Better Than Living Without!
There is no denying that having Florida health insurance coverage is better than living without. But you also have to remember that there is a right and wrong policy for every consumer. You need to make sure that you have the right Florida health insurance, and that you stay away from the wrong coverage at all costs.
How do you know the difference between right and wrong? The best way to do this is to review your Florida health insurance policy and ask yourself whether or not you like the benefits it offers. If you are satisfied with what you are receiving there is nothing wrong with keeping things the same for the time being. On the other hand, if you decide that your policy is not up to par you must then get serious about making a change.
For those who have the wrong Florida health insurance making an immediate change is very important. If you need help in doing so you will want to hire a Florida health insurance broker. A broker can help you find the right policy so you can ditch the coverage that is not working for you.
It is very serious to be stuck with the wrong Florida health insurance. You don't want to take this lightly. Instead of staying put you should immediately seek out better coverage. Your life will be much less stressful when you have a Florida health insurance policy that you are confident in.
Long Term Care and LTC insurance is an important issue for baby boomers, their parents and me. The reality of long term care is at the forefront of our minds because of the news and TV. We must ask ourselves what impact an unexpected illness or accident would have on our finances. What is long-term care who needs it and how much will it cost. Before we look at these questions let me share some fun facts about getting "older".
1. Over 40% of all Americans over the age of 65 will spend some time in a nursing home due to a prolonged illness or disability.
2. One year in a nursing home can cost $36,000 to $60,000. Currently, the average cost in a long term care facility in America is $41,000 per year. The average cost of a visit by a home health aide is $52. Daily visits would cost you almost $19,000 per year. Skilled nursing at home, to administer medication or oxygen, for example, five days per week for a year would cost you an average of $94 per visit, or $24,440 per year.
3. Health care plans and Medicare combined pay only about 3% of the costs of long term care. State Medicaid programs rescue only those families who descend to the poverty level. The rest comes out of pocket - nest eggs, funds earmarked for retirement, life savings - or from a long term care insurance policy.
4. In 1983, Medicare began a new program called the Prospective Payment System. Instead of reimbursing hospitals for the actual cost of treating patients, this program now pays a set fee according to 467 Diagnostic Related Groups, or DRGs. Once a patient reaches the arbitrary number of days in the hospital, Medicare payments stop regardless of the individual patient's actual condition or the need for continuing care.
5. 70% of people who are older than 65 will need long term care services.
6. 77 million Americans will turn 50 over the next 18 years. That's 1 person every 7.5 seconds.
7. 43% of individuals age 65 will enter a nursing home sometime in their lifetime, with 50% staying an average of 2.5 years.
8. The national average cost for 1 year in a nursing home is approximately $41,000; in larger cities from $50 to $60,000 annually.
9. 50 percent of all couples and 70 percent of single persons are impoverished within one year of entering a nursing home.
10. For every person receiving care in a nursing home, there are 4 people receiving care outside a facility.
11. The annual cost to companies for lost productivity from elder care responsibilities is $17 billion a year or $3,142 per employee.
12. By 2020, 1 in 3 workers will provide some type of elder care.
Most of us would never dream of not having home owners insurance, health insurance (that's another issue) or auto insurance. After looking at some of the facts and family medical history, the conclusion seems clear that as baby boomers, we must give this a serious look. The challenge for us is too learn as much as we can about long term care so that we can have options and not be caught off guard by an unexpected illness that could wipe out our retirement or add an undue burden on our families.
Benefits
In some geographical regions and in highly competitive industries, labor is a commodity that is not easily renewed or replaced. You want to find and keep good employees to decrease the expense of turnover and training, and employers must be increasingly creative in efforts to "sweeten the deal." Traditional benefits alone simply don't cut it anymore in many locations--every employer in your sector may be offering group medical and dental insurance and a 401k. So how do stand out from the crowd? The use of alternative benefits is one important way to attract and retain high quality employees. What's "alternative" about benefits?
Alternative benefits are so named because they are incentives offered to employees that are not part what is considered a traditional benefits package. They are limited only by the employer's creativity and ability to broker deals with other organizations, and may include such benefits as the following:
*Flex time *Shift sharing *Schedule flexibility *Public transportation discounts *Onsite massages *Company-provided snacks *Health club memberships *Telecommuting *Child care co-ops *Tuition reimbursement *After work activities *Nap time
What are the best alternative benefits?
