>>> Health Insurance Comparison - How To Find The Best Health Insurance

Many people struggle today with the everyday task of paying for their gas in their car. Rising costs of living have also taken away hundreds of dollars a month out of the regular person's pocketbook and have made it harder to pay for essential things. There are many people that have health coverage through their workplace but many do not. Here are a few ways to do your own health insurance comparison to find the best policy for you.

Health insurance comparison companies have sprung up all over the country. Whether or not they are advertising with billboards or in newspapers, these companies are trying to garner the interest of people that are passing by or reading the local newspaper in order to get the business for their clients which can also save the consumer money as well.

The Internet is also one of the places that you will find these companies in great quantity. Whether you see them on search engines using pay per click advertising or you see them on classified websites or even websites that you visit on a regular basis in their advertising such as an e-mail account, they are there to earn money but they can also be very helpful for you if you are trying to save money on your premiums.

Take for instance the rise of the full-page ad in most advertising forms. You have a multiblock advertisement which shows similar companies that are selling similar things. They all have a way to contact them whether it be by mail or an 800 number. Why these types of advertisement are apropos to health insurance comparison advertising is that these companies will actually do the comparison shopping for you opposed to you having to call and write down all of the information. If the company is Internet-based, they will be able to send you a printout via e-mail that you can look at and decide for yourself which choice would be best for you and your family.

A word of warning regarding these companies is that some of them can be fraudulent and are just trying to take your information and sell it to other people who will bombard you with uncountable calls and e-mails selling other products that may or may not be related to this industry. Therefore, do your due diligence and make sure that the company that you are asking for help is a legitimate company that is a member of the Better Business Bureau and has no complaints against them before you decide to do business with them and access their data. With that said let's go on to a few other things.

The first thing you want to look at is the size of the company itself. This can be done by simply going to a search engine or looking in a magazine and seeing which companies have the largest advertising budget. These companies will more than likely have the lowest premiums because they have the largest subscriber base to their particular insurance.

The next thing that you would do is to go to each of the health insurance comparison companies websites in order to determine which benefit packages that they have. Most of them will have a multiple amount of packages to suit the needs of the many consumers that are looking for coverage.

Then take each one of their policies including all of their different levels of coverage and print them out so that you can see them on your kitchen table. Draw a line between the ones that look the most similar ends then circled the price points regarding the monthly fees that you will have to pay.

Now you need to consider your own needs. Consider how many times you think that you would go to the doctor and the possibility of you going in for a major medical operation. Using these factors, and the factors of your family, you can determine which one would be right for you.

The last thing that you do is look at the premiums that you will be paying and see what you will have to do in order to compensate. For instance, if you would like to go for one of the better packages, more than likely in your health insurance comparison, you will find that your premiums will be very high which means your monthly money that you have to support your family will be far less.

The final verdict on which one you pick is a juggle between what you believe your family should have and what you believe you can afford. But only by placing out on your kitchen table a printout of all of the rates and what they cover can you make a factual determination using this health insurance comparison technique.

By: Michael Kohler

>>> Low Cost Health Insurance - How To Explore Low Cost Health Insurance

Health insurance is always a touchy subject whether it's politically nowadays (especially during election time) or even with the individual who has to figure out which plan is best for themselves or their family. It's not only tougher and tougher to afford, but just as tough trying to figure out the in's, out's, and FAQ's of every different type of plan available. It can be an instant migraine, and therefore often gets avoided, causing many people the injustice of having to pay much more than they need, or can afford.

Getting low cost health insurance isn't all that simple, and for the most part we're stuck with a very limited amount of choices. However, knowing what those choices are is half the battle and can save you much more on health insurance than you might think, so it may be worth it to stop avoiding the subject and start learning about your alternatives.

In fact, at this time in your life it may be essential...

Health insurance comes in a couple of different forms. Mainly you have employer provided types of group plans (which theoretically is the cheapest that you can have due to the fact of the power in numbers theory). The other types are plans that you would have to purchase on your own if perhaps you are self-employed or not employed at all. Sometimes you may simply not be employed enough, or work for a company that provides no insurance to its employees. In this case it's up to you to cover yourself, and/or your family in case of any unforeseen emergency.

Your best chance at saving the most money on health insurance is through a previously mentioned group plan - and these are mainly provided by your employer. These usually fall into a category of an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) or a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). The difference in the two lies in their expense and flexibility of the physician that you choose.

HMO's are the more rigid of the two, leaving you to only choose within the network, where the PPO plan is more flexible and will allow you to choose basically whichever doctor that you prefer, just as long as they accept the insurance company that you use.

Now, in order to save on either one of these, many people will use a health savings account, which in essence is not an insurance company, but is something that you can use with either an HMO or PPO in order to enjoy a larger savings.

Another similar type to a Health Savings Account is a Health Discount Plan which has of lately grown in popularity. These again aren't actually health insurance at all, but rather a plan that let's you save on prescriptions or at physicians offices who have signed a contract to participate in the plan. Basically it's like a savings card, where you pay a nominal monthly or yearly fee, and then get to save as well on each visit to the doctor. These can usually be used either in conjunction with, or separately of your regular insurance plan.

In order to further protect you with the cost of keeping your health up is catastrophic health insurance. This is an insurance that is meant mainly for high emergency situations. In general this type of plan has a low fee to participate, but nearly always carries a very high deductible - usually around the $2,000 dollar mark. Even so, this is small in comparison to what one emergency trip to the hospital can cost you when all is said and done.

For those who are self employed and are left to have to purchase individual insurance, using all of these extra little services such as the Health Savings Account, Health Discount Plan, and/or the Catastrophic Health Insurance plan can end up saving you tons of money in the long run. Of course it's also important that you take advantage of all tax deductions that available to you as well with your insurance, where you can often deduct as much as 40% of all of your medical expenses.

Knowing your options, as well as knowing the rules of these different options can end up saving you a lot of money in the future. Even though your best and least expensive bet is a group plan through an employer - especially if you have a pre-existing condition - doing your homework can get you very good results even when you think that you're in the most dismal of situations.

By: Bruce D Hunter

>>> Save Money On Prescription Drugs

Many families who are either uninsured or under-insured face high prescription drug costs. With so many uninsured and under-insured people in the United States and the high cost of prescription drugs, you hear stories about people who have to make a decision about whether to pay for their groceries or their prescription medications. You also hear of people who cut their pills in half because they cannot afford their medications. Unfortunately, patients taking multiple medications or receiving treatment for conditions like Cancer, HIV-AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and other serious illnesses may face hundreds and even thousands of dollars in prescription costs each month.

Patient Assistance Programs also known as prescription advocacy programs have been in the media recently. These programs are offered by the pharmaceutical industry to assist low income people who do not have prescription drug coverage. These programs have been in existence for the past 15-20 years; however, few people know about them. To qualify you must meet certain income requirements-generally 2 times the Federal poverty level with certain allowances for hardship cases. For more information begin your search by entering "prescription advocacy programs" or "patient assistance programs" into an internet search engine.

What if you do not qualify for a patient assistance program? How can you save money on your medications?

One thing that you can do is ask your healthcare provider to prescribe the generic version of the more expensive brand name medication. Most generic drugs are cheaper than their brand name equivalents. Both generic and brand name medications must meet the FDA's rigorous standards, so consumers can be confident that there is no discernible difference between generic and brand name drugs. According to Gary J. Buehler, Director of the Office of Generic Drugs for the FDA: "The American public can be confident that when a generic drug product is approved, it has met the rigorous standards established by the FDA with respect to identity, strength, quality, purity, and potency."

Avoid taking a new and more expensive brand name medication when an older drug is available and is equally effective. In some cases, generic drugs may prove to be safer than brand name medications. Most generic drugs have been on the market for several years, so potential side effects and problems are better known than with newer drugs. The site worstpills.org reports that there have been many more incidences of health problems associated with brand-name drugs than with the older generic drugs. Worstpills.org recommends that consumers stay away from newly launched drugs for several years to avoid this situation. For example there have been many reported serious side effects for the type 2 diabetes drug Avandia. The older drug, Glucotrol, provides equally effective blood glucose control without the serious and possibly deadly side effects of Avandia.

Do some comparison shopping. Consumers can cut their prescription drug costs by doing some comparison shopping both locally and online. Compare prices at local pharmacies, supermarkets and department stores. Also, compare different online sources as well. A study by the National Center for Policy Analysis reveals that price comparison shopping can reduce prescription costs for some common drugs up to 90%.

Consider enrolling in a discount health plan with a prescription discount card. Even if you have medical insurance, you may not have adequate prescription drug coverage. Most discount health benefit companies offer programs which include an Rx benefit. You can save up to 50% or more on your prescriptions with even larger discounts available on mail order maintenance medications.

By: Helene L Zemel

>>> Individual Health Insurance Versus Family Insurance - Which Is Better?

As an insurance customer you may have to consider which is more cost effective, an independent health insurance plan or a plan that includes your family. Individual health insurance will generally be cheaper than health insurance that must be extended to cover several individuals unless the individual in question is suffering from numerous complications. There’s still a lot of decisions to make if you go with an individual insurance plan like do you want a basic or major insurance plan, do you want to be able to pick which doctor you go to and have a more expensive plan or do you want to choose from a list of doctors available from your insurance company and see them thus having a smaller premium to pay.

