HEALTH INSURANCE

Criteria For Critical Illness Insurance
By Dominic Chan

Even if everything is all right in your world and you are in the best of conditions, you need to be prepared. Prepared for critical illness that is. The reason for this is because you will never know when it will strike. Illness can happen to anyone at any time - so you need to arm yourself. While you can never predict when you might have critical illness you can certainly find an organization that can help you and your family be ready for it.
And because the financial burden of having illness can be too much for some, you need to get yourself some form of insurance or protection. There are many companies out there that offer critical illness protection plans or critical illness insurance. You just need to know which one to choose and which one you should sign up with. The best critical illness insurance is neither the cheapest nor the most expensive. Rather, it is the one that offers the best package of benefits for your particular budget. Most critical illness insurance companies will gladly help compute for what your budget it and how you can get the best protection plan for it.
The most basic protection plan will normally insure you for at least twenty thousand dollars. This is usually expanded over a period from your twenties until you are seventy five (which is the cut off age for critical illness). Critical illness insurance will usually give you an easy payment scheme to ensure that you stay protected but also stay within your budget as you live your life. You can choose an illness insurance payment scheme in three modes - monthly, quarterly or bi-annually. The best payment mode, of course, is the one that is most favorable to your budget.
Furthermore, most illness insurance companies also have their own team of medical experts who are ready to help you at the first sign of an emergency. They usually have been trained to act right away and may even be available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. This is a very important consideration when it comes to choosing an insurance provider. There are some critical illness providers that only covers the financial aspect and thus in an emergency can do no more. They would usually have you lining up at the hospital, card in hand, and waiting to see if a doctor is available. So when you choose the company that would provide you with insurance, make sure to look for one that will give you VIP treatment all the way.
And of course, your own family must be protected too. In the event that the critical illness that you experienced gets the better of you, your loved ones will also receive a generous amount from your own insurance claims. This is highly important especially if you are the breadwinner of the family. Even after a bout with critical illness you and your family will need some time to get back on their feet and be on the road to life once again.



Your Health Insurance Payments Will Double Or Triple This Next Year!
By Allan Grogan

Because medical treatment increases at three times the rate of inflation, our Health insurance payments are being adjusted, out of the affordability of the average American and family! We are already receiving reports that individuals will be paying two to three hundred per cent more each month for a similar plan in 2009.
It is realistically expected that the medical costs will double and triple in the next ten to twenty years. Can you imagine the effect this will have on monthly payments for traditional health insurance? There is an alternative and it is called consumer driven Health Care and it could be for you.
During our most recent Presidential campaign, it was reported 45 million Americans did not have any form of Health plan for themselves or their family! It appears as of today's writing, it has been adjusted to 80 million! The numbers are increasing at a phenomenal speed. If you have priced a health plan lately, you will understand why our numbers are growing. The reason for this article is to explain that, as time passes, things continue to grow worse for our country and its people.
We have to stand up and make our voice heard, and consumer driven health care is the most logical choice you have to gaining a voice in getting an alternative to protecting you or your family for the additional costs. Would you rather pay $19.95 per month to $59.95 per month for a household for Dental and Health and Major Medical , or $500 to $1000 per month for Health and Major Medical? If you don't explore the options, it is your loss! Frankly, why not at least be informed about an affordable alternative? Millions obviously don't know about this approach, as indicated by the figures that don't have any plan for needed treatment!
There are a small number of companies specializing in these plans. The need is becoming dramatic for a large percentage of our population! I do know a company that has been providing these solutions since 1992 and have saved its members one billion dollars throughout those years!
So, what do you have to lose, by not clicking on the information? Perhaps, several thousand dollars in a variety of health services and dental care? Don't hesitate, to be involved with our money saving discounts and they are substantial! And again, the first and best is investing a much lower payment per month. Do it today, right now. We would love to save you $400 to $1000 per month. I promise you, you will love the idea. as well!
Allan Grogan AmeriPlan Discount Health, Major Medical, and Dental Care Plans since 1992.



