Archive for January, 2009
Thursday, January 22nd, 2009
A chronic Condition is a problem or condition that doesn’t always go away and may need a lifetime of management. It does not mean you will always be sick. But, it does mean you have to take measures to stay as healthy as possible.
A chronic illness can disturb your everyday life. You may have spells of fatigue or pain. It may affect you physical appearance or abilities. It may be scary and cause stress and anxiety. You may not be able to work, thus causing financial strains.
So you have been diagnosed with having a chronic condition. You have been told there is no cure, but the condition can be managed. Managing the condition is a lifetime journey you will face. This can be a scary and frustrating prognosis to receive.
Do not deny yourself the emotional roller coaster the news send you on. But then move on. Having a chronic illness is not the end of the world. You can and will learn to live with them. And remember your are not alone.
A chronic condition means that you will need ongoing visits to the doctor. You will want to reach out to all the resources available to you. Your doctor only focuses on diagnosis and treatment. Join a support group, Google the condition or ask friends for information.
Many health insurance plans have good resources for managing chronic illness. They often have incentives to improving your health as well. Be sure to utilize your health insurance to the maximum. You will be needing this coverage for your ongoing care. Get familiar with your coverage.
You can help yourself by practicing some self management when it comes to your chronic illness. Recognize that it is a serious problem and can not be ignored. Make some needed lifestyle changes. Keep up with your doctor visits and treatment plans.
The preventative care your health insurance typically offers is key to catching a condition before it has become chronic. Catching some disease can be managed early on at the acute stage and never develop tot he chronic stage.
Tags: individual health insurance, individual medical insurance, UniCare Health Insurance
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Tuesday, January 20th, 2009
Health Insurance for the Self-Employed
Most discussion about health insurance is about how people can purchase affordable health insurance. Such discussions tend to assume that people are not self-employed. As a result, it only looks at insurance coverage in one of three ways:
- People can purchase health insurance privately, without any financial assistance.
- People can have their employers sponsor health insurance plans whose prices are lower than comparative plans’ market prices.
- People with low incomes, certain medical conditions, or over a certain age, can qualify for government health insurance, like Medicaid or Medicare.
One topic that is not discussed, however, is what options self-employed people have. Of course, they can purchase insurance privately. But does the fact that they are self-employed help or hinder them in any way?
That answer to this question is difficult to pinpoint. Self-employed people, though, have a number of options that they may find more appealing than non-self-employed people might. For example, small business owners may choose discount plans. Such plans offer discounts on certain medical services. Usually not included, however, are major surgeries that cost tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Health Savings Accounts are also an option that some self-employed people may consider. Also known as HSAs, such accounts allow people to put a certain amount of income into special, non-taxed accounts that can be used for medical reasons. Health Insurance for the Self-Employed
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Monday, January 19th, 2009
Maria lost her job as a sales person for a leading company. Not knowing how long she will be out of a job she is looking into her health insurance options. She knows it could be financially devastating to go uninsured.Maria was offered the COBRA insurance. COBRA mandates that a company with 20 or more employees must allow former employees to keep their employer sponsored health insurance for up to 18 months. The employee must pay all cost however.
Once you lose the percentage your employer pays. Plus they tack on an administrative fee the COBRA insurance can be very expensive. Many time 100% more then you had paid for the health insurance while employed.
Many people like Maria look for alternatives due to those factors. Maria and her spouse are on the plan. Maria is somewhat healthy, but takes medication for diabetes. Her husband has no health conditions at all. This is where making health insurance decisions get tricky.
Since COBRA is more comprehensive and will not exclude Maria’s pre existing illness she should consider staying on the COBRA insurance. However, since her spouse is relatively healthy she could save money buy finding a alternative health insurance plan, like temporary medical insurance for him.
Temporary medical insurance is typically very inexpensive. Especially, compared to COBRA.
There are drawbacks to consider with temporary health insurance before purchasing. Here are a few things to think about:
1. Temporary health insurance limits the amount of time you can purchase. Usually 6 months to a year at a time. You could find yourself looking for other insurance if the length of uninsured time is longer then first thought
2. Temporary typically excludes pre existing conditions. So even if Maria’s husband is healthy now, if he does become ill in the term purchased when he renews or extends coverage it will no longer be covered. This can backfire if you need coverage longer then they allow.
3. Temporary medical insurance typically covers only major medical. So you can expect to pay out of pocket if her husband should get a sinus infection and have to visit the doctor. Since deductibles are usually high, the insurance would only protect you for a substantial financial burden caused due to an expected illness or injury.
Tags: COBRA alternatives, health insurance, temporary health insurance, temporary medical insurance
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Sunday, January 18th, 2009
Short Term Health Insurance Blue Cross Blue Shield
One of our most popular plans is offered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of California. They offer a VITAl PLAN that is priced low for the benefits it provides. This plan is easy to enroll in and has a great provider network.
