Health Insurance Risk Pools cover people who can't buy health insurance because of pre-existing medical conditions. Generally, risk pools are the only option for uninsurable residents. Risk pool members pay for coverage. Usually their premiums are subsidized by funding from specialty taxes or assessments on health insurance companies. Still applicants will find the risk pool premiums are much higher than the standard rates for comparable individual health insurance.
Not all states offer risk pool coverage for uninsurable residents. Among those that do, fund can dry up in the course of the year leaving new applicants with long waiting periods until additional funding is obtained. It's not a pretty picture, but for many people it's the only option.
