California Group Health Plan and Non-Discriminatory Practices

Not all health plans that are group oriented are administered the same way. For example, a California group health plan is different than a group plan in New York or Illinois or Oklahoma. One things that connects them however is that it is easier to qualify for such a plan then it is for an individual plan. Group plans because they are a low risk to an employer impose less stringent rules governing prospective candidates. There is very seldom a need for a complete or for a strict screening process.

Under California’s health insurance laws, all companies that follow certain criteria are allowed to apply for a California group health plan. This applies whether a company has five employees or fifty or eighty employees. There is one requirement according to the laws that must be met for a California group health plan and that is that what is known as minimum enrollment requirements. This means that there has to be a minimum of employees at any given business interested in the California group health plan or it will be null and void. This is generally not a problem.

A California group health plan cannot discriminate against those who are not in excellent health. This is illegal in the state of California. The monthly premiums for a California group health plan tend to be contingent on a number of different factors which include but are not necessary restricted to, the age groups of the people at the workplace, the geographic location of the California group health plan, and how many people (spouses and children) will be included under the plan for each employee. It is also illegal for an insurance to cancel a California group health plan if say for example an insured member suffers a serious injury or suffers a heart, attack or stroke or develops cancer.

A California group health plan is set up as well to not discriminate against the past medical history of its member or the present medical state as well. Other aspects that cannot be taken into consideration when it comes to qualifying for a California group health plan include a person’s family history, and /or how insurable the person is considered to be because of the above factors.

Pre-existing conditions cannot disqualify a person either. Pre-existing conditions are conditions that a person had before they joined the California group health plan. Examples of these could range from congenital problems to digestive problems such as ulcers or Crohn’s disease to respiratory problems such as asthma to skin conditions such as psoriasis or eczema.