Can a health insurance company charge 2 deductibles in less than a year if the coverage began in July and then new year began in January?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can a health insurance company charge 2 deductibles in less than a year if the coverage began in July and then new year began in January?
Had an illness in December that ran into January. I paid for a deductible from July to December and then a second deductible in January. It is less than a year that I had the coverage and paid 2 separate deductibles. Is this legal? How can I fight it?
Asked on May 17, 2013 under Insurance Law, Maine
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 11 years ago | Contributor
Yes, they can do this. "Year" in this context refers to plan year, not calendar year. If you join a plan/get coverage starting in the middle of a plan year, then you have to satisfy the entire deductible in the remaining portion of the plan year, and when the next plan year starts, the deductible starts over, even if, as here, it's less than a calendar year.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.