eTNHealthInsurance Aids Tennesseans With High Rate Of Health Insurance Application Denial

April 5, 2011 - PRLog -- In the individual health insurance market, about one in four people in Tennessee may be denied health insurance based on a pre-existing condition, according to the consumer advocacy group Families USA.  With inside knowledge of the medical underwriting process and the guidelines of various insurance companies, eTNHealthInsurance advisors offer Tennessee residents greater leverage with respect to obtaining coverage without exclusions.  

Tennessee residents face higher denial rates than the national average.  With the majority of Tennessee’s health insurance companies, approximately one third of applicants in the individual market are denied coverage, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The state of Tennessee and the federal government sponsor health insurance coverage for people with a pre-existing health problem, but these options are only available after a person has gone without coverage for three to six months.  

BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee has the largest market share by far in the state and a denial rate of 34 percent as published on HealthCare.gov.  Based on information that BCBS provided to The Tennessean, the companies’ rejection rate dropped from 19.1 percent in 2009 to 14.8 percent in 2010.

HealthCare.gov also listed denial rates for Aetna, Cigna and Humana.  The denial rate for Aetna was listed as 32 percent, the rate for Cigna ranged from 24 to 40 percent and the rate for Humana varied between 25 and 38 percent.  Depending upon policy type, UnitedHealthOne was listed with the lowest denial rate of from 17 to 27 percent.

With higher denial rates in Tennessee than the national norm for individual health plan applications, approximately one fourth of the state’s residents with pre-existing conditions have difficulty getting coverage.  eTNHealthInsurance advisors have a good track record of getting plans issued without waivers.  With greater knowledge of the appeals process, applicants can use strategies that improve the chance of gaining coverage, such as submitting information from their doctor’s records.  These approaches also help consumers expand their coverage by having exclusions removed from policies.

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About eTNHealthInsurance:

As an independent leader in the individual health insurance market, eTNHealthInsurance assists individuals, families and small businesses to get more from their health care coverage options. The company provides comprehensive educational resources to explain the plan options available in Tennessee at http://www.eTNHealthInsurance.com.

eTNHealthInsurance services enable consumers to run instant quotes, compare coverage and rates for side-by-side analysis, and quickly complete applications online. Personal consultations with licensed professionals are also available by calling 1-877-224-2052 from 8 AM through 10 PM Central.

In addition, consumers have 24//7 access to powerful online tools for significant discounts on health care at http://www.eTNHealthInsurance.com/member-benefits-rx.htm. These resources range from discounts of up to 75 percent for prescriptions to international options for health care at much lower costs than available in the U.S.