The answer depends on many factors, of course, since all employees and their needs are different. And you need to consider your resources as well--some alternative benefits are more expensive to administer than others. But keep this important guideline in mind: work is not life. With a few (perhaps unstable) exceptions, employees do not live for their jobs--they go to their jobs so they can more fully live. Alternative benefits that help employees do that are sure to be big hits. For instance, onsite massages are terrific stress reducers, but what John, who works on the shop floor, really wants is to be able to go to his son's baseball game at 3:00, well before his shift is over. Free popcorn and sodas are great, but it's being able to set her own schedule that keeps Megan from going to work for a competitor.
Life-enhancing benefits
When you remember that not everyone needs tuition reimbursement, but everyone wants better quality of life, it's easy to make good decisions about alternative benefits. Here are some from the list above with a short description of how these benefits help to keep employees happy in their non-work lives:
Flex time allows employees to work additional hours so they can take those hours as paid time off later. Mary might have a family event coming up, but she does not have enough personal leave to take the day off. Planning in advance, she works 88 hours the preceding pay period so she can take 8 paid hours off when she needs to.
Shift sharing means two or more part-time workers share a full-time shift's hours between them. The shift is covered, and the employees gain desired flexibility.
Telecommuting is when an employee works from home or another suitable location rather than commuting to the job site. It is obviously not applicable to all jobs or industries, but Internet technology is steadily increasing the number of workers who do part or all of their work from a remote site. This is a particularly attractive option in large urban areas where rush hour commutes to the office can be long and nightmarish.
Health club or gym memberships pay big dividends, both for the worker and the employer. A healthier employee is happier and more productive, and you save money on insurance premiums and absenteeism.
Take stock of your employees, their needs, and your community resources. With some careful planning and research, you can craft an alternative benefits package that meets employees' needs while also bringing measurable benefits to your bottom line. Employees are not only your most valuable resource; they are also the most desired commodity of your competitors. It's in your best business interest to treat them well.
If the idea sounds good to you, but you lack the time or resources to design an alternative benefits package, consider outsourcing your Human Resources functions. A Professional Employer Organization, or PEO, specializes in all aspects of the employee-employer relationship and can take over your HR-related tasks efficiently and professionally.
What is Insurance
Health insurance is a type of policy that will pay certain amount of money promised by the insurance company to the insurance holder for medical expenses or treatments as specified in the policy. It can also be defined as a protection cover that includes benefits for covered injury or sickness. It is one of the most common insurance policies across the globe. Millions of people worldwide have already purchased this policy and benefited from it.
There are several benefits of purchasing a health insurance policy. As a policy holder, you need to understand all the health insurance benefits that you are entitled to prior to purchasing health insurance. A typical health insurance policy covers you for any ancillary requirements associated to a medical condition. These include visiting to the doctor, vision care, dental care, preventative health care and pharmaceutical requirements.
It is equally important to make sure that your health insurance policy provides you the lowest premium. Finding a low cost health insurance is not as difficult as it seems to be. You need to do a research and find a health insurance policy that meets your requirements at a specific cost that you can afford.
For this, you can easily visit some of the most reputed and famous health insurance companies. Mark around four to five best companies and collect quotes. These quotes are free. Compare the cover, services and prices quoted for health insurance policy by each company. This will help you outline the policy that provides you the best and most affordable health insurance policy.
You can also look for an employer sponsored group health insurance plan. Group health insurance plans are considered to be the most affordable and low cost health insurance plans as compared to state sponsored health insurance plans.
If you can get a group health insurance plan for your employer, you would be paying less for your health insurance plan. This is more affordable option than a group health insurance plan that you purchase on your own.
There are certain requirements you need to fulfill for an employer sponsored group health insurance plan. These requirements range from employer to employer. It depends on the number of hours you work. Your status will also play an important role here. Most employers also have time requirements. This means that the employee should be with the company for a stipulated period of time before he or she is considered eligible for the employer sponsored group health insurance plan.
There are several reasons that you can avail lower premiums on employer sponsored group health insurance plans. To learn about this in detail let us assume that you have an employer sponsored group health insurance plan and the premiums are either divided between you and your employer or paid completely by your employer. This means that you are supposed to pay only half of the health insurance premiums and a low cost co-payment. You just require to pay an affordable co-payment.
