Posts Tagged ‘cobra’

Health Insurance Story – My Personal Quest For Health Insurance Against All Odds

Saturday, August 28th, 2010

This is a story about health insurance. Actually, it’s a real life account of the difficult time that my wife and I had trying to get health insurance for our family. A few months ago, we found ourselves needing health insurance. After my employer filled for Bankruptcy, I decided to become self-employed. The health insurance that I had at the time (through my employer) only lasted through the end of that last month and then I was presented with the option of either letting our policy lapse, or going on COBRA. Problem was, the COBRA premiums were about 3 times more expensive than the original insurance payments. We were basically forced into having our policy lapse because we couldn’t afford the COBRA payments.

I contacted an independent insurance agent that sold health insurance for Anthem Blue Cross as well as several other insurance companies. I asked him for some health insurance quotes. We needed a policy for my wife and I and our 3 children (with our fourth child on the way). He took down some preliminary information and then had me go to his website to fill out the application. The application was several pages and took me about half an hour to complete on his website.

I submitted our application and waited to hear back. When he finally got back to me he told me that we were declined coverage because of “pre-existing conditions.” I had some back problems in the past and I guess the insurance company didn’t want to take the chance that I would need more treatment or surgeries. Anyway, bottom line, we were declined.

I wasn’t really sure what to do at that point. My family needed insurance but we couldn’t afford COBRA. I started researching health insurance online and found a site called Health Insurance Anthem Blue Cross. It’s a site that’s maintained by a local insurance agent named Tom McDonald. I filled out the form and then called Tom. He told me that I could get around the pre existing clause by getting a group policy. I guess if you get group insurance, the insurance company can’t decline coverage based on any pre-existing conditions. I had an LLC that my wife and I filled a few years back. She uses it to sell children’s clothes and blankets that she makes and I use it for some real estate investing work that I do. Tom told me that we would qualify for group insurance as long as we applied using our LLC instead of applying as individuals.

We had to show proof that the LLC was active and that we were, in fact, using it to run a business. A week later we had health insurance! It was a really great plan actually. It paid out at 100% after a nominal deductible was met. That year we had a lot of medical bills (including the birth of my 4th child) so we met the deductible very quickly and everything else was paid for by the insurance company at 100%.

I like that I was able to complete the application process online as opposed to turning in a hand-written application. It was also very important to me to have access to a knowledgeable insurance agent who could answer our questions and guide us though this process.

Learn more about California Health Insurance. Stop by Eric Sachs’ site where you can find out all about Blue Cross Health Insurance and what it can do for you.

Finding Cheap Medical Insurance – Know The Facts

Friday, May 21st, 2010

Healthcare costs are on everyone’s minds lately and finding cheap medical insurance is everyone’s goal. Even couples making six figures a year are having trouble buying decent medical insurance. Even with company sponsored plans, the employee usually needs to pay a small fortune for either all the premium, or the majority of the premium. Some states are outrageously expensive because of the makeup of the state’s population. In areas where there are high percentages of elderly and poor people looking for free medical care, it’s the consumer who has a policy that pays the price for everyone.

Our government is actively researching options to provide affordable healthcare to everyone but even if everyone can ever get to the point of agreeing on the details, this new plan won’t even take effect for another five years. However, if that ever does happen, no one can tell us how “affordable” this insurance will be.

Consumers know you get what you pay for. Period. No matter what you buy, there’s a value for your dollar. And cheap is rarely the best value for your money. Even a child knows that a cheap toy breaks right away. As consumers, it is up to us to make certain we know what we get for our hard earned money.

Sure, we can find and buy “cheap” medical insurance. But this cheap insurance is cheap for a few reasons – you get virtually nothing in return for your premium. Your deductibles will be very high, what the plan covers will be drastically reduced, and even something as simple as using an emergency room will require prior authorization – ludicrous.

One of the first drawbacks to this type of cheap insurance is that there aren’t many doctors who will take what the company wants to pay. Any doctor who is willing to accept these very low unrealistic payments should be held as suspect. Why would a good doctor willingly work with a company who pays him less than all the other insurance companies?

Before buying one of these policies, check out the doctors on the plan. Do some internet research on your state’s website where they list the licensed doctors in your state. Check their education, their licensing status, and see if there are any complaints or lawsuits against them.

Yet one more reason they can keep their premiums low is that many companies won’t start paying claims for over six months! They’ll collect your monthly premiums, yet you get nothing out of it. Any medical related expenses you incur during this timeframe most likely won’t be applied to your annual deductible either.

