You can get a Tennessee Individuals plan on your own or through your employer. If you do not have an insurance coverage through your job or employer, try out these these essential steps to get your health insurance plan on your own. You must first eamine a range of Individuals plans in terms of their coverage and costs. A Tennessee Individuals plan should contain provisions on covered services, co-payments, deductibles, out-of-pocket maimum, provider network, and pre-eisting conditions. You should be wary of plans that do not really offer insurance coverage but offer only health care service discounts. Insurance plans that offer discounts are not considered good policies. These types of plans could even leave you with costly unpaid medical bills once you get sick or become seriously injured. It is best if you consult with a health insurance agent in your area to assist you in eamining several plans. An agent should be able to help you in choosing the policy that fits your needs and preferences. But you must find out if the insurance provider you are planning to buy it from is licensed to do business in your state. It would also be helpful if you find out anything about client feedback or any complaints against that particular insurance company. Knowing your protections and legal rights under federal and state laws is also important in getting a Tennessee Individuals. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or HIPAA stipulates conditions that would justify your decision to buy a specific health coverage plan. HIPAA specifically prohibits insurance providers from declining to cover any pre-eisting condition that you may have. Should you qualify for HIPAA protections in Tennessee, you will automatically benefit from coverage rights through some of the state's high-risk pools or funds. In this case, all insurance companies in Tennessee that offer individual insurance should provide you with coverage. You are basically eligible for a Tennessee Individuals if you had at least 18 months of previous insurance coverage that ends with coverage through your employer. You must have used up any Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 continuation coverage rights and other state continuation coverage rights to become eligible. Also, there should not be any gaps in your coverage beyond 63 days. In general, Tennessee Individuals laws specify whether an insurance provider should offer you an insurance plan. These laws also identify the terms of coverage and the premiums for your insurance plan. -- June 17, 2009 @ 10:53 am