Don't Underestimate the Importance of Health Insurance
By April Kerr

As we get older and become mature adults, we become more aware of our surroundings and their effects on ourselves and our well-being. Most of us wake up to the fact that there are a lot of factors in the present day that can potentially put our health at risk. Although keeping in top shape can help us avoid falling into illness like eating the right food or taking vitamins, there will always be instances where we would get sick forcing us to rest our weary bodies and shell out some cash to be able to treat whatever it is ailing us. This causes us more headaches and problems afterward with all the budget cuts we would have to do to make up for the loss of money as, of course these sorts of incidents are totally unexpected.
For the smart man though, it is best to be prepared for such incidents to occur in our lifetime not only to us but also to our loved ones. Acquiring health insurance is the best route to go to provide maximum medical care for us in case we have illnesses. It is basically a contract between an individual and a company which will allow a person to avail or enjoy multiple medical related benefits in exchange for monthly payments of a fixed rate for a given period of time. This helps in creating more stability for people as insurance companies will cover liabilities for medical expenses freeing an individual from the hassles of paying for medical bills with hard earned money all at one time. This is the purpose of paying monthly premiums to insurance companies as surely the policy holder in the long run would benefit from the method.
There are many other advantages of holding health insurance. For aging people, some plans even include nursing care and disability which extremely benefits the policy holder in case such needs should arise. Putting in your children as dependents also makes having health plans really advantageous due to the nature of kids to be susceptible to acquiring illnesses or getting injured thus creating the need for medical assistance. This is also true for sports fanatics and athletes, as more often than not, unforeseen injuries occur that could temporarily stop or at the worst even cripple an athlete's career. Finally, those in poor health need not always worry about paying bills up front once they get sick as insurance companies should be able to cover for their medical care.
It is undeniable that acquiring health insurance especially in today's environment is a need for all of us. Whether we have our own family or not, it is important to always take care of our health for us to be able move on with our daily lives and do our daily routines to the best of our abilities. In the end all we have is our health that could ultimately make our lives better if we decide to take care of it by acquiring the best health insurance policy suited for us and our line of work.




Things You Should Know Before Purchasing Individual Or Family Health Insurance
By Christopher Beard

The bottom line as in all insurance plans is to protect you and or your family from devastating expense should there be an illness or accident requiring medical expense. Many consumers are able to obtain health insurance through employer sponsored group plans and in many instances this may be the best route. However not all employer plans are ideal and as such many are to comprehensive for your entire family making the premiums much higher. Unless the employer covers the entire cost for you and your family you actually be paying a higher premium than you could obtain buying individual health insurance on your own. In other words suppose that you have a fully comprehensive corporate sponsored health plan that is fully funded by your employer.
If you then chose to add a family member to that same health insurance plan your employer may not cover any of the cost for those members and in turn you may be grossly overpaying for family health insurance, and should at least do some shopping and compare plans from outside of the corporate sponsored plan to see if you could obtain sufficient coverage for your family for less. Additionally self employed workers should consider an individual health insurance plans or a family health insurance plan. In recent months many people have lost their jobs, and experienced transitions in the workforce causing many to lose their employer sponsored health insurance leaving both them and their families without crucial coverage. Many cannot afford at the exorbitant cost of a COBRA plan they are offered when the leave an employer and may go unprotected for a few or many months while seeking employment. Most insurance companies now offer Short Term Medical Insurance also know as Temporary Insurance as an alternative to COBRA these plans can be purchase from 1 to 12 months to cover the in between employment transition time. How Can I Determine What I Want in a Health Insurance Plan? There are a few variables to consider when determining what plan will work best to suit your needs. You must determine what features are important and how comprehensive you want your plan to be. Would you prefer a plan that includes co-pays for doctor visits and medications? Would you prefer a plan that pays everything from day one, or a plan that has coverage for a major medical expense but offers low premiums and tax advantages. Let's break this down a little further. Fully Comprehensive Plans - These plans usually have a choice of deductibles once they are met the insurer will cover the first dollar of all medical expenses these plans are usually considered the Cadillac and will have the most protection for you and your family from day one but will also be reflected in the premium cost. Co-Pay Insurance Plans - A insurance plan that will pay just a fixed amount of the cost of prescriptions drugs and Doctor Office visits. Some insurance carriers provide a discounted co-pay plan that limits the plan to two Dr office visits per year.
Coinsurance Plans/ Major Medical Insurance - This is a middle of the road plan that typically has a higher deductible of your choice ranging from $1000-$5000 that requires you to pay for all medical expenses until the deductible is met then pay 20% of all treatment and the insurer pay 80%. These plans are only a good choice for those who prefer to exchange a lower premium for covering more of the initial cost of routine medical expenses (co-pays, Dr. Visits) and just want the coverage for any major medical issues or accidents. Health Savings Accounts (HSA's) - This plan is like a self managed insurance that offers low premiums combined with high deductibles, the insurer pays 100% of expenses after the deductible is met . The insurer sets up a tax sheltered savings account for you where the money can grow tax deferred to use for covering your deductible. The account comes with a debit card to use for office visits and prescriptions. This plan goes with you wherever you go and is owned by you. The premium savings can be huge but it is important to contribute to the plan consistently in order to cover your deductible in the event of a major medical expense. These plans are gaining popularity with self employed and even corporations as an alternative to high insurance cost. The benefits are one deductible per family per year, low premiums, tax savings, and more control over insurance expenditures. Keep in mind that insurance companies will combine different features of the plans above to offer different ranges of premiums. Most plans will allow for you to choose a coinsurance amount from 0 to 50% where you choose the portion of all medical expenses you will pay after you pay the deductible. Other options are deductibles themselves which range anywhere from $500 to $5000 dollars before the insurance coverage kicks in. Many rider options may be available as well such as a maternity rider, dental, life insurance and the Health Savings Account also offers an Indemnity rider should you have a major medical expense before you have accumulated enough cash in the HSA to cover the deductible. Where Should I Purchase Health Insurance? Most any reputable Licensed Agent can help you, most people research rates and options online these days and can run a spreadsheet from most agents' website. You can usually choose what features you want on the plan such as deductibles, co-pays, coinsurance, and plan type this will help you narrow down the options presented to you then work backwards from there. Regardless of what any agent may tell you the rates are set by the carriers. You will find the same rates with the same providers everywhere and in fact when you apply online you are actually going direct to the carrier. You should stick with carriers that have a high Rating with A.M. Best or Standard and Poors which rate Insurance companies on the financial strength and ability to pay claims. Avoid companies that offer plans with rates that seem to low compared to other health plans, plans that accept you even if you have serious preexisting conditions or major illnesses, plans that claim to not be regulated by the state and plans that avoid calling the plan insurance. Most importantly do your homework and speak with an agent if you are unsure what plan suits you best.