In most cases, the doctors expect you to pay them directly. Since they are already making very little money with this insurance, they don’t want to wait to be paid. They expect you to wait to be paid. After each visit you need to pay out of your own pocket, submit the claim, and wait months for a check. And, yes, there’s a good chance you won’t be reimbursed for everything. Keep in mind they are only in business to make money, and the fewer claims they pay, the better off they are.

Often without a deductible, it is cheaper because of the lack of flexibility offered, which some families do not require. Insurance Quotes Ontario These guidelines allow the care provided to be as cost-efficient and as convenient as possible. Therefore you will need to have adequate coverage before you seek psychiatric help.

Short Term Health Insurance Policy -Flexible Options

Thursday, April 1st, 2010

If you are suddenly handed the pink slip, you might have enough saved for your day-to-day expenses. However, with your job, employer-sponsored health insurance goes too, which might be a bigger worry for you. Short term health insurance may provide you with just the coverage you need during this tough time.

Short term health insurance can work best for you in specific situations: say, you’ve just graduated from college, or you are a part-timer who needs health insurance. If you are waiting for more long-term coverage, for instance, you’ve retired early and are waiting for Medicare, COBRA insurance alternatives can neatly fill in the coverage gap.

The first option that comes to mind when someone loses employment is COBRA insurance. The general perception of COBRA continuing coverage sometimes makes people think that the rates will remain the same, but the rates increase as soon as the employer-sponsored part ceases. That makes COBRA coverage more expensive than employer-sponsored and even alternatives to COBRA insurance.

If you are put off by the lengthy underwriting processes characteristic of long term insurance, short term health insurance offers just the opposite experience: simple and easy underwriting, with plans becoming valid as early as the next day. If you have any pre-existing conditions, though, they will not get COBRA insurance alternatives coverage.

Short term insurance covers most sudden medical illnesses and accidents. Plans usually include coverage for outpatient care, hospitalization, diagnostic tests, surgery, and ambulance charges. Doctor visits are also covered by most plans, subject to the applicable deductible and co-pay.

As with any temporary plan, short term health insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions, pregnancy, cosmetic surgery, and eye and dental care.

When you opt for alternatives to COBRA insurance, you can choose from a range of plans and options. Not only does the maximum benefit amount differ by plan, applicable deductibles and co-pays can be customized as well. If you are an early retiree, for example, the plan you end up with will be very different than that of a young part-time employee.

Depending on the plan, alternatives to COBRA insurance can usually be purchased monthly, for 6 months or up to 1 year. However, it is ideal for periods less than or around one year, and cannot replace long-term medical insurance in the long run. Remember that when the going gets tough, the tough turn to COBRA insurance alternatives!

Dan Miller enjoys writing about temporary health insurance

Health Insurance Quotes – Finding The Deals

Tuesday, February 16th, 2010

Health insurance is sometimes difficult to understand. Getting quotes is a great idea as long as you understand what you’re looking at as you do your comparisons. Doing most of this online is certainly a time saver, although when you are trying to get health insurance quotes it’s always a good idea to talk to insurance agents directly as well.

Getting quotes will only be helpful, however, if you fully understand what you are being quoted on. You need to be able to compare apples to apples in order to get a full appreciation of the value of each policy vs. The premium. Looking at the premium only and making a decision based only on that won’t be much help at all.

An important thing to take into consideration is the rating for each insurance company. These ratings will tell you about their assumed financial status. A rating is just a way for consumers to know how likely it will be for the company to be able to pay all their claims before going bankrupt in the event of a major disease outbreak. Why is this important? You don’t want to find out they are closing their doors before paying your bills which, without them, you are responsible for.

Another important area to look into is the doctors you can choose from. Would you be willing to change doctors if you had to? Or reversely, are you looking at another insurance company because you want to follow your doctor to a new plan? If you will be forced into finding a new doctor, do enough research on each doctor to make sure you know enough about his background before making a decision. It’s also important to know how frequently doctors come and go. How many doctors leave once their contract is up? Why? Are they replaced, or is the insurance company running low on doctors? You might even run into a situation where your own doctor decides to leave the company and you now have to find a new doctor, all over again.

Next, you need to understand how these companies develop their rates. Since your health is a major factor in determining your premium, you should have a good idea on what your particular premium is based on. Let’s say your blood pressure is borderline at 140/88. Some companies might consider that to be hypertensive and your rates go up. This isn’t always easy to find out but if you check some online insurance message boards you’ll get some ideas.