However, this all changes if you have to pay for not only yourself but your dependents’ health needs. In this case it’s cheaper most times to have plans that include your dependents as four individual plans will of course, be more expensive than one plan that covers all four individuals. The more people covered under a particular insurance plan, the more expensive it will be in much the same way as the more people covered under an umbrella, the bigger the umbrella needs to be.

Of course, the more people covered under an insurance plan, the more problems you may run into in paying for the plan as smokers’ plans are more expensive than non-smokers, people with asthma or diabetes may not fall under the insurance’s payment plans as this may qualify as a preexisting condition. Gender, age and general health previously is also a large factor in determining the cost of premiums.

Family Insurance plans cover all the same things that individual plans do including x-ray and laboratory service, prescription medications, surgery, hospital stays, emergency treatment, ambulance services, dental and mental health care. However, like most insurance policies eye care services are usually not included and can be added on for a fee.

Basically the choice is entirely dependent on the make up of your family, and the decision should lie upon which would be better economically for your budget. A health care plan that caters to individual needs that may not need to be addressed by the entire family for example an asthmatic child may need special care his or her siblings may not need. Or you can purchase a health care plan that covers your entire family, smokers and alcohol consumers alike.

By: Sarah H

Health Insurance For Your Family

Family health insurance offers critical help for a family in need in these modern times fraught with uncertainty and turmoil. An unforeseen sickness, an accident, or a surgical operation can drain a family of its precious savings. Hence, it is imperative to have a family health insurance to take care of such incidents. Planning for hardships can be unpleasant, but it is important to care for our families.

Choosing a company to purchase your family health insurance policy from is a very challenging task - as challenging as selecting a new dress in a large boutique. For family health insurance packages, there are different fees, types of benefits, and levels of coverage. One of the most important factors in choosing a particular package is the monthly premium.

With certain policies, policy holders are free to choose where to receive their treatment. Also, some plans require higher deductibles that must be met before the coverage will begin. Deductibles are the amount of the covered expenses you must pay each year before the insurer starts to reimburse you. Generally, the higher the deductibles, the lower the premiums. On the other hand, some policies are based on their policy holders receiving treatment from an approved network of healthcare providers. Because this healthcare provider has agreed to provide the treatment at a pre-set price, the care will cost less for the consumer.

Family Health Insurance For Future Needs

There are many other factors to consider when choosing family health insurance policies. New babies in the family are automatically added in some policies; while some don't cater for this. Women who expect to become pregnant during their plan year must carefully study the coverage offered to them as there may be cover for the period of pregnancy but not for a new born until after a certain time period.

In fact, there are some policies offered that have to be signed for and be in existence for a few years before certain coverage, like pregnancy, are taken into consideration. Actually, this takes care of those who buy family health insurance after they've discovered that a new born baby may be on its way in about nine months time.

Actually, there is no perfect plan for anyone. Hence, an astute person has to pay the price of thorough research through several family health insurance packages to choose the right one for his family. It's profitable to carefully consider each insurance deal as one plan may seem to have a higher deductible but pays more for prescription coverage with a lower co-payment. Furthermore, the needs of each family member must be taken into consideration when making the decision on which package to signup for.

Network Of Medical Professionals

Health insurance providers offer different care options and one of the desired qualities in a service provider is that it should have a good network of health care professionals. These health insurance providers are supposed to have a wide rage of specialists that are under their networks that you can turn to. However, if you really like your present doctor, there is no reason why you should not ask him which insurance service provider his firm accepts. You might decide to purchase your insurance coverage through one of those health insurance providers.

Many insurance service providers offer various forms of health insurance plans. It is very tedious and many times confusing to compare the features of competing plans. Unfortunately, this process of due diligence is required to ensure that you choose the right plan with the right features suited to you and your family at the right price. Do your research over the Internet to get to your initial list of insurance service providers to consider for your needs. During this research phase, you will also understand and appreciate features that you will consider important to you. Contact agents from these selected insurance providers to send you their proposals based on your stated needs. Do not be afraid to clarify your doubts with these agents when you receive their proposals. It is their job to enlighten you about the various features of their proposals. Remove service providers who are unable to answer your questions convincingly or deliberately try to confuse matters, off your hit list.

When you have whittled your list down to the final shortlist, ask your family, friends and colleagues for some feedback if they have had any interactions with the health insurance service providers in your list. You may also choose to discuss your options with some trusted medical professionals.

By: Cindy Heller

>>> Health Insurance - An Umbrella For The Rainy Days

Health is wealth. This is one side of the coin. The other side is that you need wealth to recover from bad health. No one can foresee an illness and sudden medical emergencies. A person finds himself/herself in deep waters when such a contingency arises. This is because medical bills are exorbitant and paying them without insurance is next to impossible for most people. Prescription drugs, hospital bills, maternity care, etc involve considerable monetary expenditures. Many people who did not take insurance for a rainy day have landed in debt due to improper health care management. Uninsured medical care can not only be financially taxing but may also spell doom in a family. This is the reason why more and more people are opting for the protective cover of health insurance to ensure health and financial security. Health insurance helps to provide protection against the possible health problems that could happen in the future. The insured person needs to pay a 'premium' periodically.

The process of availing health insurance requires filling up of an application form. You need to provide some documentation about your finances. You can cover the health insurance needs of the entire family, including dental care, eye care, doctor visits, emergency care, prescriptions, etc.

Health insurance costs are rising day by day. It is becoming increasingly difficult for people to afford health insurance. However, it is not possible to forgo it. There are some affordable solutions. People with low income can qualify for a Medicaid program. They need to visit the local Division of Family Services office to get an application.

How to avail a cheap health insurance?

The costs of health insurance plans vary. So, a thorough research is essential before you choose a particular plan. It is a smart idea to find out how long the insurance company has been in business. Make sure that the company yo select is licensed in your state.

The medium of Internet provides a good platform to search for cheap insurance plans. You can compare numerous plans before you select one for you.

By: Darlene Kaitlin

Why You Should Consider Umbrella Insurance?

Why do you carry an umbrella? The easy answer is so that you protect yourself from the rain, right? Well, not exactly. You also carry an umbrella in case it rains, at least forward-looking people do. And business owners and professionals looking for the right insurance always have to be forward-looking, don't they?

In other words, an umbrella is an "insurance policy" in the event that weather disaster strikes you. You may have a waterproof coat on. You may be wearing rain boots. You might have even picked a route to walk on which provides you the maximum shelter from rainfall. But you'll still carry that umbrella around with you because you want to make sure you don't get soaked once the unwanted event occurs, don't you?

Well, it's not all that different when it comes to formal insurance polices. It's why they've come up with something actually called umbrella insurance. Those creative geniuses in the insurance industry have an answer and a name for everything, don't they?

To put it in the simplest terms, umbrella insurance is extra coverage you get just in case you your basic coverage runs out. So, if you have, say, professional liability coverage of up to $1 million, and a claim is made against you for $1.5 million, the umbrella portion of your coverage can kick in and prevent you from paying the full amount. Just as a real umbrella can save you from the disaster of your hair getting wet, despite the most waterproof hat on the market, good umbrella coverage will provide you with protection in case your basic coverage gets soaked, too.

There are essentially two advantages to obtaining umbrella insurance. One is that it can leave significant assets covered for a relatively small price. The other advantage is that it can simply provide you with more comprehensive coverage — above and beyond individual policies such as professional liability.

Individuals or professionals who have considerable assets that could be at risk under the threat of a lawsuit might want to consider an umbrella policy. Professional liability alone may not be enough, since the limit of that policy could only cover a certain amount of your assets. By investing in an umbrella policy that would increase the amount of your assets covered, the potential savings in the end could far outweigh the additional costs. Liability insurance is meant to protect you from the nightmare lawsuit. Umbrella insurance does just that if you have considerable assets that could be at risk.

The other thing to take into consideration is that, not only does an umbrella policy provide you with added insurance, just like a real umbrella, but it also provides you with coverage that brings together various different aspects of your specific insurance policies. In other words, this kind of policy puts under one umbrella components that would otherwise be included in separate coverage. There go those insurance experts with their clever titles again. So, a good umbrella insurance package can not only end up costing you a bit less to cover more assets, it can save you the time and effort to seek out individual policies to cover various different components of your business.

For example, instead of, say, getting one policy for professional liability, another policy for property coverage, and yet another for worker's compensation, a cleverly constructed umbrella policy can create for you elements of all of them, save you money, and leave you more widely and deeply covered than you otherwise would be. Like all good insurance policies, it leaves you prepared for when that rainy day hits. You'll have that umbrella over your head to meet that day when it comes.

Now, before coming to the conclusion that, despite all the warnings and all the concerns, you probably don't need umbrella coverage, think about some of the consequences of not getting it. For a relatively small extra investment, is it really wise to simply write off the concern and pretend that you don't have to worry about it?