What You Need to Know About Health Insurance in the USA
By Jo Thomas

With the increasing price of health insurance, it can be hard to know which policy and insurer is best for you. How can you be sure you are getting the best policy for your money. How can you be sure that this coverage will protect every eventuality
In order to best serve yourself, you should first know what a typical health insurance policy covers, what questions you should ask your provider in terms of the policy, how to get the lowest possible premiums, clauses and small print to watch out for before signing any papers, and what additional coverage you may need to consider aside from the standards.
What is Covered By a Typical Policy?
When it comes to health insurance, there are a number of variations in coverage. However, a very basic health care plan covers one well care visit per year per covered individual as a check up procedure, as well as visits to your primary care physician as needed for illness and injury.
These all incur a co pay that is determined by the plan for which you sign up, and your deductible may come into play with certain types of policies, having to be met each year. Some procedures are covered, such as pap smears (twice a year) and prostate exams (annually, based on age) or mammograms (annually, also based on age).
Different types of plans will cover health care differently. For example, an HMO plan, one of 3 different managed care type plans, consists of a network of doctors. You will pick a primary care physician within your network, and any specialists will have to be based on this doctor's referral.
A POS, or Point of Service, plan will allow your doctor to refer you out of network for the same coverage as if you were to choose a specialist within the network for yourself.
With a PPO, you can see whoever you want, in or out of network, without a referral and just a small financial penalty for going out of network.
Medicare, Medicaid, and State Children's Health Care provisions are highly regulated by the government and will cover the cost of medications, surgeries, hospitalization, and some skilled nursing care.
What Should I Ask My Provider?
Before you determine which health insurance plan is best for you, consider some questions that you should ask your provider:
* What is the yearly out-of-pocket limit? You don't want to end up spending a fortune if you frequently go to the doctor.
* What is my co pay? You would like to understand how much you will spend on medications, visits to the doctor, and emergency room care.
* What is my premium? How much is your monthly cost for this insurance?
* What sort of child immunization/pregnancy/birth coverage is offered? Prior to choosing a policy, understand your family statistics.
* What clauses are there regarding pre-existing conditions? Make sure you know what will and won't be covered based on your former coverage.
How Can I Save Money and Reduce My Premium?
Several options can help you reduce the premium on your health insurance; however, you have to weigh the value of doing so because most decisions are a trade off. First, shop around and find the best value. Don't choose the first policy you research because it may be overpriced. From there, it all depends on what you are willing to give up.
* Raise your co pay. When you pay more up front for the prescription or the doctor's visit, your policy doles out less money, which means that your premium will be lower. Remember, though, that you'll be paying more every time you go to the doctor or fill a prescription.
* Opt for higher deductibles. Are you relatively certain you won't run into a situation where your deductible will need to be met prior to coverage being enacted (such as hospital stays and emergency care)? If so, you might be accepting to go with a larger deductible so that your premium is minimized.
* Don't opt for extras. If there are options for additional services, opt out of them to save a little cash.
Read Between the Lines:
Pay attention to the fine print of any health insurance policy in which you intend to enter. There may be clauses regarding pre-existing conditions that are not conducive to your life, and you may find that the provider reserves the right to raise your premium without notice or reason (such as rising industry costs). Be sure you know what your contract says, and you'll be able to save yourself a lot of hassle and pain in the future.
Other Coverage You May Consider:
In terms of health insurance, there are different options you may consider, such as a flex spending plan, health savings account, or other indemnity plan. You might also want to consider purchasing a package that includes dental and vision insurance or perhaps even life insurance, since you will find that purchasing multiple policies from the same provider often results in discounts in premiums.