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May 24, 2013
May 22, 2013
John Thorne:
They launched the 'Arab Spring' but now yearn for the good old days of a strongman
May 20, 2013
Richard A. Serrano: Is Meir Kahane's assassin now a changed man?
Melissa Healy: Genetic copies of living people from embryos no longer science fiction
Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Jews Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame; Anton Yelchin co-stars in New "Trek" film; Kutcher (but not Kunis) visits Israel; Jewish TV Star Praises Jewish Rap Star
The Kosher Gourmet by Cathy Pollak: WARNING: This WALNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING, perfect for afternoon coffee, is addicting
May 13, 2013
Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Why the giving of the document that would permanently change the world could only be done in desolation
David G. Savage: Church-state, literally? Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church
May 10, 2013
Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be
May 8, 2013
Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas
Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate
Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility
May 6, 2013
May 3, 2013
Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine
April 29, 2013
Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust
Mark Clayton: Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?
Kim Murphy: Boston Bomber's 'Svengali' Revealed
Pete Spotts: Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA
April 26, 2013
Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty
April 24, 2013
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Jewish World Review
Can you keep health coverage when changing jobs?
By
Kimberly Lankford
Q: I have a serious medical condition, and I'd like to change jobs. Is there a way that I can keep my old coverage if my new employer doesn't offer health insurance? I can't afford to lose my medical insurance, and I would be denied coverage by insurance companies if I tried to buy it on my own.
A: Starting in 2014, insurers will no longer be able to reject anyone for coverage or charge a higher rate because of a preexisting condition. A few states, such as New York and New Jersey, already have this requirement. If you live in another state, several consumer protections can help you keep your coverage through a former employer.
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Employers with 20 or more employees usually must let you continue the insurance through the federal law known as COBRA. You can continue your coverage for up to 18 months after you leave your job (some states have similar rules, called "mini-COBRA coverage," for smaller employers). Your premiums will increase because you'll have to pay both the employer's and the employee's share of the cost, plus a 2 percent administrative fee, but you can't be rejected because of your health.
When you leave your job, your employer is required to send you written notice explaining your rights under COBRA. You have up to 60 days after you receive the notice to sign up. (See the Department of Labor’s COBRA fact sheet for more information.) After you exhaust that coverage, or if you worked for a small employer that doesn't offer COBRA, you can get a "HIPAA-eligible policy."
This coverage, created by the federal law known as HIPAA, varies by state. Some states require insurers to provide policies that pick up after COBRA; others designate a few companies to cover everyone, regardless of health.
If you don't qualify for one of those options, you might be able to get coverage through a state high-risk insurance pool. The state pools created by the health care reform law, called preexisting condition insurance plans, require you to be uninsured for six months before you can sign up. But many states already had their own pools. Those pools may have higher rates than the one created by the health care act, but they generally impose no waiting period.
To find out about the high-risk-pool and HIPAA coverage in your state and other consumer protections, check CoverageForAll.org and HealthCare.gov.
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Comment by clicking here. Kimberly Lankford is a Contributing Editor at Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
All contents copyright 2012 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.
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