Medical care costs have steadily risen each year. It is important for anyone to maintain their health insurance coverage to help keep their medical expenses down. A lapse in coverage can have many negative repercussions. These can include higher premiums for a new policy, change in health condition, out of pocket medical costs, omitted health conditions, and possible refusal of coverage by insurance carriers. People may think that they can do without having health insurance temporarily to save on costs. However, an unexpected event can present itself which requires medical care and you will not have coverage.

If you have a lapse in coverage and try to reapply at the same company they may omit coverage for a certain period of time in case you incurred a new medical condition while you were uninsured. The insurance provider may require that you obtain a physical exam and list all doctor visits, physicians, and prescriptions while you were not covered by their health care. This is to check to see if anything changed while not covered.

Higher rates will automatically occur by carriers as a precautionary measure. The original rate that you paid can be lower by an astronomical amount. It may not be affordable to obtain new insurance from any carrier. Or you are able to get insurance the plan may be accepted in limited areas by a few doctors.

If you have insurance through your employer and lose your job, you have the possibility of continuing your coverage with cobra. This provides you with the ability to keep your same carrier and plan. The costs of premiums may be higher but will help bridge the gap until you are covered by another job. You do not want to lose this plan as it may be difficult to even get insurance with a new job.

Many people that have a lapse in coverage find that they are unable to qualify for health insurance coverage. A medical condition may have presented itself which can prevent them from getting insurance. Most companies will refuse to provide care for certain diseases that are costly to maintain health. This may limit your access to health care in emergency rooms.

Most people do not consider the harm that they inflict by having a lapse in coverage. There are many ramifications that can occur when they drop the policy or stop making payments. Refusal of health insurance coverage and higher premiums are some of the negative effects. Unexpected out of pocket medical costs can even be attributed to no health insurance coverage. Studies have also indicated that those who do not have medical insurance are decreasing their state of health and even removing years from their lives.