If you are looking for a quality Short Term Health Insurance Blue Cross Blue Shield you may want to work with our network of agents . Complete the QUOTE REQUEST form at our home page.
Tags: Short Term Health Insurance Blue Cross Blue Shield, Short Term Health Insurance Blue Shield or California, Short Term Medical Insurance Blue Cross Blue Shield
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Thursday, January 15th, 2009
Some believe preventative care is a major stepping stone for healthcare reform. It could potentially save the health industry billions. It is much less expensive for a physician to treat acute disease rather then chronic. The rising healthcare cost is not helping, we have to start somewhere.Many people have a 100% preventative benefit covered by there UniCare Health Insurance and do not even use it. This benefit is by far one of the greatest benefits available. Experts say that only about 10% of consumers use their preventative benefit.
If you would like to take measures to become proactive with your health, here are a few basics:
Get regular medical screenings and checkups. Be sure to discuss concerns.
Try eating more nutritious foods. Start by cutting 1 bad food and replacing it with a good one.
Start exercising, it is great for your heart and mind. It is a fantastic stress reliever.
Stop smoking. Minimize your usage of alcohol.
All of these combined can have you on your way to a long healthy happy life. Don’t be stingy either, share the knowledge. If everyone told 10 people just think about how much money that could save our failing healthcare system. Try to see the big picture! We can change the face of healthcare once educated consumer at a time.
With the recent economy temporary medical insurance is on the rise for individuals and families between jobs.
Tags: between jobs health insurance, temporary health insurance, temporary healthcare plan, temporary medical insurance
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Wednesday, January 14th, 2009
There is new age health plans emerging. With the growing demand for health insurance that is affordable yet focuses on good health a new kind of plan is taking over. They are plans that help you take control of your health and at the same time save some out of pocket cost.
One of these plans is through the carrier UniCare. They call it the Solaura HIA Plus Plan. Not to be confused with an HSA plan or Health Savings Accounts. HIA is an acronym for Health Incentive Account. You earn funds for improving and staying health.
First, you receive a quarterly allocation in your health account of $125 to help offset some out of pocket cost. For a family that amount is $250. Essentially this money is to help you meet your annual deductible. Unused dollars rollover year to year and there is no limit.
You can earn even more money for you account by promoting healthy behaviors. Earn $50 for completing Health Assessment online, enrolling in their health Management program, Graduating from one of these programs, completing tobacco free program and completing a weight management program.
One thing this plan promotes is Preventative Care. The pay 100% of an annual Preventative Care visit. This visit includes most of the nationally recommended services. It will cover the office visit, many screening test (including a pap smear) and it covers most immunizations.
Tags: UniCare, UniCare Health Insurance, Unicare medical plans
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Wednesday, January 14th, 2009
Many of us are living from paycheck to paycheck and making cuts where we can. One of the things we look towards is our medical insurance. The increasing cost of premiums force us rethink our options such as Catastrophic Medical insurance we have more money going out then coming in and we are forced to balance this some how.
American’s are smart and realize that the lack of health insurance could end a disaster. So instead of going uninsured they are opting for a catastrophic policy. Catastrophic policies are some of the most affordable plans. It is a safe alternative to nothing.
There are some things to consider before dropping your current plan. We will discuss those below. Even though we are struggling in today’s economy we need to consider long term affects as well as current finances.
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These plans do not offer you benefits that are typical, like office visit, prescription or emergency room co pays. You will have to pay these expenses should they occur. So you need to make sure you would be able to do without these benefits.
All in all, it is never a good idea to go uninsured. A catastrophic plan is a perfect alternative. If you are just trying to cut cost you need to carefully consider all your options and make a wise decision.
Tags: catastrophic health insurance, health insurance, insurance, medical insurance, Texas health insurance
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Tuesday, January 13th, 2009
There are 7 basic components to educate your self on when looking for individual health insurance. These 7 basics can help you make well informed decisions when choosing a carrier and plan. These 7 basics can make what many find difficult much more pleasant.
When comparing all the different plans available to you one of the key components is the Lifetime Maximum it provides to you. This is the total amount the insurance company will ever pay out of there pocket on your policy. If you are comparing 2 plans a couple of extra million in a life time may be a deciding factor for you.
The next factor you should consider is the deductible amount. When you hear the term deductible amount this is the amount you will pay out of your pocket before the carrier will start to pay. If you would like to keep your premiums low you could share more cost and choose a plan with a higher deductible.
Sometimes the most confusing to consumers is the co insurance amounts. This is when you have met your deductible and the insurer will start sharing the cost with you. The co insurance is how much you will spend out of pocket before the insurer picks up at 100%. Until you met that amount you will pay a percentage of the total for each bill until you have reached your maximum. Depending on your plan you may pay 20% and the insurer pay 80%.
