Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Health Insurance Plan for Your Family

Health insurance is essential to all families because it saves them time and money in the event of an illness or death of a family member. But how does one choose the right health care plan for their family? There are many health care plans today and these are run by health care providers such as hospitals and also insurance groups such as Aetna and Cigna. When choosing the right health care plan for your family, certain considerations must be taken into account:

A) Cost

B) Convenience

C) Quality of care

Cost

There are different health care plans; indemnity plans and managed care. When choosing the right health care plan for your family, remember that indemnity plans involve direct payment to the provider and payment is not subsidized or discounted. Managed care such as HMO or PPO is have reduced rates which are enjoyed by all members. These providers are able to slash their rates and pass the savings onto their members because they are run by a consortium of many doctors, large hospitals and these enjoy collective benefits and sharing of responsibilities and costs so the members end up with lower out-of-pocket charges.

Convenience

HMOs have most of their tasks automated and therefore there is less paperwork to deal with on the part of the patient. On planning a doctor's visit, the patient can easily log on to the provider website and download and fill all the necessary forms and send them to the doctor prior to the visit. This speeds up the visit when the patient finally gets there.

Quality Care

Managed care plans such as HMO and PPO are very adamant about quality and thus their members enjoy a high degree of quality health care. The doctors are strictly professional and must have passed all the necessary examinations and possess all the required licenses to practice in their individual states.

The downside of managed health care plans such as PPOs is that the patient has to choose a particular doctor, called a PCP (Primary Care Physician) who is their point of reference for all their health needs. In most cases, the patient cannot see a specialist without a written or faxed referral from their PCP.

Managed care health care plans are mostly for people who possess health insurance; either privately or through their employer. Indemnity plans, which require the patient to pay outright for medical services, are mostly for persons who do not have health insurance or do not want to be tied to any monthly or annual premiums. Plans vary based on zip code and area as well.

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Low Cost Health Insurance

There are a few things in this world that annoy people. We all know what they are. First there are taxes, then there's horrible traffic, a bad cup of coffee, and shady insurance companies. These are all irksome realities that most of us have dealt with before. The trick is to always focus on the good. That's the key to happiness in life. I will say that probably the most annoying one for me regards the insurance companies. First of all so many of them charge too much. But worse yet, they act like they don't know you when you need them most. That's bogus! Now, don't get me wrong, they are some diamonds in the rough. The difficult part is finding them. But don't give up just yet. The truth is even if you don't make a lot of dough, you can acquire the services of a low income health insurance provider.

Many Americans require the services of a low income health insurance company. However, so many of them have no idea where to look. Okay, stop for a moment and think. Where is the absolute best place you can search for a low income health insurance provider or any insurance company for that matter? Wait, I've got it; the World-Wide-Web. Yeah, that way you can simply punch a few words into a search engine and find all the information and facts you need. The thing I love most about the Internet is all the wonderful feedback. You seriously can't put a value on this. Think about how much knowledge and personal experience it provides you with. You actually get to hear what others think and how their personal experiences are. This will make it easier to pinpoint a low income health insurance provider. It's also easy to find out how they're rated and who is ranked number one. I would pay attention to this if I were you. Sure you want a low income health insurance provider, but you also want them to come to your aid when needed. You must consider both factors. As much as I hate to say it, many insurance companies are notorious for bailing when times get rough. They literally search and search for ways to get out of helping you. They love taking your cash, but that's as far as it goes.

Use your sources wisely and find a low income health insurance company today. The last thing you need is to have medical bills, but lack the proper coverage. Don't let your self get in a bid like this. Find the right low income health insurance provider for you now.