Here' some food for thought. No matter how careful or good you are, and no matter how prepared you think you are to avoid mistakes and causing harm to others, there are two things you have to worry about with respect to umbrella insurance and professional liability.

The first is that you're human. You're not superman — or superwoman. As a business owner or professional, you are going to make mistakes. You don't know when or how, but being human means that they mistake can occur one way or another. And they can certainly happen in the normal conduct of your business. In fact, all that has to happen is for there to be a perception of a mistake made by someone you do business with, that causes damages, that you can still end up paying for in terms of legal fees and awarded damages.

The second thing to worry about if you don't have umbrella insurance or professional liability coverage is human nature, especially in today's environment of the frivolous lawsuit. You almost can't imagine the ways in which your business might touch others, and the ways in which someone out there may claim that the harm they suffered was as a result of something you did. You cannot possibly protect yourself from such a scenario without things like professional liability which may include added umbrella insurance. With these under your belt, you help protect yourself from the nightmare lawsuit you never dreamed of ever having to fight.

By: James Cochran

>>> How to Choose a Health Insurance Plan

Introduction

These days, landing in the hospital for even a few days can decimate your savings account. That's why it's extremely important to consider the cost, the benefits, and the extent to which your family's health needs are met when choosing insurance. Research the various plans that are available, and determine how specifically tailored they are to your family's health needs and financial abilities, to decide on a plan that is best suited to your lifestyle.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step One

Sign on with the health insurance provided by your employer: It is likely to be the cheapest option you can find. Your employer's carrier may have more than one option for you to choose from (HMO, preferred). If you're self-employed or if your company doesn't offer insurance, you'll have to search for your own insurance.

Step Two

Assess your needs, taking into account your current use of health care and your medical expenses for the near future, and decide what services are most important to you and your family. Ask about dependents' coverage. Factor in how much you can afford to spend on monthly premiums and co-payments. If you're single and healthy, your health plan needs will be very different from those of a family with three young children.

Step Three

Compare benefits and coverage of key items like monthly premiums, deductibles, co-payments, co-insurance rates, costs for seeing out-of-network providers, preventive care, physical exams, immunizations and the like. Other services that are of interest to your family could include fertility services, mental health coverage, nursing care and long-term care.

Step Four

Ask lots of questions: Are your current providers part of this plan? Do you need referrals for specialist visits? How easy is it to change doctors? What hospitals and facilities can you use as part of the plan? What are the procedures for having emergency room treatment approved?

Step Five

Find out if benefits are limited for preexisting conditions, or if you have to wait for a period of time before you're fully covered. Some plans may completely exclude coverage of preexisting conditions.

Step Six

Research whether there is a fair appeals process available if the company denies treatment, and if these appeals are reviewed by an external, independent agency. Is there a high turnover rate among doctors in the plan? Check if the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA.org) accredits the plan; the Pacific Business Group on Health (HealthScope.org) also offers information on health plans.

Step Seven

Pick a plan that best matches your needs and priorities based on thorough research. Read all materials and call the health plan representative or conduct Internet research to get any information you are missing. Discuss pre-existing conditions and flexspending plans before making a decision.

Step Eight

Investigate long-term care insurance. The rising cost of health care and elderly care can demolish your savings if you are incapacitated for long. The best time to buy it is when you hit your 40s.

Overall Tips & Warnings

If you're switching plans through your employer, ask when the next open enrollment period will occur. Give yourself at least two months in which to conduct and complete your research of health care options.

If your employer doesn't provide health insurance, investigate professional associations that offer members the opportunity to join a health plan.

Take into consideration any upcoming medical expenses, such as surgery, dental work or a new baby.

Take convenience into consideration: Will you have to file claim forms? How close are doctors, hospitals and pharmacies to your home? How often are you permitted to change doctors? Ask if a telephone nurse advice line is offered, particularly if you have young children who tend to get sick at odd hours.

Find out if the plan you're reviewing surveys its members to determine how satisfied they are with the services provided. If it does, ask for the information. See how member satisfaction rates. You should also take note of whether the plan offers a toll-free number for assistance. Test it out before you join.

Ask your primary care physician how easy it is to get referrals for specialists on certain plans. He or she can also tell you how easy it is to find a specialist, which hospitals and types of preventive care the plan covers, and what the claims and utilization review process is like.

By: Staff Expert

>>> Pet Health Insurance Buyer's Guide

Should you buy pet health insurance for your cat? Veterinary treatment has made some astonishing advances in the past few years, but this treatment can come with an astonishing price tag. Try $2,000 to $5,000 to treat a broken leg, or $1,500 for a surgical procedure. What would you do if you were faced with a big vet bill?

Nobody wants to consider the possibility of their kitty being injured or becoming ill with a chronic health condition. But every year, one in three pets will need emergency vet care. And two out of three will develop a serious health problem over the course of their lifetimes. Purchasing pet medical insurance now can prevent a heartbreaking choice later.

Before you buy any cat health insurance, do your homework. There are many companies selling many different policies. It can be confusing, so compare the policies carefully so you can make a wise decision.

Ask the following questions:

Has the company been in business for fifteen or twenty years? This is a competitive business, and companies selling health insurance for pets come and go. You don't want to find out your company is out of business when you try to file a claim.

Has your vet ever heard of this company or had dealings with it in the past? He or she may be able to suggest a good company or one to avoid.

Can you go to any licensed vet, or are you limited to a certain network? Is emergency care covered? What about in the middle of the night? Now is the time to get answers, not when you are in the midst of a crisis.

What exactly is covered? This will determine your how high your premiums are. If all accidents and illnesses are covered, your premiums will be a lot higher than if you have a policy that covers accidents only or accidents and certain conditions.

What about pre-existing conditions? What are they? If your cat is treated for a condition, will it be considered "pre-existing" when you renew? If so, further treatment for the condition won't be covered.

Should you choose a high or low deductible? If your deductible is higher, your premiums will be lower. But you'll pay more every time your kitty goes to the vet. So think about how many times a year your feline visits the vet. A higher deductible is fine for a pet with few vet visits, but may not be so great for one who needs more vet care.

Is there a penalty for changing your plan or deductible? You want to be able to do this in case you have some financial problems and need to change your plan.

What conditions are excluded? Understand exactly what is and is not covered so you don't wind up with an unpleasant surprise later on. Are there caps on the amount the company will pay each year, or for a certain condition? Is there a lifetime cap per animal?

Can you renew the policy when your pet gets older? Some companies won't insure older pets. How much will your premiums increase as your pet ages?

How is your reimbursement calculated? Some companies pay a certain percentage of the amount you paid your vet. Others have a benefit schedule where they decide how much they'll pay for a certain treatment. Then they pay a percentage of this amount, which may be less than what you've already paid. Be sure you and your insurance company are on the same page when it comes to reimbursements.

Is the pet insurance company licensed in your state?

If you decide to purchase a health insurance policy for your cat, do your homework when you get a quote. Read the policy carefully and understand what is and isn't covered BEFORE you sign it.

By: Darlene L. Norris

>>> How To Get Health Insurance

Introduction

While you may not need life insurance, and you might be willing to risk not having earthquake insurance, don't gamble with health insurance. Just a couple of days in the hospital can drain almost anyone's savings. Health insurance can be expensive, but with a little research, you can find coverage that fits your budget.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step One

Sign on with the health insurance provided by your employer: it is likely to be the cheapest option you can find. Search for your own insurance if you're self-employed, or if your company doesn't offer it.

Step Two

Investigate coverage under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1985) if you've recently left your employer. Through COBRA you can extend your coverage for 18 months beyond your separation date, though you have to pay the premium yourself.

Step Three

Find a health insurance broker to compare plans and costs for you. The National Association of Health Underwriters (nahu.org) can help find one in your area.

Step Four

Purchase a fee-for-service plan. The biggest plus is that you have complete control over which doctor you see and determine for yourself when you need to see a specialist. However, there is a significant out-of-pocket cost for this kind of care, the premiums are generally higher, and if your doctor charges more than what is considered customary, you may have to shell out additionally for that care as well.

Step Five

Sign up for a managed care plan where your insurance provider determines which doctors you can see. There are three basic kinds of managed care:

Step Six

Preferred provider organizations (PPOs) have a list of doctors to select from when choosing a physician who will be your first contact for health care. If you see doctors in your insurer's network, you pay a low co-payment. However, if you see a physician not in the network, your co-pay is higher. You also generally don't need prior approval to see a specialist--PPOs give you the most flexibility but cost more in monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

Step Seven

Point-of-service (POS) networks are similar to PPOs, except that your primary care physician makes decisions about which specialists you can and can't see. You can still see a physician outside the POS network, but face higher fees and more paperwork to do so.

Step Eight

Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are the most restrictive, yet least expensive managed care programs. Most require that you see a doctor in their network, but offer low or no copays in exchange. Many HMOs also require you to see your primary care physician before getting referred to a specialist.

Step Nine

Find out if benefits are limited for preexisting conditions, or if you have to wait for a period of time before you're fully covered. Other plans may completely exclude coverage of preexisting conditions.

