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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Cheapest Health Insurance -- Steps To Get It

By Chimezirim Odimba

You will obtain the cheapest rate possible for your profile if you learn and do a few things. This article will show you steps you can take to affordable rates without reducing the level of coverage you get...

The use of tobacco in any form will add to your rates. People who snuff or chew tobacco will also pay higher rates than people who don't

Staying clear of all tobacco products will attract less expense in health insurance.

There are persons who are not eligible for special health insurance for low-income earners and at the same time don't really earn enough to easily pay for standard health insurance. In case this defines you, then you can save on health care by buying a discount medical card. So what are they?

With this special kind of card you get medical attention from a network of doctors who have agreed to provide their services to card carriers at more affordable rates. This card is not managed by insurance companies.

It is also a wise alternative for those who may have a pre-existing disease that will disqualify them from most health insurance companies or make them pay very exorbitant premiums. No one is rejected for whatever reason. You only need to pay a monthly fee to qualify to use their network of doctors.

A Flexible Spending Account is helpful as you look for ways to make massive savings. It is a kind of savings account where you can save tax-free dollars for your health care needs. You can also roll over any amount you didn't use in a year to the next tax-free. You can build a large reserve of money for your health need tax-free if you have a Flexible Spending Account.

The amount you're willing to contribute to payments for each visit to the doctor has an effect your rate. This is known as your co-pay. The higher your co-pay, the lower your premium will be. This is particularly recommended for those who hardly go to see a doctor.

Several policies give you unreasonable limits. The highest amount an insurer will spend if a policyholder develops a catastrophic health condition is worth considering. Shop for another insure and don't just settle for it if you consider what they have as their limits are unreasonable.

Don't also fail to check to ensure the maximum you'll be required to contribute to treatments anually is good enough for you. Like in the previous case, begin to shop for another health insurance company if you are not with it.

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Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Medical Insurance -- Saving Much On Sufficient Cover

By Chimezirim Odimba

It doesn't normally take applying very many tips to realize massive savings while enjoying sufficient coverage. It's usually small things that result in huge savings. I'll take the pains in this article to show you some of those things...

You'll pay less on health care if you take advantage of no-appointment ambulatory care centers or emergi-centers. This is especially so if you're generally healthy and find it tough to pay for traditional health insurance. And, because they're beginning to become available in larger communities, you can easily get them.

Your rate will drop if you raise your deductible. A deductible is the amount you've agreed to pay first before your insurance provider fulfills its part. Even though you're advised to choose a very high deductible, ensure it's an amount that you can easily pay.

You can have your children insured through state plans if you need to reduce your spend. There are criteria that must be met before you are considered qualified for such.

They'll either be totally free or close to that so check to see if you are qualified. If you have a child with a special ailment, you will spend less if you insure such a kid through a state plan.

For individuals who are self employed, your premiums may be tax-deductible. You may as well be entitled to a tax break if your employer offers a flexible spending account. Consult your tax professional.

Ask your agent personally about all the discounts possible with your present insurance provider. It's possible that your agent might have overlooked a discount you're eligible for. The only way to ensure this is not true in your case is by telling your agent to list out all discount that your insurance provider offers. You might get a really pleasant surprise!

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Cheap Medical Insurance -- How To Save Much

By Chimezirim Odimba

It's truly very easy for you to get adequate coverage for a lot less. The only things that stand between you and attracting a cheaper rate at the moment are the right information and a commitment to use the tips you get. Let's get into the tips you need to attract cheaper rates...

You'll save more on health insurance if you use a PPO or Preferred Provider Organization. This option is slightly more expensive than an HMO but also gives you more choices.

It's up to you to compare the value you'll get with what you will save to decide whether it will serve you better than traditional health insurance. If saving is your main aim than flexibility then join a PPO.

Stop drinking if you want cheaper rates. Taking alcoholic beverages makes you a bigger liability and therefore increases your rates.

Most diseases can be traced to drinking.

What quantity of alcohol can you take without dire consequences? Sincerly, I can't say.

What I'm sure of is that avoiding alcoholics completely is very safe. If you can't stay away totally, drink responsibly if you want to reduce your risk.

