I am pregnant and I am planning to change jobs. Should I be concerned about qualifying for health insurance coverage?

There is some degree of protection for pregnant women who change jobs provided by the federal law. According to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), pregnancy cannot be thought of as a pre-existing condition for a woman who is changing jobs if she was previously covered by a health insurance plan. In order to make sure you are covered, it is highly crucial to find out all of the health insurance details and check the specifics.

If your employer doesn’t offer pregnancy and maternity coverage, HIPAA won’t protect this right. Keep in mind that you do not qualify for the protection offered under HIPAA if you were covered by an individual health insurance policy or if you didn’t have health insurance before you started your new job. Before you become eligible for coverage, many companies will require for you to be employed for 30 days or more. If you have the resources to pay for one or two prenatal visits out of your own pockets and if you are early on in your pregnancy then this won’t be a problem for you.

Coverage under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) might be available through your former employer. Nevertheless, you will still be required to pay the full premium. Keep in mind that there are some employers out there who won’t provide any coverage at all. If you won’t be offered health insurance by any of your employers, you will have to purchase a policy of your own. Before making a career move when you’re pregnant, it is highly crucial to do some serious planning. To protect your and your baby’s health, be sure to completely comprehend the employer’s eligibility requirements and health insurance plan before accepting the job offer.