Step Ten

Compare the prescription drug coverage offered by various plans. Many plans have tiered benefit systems, and usually offer a preferred list of prescriptions that have a lower co-pay. Search for any medication you are taking on this list; drugs not on the list can have a co-pay that is twice as high. Also, see if any plans limit the amounts of new prescriptions or refills on a given drug.

Step Eleven

Check to make sure your regular doctors are on your plan's preferred provider list. All plans provide a database of their provider list on their Web site. Go with a plan that lists most or all of your regular doctors. Be aware that most PPOs will pay up to 20 percent less for out-of-network doctors.

Step Twelve

Investigate what sorts of delays you may encounter with managed care. Some plans are notorious about keeping members waiting to see a doctor. Ask a doctor you intend to visit how long a typical wait is before you choose a plan.

Step Thirteen

Shop around. Call several agents and compare policies and premiums.

Step Fourteen

Look into other potential sources for health insurance. Alumni associations, professional groups, fraternal organizations and other associations often offer health coverage to their members.

By: Staff Expert

>>> Pet Health Insurance Explained

Pet health insurance is simple, affordable solution for those owners who love their pets but is concerned about the financial hardship of high-quality pet care. It brings peace of mind, protecting you and your beloved pet from the inevitable and the unexpected. It is still relatively new, and many pet owners are still unaware of their choices. By going though the components of a typical pet health insurance policy, you will know what to look for when selecting the right pet insurance policy for you.

The principal component and the number one reason for people insurance their pets, is to cover vet fees. The majority of pet insurance companies will quote the vet fees as an amount per incidents, illness or condition. The vet fees listing will be one for three types.

Type 1: Time & Fee Limit

This type of cover has a time limit over which the condition can be claimed (usually 12 months) and a maximum payout amount per condition. One the time limit or dollar amount has been reached the condition is no longer covered. This is commonly referred to as a "12 month policy".

Type 2: Fee Limit but No Time Limit

This type of cover has a maximum limit on the amount paid per condition but no time limit. Therefore, you can claim on this condition for as long as it takes to reach the conditions limit.

Type 3: Fee Limit per Year

This type of cover has a maximum limit on the amount paid per condition per year. The amount is reset each year when the policy is renewed. This is commonly referred to as "cover for life policy".

A pet health insurance policy can cover (sometimes as an option):

Treatment of your pet for illness, accidents or disease
Payment for accidental death
Payment for death by illness
Advertising and Reward if you pet gets lost or is stolen
Third-party liability cover (usually dogs only)
Pet boarding cost if you are in hospital for a length of time
Holiday cancellation cover if you pet is lost, injured or ill while you are away
Pet Travel cover
Alternative Treatments
Basic routine care
Dental
Telephone Helplines

A pet health insurance policy will not only vary in the level of cover offered but different companies have their own additions, conditions and exclusions. One needs to look at the pros and cons of a particular product offering carefully, and compare it with other pet health insurance products before deciding.

It is important when choosing pet health insurance to select a policy which matches your desired cover with your budget. The higher your level of cover, the more expensive the policy will become. The breed of your pet, the pet's age and your location will affect the cost of your pet health insurance policy. Generally, cats insurance is cheaper than dogs. Policies are contracted and quoted on a yearly basis as a one off annual charge or spread over twelve months.

All pet insurance policies will include an excess. An excess is an amount you pay before the insurance company starts paying. The excess is used to keep the policy cost down and to stop people making small claims that take up time and money to process. Companies will charge an excess per claim as either a fixed amount or a percentage amount. You may elect to pay a higher excess to help reduce the cost of pet insurance.

Although pet health insurance may appear expensive a first, consider the cost of veterinarian treatment if you pet has a serious accident or illness. If you are the type of owner who considers their pet an essential part of the family, pet health insurance makes financial sense.

By: Grant Copland

>>> How To Buy Long-Term Care Insurance

Introduction

Transferring the risk of nursing home or residential care costs to an insurance company may be one of the most important financial decisions you make.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Step One

Calculate the ability to self-insure: If net worth (assets minus liabilities) is greater than $1 million, it may be more cost-effective to set aside funds in a safe investment against the possibility of needing long-term care.

Step Two

Calculate the ability to spend down assets: If the estate is small or can be gifted to heirs, it is possible that a future long-term care need can be funded through Medicare or state-assisted programs.

Step Three

Contact several quality nursing home facilities in your area and ask for the person or department that handles long-term care insurance relations.

Step Four

Ask which insurance companies have the best track records for paying claims and for customer satisfaction, and note their names.

Step Five

Find out about the typical per-day, per-person care costs for those facilities, and write them down.

Step Six

Call several high-quality home care or visiting nurse agencies and ask the same questions.

Step Seven

Average your per-day costs for nursing home care and for in-home care.

Step Eight

Contact an insurance agent specializing in long-term care insurance, and have your research results with you as you determine the amount of insurance that will meet your needs.

Step Nine

Apply to more than one insurance company, making sure that the features you apply for are as consistent as possible for an accurate cost comparison.

Tips & Warnings

There are limited tax breaks for long-term care insurance premiums.

The younger the insured, the lower the premium, but that can be offset by a longer premium-paying period. Generally speaking, don't consider long-term care insurance before age 55.

Contact the Health Insurance Counseling & Advocacy Program in your area and ask them to send you information on long-term care insurance, or make an appointment to speak with a counselor.

Medicare provides some long-term care benefits to those who qualify.

Some states extend limited benefits for long-term care to those with low net worth.

A variety of inflation riders are available and should be carefully considered.

Adult children should consider sharing the cost of long-term care premium payments for their elderly parents.

You don't need to include a check with your application to get an offer from an insurance company.

Agents who don't specialize in long-term care probably won't be much help in getting you the best coverage.

You will pay 100 percent of the cost of care during the waiting period of your insurance.

Some companies will call you at home as part of the application process. This is routine, and doesn't imply a problem with your application.

Be wary of single-premium life insurance policies that provide long-term care benefits but tie up capital.

A few insurance experts believe that long-term care insurance is a bad deal. Investigate thoroughly and fully consider your individual and family situation before purchasing long-term care insurance.

By: Staff Expert

>>> Gift Your Pet a Healthy Life With Cheap Dog Insurance

A friend of ours is moving away to a different continent due to a job transfer. Well, so much for the good news. The bad news is that, they have to leave behind their Great Dane, which is now one year old. Zeus is already heartbroken, thinking of the fact that he would now have to stay away from his master. We have volunteered to adopt him, as he gets along well with our two Labrador Retrievers and is an adorable pet otherwise. However, the only concern I had about adopting Zeus was the fact that I have no clue about the expenditure that needs to be undertaken for a Great Dane and we would want to provide only the best for him. This problem was solved very easily as our friend's told us that Zeus already had dog insurance from a reputable company, which takes care of all his expenses.

The adoption of Zeus made me realize the importance of having it for my pets. Earlier, I thought that this would help to cover only the expenses incurred for the pet's medical bills. However, I was pleasantly surprised to learn about all the additional expenses that would be covered in case I got my pets insured. Any reliable company offering any kind of pet insurance would give you a free quote for every kind of plan that may suit your pet's requirement. Many companies providing it have a provision to cover not only the veterinary bills but also any kind of expenses that are associated with your dog. For instance, your dog insurance could cover the cost of public liability that you may face due to some damage caused by your pet to third parties. Cost for advertisement in case your pet is lost is also covered under certain plans.

Even unpredictable events such as cancellation charges for a holiday in case your pet is ill, can be covered under suitable insurance plans. You must carefully select and decide upon a plan that provides the maximum benefits to you and your pet in order to forget all your financial worries with regard to a precious pet. A little fund should never again come in the way of providing the best care for your pets and this ensures this fact. Various breeds of dogs fall prey to specific kinds of diseases and pet insurance let you be prepared to shoulder the costs for treatment of such diseases, which can be quite steep.

Many diseases in animals were considered incurable even until a few years ago. However, advancement in the field of veterinary medicine has made it possible to cure any kind of diseases, even rare and severe illnesses like a heart enlargement or kidney transplant. Having this lets you provide the very best treatment and medication for your dogs, without letting you feel the financial burden of such treatments. Therefore, if you truly love your pet you must seriously consider gifting him a customized plan for cheap dog insurance.

By: Robert S Scott

>>> How To Dispute

Like every other financial document you receive, it's important to check over each and every record you get from your health insurance company. Most importantly, always keep a running tally of each family member's medical charges, as well as an up - to - date total of your family's combined medical expenses.

Sometimes, deductibles can be miscalculated, and you could end up paying individual deductibles when the family deductible was already met, or maybe even exceeded!

Medical insurance plans vary, but several do institute "out-of-pocket limitations." This means, that, once you and your family have accrued and paid out a set amount for covered medical care, the insurance company will then pay 100 percent of any covered costs for the rest of that calendar year.

If you have this feature on your policy, the running tallies I spoke of earlier will enable you to accurately keep track. You surely don't want to pay more than you have to!

Your Health Insurer Won't Cough Up the Money?

You've probably heard the old saying that you "Can't fight City Hall!" Insurance companies are even bigger than your average city hall. They're giant conglomerates that hold the reins of a great deal of financial, as well as political, powers, but ... guess what? You can fight City Hall, and you can lock horns, if need be, with your insurance company!