If you consider covering your spouse and children under employer sponsored group health insurance plan, it will become more affordable. Here you can group the policy for all your family members rather than purchasing individual health policies for each of your family members.
Going for a low cost health insurance plan will save you a good amount of money.
Family Insurance
If you have a spouse or children, you need life insurance. You have heard it before, but it bears repeating. How would they be able to handle things if some drunk driver ran into you tomorrow and you died?
Life insurance is a fairly simple concept, but it can appear complex to the average person. The complexity comes from the terms used. If you can understand the language, you can make a better determination of what you need. So, let's talk terms!
An Adjustable Life Insurance Policy is a popular product. As the name suggests, one can adjust the premiums, term, death benefit and time when premiums are paid. Such flexibility lets you coordinate the policy to your current needs as they change.
An Annual Payment Annuity provides you with simplicity. As the name suggests, you can pay the entire premium for the year at one time. Of course, you need to make sure yo have cash on hand to do so.
The Cash Surrender Value of a policy is often misunderstood. It refers to the amount due a person who terminates a policy holding a vested cash reserve in it. There is often an arbitrary charge deducted by the insurer as well.
The Commutation Rights associated with an insurance policy apply to the beneficiary of the policy. Depending on the policy, the beneficiary may elect to convert installment payments to a lump sum payment.
Much like a secondary beneficiary, a Contingent Beneficiary is a person other than the primary beneficiary who will receive the death benefit. Some policies limit the beneficiaries at two people, but there can be more depending on your needs.
The Right of Conversion refers to an individual's right to convert a policy held as part of a group into an individual policy if the person ceases to be part of the group.
The insurance phrase Double Benefit or Double Indemnity refers to a policy that pays out double the stated benefit if the person whose life it is based on passes away in a particular way, such as a car crash.
Dependent Coverage refers to the people covered by a policy. More often found in health insurance policies, the general rule is the married spouse and unmarried children are covered.
A Universal Life Insurance Policy is another pillar of the insurance industry. It is an adjustable policy with a flexible premium. You can choose what you can afford to pay at a given time and a corresponding death benefit is generated. This can be adjusted from time to time.
A Variable Life Insurance Policy is used both as a financial safety net and investment vehicle. The policy builds up cash value that can be invested. Depending on the policy, the premiums and death benefit will change as the cash value grows.
The important thing to understand about life insurance is that polices differ greatly. This means you must understand exactly how a policy being pitched to you works. If terms are used that you don't understand, ask for clarification!
Small Business
If you are a small business owner, you want to offer your employees the best small business health insurance plan available. However, because health insurance can be among the most expensive items in your budget, you also want to get a cheap rate.
Decide What Kind of Small Business Health Insurance You Want to Offer
Three types of small business health insurance plans are available:
* Fee for Service plans are the most costly small business health insurance plans. Your employees can choose any doctor or hospital. They receive a fixed reimbursement for medical costs, usually around 80%.
* PPOs (Preferred Provider Organizations) provide comprehensive health services but employees must choose a doctor and hospital that is part of the PPO's network.
* HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations) are similar to PPOs in that employees must choose a doctor and hospital that is in the network. However, HMOs usually offer fewer choices than PPOs and may require approval before an employee can visit a specialist. HMOs offer the cheapest rate for small business health insurance plans.
Gather Information the Insurance Company Will Need to Develop A Quote
The rates for small business health insurance plans are based on such factors as * The general age and health of your employees, including tobacco use. * The hazards of the job. * The location of the business.
You need to collect this information before you shop for small business health insurance.
Get Quotes from Multiple Companies
Now you are ready to compare the rates and benefits of small business health insurance plans. The Internet makes this task easy. You can fill out a form online and receive quotes from multiple small business health insurance companies.
At some insurance sites, you can even chat online with insurance professionals, getting complete and accurate answers to all your insurance questions (see link below). Then you can choose which small business health insurance plan offers the cheapest rate for you and your employees, while offering the best benefits for your money.
Florida Insurance
Are you a Florida resident who is looking to get health insurance coverage for yourself or your family? If you are, you may be wondering exactly how you can go about getting health insurance in Florida. The good news is that there are multiple ways for you to get health insurance in Florida. A few of the most common ways are outlined below.
