How do high-risk insurance pools primarily function?

High-risk insurance pools are specifically designed to provide coverage to individuals who typically have difficulty obtaining health insurance due to pre-existing conditions, high medical costs, or other risk factors. These pools allow high-risk individuals to obtain necessary health coverage when private insurers might otherwise deny them due to their health status.

The main function of high-risk pools is to ensure that these individuals are not left without coverage, thus addressing a significant gap in the insurance market. This aims to prevent scenarios where individuals are unable to afford necessary medical services due to lack of insurance coverage.

The remaining options pertain to different aspects of health insurance but do not accurately represent the primary function of high-risk insurance pools. High-risk pools do not focus on lowering premiums for healthier individuals or offering discounts for group policies, as those concepts relate more to the risk-sharing benefits in standard insurance practices. Additionally, high-risk pools are not primarily concerned with limiting coverage to certain medications; rather, they seek to provide broad access to coverage for those who need it most.