Eating disorders are all too common in the United States. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, the rate of eating disorders in this country has been increasing since the 1950s. If you are suffering from one of these conditions, your health is at serious risk. Left untreated, eating disorders can lead to malnutrition, heart problems and even death.
Fortunately, effective treatments for eating disorders are available. Even if you have recently lost your insurance, you may qualify for coverage through the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, or COBRA.
Understanding COBRA Eating Disorder Coverage
COBRA is a law that was passed in order to provide coverage to individuals who unexpectedly lose group coverage through an employer. You may qualify for COBRA if you lost your job or are working fewer hours than you once did. You may also qualify for COBRA if you lost coverage because of divorce, death of your spouse or a change in your spouse’s employment status.
If you are able to obtain coverage through COBRA, you will continue to receive benefits from the same plan you recently lost for up to 36 months. However, you may be required to pay a higher premium.
Estimating your Benefits
COBRA is not its own insurance plan. Instead, it is a law that allows you to keep your former plan temporarily. For this reason, COBRA eating disorder coverage varies considerably. To determine the amount of your treatment expenses that will be covered, you must consult the documents associated with your previous insurance plan. Some of the factors that may affect your COBRA eating disorder coverage include:
- Referral Requirements – Before your eating disorder treatment will be covered, you may need to obtain a referral from your primary care provider. Certain treatments may also require preauthorization from your insurance company.
- Choice of Provider – Many plans include preferred provider networks. To maximize your COBRA eating disorder coverage, be sure to choose a provider from this network. Otherwise, your coverage may be reduced, or your treatments may not be covered at all.
- Deductible – If your plan includes an annual deductible, you will be required to pay this amount toward your healthcare expenses before your plan will begin to cover services you receive.
- Coinsurance – After you meet your deductible, you may still be required to pay for a certain percentage of your future treatment expenses. This is known as “coinsurance.”