The only problem is that people who say they can't help drinking most often can't drink in moderation. You can be assisted if you truly want to quit drinking.

Using unregistered drugs will increase your rate. Misusing drugs also will make you spend more in health insurance. Self medication should be stopped both for the serious implications to your health and rates.

You can reduce your costs by using free clinics. You will either reduce your premium directly or have fewer and reduced co-payments to make this way. These are good opportunities for you to receive professional medical help and have regular check up. Clinics like these are usually some form of community service.

Buying your prescriptions online is a sure way to bring down your health care spend. Buying by telephone will as well get you affordable prices. The internet reduces the cost of doing business and pharmaceutical companies or groups who sell their drugs online do so at cheaper rates. Howbeit, you will do well to check the company you are buying from so you don't endanger yourself. Organizations like BBB can tell you if you if a company should be trusted or not so do not fail to check. While we want to reduce our health care rates we also have to make sure we safeguard our health and our lives. Checking with BBB online and other such services will put you on the safe side while you buy at more affordable prices online.

A Flexible Spending Account is invaluable in your quest to reduce your spend. You can put away tax-free dollars to cater for your health needs. The good point about this account is that it allows you to carry over the money unused into the subsequent year tax free. This gives you a tax free way of building large reserves of funds for your health needs.

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Health Insurance -- Issues That Reduce Costs

By Chimezirim Odimba

A cheap rate can be achieved in a lot of ways. But at the same time, a number of methods people adopt in order to reduce cost usually make them get less than sufficient coverage. This is, nevertheless, not the case with the recommendations I'll share with you in this article as you'll save while still maintaining enough coverage. Here they are...

You will lower your premium if you have an outstanding credit rating. Those who have bad credit pay high rates for every form of insurance and that is also true for health. This is because insurance carriers regard individuals who miss payments as reckless and a bigger risk to them. This implies more risk to them and higher rates for you.

People who own home businesses are offered a unique chance to save in some states. States that offer this opportunity have regulations that demand that insurers offer home business owners the same price with large businesses.

In other states a home business is eligible for a group rate provided it employs a staff.

The good part is that the employee could be your wife or grown kid who works with you. You'll still be eligible for such group rates if such an employee works only part time.

This will give your extra savings as group rates are normally less than individual rates.

To know if you are eligible or even if your state has such a provision, call your state's department of insurance, department of financial services or their equivalent.

For people who are self employed, your premiums may be tax-deductible. You may as well get a tax break if your employer offers a flexible spending account. This suggests that you'll do well to talk with your tax professional. This will help you determine what will entitle you to a tax break and what won't.

You can reduce your costs by joining an HMO. HMOs give coverage that is far less exxpensive than traditional health insurance. With the cheaper cost comes restrictions in the doctors, medical professionals and hospitals you can use.

If you think that the restrictions of an HMO are more than what you save, you can opt for other health insurance plans.

You'll pay very low rates for traditional health insurance if you shop extensively. If you shop right you will spend much less on any plan you opt for.

But if in your case, you are willing to take the restrictions, then an HMO is a great option for you.

The US government publishes materials on health matters each year. You will understand more about health matters and health insurance policy if you can get these publications. They will give you information that will help you position yourself to save much and as well take the right safety measures. Your knowledge on health insurance goes a long way to determine what you eventually pay for health insurance.

Your drug cost might often be cheaper than your co-pay. It might not be less expensive for you to buy a prescription out of the pocket (without using insurance). Know which is best in each situation and do what profits you more.

Check and find out the difference before you use your insurance.

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Saturday, March 14, 2009

Health Coverage - Fee For Service Health Plans

By Jordan FeRoss

Living in Texas, you can get a serious illness at any time. Having this affliction along with injuries and the like can cost a lot of money to treat. Health care insurance in Texas is important to have. You need to have enough health care coverage that not only covers just you, but also your family.

For these reasons, it is imperative to have health insurance in Texas. And you must ensure your entire family has adequate coverage as well so that everyone is protected in case of an emergency. Without health insurance, your family could be left with enormous debt if you became sick or injured and cannot take care of your bills as expected.