A common problem is the denial of a claim. Any and all claims that your insurer may refuse to pay means, initially, "Take a deep breath and open your checkbook... wide!"

You should take appropriate steps to remedy the situation if you feel a claim was wrongly denied.

How To Claim What's Rightfully Yours!

1. Take the denial letter to your Benefits Administrator at your place of employment. Explain the situation to them. The administrator might have the answers "right off the bat" as to why your claim was denied. If he/she can't find a plausible reason, they might call the insurance company for you. If not, at least they can offer professional advice on how to proceed.

2. You might very well end up calling the provider yourself. If you do, ask to speak to the Claims Processing Department. When you reach the appropriate employee, find out why - in plain English - your claim was denied.

3. If you're not satisfied with the answer you get, then the next step is to ask to speak to their supervisor.

You're problem could be a simple mistake, like a wrong diagnosis code, for example.

This happened to me once: a supplemental insurance company argued that a family member did not spend a part of their hospital stay in the Intensive Care Unit because, according to the billing code, they spent their entire hospital stay in a regular room. Wrong! We disputed the claim. It was found that the wrong code was used, and the problem was resolved.

4. If you're still sure that your claim should have been accepted, and the insurance company still won't budge, don't give up! There's still hope!

By: Kassidy Emmerson

>>> American Family Health Insurance - What Are The Different Types of American Health Insurance?

The type of American health insurance you get will all depend on your specific situation and capabilities. Insurance for American families can differ with income bracket, employers, and many other types of issues. This type of insurance is not always just for Americans and Americans living abroad in the armed services. For those who are in the U.S. from other countries and have applied for the immigration process, American family insurance is available for them as well.

The Types Of American Family Health Care Plans

There are several types of plans available today. The most common and popular are HMOs and PPOs. These can either be purchased at a lower rate through one's employer or privately for those whose employers do not offer benefits or the self-employed.

American family HMO insurence plans offer customers a set monthly fee for service through their general practitioner and all medical treatment that practitioner refers the customer for within the network set up by the insurance company. You will be able to go see your doctor for treatment and check-ups with no deductible and a small co-pay.

Some HMOs insurence plans offer an indemnity-type option known as a POS plan. In this type of HMO, a POS plan, members can refer themselves outside the plan and still get some coverage. If your personal doctor refers you to a doctor out side of the network you will be fully covered by the plan.

American family PPO insurance plans are for those who would like to pay a lower monthly fee and have more freedom in practitioner choices. Your general practitioner will be in the network provided by your insurance company, but referrals can be outside of your network when appropriate. Customers will also have to meet a deductible each year as well as a co-pay with each visit.

American Family Health Insurance For Families In Need

If you are in need of insurance for your family but are unemployed or at a low-income bracket, you will might qualify for American family insurance through the government. This type of insurance will ensure that you and your family will get the medical treatment you need when you need it at little to no cost to you if you qualify. Medicaid and Medicare are health insurance plans designed to help those in need as well as the elderly and disabled. To find out more about these American family insurance options contact your local federal government agent or Department of Human Services. They will be able to tell you if you qualify and what benefits you are entitled to.

By Mike Singh

>>> Self-Employed Health Insurance Cost-Saving Tips

This section provides you with 20 valuable tips on how you can save on self-employed health insurance costs. Read each one carefully and determine how you can effectively adopt it in your own situation.

One of the most important benefits employed people enjoy is health insurance coverage. It is also the single most costly expense for self-employed entrepreneurs.

So what can you do to reduce ever increasing costs of health care coverage?

Here are a few tips :

1. If a medical bill seems excessive, try negotiating

Your doctor or the office manager who handles billing will probably be flexible, provided you make a valid case. When one woman in Texas was charged $900 for surgery and "consultation," she explained that she had visited the hospital just once, for surgery; her bill was promptly cut by $370.

2. Contact a medical bill "auditor"

Several services have a medical bill "auditing" system that evaluates your medical bills to determine if errors occurred in the billing process.

Considering that 97 percent of hospital medical bills contain errors, it's no wonder why out-of-pocket medical expenses are on the rise for consumers. Because the typical hospital bill is extremely complicated, often containing several hundred line-item charges, there is ample opportunity for computer mistakes and accidental human error.
Do a Google search for medical bill auditors to find companies offering this service.

3. You may get a tax break on your medical bills

Keep all your medical bills together and add them up at tax time. If they exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income, you may deduct the excess.

Please note that these items also may be included in the total: the cost of eye glasses, contact lenses, physical therapy, x-rays, hearing aids, psychiatric care, insurance and transportation to the hospital or doctor's office (at 30 cents a mile).

There are phase-outs in some cases based on adjusted gross income. Check with your professional tax adviser.

4. Deduct 100% of your healthcare costs from your taxes

The IRS allows all self-employed health insurance costs to be deducted from taxes by using Section 105 of the Internal Revenue Code. To receive this deduction, you must do the following :

a) Hire your spouse as an employee of your business.

b) Have your spouse receive health insurance in his or her name, and include the family on the policy.

c) Pay your spouse a salary that will cover the costs of the insurance.

d) Talk to your tax professional about planning for Section 105 on your taxes.

We all know your spouse is active in your business. Now, you can equally recognize their contribution he or she makes – and get Uncle Sam to give you a tax break.

5. Help for families with kids - CHIP

All states have established new programs that help lower income families with children to pay for health insurance for their kids.

Financed partly by the federal government, the Children's Health Insurance Programs (CHIP) operate either as an expansion of the state's Medicaid program or a subsidy for basic private health insurance.

Eligible families may be able to access coverage for their children at greatly reduced premiums which will vary depending upon family income. Contact your state Department of Health or Insurance for more information.

6. Shop around

Hospital costs vary widely, especially between urban and rural facilities. If your doctor has admitting privileges at more than one hospital, find out if you can be admitted to the one that's less expensive.

Keep in mind that hospitals operated by non-profit foundations are usually less expensive than investor-owned, for profit hospitals. To find out how much your local hospitals charge, ask your doctor. Many states have Health Services Cost Review Commissions, which compile such data.

7. Check for free clinics in your community

You and your entire family can save hundreds of dollars by taking advantage of the many free screenings, immunizations, and other health clinics offered by your local community or a town near you.

Numerous community hospitals and social services can provide blood pressure checks, shots for your children, free contraceptives and/or advice, and other preventative health care at little to no cost.

8. Get a second opinion out of town

Believe it or not, your chance of undergoing an expensive surgery or preventative procedure may depend solely on where you happen to live.

Statistics show that the frequency in which certain medical procedures are performed varies widely from location to location.

For example, residents of New Haven, Conn., are twice as likely to undergo a coronary bypass operation as residents of Boston, Mass. What's the reason for this discrepancy? One Dartmouth Medical School expert, John E. Wennberg, M.D., M.H.P., explains that certain operations are simply more fashionable in some parts of the United States than others.

So, if you plan to get a second opinion prior to surgery, consider going to a specialist in another city.

In addition, try to find out what the surgery rates for your procedure are in different cities. HealthAllies.com also offers this service online at www.healthallies.com.

To get the names of second-opinion doctors in your region, call the U.S. government's toll-free second-opinion hotline at 1-800-638-6833.

9. Don't pay double for a second opinion

As you make arrangements for a second opinion, ask your doctor to send copies of your medical records, x-rays, and lab tests to the second-opinion doctor. These tests don't need duplication; your second doctor will have the information he or she needs – and you don’t pay double.

10. Emotional stability

Your mental health is equally important as your physical health. Do you have blue days once in awhile, or struggle with gray winters?

St. John's Wort, an over-the-counter herbal supplement, has been proven to increase positive moods. Before rushing to your family physician for medication to make you feel better, try supplements with a combination of expressing your feelings with friends and a healthy lifestyle.

Mood stabilizers are some of the most costly medications on the market today. However, you should be aware of the signs of stress or even depression. Give yourself a simple screening test :
Do you have feelings of sadness and/or irritability?

Has there been a loss of interest in pleasure activities you once enjoyed?

Have there been changes in your weight or appetite?

Have you noticed changes in your sleeping pattern? Are you feeling guilty?

Do you have the inability to concentrate, remember things or make decisions?

Are you fatigued or have a loss of energy?

Do you experience restlessness or decreased activity noticed by others?

Do you have feelings of hopelessness or worthlessness?

Do you have thoughts of suicide or death?

If you answer "yes" to any of these questions, consider consulting your family physician.

If they recommend mental health treatment, it is more cost-effective to have your family physician prescribe mood stabilizers instead of seeing a psychiatrist. However, follow your doctor’s instructions on counseling and referrals to mental health professionals.

11. Order your prescription drugs by phone, web or mail

There are many discount prescription drug benefits available for a modest cost. Communicating for Agriculture and the Self-Employed offers a free prescription card through PCS.

This program saves its members up to 40 percent at over 55,000 pharmacies nationwide. On average, CA members save $9.39 per prescription order. You can enroll free on their Web site at www.selfemployedcountry.org.

