While health insurance is important for everyone, it is extremely important to have medical insurance for diabetics. With regular visits to the doctor, lab tests, blood testing strips and medications, diabetics have constant costs related to their disease. These measures are important to keep the disease under control. Besides keeping the disease under control, diabetics are at risk for complications arising.

Unfortunately for diabetics and others with chronic conditions, in most states, insurance companies can screen applicants and turn down those with pre-existing conditions. This happens frequently with diabetics. An alternative way to get medical insurance for diabetics is to get on a group insurance plan through work if one is available. These group plans must accept people with pre-existing conditions. If there is no group plan available at work, all is not lost, however. Some professions can buy into group plans. If you work in real estate, information technology or construction, you have an opportunity to buy into a group plan through those industries.

There are also limited benefit plans available to diabetics younger than 65 years of age. Shop around to find the best plan you can, as these mini plans vary greatly. Another option for medical insurance for diabetics might be to purchase critical illness insurance. Ask the insurance salesmen in your area... most will work with at least a few carriers who have some plans available that will cover diabetics. Be sure you are up front about any health problems you have... it won't help you to be accepted for coverage only to have it canceled because you lied or omitted something in your health history. Even if you are accepted, there will probably be a waiting period since diabetes is a pre-existing condition. While this seems to be very unfair, it is alas, common practice.

If all else fails, there may be state programs that you can use to get medical coverage. The government needs to know the insurance industry is failing to provide for a large portion of the population... 7% of the population are afflicted with diabetes. In fact, the American Diabetes Association did a study of 850 people spread across all 50 states. They discovered that these people had difficulty getting and keeping affordable health insurance because of their diabetes. They discovered that insurance companies consider diabetics "uninsurable, " when in reality, they just don't want to incur the cost of paying for the needs of diabetics.

Medical insurance for diabetics is difficult to get, and may be difficult to maintain. But don't give up hope. You may get some relief on costs by using a free or low-cost clinic in the meantime. A lot of doctors who work at clinics like this are very caring, and are doing it because they truly want to help people. If you find after an extensive search that you cannot find any medical insurance for diabetics, contact your congressman. They may be able to help by pulling a few strings or making the issue an embarrassment to the insurance companies, in which case, it could benefit many diabetics besides you.