At some companies a pre-existing condition means something you have been treated for previously and had an insurance company pick up the bill. If you paid for service out of your own pocket, this wouldn’t count. However, other companies take these conditions into consideration as well because they feel there is a good chance they’ll be stuck with your next round of bills.

Know what the different copays and deductibles mean. Look at the different levels of coverage for each. Just like auto insurance, the higher the deductible the lower your payments. For people who rarely get sick, a cheaper policy with a higher deductible might make more sense.

Once you get all your insurance quotes, choose a few companies that look promising and speak with reps at each one. They may be able to tailor a policy for you.

Consumers with pre-existing illnesses will pay much more for health insurance since they pose a higher risk. Best Health Insurance Companies Every state has some form of assistance for people who are in risk pools. Maternity Advantage cuts cost and helps you make affordable payments by reviewing your bills and searching for errors.

Health Insurance Is Pricey

Monday, October 12th, 2009

Sometimes branded as a type of managed care organisation, the HMO is becoming popular. There are obligations that HMOs require their customers to fulfil. These guidelines allow the care provided to be as cost-efficient and as convenient as possible.

Some people seek out lower PPO premiums when they are on the lookout for health insurance. However, the total annual cost for a PPO plan can be deceptive if you are looking at the premium cost as well. Lower premiums can mean costs in other aspects of the provided care.

The majority of HMOs require their members to select a primary care physician at the start of their plan. PCPs are also known as General Practitioners. When a member of a HMO has a problem medically, a PCP would attend to the problem at hand and refer the member on to a specialised doctor if it is needed.

If you think that the PPO could be suited to your needs, talking to an insurance broker can help you make an informed decision. Such brokers can help you take your financial situation and your medical needs into account. From there, you can find the deal which is best suited to your needs.

Elements of a policy vary from HMO to HMO, but most organisations utilise copayments. Such copayments act as a ‘pay-per-pop’ fee for doctors’ appointments and prescriptions. Some plans do not require such payments and it is always worth checking before you register to make sure you get the best deal possible.

Sometimes, paying that little bit more on a PPO premium can be worthwhile. It can eliminate sneaky surcharges and add certain types of treatment to your plan. This can stop you from being out of pocket should you need to use your health insurance.

Doing homework during school years may not have been fun but in the end it paid off and this is no different when searching for the best health insurance plan. If you love yourself and your family then undergoing a sleepless search for the best health insurance plan will be worth it. The advantage of searching for health insurance plans is that the consumer has many options to choose from.

Maximum limit. Over the duration of your policy, insurers determine a maximum amount of money that you can claim for treatment. This amount varies on a variety of circumstances and may also vary dependent on the treatment that you are receiving.

Health insurance companies, like banks, are not in business to lose money and they take precautions to reduce the risk of losing money by considering pre-existing conditions in consumers. Consumers must meet health insurance companies halfway by taking care of their bodies. Consumers with pre-existing illnesses will pay much more for health insurance since they pose a higher risk.

Life insurance is a form of health insurance. Buying life insurance would only be worth it if one is planning on starting a family. If a consumer has a family they would care for them by thinking ahead and buying life insurance in case of a life-threatening emergency.

A HMO is a health medical organisation. In a nutshell, signing up to be with a HMO offers you healthcare confined to the hospitals and physicians that are in or sometimes networked to the organisation you are with. Many people find that HMOs can be the most cost-effective way to get protection from healthcare costs.

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Medical Health Insurance

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

When people think of health insurance they think about the hospitals, doctor’s office and surgery. Most people forget that health insurance can cover the condition of the mind. People do not think about mental health when they think about health insurance.

A lot of college campuses have an insurance policy that the students can purchase. Compared to most plans, it is just as good but cheaper. It is usually paid for in the beginning of both the fall and spring semesters.

The school I attended charged roughly $161 for a semester. It was not a good as coverage that I had under my parents. I had free doctor visits and $100 co-pay for the E.R.

People with cancer, diabetes or any other terminal disease are placed in risk pools. They are then subdivided by high or low risks. This may seem unethical because it excludes people from health coverage; but it is not.

Risk pools are mandated by the government. Since a lot of these people have expensive medical problems, the government helps pay off a lot of their medical bills. This ensures that the insurance companies do not go under.

If you are in a risk pool you obviously are sick and will need medical attention. How do you go about getting insurance without going broke? What are your options?