12. Ask your doctor to prescribe generic drugs

Medicine marketed under its scientific name is usually 50 percent cheaper and just as effective as brand-name versions. In addition, look for generic drugs in the medicine you purchase over the counter.

For example, 100 generic aspirin may cost $1.79; the same ingredients packaged under a well-known brand name can cost more than $5 for 100 tablets.

Consider, also, just how important the new easy-to-swallow products are to your comfort. The lesser price of some medicines may be comparably easier to swallow when thinking about your budget.

13. Get enrolled in a group plan

For self employed people including those involved in small businesses, individual health insurance can be extremely costly – sometimes as much as 30 percent of your take home pay.

By joining associations like National Association for the Self Employed (www.nase.org), you have the opportunity to enroll in a group insurance plan with unique built-in cost controls.

14. Choose a higher deductible

Often for the healthy family, the number of visits to the doctor totals less than $250 a year, a normally low deductible rate.

This low deduction rate, however, can end up costing you more in the form of higher health insurance premiums.

If your family has enjoyed good health for a number of years, you may want to switch to a higher deductible of $500 or $1000. You’ll notice greatly reduced premiums.

15. Pay premiums annually

You avoid the service fee and may also receive a discount from your insurance carrier. Check with your insurance agent about how much money you can save if you pay your premium one time during the year.

16. Make sure there's a ceiling for out-of-pocket expenses for catastrophic illnesses

About half of individual policyholders lack this important provision, according to insurance experts, who recommend a major medical policy with a stop-loss clause limiting policyholder payout to $2,000 or $3,000.

17. Get educated about your health

Invest in your health by becoming information-rich. Read publications about health care. Pay special attention to free wellness publications like Inside Mayo Clinic at www.mayo.edu/healthinfo/public.html or have on hand a book on medical self-care, like The AAFP Family Health and Medical Guide and The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy. A wealth of information is also available on the Internet.

18. Take advantage of free health advice

For free information booklets from the U.S. government about nearly every health care topic you can imagine, simply write to the Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado.

The government offers several dozen booklets on topics ranging from nutrition, medical problems, mental health, to drugs, exercise and weight control. To receive a catalog explaining these booklets, write to:

Consumer Information Center PO Box 100 Pueblo, CO 81009 www.pueblo.gsa.gov (you can download booklets from this site)

Once again the U.S. Government comes through by providing a number of toll free health care information phone services. Topics are numerous, including hearing aids, cancer information, Alzheimer’s disease, drugs and pregnancy issues.

For information on the health topics and phone numbers, call the National Health Information Center at 1-800-336-4797.

19. Brush up on first-aid skills and become CPR certified

Proper treatment of various accidents may reduce the number of visits to the doctor, and can save lives in an emergency. It's important to always keep an updated medical kit in your home or office.

Here are the basics for your first-aid kit :

bandage supplies, including a roll of 3 inch wide gauze, individually packaged 4 inch sterile gauze pads, a roll of 1 inch bandage tape, butterfly bandage tape, and scissors elastic bandages cotton swabs sterile dressings or towels pain reliever (acetaminophen or ibuprofen) anti-inflammatory medicine (ibuprofen) ipecac syrup (for use on advice of medical professional to induce vomiting) tweezers hydrogen peroxide skin creams, including hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion and antibiotic creams an antihistamine (diphenhydramine for allergic reactions) flashlight eye patch arm sling tongue depressors (to be used as a finger splint) ice pack re-hydration fluids (such as Pedialyte or Infalyte)

20. Take a lifestyle approach to wellness – every day

Take charge of your health by making simple changes in your lifestyle. By following these seven basic rules of good health, you'll improve your chances of living a long, healthy, active life.

Get eight hours of sleep per night.

Eat breakfast every morning.

Cut down on snacks between meals.

Keep within 10 pounds of your recommended weight range. If you're unsure what your weight range should be check with your doctor.

Exercise aerobically for at least 30 minutes three times per week.

Don't smoke.

Don't drink more than two alcoholic beverages per day.

Take recommended dosages of vitamins and supplements.

By: Staff Expert

>>> Medical Health Insurance - How To Get The Cheapest Policy

One of the largest expenses in today's modern society is the cost of health insurance. Over the last hundred years, the population has increased so dramatically that any country would have difficulty providing universal health care, especially with all of the modern advances that we have today and the large sums of money that most medical doctors and hospitals make. Here are a few tips on how to get the cheapest medical health insurance policy available today without racking your brain too much.

Before you go on a long winded tour of the Internet or your local Yellow Pages in order to find out where in the world you're going to get medical health insurance coverage, there are few things that you ought to run by your frontal lobe in order to determine exactly what pathway you wish to take when searching for this inevitable necessity that all adults and children must or should have in our ever-changing society. Health insurance is very important and you won't really understand how important until you are in a situation where you are with out it and end up in the hospital and receive a bill for 50 or even $100,000 that you have to pay out of your own pocket because you did not decide to get any coverage at all.

One of the first things you must consider is how many people are in your family. If you are a single person then your premium each month will be very small in comparison to what it would be for a family of say 10 people. If you are single then you have many other choices available to you that most people do not. However, if you are a family person and you need to have coverage for your many loved ones, then there are a few more considerations that you need to take into account.

Most families are not consistent of one age group but multiple age groups with multiple variations of problems that may occur. For instance, if you have many infants, then you must take into account how many different problems come when raising a child from the years of one to two years of age. If you have children in elementary school, those problems will be different than those of your teen children and so on.

Once you have taking into account how many people you will need to put on your policy, then you need to consider what kind of a policy that you should have. There are many policies that have and exceptional amount of coverage that costs a lot of money. If you do go to the doctor regularly, then this medical health insurance will be very beneficial because you will be saving money in the long run. However, if you do not go to the doctor very frequently and are typically a healthy person and the members of your household are also healthy, then you may be better off with a premium that is lower that offers fewer benefits because you will not need them on a regular basis.

The next thing to consider is the premium itself. If you're lucky enough to find a company that will give you a medical health insurance policy that is affordable and gives you almost if not full coverage for all of your medical, dental, and even vision care needs, then you should pay a premium that you can afford that will give you these kinds of benefits. However, most companies are not out there to give you the best policy for less and therefore you must pick and choose between what they have to offer and what you can afford. When doing so, always take into account what you think your family will need or if you are an individual than take into account how many times you think you will be going to the doctor and choose your policy accordingly.

The last thing to consider is why you need a policy. If you are relatively healthy all of the time, then you should go ahead and get a policy that is a bottom level policy in price and in benefits. At least then you would have coverage. If you have more people to consider, I would consider getting the middle ground policy which will cost a marginal amount yet cover everyone in the family. If your family is habitually going to the doctor or the dentist, and it is probably your best bet to choose a higher and policy with the most benefits in order to save your family money in the long run as they make those frequent trips to the doctor. It is up to you to make a good decision and you will do so after reading this when choosing your next medical health insurance policy.

By: Michael Kohler

>>> Blue Cross Insurance Cost

The following textual corpus about the topic of blue cross insurance cost is aspiring to walk the people who read this article through the various stages of the concern of blue cross insurance cost, and by reading carefully the people who read this article will not have to be frightened by blue cross insurance cost anymore.

Finding different health care coverage online is a ritual part of changing jobs, graduating from school or beginning your personal company. Fortunately it`s currently lots less difficult and not as expensive as it was years ago. These tips will help you find the best value :

1. Do not attempt to alter your healthcare ins policy when you have a grave medical situation

Instead, get in touch with your present insurer directly in order to ask about continuance of benefit options.

2. Think temporary

Almost all folks who buy their own health care coverage online alter their insurance in under a year. Buy the policy that offers you the greatest deal now, without thought for whether it might be obtainable in twelve months. Next year a completely new generation of wellness plans will be obtainable. A policy that you bought more than a year before wouldn`t likely represent the greatest deal for you now. Look for temporary health insure plans, student medical policies and overseas travel insurance policies if you meet the criteria. These offer deals assuming you qualify.

3. Choose a bigger deductible

By taking a one thousand dollar deductible, you can avoid more than $1,000.00 in payments over a year`s time. This ought to be a straight-forward choice from a monetary viewpoint. Some college students can buy a big deductible medical health insurance policy for less than $30 every month to insure only serious physical circumstances.

4. Try to find free sign-up enticements

With a larger number of online health insurance providers now imposing an up-front enrollment fee, try to find arrangements to save the enrollment charge when feasible.

5. Choose indemnity online medical insurance whenever feasible

This lets you and your doctor maintain control of your health treatment. There are no "networks", you select your individual physician and hospital, and are free to switch whenever you want. There are no caps regarding trips, as this type of health coverage is equally recognized anywhere in the U.S.A..

6. Carry a separate healthcare plan if you journey outside the United States of America

Most United States policies provide weak overseas travel benefits and almost all universal plans provide ineffective insurance in the United States. So, it is most desirable to carry separate policies custom-made to your travel schedule.

7. Be aware of state concerns

Each state manages its own healthcare insurance online regulations.

