How Relocating Can Affect Your Medical Insurance

If you are getting ready to relocate to another state it is important to know that your private family health insurance will most likely not be portable. The reason why is that medical insurance is state regulated so what may be good in one state, may not be in another. Even major companies such as Blue Cross Blue Shield operate in separate states and by different regulations. What this will mean for you and your family is a probable loss of coverage and leave you to find new coverage in the state in which you are relocating to.

Before you decide 100 percent to relocate or not you should first find out what your medical insurance options will be upon moving. Some private insurance companies will allow portability between certain states so calling your insurance provider is the first place you will want to look. Don't make the mistake of starting this process while you are well into the planning stages of your move. If you have a family member that is currently receiving medical treatments then you may not be able to relocate because another provider will consider the problem to be pre-existing. So even though they may be fully covered now, if you go through with the move you may find that they will not be covered and this will expose you to high medical bills to be paid by you.

It is also important to note that many medical insurance providers will not insure you until you are officially a resident of the state. This can cause problems if your current provider drops you as soon as you leave the state in which you are moving from. The solution to this potential gap in coverage is to first obtain a short term insurance policy. These types of policies can cover you and your family for up to 12 months and are typically a nationwide coverage policy. This will allow you the time to complete your move and then begin the task of shopping around for the best policy for you and your family.

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