When I attended college, a couple of my older friends worked at Starbucks. When I asked why, they told me health insurance. Out of all the chain restaurants, they have by far the best health coverage.

Mini-meds allows anyone who was denied healthcare coverage the chance to purchase a minimal coverage. Unlike a lot of other health insurance plans, you have strict limitation on how much you have.

A lot of businesses like Pizza Hut, Dominos and McDonalds offer cheap and affordable health insurance. This will allow you to make money and have coverage. Some fast-food places might require full time employee; but some do it for part time employees.

It takes a while to get support from the non-profit organization. So you might want to look into what your state offers. Every state has some form of assistance for people who are in risk pools.

Both sides believe that their ideals in the end will lead to more Americans becoming insured. It is important to health insurance because in the near future, the entire industry will be turned upside down. Whether it is for better or worse is for you to decide.

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Cooperative Health Insurance

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Trying to look for good insurance deals on the market can be challenging at the best of times without complicated vocabulary getting in your way. This article looks at some of the jargon found in insurance information. From here, you can begin to understand insurance in more depth when browsing on websites and in directories.

One term you will hear all the time is HMO. This stands for ‘Health Maintenance Organization. HMOs oversee health coverage, guidelines and standards for doctors in hospitals.

Since elected president, Obama has announced that he is ready to tackle healthcare reforms. What do both sides say about this plan? How do they think it is going to affect America?

Democrats have been in favor of reform for a while. It is their belief that in modern America there should be no individual without healthcare. They believe that the nature of the system strips impoverished people of the right to healthcare.

Republicans believe that government has no business getting involved with the peoples medical. They do not want to have a government agency overseeing what goes on in the hospital. Republicans want to help people but they feel as if big government is detrimental to the well being of Americans.

If you are talking about different types of coverage you will often hear about health insurance premiums. The word premium by definition means a given amount that needs to be paid on a policy. If you work for a company that has coverage then you will have a low premium, but if you pay out of pocket then you will have a big premium.

Set a date that health insurance will kick in for them. It could be a year, six months or several weeks. By doing this, you will only offer it to your most loyal employees.

You can set up a co-insurance program. You basically give them the most basic coverage and it will be their own choice to upgrade. By doing that, insurance is affordable for both you the owner and the employees.

The word co-pay stands for cooperative pay. When you go to a doctor’s office or the E.R the bill is mostly covered through your insurer. The other part, usually $20 or $100 comes from your own pocket.

Risk pool is term that you might hear once in a while. This refers to a group of people who cannot find health insurance based on certain conditions. They are risky to insure because of their condition and therefore are a greater cost to the insurance companies.

There are many ways to cut cost when shopping for the insurance for your small business. I know that it is costly to have but in return, you can provide well being to both yourself and your employee. Having that will help both your employees and your business.

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Health Insurance Is Very Necessary

Friday, August 21st, 2009

In many parts of the world today there are conversations going on about health insurance. High prices in the health care industry have made it very expensive to be without health coverage.

To go to a family doctors office for a regular office visit you could end up paying anywhere from forty five dollars up to and possibly exceeding one hundred dollars. The costs are outrageous for someone without health insurance.

Many times a physician’s office will offer a reduced price for the office visits and procedures to the insurance company if they will send their policy holders to their office for services. When you have no insurance the physicians’ offices do not give the same discount to you and you may end up paying more.

If have a medical condition that requires you to visit a physician that is a specialist, the costs will be drastically higher. The specialist title and equipment to provide treatment give them the ability to charge a higher rate for their services.

The opportunity to get cheap health insurance can be found and might not even require you to fill out a health questionnaire. Anyone who is unemployed can buy their own policy at a fairly reasonable price.

If you have children, you know how much they tend to visit the doctors offices. In the beginning it is healthy child visits to update the immunizations and track that their growth is on schedule.

Then when they become school age you have to start doing physical check ups yearly. During the checkups they check the child’s eye sight and hearing and give a total physical exam.

Once they get playing sports and such you then have to take them to get sports physicals. Even once they have left home or are in college it is important to have student insurance.

Be sure to read the details of any insurance plan that you are considering. Check the deductible on cheap insurance policies as this may be where the catch is. You get the policy for a small price but the deductible can be very high.

The amount that the insurance company requires that you pay prior to the policy taking effect is called the deductible. For people who do not get sick very often it may just be cheaper to pay a full priced office charge than to pay for the policy monthly.

