What is HIPAA and how and why was it created?

HIPPA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

My credentials to offer you advice:

1) I was an HR Executive for 30 years; I've successfully managed Multiple Sclerosis for over 45 years.
2) I have a passion for, and mission to assist folks in "medical and or medical/disability insurance" need attain that for which they are entitled. Toward that end, I have a website dedicated to this endeavor. It contains tons of directly applicable information, including a calander that explains the relationship of health and disability insurances. Website is: http://www.disabilitykey.com

About COBRA: if your company offers health insurance, they are REQUIRED BY IRS STATUTES to offer COBRA. HOWEVER, that coverage is expensive, as you will need to pay for 100 - 102% of the cost of the insurance.

Here are some considerations and options for you to consider:

1) The most important thing for someone leaving a group health insurance plan is something called "pre-existing condition". This means that, if you have already seen a dr for a "condition" when you get new health insurance, your "services" for that condition would not be covered for up to 12 months. THE EXCEPTIONS to this situation are: COBRA, HIPAA (see next point for definition); and going from one "group insurance" to another "group insurance" without a break in service.

2) HIPAA = Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (as you have already stated!). The insurance company that offered the group health insurance that you have with your company is required under this act to offer you a very basic continued insurance plan, in addition to, or in lieu of, COBRA.

HIPAA was created as a Federal law to assist employees who change jobs keep some level of health insurance, thereby eliminating the "pre-existing condition" situation. The LEVEL OF COVERAGE is not great; but, if you can't afford COBRA, and you don't want to suffer from the pre-existing coverage situation, than HIPAA is a great alternative.

Here is a link to my website where I place COBRA and HIPAA within what I call the Disability Insurance Timeline:

http://www.disabilitykey.com/downloads/t...

HIPAA: HIPAA is an acronym for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. It is a way for people who either do not choose COBRA, or who need to trigger additional health insurance before Medicare, to obtain some coverage. For additional information, see: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/hipaa/hipaa1/defa... and http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/

Hope that this information is of use to you. Please feel free to contact me through my yahoo id if you have additional questions.

Best of luck!!!