A good percentage of the Florida population, who has health insurance, has it through their employers. Most employers allow their employees to join their health insurance programs if they want to do so. This is often one of the easiest and cheapest ways to get health insurance in Florida. If you are currently employed, you are advised to speak with your employer's personnel department about health insurance, like it if is available. If you have the opportunity to get health insurance in Florida through your employer, you are advised to at least give it a close look.
If you are considered low income, you may be able to get health insurance in Florida through the Florida government. As you likely already know, these polices tend to not cover as much as purchased health insurance policies, but for some it is enough. To qualify for government backed health insurance in Florida, you need to make an appointment with your local social services department. From there, it should be determined whether or not you qualify for government backed coverage.
If your employer doesn't offer health insurance, if you make too much money for government assistance, or if you are self-employed, you may need to look into buying your own health insurance in Florida. When it comes to doing so, you will find that many well-known health insurance companies have coverage plans that you can buy for yourself. In fact, when buying health insurance in Florida, you can not only get health insurance coverage for yourself, but also for your whole family or even your employees, if you are a small business owner.
The above mentioned ways are just a few of the many ways that you can go about getting health insurance in Florida. As a reminder, if you are married, you are advised to see if your spouse has a health insurance program that you can join. If you are a dependant child who is attending college full time, you may still be able to get health insurance coverage through your parents, if they have it. When looking to get health insurance in Florida, it is advised that you first explore all of your avenues, particularly the ones outlined above.
If you are currently without health insurance in Florida, you are advised to seriously consider getting coverage. Yes, you may have been lucky so far and not needed any medical care, but a time may come in the future when you do. Also, those who have health insurance coverage are more likely to schedule annual physical examinations or checkups. Many times, these appointments are where serious health problems are found; problems that otherwise would have never been found, at least not right away.
Insurance Quotes
Are you in need of Florida health insurance for you or your family? You are, you may be required to buy your own health insurance, especially if you are self-employed or if your employer doesn't have their own health insurance plan. When it comes to buying your own Florida health insurance, your goal should be quality coverage, but at an affordable price. To achieve your goal, you will need to need to rely heavily on Florida health insurance quotes.
Even if you have never bought Florida health insurance before, you likely already know what a Florida health insurance quote is, as insurance quotes are used for a number of insurance policies, including homeowners insurance or automobile insurance. Requesting a Florida heath insurance quote enables you to get an idea as to how much you would have to pay for insurance coverage. You are given an estimated cost of insurance by answering a few simple questions about yourself and your current health, as well as any previous health conditions.
One of the many reasons why you and all other Florida health insurance seekers are urged to request Florida health insurance quotes is because they are easy to get, not to mention free. With the internet, you could request multiple health insurance quotes in no time at all. In fact, you are urged to request more than one Florida health insurance quote. Multiple Florida health insurance quotes makes it easier for you to find adequate insurance coverage, but at the cheapest price.
As it was previously mentioned, the internet allows you to request multiple health insurance quotes in what may seem like no time at all. There are two ways that you can do this. One way involves finding the online websites of Florida health insurance companies. You can easily find these websites by performing a standard internet search. Once at the online website of a Florida health insurance company, you should be able to request a free Florida health insurance quote. You may receive a response in as little as a few minutes. As a reminder, the more quotes you request, the more insurance plans you will have to compare.
Although visiting the online websites of multiple Florida health insurance companies and requesting a free Florida health insurance quote from each is a great way to get quotes, there is an easier way. That way involves using online websites that aim to connect insurance seekers, like you, with quality and affordable health insurance. What is nice about these Florida health insurance quote websites, as they are often referred to, is that you don't have to fill out multiple Florida health insurance quote forms. Most of these websites only require you to fill out one form and then they distribute them to reputable Florida health insurance companies. Not only will this eliminate most of the work that you have to do, but it is also quick and easy.
As outlined above, there are a couple of different ways that you can go about getting a Florida health insurance quote or even a number of them. Thanks to the internet and Florida health insurance quote websites, you can be on your way to having affordable health insurance in no time at all.
What to Look For
Are you a Florida resident who needs to buy your own health insurance? If you are, you will soon see that you have a number of different options. There are a relatively large number of health insurance companies that offer insurance to Florida residents, just like you. Many of those companies also offer multiple Florida health insurance plans, so many that you may be wondering exactly what you should look for in one.