Even with a high deductible, if you have medical conditions that require you to visit specialist or have high priced treatments, the plan may still be beneficial to you. It is also good if an unforeseen health issue arises and you have to spend some time in the hospital.

Yes, in that case you would have to pay the entire deductible before the plan begins to pay but what it does cover after your deductible can be substantial. The cost of a hospital stay even for one day can be unbelievable.

Having health insurance will provide a sense of security for your family. If you are looking to purchase student insurance, or are looking for cheap health insurance you are on the right track to security. With so many options for a provider and so many different plans available, you are sure to find the right one for you.

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Affordable Health Insurance

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

When you take out insurance, you are more than likely to pay a premium to the insurer. A premium is a fee that allows you to be covered by a certain policy. This article looks at the cost of premiums as a whole and how you can reduce the total cost of yours.

If you are an independent person and or someone who is starting their own business, you might want to look at the policy of some health care providers. There are a lot of popular companies. Observing the differences will allow you to choose the best situation for you or your company.

If you are a low income family then you need to consider government assistance. You can take advantage of WIC and Medicare. Both of these programs will ensure that both the mother and baby are well covered.

People with a knee injury or a torn quad can get insurance but their existing condition might not be covered. In some circumstances, any treatment related to the condition will be excluded. In other circumstances, the condition could be covered.

Blue Cross Blue Shield is a great carrier to go with if you own your own business or your company does not offer insurance. They offer a flexible spending account for their members. This an automatic withdrawal from your paycheck and it goes directly to your premium.

Humana is not as popular as Blue Cross and Blue Shield but it offers just as many services. Based out of Louisville, Kentucky, this insurance company has been able to provide nationwide plans to Americans. Their system of health care guidance has helped them with customer service.

I once knew a guy who was waiting for insurance from his new job when he got injured. He ended up tearing his ACL playing a sport and was unable to get the medical procedure to fix it covered. He found one agency that said they could give him $2000 of the $10,000 needed for the operation.

To ensure that you do not obtain a pre-existing condition, make sure that you do not go over sixty-three days without coverage. If you lapse, then the conditions that were once covered might not be. Make sure when you switch insurance companies that you do it promptly.

If you have a pre-existing and you are shopping for insurance, make sure you ask about the pre-existing condition clause. See how long or how much they can give you for the operation. It might be enough to get you the surgery.

Insurance all together is a tricky area. You need to consult with someone about your condition and how to handle the finances of a pre-existing condition. It is important that you have knowledge on how to handle your situation.

As an expecting family, you will want to have health coverage. Over the next nine and a half months, you will be seeing the doctor a lot. If you do not have coverage, then you will need support because the bills will begin to add up.

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Finding Health Insurance

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

There’s nothing like packing your bags and venturing off to new pastures. Then again, there’s nothing like finding out you have a four or even five-digit bill for healthcare costs. In the event of treatment being required in an overseas hospital, you better be prepared. This article looks at health insurance and the importance of preparation.

The problem with pre-existing conditions is that they are costly for the health care system. In order for the entire health care system to work, most individuals need to pay more than they would use in their lifetime. People with pre-existing conditions would be using funds before they ever paid into the system.

One of the most popular health insurance carriers is blue cross blue shield. The company originated in Illinois. Now they have thirty-nine association insurance carriers across the nation.

WIC is a great program because it is designed to provide assistance to pregnant women and newborns. They provide milk and food; but not health care coverage. However, they do offer referral programs for health insurance.

To cover a pre-existing condition, an insurance term needs to give an allotted time to pass. It is usually between nine months and a year. After paying into the system for some time, the person could receive medical treatment for it.

If you find yourself fortunate enough to afford insurance make sure you get it. You do not have to worry about being denied because of the pregnancy. According to state legislation, pregnancy cannot be claimed as a pre-existing condition.

Humana makes sure they offer health insurance for as many people as possible. They offer plans for governmental workers, senior citizens, families and individuals. They also work with providing healthcare to the military.

Maternity Advantage can help you handle financial hardship. They help lower medical costs and have affordable payments and support. This can assist you greatly.

Through the Unicare Solaura plan, an insurance company can offer coverage for update fifty employees. The commercial driving health care plans allow business owners to have tax deductable insurance and save money. They also offer individualized plans for people without a current carrier.

Health insurance can be costly. That is why you should estimate how much health care you will need. Some insurance companies have a cost calculator. You might have to do research and talk to a sales man as well.

Seeking help is important to a person and their family. It should never be overlooked by insurance companies or the government. Luckily, Medicare has been able to help people.

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