Individual Market Guaranteed Issue (Not Applicable to HIPAA Eligible Individuals)
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2013
| Location | All Insurers Must Guaranteed Issue All Products? | All Insurers Must Guaranteed Issue Some Products? | Insurers of Last Resort? | Guaranteed Issue Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 6 Yes | 7 Yes | 5 Yes | N/A |
| Alabama | No | No | No | |
| Alaska | No | No | No | |
| Arizona | No | No | No | |
| Arkansas | No | No | No | HMOs, after 24 months in existence, are required to guarantee issue to a limited number of applicants, on a first come first serve basis during an annual open enrollment period. |
| California | No | No | No | |
| Colorado | No | No | No | |
| Connecticut | No | No | No | The high risk pool is available for all qualified applicants, not just those that are medically eligible. |
| Delaware | No | No | No | |
| District of Columbia | No | No | Blue Cross Blue Shield | Blue Cross Blue Shield offers CareFirst Washington DC Open Enrollment Guaranteed Issue Insurance for DC residents with proof of residency. |
| Florida | No | No | No | |
| Georgia | No | No | No | |
| Hawaii | No | No | No | |
| Idaho | No | Yes, continuously for all individuals | No | Individual market insurers must guarantee issue standardized policies - called high risk pool policies - to eligible individuals. In addition, managed care organizations, after 24 months in operation, are required to guarantee issue to a limited number of applicants during an annual open enrollment period. |
| Illinois | No | No | No | |
| Indiana | No | No | No | |
| Iowa | No | No | No | |
| Kansas | No | No | No | |
| Kentucky | No | No | No | |
| Louisiana | No | No | No | |
| Maine | Yes, continuous for all individuals | No | No | |
| Maryland | No | No | No | |
| Massachusetts | Yes, with open enrollment periods | No | No | |
| Michigan | No | Yes, periodically for some plans and for all individuals | Blue Cross Blue Shield | HMOs, after 24 months in existence, are required to guarantee issue to a limited number of applicants during an annual open enrollment period. |
| Minnesota | No | No | No | |
| Mississippi | No | No | No | |
| Missouri | No | No | No | |
| Montana | No | No | No | |
| Nebraska | No | No | No | |
| Nevada | No | No | No | |
| New Hampshire | No | No | No | |
| New Jersey | Yes, continuous for all individuals | No | No | Individual market insurers must guarantee issue standardized policies continuously, unless the individual is eligible for group coverage, in which case there is a one month annual enrollment period. |
| New Mexico | No | No | No | |
| New York | Yes, continuous for all individuals | No | No | |
| North Carolina | No | No | No | |
| North Dakota | No | No | No | |
| Ohio | No | Yes, periodically for all individuals | No | Individual market insurers must guarantee issue standardized policies on a periodic basis (up to a limited number of enrollees as determined by the state). |
| Oklahoma | No | No | No | |
| Oregon | No | Yes, continuously for some individuals | No | |
| Pennsylvania | No | No | Blue Cross Blue Shield | |
| Rhode Island | No | Yes, continuously for some individuals | Blue Cross Blue Shield | Individual market insurers must guarantee issue all products to those with 12 months of continuous creditable coverage, provided the applicant is not eligible for alternative group coverage, Medicare or any other state health insurance plan. |
| South Carolina | No | No | No | |
| South Dakota | No | No | No | |
| Tennessee | No | No | No | |
| Texas | No | No | No | |
| Utah | No | Yes, continuously for some individuals | No | Individual market insurers that have not met an enrollment cap must guarantee issue at least one individual market policy to those that are otherwise not eligible for any other type of health insurance coverage (i.e. group, high risk pool, etc.). |
| Vermont | Yes, continuous for all individuals | No | No | |
| Virginia | No | No | Blue Cross Blue Shield | |
| Washington | Yes, continuous for some individuals | No | No | Insurers in the individual market must guarantee issue all products to applicants achieving a minimum score on a state mandated health status questionnaire (or health screen). Those applicants, not eligible for guaranteed issue plans, are referred to the high risk pool. |
| West Virginia | No | Yes, periodically for some plans and for all individuals | No | HMOs with greater than 5 years in the market or with enrollment not less than 50,000, must guarantee issue during annual 30 day open enrollment period. |
| Wisconsin | No | No | No | |
| Wyoming | No | No | No |