When it comes to getting yourself adequate Florida health insurance coverage, it is advised that you take a step back and closely examine yourself, as well as your needs. For instance, have you had any serious health complications in the past? If so, what were they? Are you planning on having a child in the near future? Does your family have a history of medical illnesses? These are important questions that you will need to ask yourself, as the answers are what will be used to determine what you need in Florida health insurance.
What many individual do, when it comes to getting Florida health insurance, is spend the time searching for the plan that is right for them. This can get pretty time consuming, but it is important work that needs to be done. What you may want to think about doing is researching numerous health insurance companies and their Florida health insurance plans. You may even want to print off the information that you find, particularly about each individual Florida health insurance plan you come across. Reviewing health insurance plans in print is sometimes easier than doing so from a computer screen, as you are less likely to misread or misinterpret the information you are given.
Since cost plays an important part in choosing a Florida health insurance plan for yourself, you may also want to request free Florida health insurance quotes. This can be done by visiting a Florida health insurance quote website or health insurance company websites individually. Having an estimated price tag to go along with the information acquired, as per the outlines above, can make choosing the perfect health insurance plan easier, as you need one that you can afford.
As outlined above, it is also important that you take your needs into consideration. For instance, if you have had previous health complications in the past, you may want to keep those complications in mind, as well as a family history of any medical illnesses. If you are more likely to experience health problems, it may be a good idea to purchase Florida health insurance plans with the most coverage. Yes, this may be a little bit more expensive, but so would be seeking medical treatment without having adequate medical insurance coverage. Also, keep your need for prescriptions in mind, as well as wanting to have a child. Maternity coverage and prescription coverage doesn't always come standard; therefore, you may need to find Florida health insurance plans that have them.
Buying Florida health insurance is a process that needs to be thoroughly thought out and examined; it is one that shouldn't be made on a whim. Choosing the wrong Florida health insurance plan, like one that doesn't have enough coverage, may end up costing you a considerable amount of money in the long run.
One of the most commonly purchased types of health insurance Jacksonville plans is that of individual plans. An individual health insurance Jacksonville plan is what you need if you are only purchasing insurance for yourself. If you are unmarred, self-employed, or if your employer doesn't have a health insurance program, you will likely need to get a health insurance Jacksonville plan. If you are married, you are first advised to examine your spouse's heath insurance plan, if they have one, as you may be able to be added on to their plan.
If you are looking to get insurance for your home family, like your spouse or any dependant children that you may have, you will need to get a health insurance Jacksonville plan that is referred to as a family plan. A family health insurance Jacksonville plan is one that covers you and all of your dependants. As previously mentioned, this may include your spouse or any children that you have, who are typically under the age of eighteen. The cost of a family health insurance Jacksonville plan will cost more than an individual plan, but do not let the cost turn you off, as you need to remember that you are buying insurance for your whole family.
Also, if you are a small business owner, you may not only be able to get insurance for yourself, but for your small business employees as well. If you are a Jacksonville business owner who is looking to do this, you will want to look for a plan that is sometimes referred to as a small business health insurance Jacksonville plan. Many times, you do not have to pay for the costs of insurance by yourself, as you can opt to have your employees pay a small portion of the costs too.
As outlined above, you have the option to choose between a family health insurance Jacksonville plan, an individual plan, as well as a small business plan. Mistakenly purchasing the wrong health insurance Jacksonville plan can get quite costly, as well as get you much more coverage than you need. That is why it is first advised that you look at your needs for insurance before you start buying health insurance for yourself, your family, or your small business employees.
Once you have decided which health insurance Jacksonville plan you need, you may want to start requesting free health insurance quotes. You can easily do this by using a website that is sometimes referred to as a health insurance quote website. These websites are designed to make finding, learning about, and choosing a health insurance Jacksonville plan easy.
Before examining whether or not you should turn to health insurance quote websites for assistance, it is best if you know exactly what they are. Although these websites are often referred to as health insurance quote websites, many actually do more than just give you heath insurance quotes. These websites often also tend to give you information on numerous health insurance plans, including Florida health individual insurance plans, and Florida health insurance companies.
One of the many reasons why these health insurance quote websites are so popular is because of the quote process. Many websites only require that you fill out one Florida health individual insurance quote form, but that one quote form is often used to get you numerous health insurance quotes, from different Florida health insurance companies. Perhaps, this, alone, makes using a health insurance quote website worth it, as you can save yourself a considerable amount of time.