When you have a health care plan, there are two categories that it can fall under. There's fee-for-service or managed care. For this article, we will discuss fee-for-service health plans. Health care insurance in Texas can consist of group coverage. This would include employers or organizations that provide health care coverage to their employees or members. If you don't fit into either of those groups, you can purchase individual health coverage from an insurer or independent agent. Whichever plan you get, check out the benefits that come with it. They are different and you may have to pay more of a difference from one than you would with the other.

Fee for Service Health Plans

A fee-for-service plan aka indemnity plan may be obtained through an independent insurance company. A plan such as this will permit you to see the doctor of your choice. The benefit to this is that you may see a specialist if you so choose and you don't have to ask for a referral that may or may not be granted. This is just one benefit of this type of health insurance in Texas.

With this health insurance in Texas, you are covered for the majority of the costs in regard to medical treatment and related medical issues that the policy covers. You will be billed for the out-of pocket items that the insurance did not cover. Once you pay the out-of-pocket fees, submit your claim to the insurance company for reimbursement.

With this kind of health coverage, you would be required to pay a fee to keep the plan going. If you have this health insurance in Texas through your employer, more than likely it will be deducted from your regular pay. However, it will only be a portion because employers usually help to offset the cost for employees by paying their share.

Most of the time with health insurance in Texas there is a certain deductible that must be paid before the insurance kicks in. Once this has been met, then the insurance company will begin to pay their share. It is important to understand your insurance policy so that you aren't unpleasantly surprised with a huge unpaid medical bill.

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Friday, March 13, 2009

Group Plans for Texas Health Insurance

By Jordan FeRoss

Group insurance plans are usually offered to employees by their employer as part of a benefits package. But, there are other groups that can get together for a group insurance plan as well, such as churches or professional organizations. Most often people with group health care insurance in Texas have an insurance plan sponsored by their employer or other association. Small businesses have different requirements and benefits than larger business when it comes to health insurance in Texas.

It is not mandatory that employers and other groups have to offer health care insurance in Texas. They don't have to put money aside to pay for premiums. However, there are some health care insurance companies that mandate some employers to pay at least half of the premiums for their employees.

Some of the health insurance group plans in Texas include:

Small Employer - These health plans are used for businesses that have 50 or less employees that are qualified to get health insurance in Texas. The employees that qualify have to be working full-time and work at least or more than 30 hours a week. No other classifications (part-time, seasonal) are qualified for this plan. Also, the employee must not have additional health insurance elsewhere. There is usually an annual rate increase which comes with a cap of fifteen percent. By law, any employer or group in Texas that cancels one plan is responsible for putting their employees in another health care plan.

Large Business - A large business is defined as having more than 50 full-time (30 hours or more per week) employees. A lot of large businesses prefer to offer HMO plans to their employees in order to save money for both the business and the employees. Many people will base part of their decision on which company to work for on the benefit package that is offered. People want to work for a company that offers a good comprehensive health insurance plan in Texas.

Self-Funded - Many of these types of plans are managed by ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act). These are favored by employers who choose to cover the entire cost of the health insurance coverage for their employees. These self-funded insurance plans are able to be used in a few different states and don't have to follow the insurance laws of that particular state. It is up to the U.S. Department of Labor to oversee this type of health insurance in Texas.

The majority of health plans for larger employers are self-funded. The Federal government doesn't have a lot of requirements for this particular plan. However, these plans may offer a wider range of coverage than what we used to. This particular health care insurance in Texas also provides health coverage all across the board.

Employers and groups that use self-funded health care insurance in Texas may use subcontractors as the administrator of their insurance plan. The subcontractors as also known as third-party administrators, or TPAs. In order to legally act as a TPA with health insurance in Texas, they must have a state license. So, depending on what size company you work for will determine what kind of health insurance coverage you will get.

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Thursday, March 12, 2009

Health Insurance A Growing National Concern

By Ethan Kalvin

There are arguments on both sides of this great debate. Those who are concerned about the future of those Americans who can not afford health care for themselves and their families, and those who are concerned that by having the government regulate health care we will become a socialistic society.

In spite of the fact that there are medical facilities in every city, town and borough, tens of millions of our citizens are going without health care coverage because they just can't afford to pay for it anymore. In one of the richest countries in the world, that should not be happening. There is no doubt that those on both sides of the argument are truly concerned, but those who are going without health coverage while politicians argue, are ready for a resolution.

