Disability insurance is not usually considered a form of health insurance, and it doesn’t cover the costs associated with rehabilitation following an injury or illness. Often, these costs are covered under the major medical part of your health insurance plan. Benefits paid under a disability plan can be used for expenses at the discretion of the insured, for example, rent, utilities, or groceries. Some employers offer group disability insurance. Check with your employer to find out if this coverage is available. Disability insurance will be less expensive if your employer contributes toward the cost. Many different kinds of individual policies are also available. Contact your insurance company to find out if it offers disability insurance coverage. Supplemental Insurance Different types of coverage are available to you that pay benefits when specific types of events occur, such as hospitalization or critical illness. This coverage usually will pay a cash benefit that can be used to cover additional expenses that you incur due to the event. This type of coverage may be available from your employer or directly from an insurance company. 8. What happens if you have a preexisting condition? Before passage of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) in 1997, people had to worry about health insurance coverage for preexisting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. If you changed jobs and had to change insurers, you might not have been able to get some of your care covered because of the preexisting condition exclusion. Today, HIPAA helps to assure continued coverage for employees and their dependents, regardless of preexisting conditions. Insurers can impose only a 12-month waiting period for any preexisting condition that has been diagnosed or treated within the preceding 6 months. As 22