8. Pay for 3 months or more

You will be able to save cash by paying for more than one month at once. As almost all policies take charge cards, it even makes financial sense to "charge it" at a lower monthly charge rate then pay off your charge card over a couple of months. The payment discount will more often than not be less than the credit card finance costs.

9. Stay away from the lesser-known online healthcare insurance providers

Medical insurance online payment rates are directly correlated with the benefits that the provider pays out to claimants. It makes no sense to sign up for a plan where there`s a known instance of claims disputes in order to pay lower premium charges. Fortunately, the market top performers uphold an outstanding name for claims treatment. Stay with these market best performers.

10. Use a health investment account

If you may benefit from making your medical costs completely tax-deductible, open a health savings account. There are no account charges for individuals who are eligible for this Medical Insurance Plan.

By: Staff Expert

>>> Bundling Medical Insurance Codes - Stop Loosing Money To "Bundled" Medical Insurance Claims

What exactly is "bundling" anyway? It is when an insurance carrier combines two or more CPT codes, substituting one overarching code, often ignoring modifiers along the way. This practice can cut down on your receivables. When codes are bundled, the codes are grouped together and the insurance carrier will only allow the fee schedule allowance for the one code that they feel is appropriate.

There are ways to get around bundling. First you need to make sure you are billing the claim properly on the initial submission. For example, if you are billing for an E&M code for a patient who comes in with high blood pressure but the patient is also complaining of knee pain and you end up doing an aspiration of the knee joint, then you need to make sure you use the correct modifiers to indicate what you are doing. You want to bill the E&M code, say it is a 99213, with a 25 modifier to indicate that it is a separate and distinct service provided during the same visit. Then you would bill for the aspiration of the knee joint with the appropriate code using a 59 modifier to indicate a distinct procedural service.

It is quite necessary to know the proper use of all the different modifiers to get full reimbursement for your services. Also as important is the ability to read an EOB (explanation of benefits statement) correctly. EOBs can be fairly complicated and it is important to understand what the insurance company did with the claim.

When the claim is processed and you receive the EOB you need to make sure the insurance company allowed both codes separately. After all, you did an office visit to manage to high blood pressure and you did the aspiration which was completely separate from the office visit.

If the insurance carrier bundles your codes you should file an appeal. In many cases the insurance carrier will reprocess the claim and unbundled the codes if you go through the appeal process.

The appeal does not have to be complicated. It can be a form letter that you design where you just need to fill in the blanks. A lot of carriers bundle the claims on initial processing because the majority of offices will not appeal the claim. Just think how much money they save!

You may think that it's not worth the time to appeal but you may be surprised if you knew how much money you actually lost over time. If you have a system in place to file the appeals that is a fairly simple process it won't take much time and you can increase your receivables. In my opinion, it is worth the effort.

By: Michele Redmond

>>> How To Get Health Insurance

Introduction

While you may not need life insurance, and you might be willing to risk not having earthquake insurance, don't gamble with health insurance. Just a couple of days in the hospital can drain almost anyone's savings. Health insurance can be expensive, but with a little research, you can find coverage that fits your budget.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step One

Sign on with the health insurance provided by your employer: it is likely to be the cheapest option you can find. Search for your own insurance if you're self-employed, or if your company doesn't offer it.

Step Two

Investigate coverage under COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1985) if you've recently left your employer. Through COBRA you can extend your coverage for 18 months beyond your separation date, though you have to pay the premium yourself.

Step Three

Find a health insurance broker to compare plans and costs for you. The National Association of Health Underwriters (nahu.org) can help find one in your area.

Step Four

Purchase a fee-for-service plan. The biggest plus is that you have complete control over which doctor you see and determine for yourself when you need to see a specialist. However, there is a significant out-of-pocket cost for this kind of care, the premiums are generally higher, and if your doctor charges more than what is considered customary, you may have to shell out additionally for that care as well.

Step Five

Sign up for a managed care plan where your insurance provider determines which doctors you can see. There are three basic kinds of managed care:

Step Six

Preferred provider organizations (PPOs) have a list of doctors to select from when choosing a physician who will be your first contact for health care. If you see doctors in your insurer's network, you pay a low co-payment. However, if you see a physician not in the network, your co-pay is higher. You also generally don't need prior approval to see a specialist--PPOs give you the most flexibility but cost more in monthly premiums and out-of-pocket costs.

Step Seven

Point-of-service (POS) networks are similar to PPOs, except that your primary care physician makes decisions about which specialists you can and can't see. You can still see a physician outside the POS network, but face higher fees and more paperwork to do so.

Step Eight

Health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are the most restrictive, yet least expensive managed care programs. Most require that you see a doctor in their network, but offer low or no copays in exchange. Many HMOs also require you to see your primary care physician before getting referred to a specialist.

Step Nine

Find out if benefits are limited for preexisting conditions, or if you have to wait for a period of time before you're fully covered. Other plans may completely exclude coverage of preexisting conditions.

Step Ten

Compare the prescription drug coverage offered by various plans. Many plans have tiered benefit systems, and usually offer a preferred list of prescriptions that have a lower co-pay. Search for any medication you are taking on this list; drugs not on the list can have a co-pay that is twice as high. Also, see if any plans limit the amounts of new prescriptions or refills on a given drug.

Step Eleven

Check to make sure your regular doctors are on your plan's preferred provider list. All plans provide a database of their provider list on their Web site. Go with a plan that lists most or all of your regular doctors. Be aware that most PPOs will pay up to 20 percent less for out-of-network doctors.

Step Twelve

Investigate what sorts of delays you may encounter with managed care. Some plans are notorious about keeping members waiting to see a doctor. Ask a doctor you intend to visit how long a typical wait is before you choose a plan.

Step Thirteen

Shop around. Call several agents and compare policies and premiums.

Step Fourteen

Look into other potential sources for health insurance. Alumni associations, professional groups, fraternal organizations and other associations often offer health coverage to their members.

By: Staff Expert

>>> AARP Health Insurance And Medicare

There is a special health insurance called the AARP Health Care Options Program, which helps consumers with research. AARP Health Care Options has competently compiled a catalog of organizations they deem to be most suitable for individuals falling in the 50 and over age bracket.

This particular program (made available exclusively and explicitly to AARP members and their spouse) presently provides services to more than 3.5 million members of the AARP and has grown to become immensely popular.

However, it is only recently that AARP Health Care Options has begun providing a medicare supplement insurance plan, discounts on prescription and non-prescription medications and eye health services. Previously its main offering was supplemental health insurance alone.

Concerns About Changes In Medicare

Numerous seniors have shown concern about changes in Medicare, often wondering how the new features might affect them. As a word of advice, it may be said that the AARP health care option is a great idea for those that have lost health coverage from Medicare.

There are seniors that have discovered that their Medicare part D plan isn't enough for their prescription needs and found themselves in a mad scramble when they hit the "doughnut hole". There are many that think that the Government is leaning towards encouraging individuals figure out a different source when this happens. If you are sure that your Medicare supplement plan won't cover your prescription needs, you should really consider this Canadian alternative prescription plan.

In the event you are considering enrolling in health insurance through AARP, apply "within 63 days of the term date of the prior health plan". Keep in mind that you must also "provide a copy of the Notification of Rights letter from this prior insurer with the new application".

Medical Insurance Options Online

Now you can enroll on the internet, and if you have somebody to assist you with the online application, it can be rather simple. If you talk to a local Pharmacist, they will likely know about appropriate choices for what you individually need.

AARP Is Extremely Popular Amongst Senior Citizens

With the AARP health insurance program, members and their spouses may obtain the best health insurance products available today. Such 'products' could consist of (but are not limited to) primary health insurance plans, supplemental health insurance plans, etc. In a few states, Dental insurance will additionally be included. The healthcare choice additionally provides discounts on non-prescription and prescription drugs and eye care etc. This coverage also takes complete charge of delivering fully reimbursable medical supplies to you.

There are several different ways members of the AARP can find savings. To begin, there is the Medicare Rx Plan, which is a prescription drug plan insured by United Health Care. But that's only the beginning. With AARP health care options, you can actually save on nutritional supplements and vitamins. To top it off, AARP members may qualify for as much as a 60% reduction on contacts or glasses.

Even though the recent changes in Medicare may have been at first confusing, many seniors have been able to locate affordable health care. If you're still struggling with medical insurance decisions, Health insurance through AARP will provide coverage in most scenarios and is definitely worth looking into.

By: Darwin Corby

>>> How To Get Your Health Insurance Claim Paid

Having a hard time getting that health insurance claim paid or have questions about what's a payable benefit? Maybe this should help.

Like many people I didn't have a regular physician and whenever I had a minor ailment I found myself in one of those quick clinics. While nothing was ever life threatening before I made an appointment I'd call to first find out if they participated with my insurance carrier. Before making any appointment you should contact the physician's office and ask if they participate with your carrier.

If they participate with your carrier go ahead and make the appointment, but remember you may have a co-payment (if the doctor is a participating member in a Preferred Provider Organization- PPO) for an office visit or you may have to pay directly for an office visit since most are non payable benefits. You may have to pay for an injection if needed.