It is also important to mention ease of use. Many of the websites that you come across are extremely easy to use. In fact, you should even be able to request Florida health individual insurance quotes even if you don't consider yourself to be experienced with computers. Yes, it is that easy! To make using a health insurance quote website even easier, you are urged to search for a website that has a customer service department, particularly one where you can get live support from agents. This live support may assist you with correctly filling out your quote forms, learning more about a particular health insurance company, or even choosing the right Florida health individual insurance plan for yourself.
The decision as to whether or not you want to use websites that are often referred to as health insurance quote websites is yours to make, but they are at least worth looking into. To find these websites, you are advised to perform a standard internet search. As a reminder, be the on lookout for websites that have a customer service department, as well as those that work with well-known and reputable Florida health insurance companies, as they are the type of websites that you want.
Getting Florida health individual insurance is a process that should be closely examined, but it doesn't have to be a long, overdrawn, or complicated process. For assistance with finding the perfect health insurance company, as well as the perfect Florida health individual insurance, consider finding a website or a service, like the ones mentioned above. They aim to pair you with the perfect Florida insurance company and the perfect insurance plan.
COBRA
There are many downsides to losing your job to say the least. One that may not immediately come to mind is the loss of your health insurance, but there is a form of fall back health insurance you can rely upon.
COBRA may sound like an odd name for a health insurance subject, but it is the abbreviation of the legislation giving rise to insurance coverage for those who lose their job. The law in question is the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation At of 1985. Now you see why COBRA is used!
COBRA is designed to provide a critical bridge between the health insurance plans provided by employers. Put in simpler terms, it is a safety net for the person that loses their job and has medical needs. The importance of this bridge cannot be understated given the fact that many people have a spouse and children that need care.
The program creates a bridge for health insurance by legally extending the plan of your former employer. If you resign or lose your job for any reason other than gross conduct, you can take advantage of COBRA. The law allows you to stay on the health plan of the former employer for up to 18 months. In many cases, your spouse and children can actually be covered for much longer.
COBRA is not a free ride. You must pay the premiums to maintain the coverage. Although the coverage is from the health insurance plan of your former employer, the employer is no required to foot the bill. The law also applies only to businesses that have more than 20 employees.
So, who is able to take advantage of COBRA coverage? Obviously, you can. So can your spouse and your children. Interestingly, your spouse and children can take advantage of it even if you do not.
The laws relating to COBRA can be fairly complex. There are exceptions to the federal law that can preclude you from health coverage. If you run into this situation, there may still be a solution. Many states also have laws on the book similar to COBRA and they are often more favorable to employees. If you can't get coverage under the federal COBRA law, make sure to check with the Labor Board in your state to ascertain your rights under state law.
At the end of the day, COBRA is a huge relief for people that lose their jobs for one reason or another. This is particularly true if you have a family that has medical needs.
Facts
To fully grasp the field of health insurance, it helps to start with the most basic of things.
Health Insurance is a form of insurance where the insurer pays the medical bills of the person who is insured. At least, the insurer pays the medical bills if the medical treatment is covered by the insurance policy. There are other factors that may have an impact on the responsibility of the insurer to pay. These include deductibles, co-payments, and in-network care providers. There are some countries that consider Health Insurance as a basic right of all citizens and the government provides it at no cost to everyone. The United States has a system of private health insurance where the responsibility for procuring it is up to the individual.
It is estimated that 85% of all Americans are covered by health insurance. Around 60% of this total receives their insurance through their employers and another 29% receive it from some government agency. There are an estimated 41.2 million people in the United States that are not covered by any form of health insurance. The cost of health insurance plans is the most often cited reason for lack of coverage, although some people feel that the current structure of the plans makes them unnecessary for healthy people.
Health insurance traces its origins back to 1694 when Hugh the Elder Chamberlen first proposed a type of disability insurance in England. Up until the mid 20th century this was the basis for most health insurance policies. They were actually disability insurance policies as the coverage only applied to injuries and medical treatments that could lead to permanent disability. In recent years, the thrust of the policies has been more toward health than disability. Coverage was extended to routine medical treatments, preventive care, emergency room visits, and even prescription drugs.
