Posts Tagged ‘Types of Health Insurance’

Personal Medical Insurance

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

personal medical insurance

There are many different types of personal medical insurance and what they cost and what is covered varies greatly. Basically, health insurance is a type of insurance policy that pays a pre-negotiated percentage of a policy holder’s covered medical treatments. Do you really need personal medical insurance or can you live without it? This is a very difficult question and there are many different answers depending on whom you ask.

Like other forms of insurance, health insurance doesn’t really become an issue until you need it. Health insurance doesn’t do you any good until you need to obtain healthcare. For someone who doesn’t have personal medical insurance, an unforeseen accident or illnesses could financially destroy all that you have worked for. In addition to financial loss, lack of health insurance will certainly not place you at the front of the line to receive expensive, life saving medical care!

The health insurance marketplace can sometimes be very confusing and complicated. Our goal is to help simplify the process, provide a little guidance and education along the way. Personal medical insurance can be difficult and frustrating to understand, but you do have options – you just need a little help along the way to make the choice that best fits your needs.

Each section of our site is devoted to various topics and issues that most readers have questions about. If we have left something out please contact us and tell us what we can do to make it better.

How Much Does Health Insurance Cost?

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

health insurance costsYou know that health insurance is really expensive but have you ever taken a moment to really understand what your health insurance net really costs you? You know how much your paying  for your health insurance premium, so it’s easy to know when this cost increases, but what about all the other costs involved with health insurance? Before you’re hit with an excessively large medical bill take some time to understand what other costs there are besides just the premium.

Premium

The premium is the amount you’ll pay for the benefits covered under your health insurance plan. The premium is typically broken down into equal monthly payments.

The Deductible

If your health insurance policy includes an annual deductible, it’s important to understand the details. The deductible is the amount that you are responsible for paying before the insurance company begins paying anything. Just like most other types of insurance, the higher the deductible the lower your premiums will be.

The Co-Payment

A co-payment is a fixed dollar amount that you have to pay each time you use the plan. The co-payment amount differs based on the type of health insurance plan you have. Sometimes there are co-payments for prescriptions and doctor’s office visits.

Co-Insurance

Co-Insurance is the amount of your claim that you are responsible for paying once the deductible has been met. A very common plan would be 80/20 where the insurance company pays 80% of the claim and you pay 20%. In a PPO plan your percentage will usually increase if you go outside the network.

These are the things you’ve got to know when requesting quotes, especially online health insurance quotes. When you’re comparing quotes from different insurance companies, it’s important to know all your costs, not just the premium.

Now that you’ve done your research and compared prices based on comparable benefits you’re wondering
how to apply for health insurance. Whether you apply online or off will depend on your comfort level

Guarantee Issue Health Insurance

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

individual health insurance

If you’ve been turned down for major medical insurance you have a new option: a mini-med plan.

Mini-meds (also called “defined benefit” health plans) are guaranteed-issue health insurance, which means anyone can buy them regardless of pre-existing health conditions. There is no underwriting and no health questions are asked.

Seem too good to be true? It’s because these plans have defined limits on coverage, which means less risk for the insurance company. They pay set amounts and are not designed to provide catastrophic coverage however for most Americans they will cover most of your health care needs.

With no deductibles or co-insurance to satisfy, they will provide you with first dollar coverage. Mini-meds typically offer negotiated discounts through a PPO, but can be used at any provider — see whoever you like, or enjoy greater discounts in-network. Many offer dental, vision and prescription discounts.

Mini-Meds are very simple to understand … they provide scheduled benefits for inpatient and outpatient services. For example, you can choose a plan that pays $1,000 a day for hospital coverage for the first 100 days.

Anyone between the ages of 18-65 and their unmarried, dependent children up to the age of 19 or 25 if they are a full-time student, are eligible for coverage.

When looking for a mini-med, make sure it is HIPAA qualified, meaning they can be considered “creditable coverage” by other carriers. If you have one these plans and later get a group insurance plan through an employer, the time on these plans may count toward the 12 month pre-existing waiting period for your new insurance.