HypoGal, Was Denied Health Insurance

I have a chronically ill condition and I was denied health insurance.
Even with health insurance having a chronic illness can be devastating. Most chronically ill people are denied insurance from health insurance companies. These chronically ill people are desperate for health insurance. Many individuals are too ill to work but yet have a difficult time qualifying for Medicare. Most individuals that apply for Medicare are denied the first time. Without insurance many people struggle financially with the out of control high cost of hospitals, doctors, lab work and prescriptions.

I was very fortunate that I had Cobra insurance at the time of my illness. However, I felt sheer panic as my illness continued and my Cobra insurance was about to run out. I was extremely fortunate and found out about the California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program. This insurance program is funded by tobacco taxes. In order to apply for this program you must provide California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program with a recent denial of medical insurance. At the the time I applied, The California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program had a couple of thousand slots available. After I applied to this risk medical insurance program, I was able to obtain insurance within three months. This insurance program lets you obtain insurance through numerous large insurance providers.


These Major Risk Insurance Programs started in Minnesota back in 1976. This Major Risk Insurance Program created pools from individuals denied coverage by private insurance companies and then provided state-sponsored health insurance plans for these individuals to buy into. The insurance rates were given at a higher cost than if they were able to qualify for a private plan. Currently, 34 states offer some form of risk pool, and these risk pools cover about 183,000 people.

Listed below are the States that provide a Major Risk Insurance Program:

State risk pools and where to contact them

Alabama Health Insurance Plan
Toll-free 1-800-513-1384 or (334) 353-8924

Alaska Comprehensive Health Insurance Association
Toll-free 1-888-290-0616

Arkansas Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan
Toll-free 1-800-285-6477

California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program
Toll-free 1-800-289-6574 or (916) 324-4695

CoverColorado
(303) 863-1960 or toll-free 1-866-787-9129 (M-F 8am–5pm)

Connecticut Health Reinsurance Association
Toll-free 1-800-842-0004 (M-F 9am-4pm EST)

Florida Comprehensive Health Association (currently closed to new enrollees)
(850) 309-1200

Idaho Individual High Risk Reinsurance Pool
(link is to a PDF on program)
Toll-free 1-800-721-3272 (In-state only)

Illinois Comprehensive Health Insurance Plan
Toll-free 1-866-851-2751 (in-state only) or (217) 782-6333

Indiana Comprehensive Health Association (click "guest" for access, then choose "ICHIA")
Toll-free 1-800-552-7921 or (317) 614-2000

Health Insurance Plan of Iowa
Toll-free 1-877-793-6880 (M-F 8am-5pm CST)

Kansas Health Insurance Association
Toll-free 1-800-362-9290 (M-F 8am-5pm)

Kentucky Access
Toll-free 1-866-405-6145

Louisiana Health Plan
Toll-free 1-800-736-0947 or (504) 926-6245

Maryland Health Insurance Plan
Toll-free 1-888-444-9016 (M-F 8am-5pm)

Minnesota Comprehensive Health Association
Toll-free 1-866-894-8053

Mississippi Comprehensive Health Insurance Risk Pool
Toll-free 1-888-820-9400

Montana Comprehensive Health Association
Toll-free 1-800-447-7828

Nebraska Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool
(402) 343-3574 or toll-free 1-877-348-4304 (M-F 8am-4:30pm)

New Hampshire Health Plan
Toll-free 1-877-888-6447

New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool
(505) 622-4711

North Carolina Health Insurance Risk Pool (NCHIRP)
Toll-free 1-866-665-2117

Comprehensive Health Association of North Dakota
Toll-free 1-800-737-0016 or (701) 277-2271

Oklahoma Health Insurance High Risk Pool
Toll-free 1-800-255-6065 or (913) 362-0040

Oregon Medical Insurance Pool
Toll-free 1-800-848-7280 or (503) 225-6620 (M-F 8am-5pm)

South Carolina Health Insurance Pool
Toll-free Phone 1-800-868-2500, ext. 42757, or 1-803-788-0500, ext. 42757

South Dakota Risk Pool
605-773-3148 (ask for a Risk Pool representative)

Tennessee's Tenncare Program
1-888-486-9355

Texas Health Insurance Risk Pool
1-888-398-3927

Utah Comprehensive Health Insurance Pool
Toll-free 1-800-705-9173 or (801) 442-6660

Washington State Health Insurance Pool
Toll-free 1-800-877-5187

West Virginia Health Insurance Plan
1-866-445-8491

Wisconsin Health Insurance Risk Sharing Plan
Toll-free 1-800-828-4777

Wyoming Health Insurance Pool
(307) 634-1393


Contact Information: Lisa@HypoGal.com
For additional information on HypoGal, you can go to my web site, www.HypoGal.com