high crime rate, a higher prevalence of smoking, higher percentage of children in poverty. The state of Mississippi, with more than a two million population, offers both private-market and public health insurance alternatives. The private-market health insurance consists of various types of health plans including family, Medicare supplemental, short-term, student, group and dental. Additionally, the state and federal government sponsored programs provide economical health coverage to the uninsurable citizens of Mississippi who meet specific eligibility requirements of age and income.
The Mississippi Insurance Department manages and administers all kinds of insurance sold through private-market health insurers as well as public health coverage programs. However, approximately 19.8% of the state population is still uninsured as the state government strives to provide accessible health care to its residents. According to the Censor Bureau’s 2007 and 2008 Current Population Survey, roughly 18.7% of uninsured residents come under the above 200% FPL category.
Overall, Mississippi lawmakers and the citizens need to work together to build a stronger health system and provide health insurance to everyone. Buying health insurance is a tedious task, but with the guidance of a licensed health insurance agent/broker, you can choose a suitable health insurance policy for your family.
Individual/Family Health Insurance
Below is the guidelines for applying for and obtaining individual health insurance in the state of Mississippi. These regulations apply to all insurance companies offering individual or family health insurance in Mississippi:
| Medical Underwriting | Yes |
Pre-Existing Condition Exclusion Period | 12 months |
Look Back Period | 12 months |
Look Back Standard | Prudent person |
Mandatory Benefits | Cancer screening for women including breast cancer screening, direct access to OB/GYNs, OB/GYNs are primary care providers |
Market Rate Restrictions | None |
Guaranteed Issue Options | None |
Small Group Health Insurance
Below is the guidelines for small group health insurance in the state of Mississippi. These regulations apply to all insurance companies offering small group health insurance in Mississippi:
| Small Group Size | 1-50 |
Employee Qualifications | Two employees must work for at least 6 months out of the year, and work 20 hours per week |
Guaranteed Issue | Yes |
Premium Rating Factors | Rate Bands |
Rate Adjustment Factors | 25% |
Look-Back Period | 6 months |
Pre-existing condition exclusionary period | 12 months |
Mandatory Benefits | Same as individual |
State Cobra Variations for Small Groups
Below are the COBRA guidelines for small groups in the state of Mississippi. For employer groups of more than 20 employees, refer to the federal COBRA guidelines:
| Mini-Cobra Option | Yes |
Eligible Group Sizes | 2-19 |
Extension of Benefits Period - Standard | 12 months |
Extension of Benefits Period - Disabled | 12 months |
Maximum Premium Increase | 100% |
State Legislation Reference | |
Additional Notes | Terminated employees are allowed to remain covered under the group insurance plan for a period of 12 months, following a 3 month waiting period. |
State Sponsored Health Insurance Programs
There are several state sponsored health insurance programs in the State of Mississippi to assist those without insurance in obtaining adequate coverage.
High-Risk Pools
Some states offer special state sponsored health insurance plans for qualified persons that are not eligible for individual health insurance due to pre-existing medical conditions. The guidelines for enrollment in these programs vary by state. The high-risk pool in the State of Mississippi is summarized in the chart below:
| Plan Name | Mississippi Comprehensive Health Insurance Risk Pool Association (MCHIRPA) |
Website | |
Phone Number | 888-820-9400 |
HIPPA Eligibility Required? | Yes |
Available Carriers | Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Mississippi |
Pre-Existing Condition Waiting Period | 12 months |
Enrollment Periods | Open to New Enrollment |
Premium Limits | Between 150% - 175% of standard rate |
Lifetime Maximum Benefit | $5 million |
Special Notes | To be eligible, you must be: |
Children’s Health Insurance Program
Through shared funding from the federal government, the State of Mississippi provides health insurance for uninsured children that meet certain eligibility guidelines. A summary of this program is outlined in the chart below:
| Program Name | Mississippi Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) |
Website | |
Phone Number | 877-543-7669 |
Apply Online | Yes |
Age Limits | Under 19 |
Insurance Carrier |
|
Length of Coverage | 12 months |
Residency Requirements | MS resident, U.S. citizen or eligible immigrant |
Other Eligibility Requirements |
|
Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions | None |
Cost | There are no premiums or deductibles, although there may be a small co-payment for some services for higher-income families on CHIP. |
Medicaid
Medicaid is a state program partially funded through the federal government. Qualification guidelines, as well as the types of people that are eligible, will vary by state. The chart below provides a summary of the Medicaid programs in the State of Mississippi:
| Governing Agency | Mississippi Division of Medicaid |
Website | |
Phone Number | 800-421-2408 |
Residency Requirements | Legal Mississippi resident |
Federal Poverty Line Income Limits | Pregnant Women: 185% FPL |
Additional Resources
Mississippi Health Care Options Matrix™ Guide
Provided by the Foundation for Health Coverage Education, the guide is a quick reference guide prepared by the non-profit Foundation for Health Coverage Education that outlines Mississippi’s public and private health care choices for individuals and groups with various demographic profiles.
Family Health Insurance Guide by HealthInsuranceFinders.com
The guide created by HealthInsuranceFinders.com provides useful information regarding health insurance coverage such as individual/family health insurance, group health insurance, separate child health insurance and state-sponsored programs that are available for low to middle income families.
Mississippi: At-A-Glance
Provides all-inclusive health data of Mississippi. Statehealthfacts.org is a project of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation and is designed to provide free, up-to-date, and easy-to-use health data on all 50 states.