If a democratic society is one that allows the poorest to die while the richest get richer, then what is the point of it? Our forefathers intended much more, I suspect. In any society, there will always be different economic classes of people, but there also must be systems in place to take care of those who can't take care of themselves.

If society votes in a democratic manner to encourage the government to take care of the needy, then that is democracy in action, not socialism. It is a good thing when the poor are offered comfort in times of need.

The availability of quality health care is something all citizens need. We can not pick and choose who gets to survive while others go without. All Americans need access to the same quality of health coverage that the politicians in Washington receive at taxpayers' expense. Perhaps those politicians who are against a universal plan need to look in their own closets before judging how our money is spent.

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Sunday, March 8, 2009

Help finding a good health insurance agent

By Jeff Cline

Getting the right health insurance plan is very important for you. Just as important is finding the right agent to represent you in your search. There are tons of agents that would love to help you, but finding a good one is tricky.

If you have started your search and have requested any quotes online you have probably starting getting calls from eager agents. Not all agents are created equally. Some agents are working for you, while others are only interested in making a quota.

Some people opt to do the search and purchase online without ever speaking to an agent. If you know all the health insurance lingo and you do not have any complicated circumstances this is perfectly fine. But if you have questions or you are not sure what kind of plan is best consult with an agent.

Some people are more comfortable meeting the agent face to face and working local. Others find it just as easy to work with a licensed agent right over the phone and online from the comfort of their own sofa. Either way is fine.

If you have friends or family that have recently purchased health insurance, perhaps they can recommend an agent. Word of mouth advertising is usually a good source! Otherwise you should visit your states Department of Insurance to help you find a licensed agent.

There are basically 2 different kinds of agents. A captive agent is simply contracted with a insurance company. They can sell and recommend only the products that the insurance company has. And independent agent can shop around all insurance companies for you.

Be careful of the pushy agents that call you at home 20 times a day. Some are very good agents, but some our out for their best interest, not yours. And do not fall for the sales people (not agents) that call you trying to sell you non insurance products such as a discount card.

There are many fraud reports revolving around these discount plans. They often are misleading and refunds are non existent. If you are a self pay patient at a doctors office or hospital you will receive a discounted rate. You do not need to spend hundreds on a piece of paper to get that.

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Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Health Insurance -- Why Nothing Less Is Sufficient

By Chimezirim Odimba

What will happen to your family and your finances if you suddenly fall ill? Will your finances withstand such a shock? Will a health insurance policy not help? Let me explain why health insurance is so important.

The possibility of an individual falling prey to a major disease can never be completely ruled out. In such a scenario, protecting yourself and your family from this risk is very essential.

A health insurance policy is the best protection against the risk of sudden health problems. Health insurance offers comprehensive protection in exchange of payment of an annual premium.

Ignoring health insurance puts you at the risk of being unable to afford timely medical care.

Shortage of liquid cash will never prevent you from obtaining medical care for your health problems provided you have health insurance cover. A sudden illness can cause irreparable damage to your finances if you are not protected by health insurance.

The annual premium payment you make is a compulsory saving which can be used to pay medical bills. Health insurance ensures lack of funds will never affect the precious health of your family.

The government encourages investment in heath insurance by offering tax sops on the premium you pay. This is an added advantage offered by health insurance. Another advantage of opting for health insurance is that your credit score rises if you are prompt in making health insurance premium payments.

When compared to other alternatives, health insurance offers complete protection from initial hospitalization to post cure nursing. Health insurance, as compared to safety net care, promotes more awareness about health and improves access to care.

Some liken health insurance to a dedicated fund for medical expenses and try to do the same on their own. This option rarely works in practice. Further, the issue of savings being eroded by inflation is a serious problem.

Having taken the decision to get health cover, you should identify the best deal available. The best policy is not just one which involves minimum premium payment. The coverage provided by the policy should be adequate as well.

Always compare different plans offered by different insurers before taking a final decision. Log on to the web and get multiple quotes from different insurers available for free.

Now that you have understood the benefits offered by health insurance,, it is time to go online and get one for you and your family.

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