I’m uninsured and living in Oklahoma . What are my health insurance options?

In Oklahoma, Individual health plans are free to turn you down because of your health status and other factors. However, Oklahoma High Risk Health Insurance Pool was created to provide medical insurance for eligible Oklahoma residents who are unable to get coverage from private insurers.

Oklahoma does not have a legal definition of what a pre-existing condition is for individual health insurance plans, so each health plan can develop its own definition.  There are no legal limits on how long a pre-existing condition exclusion can last. You may also be offered coverage that contains a permanent exclusion on a health condition, body part, or body system.  Permanent exclusions are known as elimination riders. Individual health plans do not have to give credit for your prior coverage, unlike group health plans and the High Risk Pool.

You have three basic options for obtaining health insurance in Oklahoma :

1. Private health insurance purchased directly from the insurance company
2. Income-eligible programs
3. Oklahoma High Risk Pool

Please note that insurance companies cannot cancel health insurance because you become ill. This is called guaranteed renewability. If your policy is temporary, though, the company can refuse to renew it. Before choosing a plan, you should know there are certain protections afforded by federal and state laws to Oklahoma residents seeking health insurance.

The consumer is not guaranteed the right to move between individual policies, so switching plans can be difficult for some people. For more information about insurance companies selling insurance in Oklahoma , please contact the Oklahoma Department of Insurance.

Insurance for High Risk Individuals

Oklahoma High Risk Pool
Oklahoma ’s Risk Pool provides insurance to individuals with health conditions that make it difficult for them to find health insurance. The Risk Pool does not insure families, only eligible individuals. To qualify, an individual must meet federal eligibility requirements or have lived in Oklahoma for at least 12 months, be under age 65, and be able to prove that he/she was turned down by 2 insurance companies.


(click on High Risk Health Insurance Pool)

Income Based Health Insurance Programs

Oklahoma residents who cannot afford to purchase health insurance and meet certain guidelines may qualify to receive Medicaid or State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). These programs offer free or subsidized health insurance and health services.

Medicaid
Medicaid is available to families, children, pregnant women, elderly, those in medical need, and disabled persons. Eligibility is determined according to income, assets, and expenses and varies according to which category of eligibility the applicant is in.

State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
SCHIP is an expansion of the Medicaid program that provides health insurance to Oklahoma children under age 19 who are not eligible for Medicaid but whose families cannot afford adequate health insurance.