However, if your physician determines you need further tests to help diagnose an ailment ask the receptionist at your physician's office to give you a procedure code of the test. A procedure code is five digit number which defines the service. You can call your insurance provider with this number and they can assist you as to if the procedure is payable under the terms of your policy. Most customer service representatives will ask for this number.

For certain procedures you may need to have a diagnosis code which relates to the test you may be facing. Both a procedure and diagnosis code are usually used for CT Scans.

It's also a common practice for doctors to submit laboratory or radiological tests to a local hospital for review so don't panic when you receive an Explanation of Benefits (EOB) form with the name of a hospital on it. Automatically your mind will tell you this may be a case of fraud since you weren't at the hospital and generally after calling the insurance company they'll ask if you were seen at the doctor's office on the day in question.

When a doctor or hospital bills the insurance company they will usually do it electronically and in many cases claims will reject due to lack of information which was submitted at the time the claim was billed. If this happens contact your carrier and ask what information is required. Chances are your medical records will be needed for further review.

Depending on your insurance carrier they will request them for you or they may refer you back to the provider to obtain them yourself. Once the records are obtained they will be manually reviewed for payment consideration.

You should also know that many doctors and hospitals are required to submit claims two years from the date of service. Claims which are submitted after the filing date are ineligible for payment consideration and you should not be held liable for their error.

Unfortunately, billing clerks in both venues "think they know it all" and they "have the power." Do not let them intimidate you. So if you do encounter a problem contact your carrier and explain the situation to them. They may be able to help resolve any outstanding issues when it comes to paying a claim.

The same holds true if you find yourself dealing with a collection agent. These vultures are lurking in the wings since most hospitals are expecting payment the moment you check out of the hospital. (If you are hospitalized it's best not to have a television or a phone in your room since they charge a large fee and these charges are always hard to figure out. While you are responsible for the payment of them they may try to keep collecting the money after you've already paid them).

When you first receive a notice from a collection agency call your carrier immediately for a status of your claim. Again they should be able to assist you regarding this matter. If they haven't received a claim for the date of service contact the billing department of the doctor or hospital and always be sure to document the day, time and who you spoke to.

Sometimes claims do fall through the cracks but hopefully this information should be helpful when it comes time to having a claim paid.

By: Eric Tuchelske

>>> Finding The Best Low Cost Health Insurance

You may not be able to afford an expensive policy - but you can eliminate the frills that you don't need. The death rate in any given year for an individual without health insurance is twenty-five per cent higher than for someone who has insurance. If you have always had a health insurance benefit wherever you work and especially if you were a state or federal employee and now have to buy your own, you may not be able to afford the level of coverage you had at one time.

Finding the best low cost health insurance is easier than most people think, especially now that we are able to go online for information and quotes. There are many individual and family health insurance plans available today in the US. It's important to know what to look for in a good insurance plan.

There is health insurance for every budget. As with any type of insurance, it is always a gamble, that is, gambling that you'll take out more than you're paying in and your insurance company is gambling that they will pay out less.

In the old days you had to physically visit ten agents to compare insurance rates, which was very time-consuming; getting low cost health insurance quotes online is fast. It's a fact that because the uninsured are sicker than the rest of us, they can't get better jobs, and because they can't get better jobs they can't afford insurance, and because they can't afford insurance they get even sicker.

You can easily charge your payments to a credit card for online insurance which means you aren't going to forget a payment and ever be without insurance and gives you another 30 days before you actually need to pay. Also you don't have to tap your bank account as we've always had to do in the past when credit cards weren't accepted. One nice advantage of buying insurance online is you can change your coverage, deductibles, or payment options with a few clicks of the mouse rather than going through a paperwork delay with a local agent. So finding the best health insurance is easy to do online.

Children who don't have health insurance are less likely to receive medical attention for serious injuries, for recurrent ear infections, or for asthma, for example. Heart attack victims without insurance are less likely to receive angioplasty and other procedures. The death rate in any given year for someone without health insurance is twenty-five per cent higher than for someone with insurance.

Although it does increase your risk, one way to lower your costs is to set a higher deductible. If you're in good health you'll likely come out ahead, barring an unforeseen accident, etc. Another way to lower your cost is to eliminate the coverage that you'll not likely need such as maternity coverage. Also there are several providers that offer cheap health insurance with low cost premiums for single people also. But, more importantly, you want a company that has a good track record for paying claims, without fighting you on every little detail. You want to avoid having to face a $100,000 open heart surgery without having any insurance.

The market for health insurance plans is very much developed in the US. With a bit of online research and understanding on your part, you can easily get insurance for a lower cost. With the rise of medical insurance costs, most people look for low cost health insurance premiums that will ensure quality medical attention at the time of need, but still at a price they can afford. You should be able to find a lower cost insurance plan that meets your medical requirements as well as your financial situation.

Insurance companies have to be very competitive because it's quick and easy to compare them with other companies on the Internet today. There are many low cost options available too. For people without pre-existing conditions or other complicating factors, a simpleinsurance plan with a high deductible may be the way to go. So the best way to get free low cost health insurance quotes is to go online.

By: Helen Hecker

>>> Fight For Your Rights: Health Insurance Claims

One of the biggest concerns in planning one's personal finances is the high cost of medical care. Many people go to great lengths just to obtain health insurance, working at jobs outside their chosen profession or accepting low-paying work solely for the benefits. Because the costs of individual health insurance policies are often prohibitively high, these decisions make economic sense, but they're not always the most desirable choices from a personal perspective.

Having good health insurance doesn't mean you never have to worry about medical costs again. Like any other insurance company, health insurance providers may deny claims if your policy doesn't cover a particular procedure or type of care. While a recent study shows that some private insurers, such as Aetna (NYSE: AET) and Humana (NYSE: HUM), pay claims relatively quickly, they still have higher rates of denials than do government programs such as Medicare. If your claim is denied, you need to do a number of things to fight the denial and give yourself the best chance of getting your claim paid.

Know your policy

The first step in getting the coverage you deserve is to understand as much as you can about what types of medical services your policy covers. Even the best health insurance policies don't provide unlimited coverage for every conceivable medical need. Furthermore, most policies have substantial limitations and restrictions on benefits for a wide range of conditions, and many also require you to follow certain rules and procedures to make claims. Without carefully reviewing your policy, you may mistakenly assume that your insurance will pay the costs for the medical care you need even if the policy explicitly excludes coverage.

The best time to acquaint yourself with your health insurance policy is when you first get coverage. It's easy to procrastinate until you need medical care, but you won't be at your best once you're ill or injured, and digging through insurance documents probably isn't how you want to spend your recovery time.

Follow the rules

Even though many of the procedures that insurance companies require you to follow are cumbersome, it pays to follow them as much as you can. In some cases, insurance companies require that you get pre-approval on certain types of medical care before the care begins. If your doctor advises a particular course of treatment for a medical problem, get in touch with your insurance company before proceeding with the treatment, to make sure that you follow the required guidelines.

However, if you fail to follow the correct procedures, you shouldn't give up. While not going by the book may make things more complicated, you can still work to get your claim accepted.

Work with your doctor

When you need medical care, you often rely on your doctor to make an appropriate diagnosis and suggest a course of action. It's tempting to extend that reliance to health insurance issues as well. After all, since your doctor deals with health insurance all the time, you may fairly assume that he or she knows more about it than you do.

However, with all of the different types of insurance available, you simply can't depend on your doctor's ability to know what every single type of policy will or won't cover. The increasing complexity of procedures on health insurance claims has led many doctors to hire full-time staff members whose sole responsibility is processing such claims. Ultimately, you're responsible for understanding how your insurance works.

On the other hand, there are times when you'll be able to work with your doctor to ensure that your insurance will cover your medical costs. In some cases, whether you have coverage will depend on how your doctor diagnoses your medical condition. By telling your doctor what's covered and what's not, you may get the diagnosis you need so as to get your claim paid.

Dealing with denial

Despite your best efforts, your insurance company may deny your claim. The first thing to do is to review what your insurer sends you, along with your medical bills, in search of erroneous charges or incorrect coding of expenses. If your denial letter doesn't clearly state the company's reason for denying your claim, call your insurer and have the company explain it. Keep records of who you spoke with and what was said. In many cases, your insurer may be willing to correct a simple mistake without much work.

If, however, you find no such errors and the denial appears to be for a valid reason, you should request a formal appeal from your insurance company. Each company has slightly different rules for appeals, but many have fixed deadlines, so don't delay if you choose to file an appeal.

If you lose your appeal, some state governments provide additional oversight over health insurance plans. Check with your state's insurance department to get additional assistance with your claims process. You may be able to obtain an independent review of the merits of your claim by people outside your insurance company. If you have coverage through your employer, you can also check with your state's labor or workforce department to see whether they offer a separate appeals process.

Given the difficulty that many health professionals have in navigating their way through the vagaries of health insurance, you shouldn't feel bad if you don't immediately understand everything about your policy. The main point, however, is that because you're paying for your health insurance coverage, you should get everything you're entitled to receive. Although that doesn't mean your insurance company will pay every single medical expense, it's usually worth the time and effort to stand up and fight if your insurer unfairly denies a legitimate claim.

By: Dan Caplinger (TMF Galagan)