Many plans have a benefit called an office visit co pay. What this means is if you should have to go to the doctor you would pay a set amount for the office visit. The co pay does not always pay for labs done at that office visit so this is important to differentiate so you do not get an unexpected bill later.
Another unexpected bill often comes following a Preventative exam. This is due to the consumer not understanding this benefit. More often then not, there is a limit on the amount the insurer will payout for this kind of visit. They usually only allow 1 visit a year, so if you schedule a visit even 1 day to soon they will not pay. Pay close attention also to the types of tests, labs and screenings it will cover.
Another important thing to know is that all carriers set limits. There are simple limits such as; they could limit the number of office visits or emergency visits. The can also determine a dollar amount limit that they agree to pay for a benefit. For example they may only pay $1000 in prescriptions each year.
As stated above prescriptions could be assessed a maximum dollar amount. Some plans give a Co pay for prescriptions, but most assign categories for different types of medications and set multiple co pays accordingly. You must be careful and make sure that your plan will cover prescriptions. Just take time to know the basics when your searching for individual health insurance and you will be fine.
Tags: health insurance, individual health insurance, temporary health insurance, texas individual health insurance
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Friday, January 9th, 2009
It is a New Year and many of us make the New Year resolutions. Many of these resolutions include saving money and getting healthy. They key to being healthy is staying informed and regular visits to the doctor. Those without health insurance typically do not meet that simple rule of thumb. So maintaining health insurance is an essential part of staying health.
And with a little knowledge you can save hundreds of dollars on your health insurance. More times than often you can secure private coverage that is much cheaper for your dependents than the group health insurance your employer offers. And sometimes even cheaper even for yourself. You could even turn to temporary healthcare insurance until you figured it all out.
Rates for private insurance are based on a few things. Two leading factors are you age and your current and past health conditions. So the younger you are the more affordable the rate. As well as the healthier your status the lower your rate. Typically there is a base rate which is increased accordingly.
Another way to control cost is shopping the multiple plans and carriers available. Not everyone needs or desires the Cadillac of plans. Some people would be fine with a catastrophic plan, only covering you in case of a major illness or accident. Others are more comfortable knowing they can go to the doctor anytime.
When shopping the different plans there are a few things to keep in mind. How much you can afford and what range of benefits are you comfortable with. Plans can include complete annual physicals, cover medical prescriptions, radiography and labs and even mental health. Some even include dental and vision.
With private health insurance you have the freedom of customizing your benefits. Not all members of the family have to be on the same plan for instance. If you anticipate that little Joe will only need an occasional visit for a cough or scrapped knee then you could save money by placing him on an economy plan that only includes a few visits to the office and catastrophic coverage just incase the inevitable should happen. Granny Flo would need a border range of benefits.
In keeping with the New Years resolution of staying or getting healthy an essential benefit to look for is the Annual Physical or Comprehensive Exam. This benefit is available on most plans except temporary healthcare insurance. However, they do have limits. Some cover a broad range of screenings, as well as labs and test. Others only cover a minimum exam.
Last but not least, some plans include some extra added bonuses. Some include smoking cessation, weight management and even discounts on health products in your local stores. So as you see with just a little knowledge you can find a health insurance plan that gives you what you need and matches your budget and helps you meet a New Years resolution at the same time.
Tags: health insurance, medical insurance, temporary health insurance, texas medical insurance
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Friday, January 9th, 2009
If you are wandering what the pros and cons of Employer Group insurance is versus purchasing Individual Health Insurance, we will investigate those in this article. Then you will have the confidence to make a wise choice.
Group premiums where once much cheaper. Not so much anymore. We are seeing those premiums skyrocket and employers sharing less cost. We often discover that we can not afford to cover our dependents because the employer shares no cost.
Sometimes if you have pre existing conditions staying with your group insurance is the best bet. Individual insurance can increase your rates based on the pre existing condition. They could attaché a rider to that condition not covering it at all. They could even refuse you coverage.
Individual insurance bases rates on the individual, where group rates are set based on the entire group. The main difference is once Group insurance is established no one in that group can be excluded no matter their health condition. Therefore if you have a pre existing condition Group may be your best option.
One of the advantages of an Individual policy is the freedom of choice. There are many plans to choose from. You could choose a plan with rich benefits or just the minimum. All you have to do is decide on what benefits you want and find a comparable plan.
In a group policy many of your freedoms are eliminated. You may not have any say in the plan that the employer chooses. You may lose you provider if they are not in the network. And the worst thing is this can happen year after year. And if you need to make changes or additions you must wait until open enrollment once a year.
Bundling is a splendid convenience to individual health insurance. What this means is you can wrap medical, dental and vision up in one little neat package, with one rate. Many carriers provide this option for you. You could even add life insurance if you wish.
Take a little time to think about you budget, needs and expectations and then decide which option best matches you. If you want freedom lean towards individual policies. If having your medical condition covered is a deal breaker lean towards what your employer offers.
Tags: health insurance, individual health insurance, insurance
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