The full answer to the question "what is health insurance?" is a bit complicated as several different formats have evolved. A policy that pays the entire cost of medical treatments, which is what is offered in other countries that provide universal health insurance, is rare in the United States. Most policies have deductibles, which is the amount the insured must pay up front before the insurance kicks in. There are also co-payments where the cost of routine procedures is split between the insurance company and the insured.
There are several issues that have forced the cost of health insurance up and led to increased deductibles and co-payments. One is the ever rising cost of medical care. Another has to do with the selection process. Health insurance works on the general principle that a large number of healthy people pay insurance premiums and when one of them becomes ill, the collected money pays his expenses. The problem is that many healthy people are opting out on health insurance, which means the dynamic has changed. Now, a large number of not so healthy people are paying premiums and most of them need the money to pay their expenses. This is one of the reasons that insurance companies have become more willing to pay for routine care and especially preventive medicine.
Family Health Insurance
As the cost of medical services rises the Family Health Insurance becomes a necessity. It is very interesting to know that many American pay their large medical bill with the help of Family Health Insurance only. As the cost of Family Health Insurance premium is also rises dramatically it is very important for every one to understand the different Family Health Insurance plan offered by many Insurance companies.
According to a survey conducted by Kaiser Family Foundation, the yearly premium for Family Health Insurance is around $ 10,880 in the year 2006. This figure cause trouble and concern in many political parties since the rising in the Family Health Insurance premiums has direct effect to numbers of individuals covered. In the year 2001 69 % of employed Americans are covered under Family Health Insurance, where as in the year 2006 only 60 % of Americans are covered under Family Health Insurance.
Different types of Family Health Insurance
There are basically four types of Family Health Insurance plans available they are:
- Reimbursement plans or Indemnity plan
- HMO or Health Maintenance Organization
- PPO or Preferred Provider organizations
- POS or Point of Service
Some plans allow you to select Doctors or Hospitals etc. Whereas other plan has already selected the Doctors or Hospitals and you have to take their services if you want your medical bill to be paid by your Insurance Company. Purchasing Family Health Insurance in group or individually you must consider this important difference.
What Family Health Insurance plan covers?
The Family Health Insurance plan covers according to the different plans like hospital expanse plan usually covers all hospital related expenses like hospital room charges, incidental services etc. Doctor expense plan usually covers expanses like visiting Doctor’s office or Doctor visiting you in Hospital etc. Apart from the standard coverage there are other expanses that are covered by only some plans like expanses for prescription drugs, maternity care, eye care etc.
Select whatever plan of Family Health Insurance that suits you best considering the pros and cons of each plan very carefully.
Are you covered by an employer's group insurance plan? Do you have Medicare coverage in place? Are you currently self-employed? If you are one of the many Americans that fall under one of these categories, most likely, a health insurance plan is not readily available for you. What do you do? You must go out on your own and purchase a private health insurance policy.
With technological advances paving the way most insurance brokerages now offer you health plans on the Internet. There you will be able to view hundreds of various insurance programs from competitive insurance carriers. In many instances you can view different plans side by side and even apply for these programs through secure forms on the internet, all while sipping a cup of coffee from the comfort of your home. Most people ask the question.. How do I pick the correct Health Insurance Plan for myself or family?
What does this entail?
Most individuals while shopping for health insurance on the Internet seem to get acquainted with the cheapest program they first see. Is this usually the program they purchase or should be looking at? Probably not, but it seems that human nature will insist that most people want to get by with the cheapest plan. How many times has an insurance agent or broker been asked, How do I get the best plan at the cheapest price? I guess a good rhetorical question would be, do you drive a Lexus or a Yugo? The bottom-line, like with any other product in a consumer driven marketplace, you get what you pay for. Sure you can get a cheap plan, but most likely you won't be happy once it is time to have your claims paid. Just make sure you come to some sort of educated decision upon buying your health insurance program.
Narrowing down what health Insurance Plan to buy?
The first step in choosing a health insurance plan is to make a decision in whether you would like a basic or comprehensive plan.
Characteristics of a basic, deductible based, or traditional health plan:
- A deductible must be met before the insurance company pays out any claims for the calendar year (cyd). This means you pay everything with your own money until the deductible has been met.
- Deductible could range from $500-$10,000
- The higher deductible you choose, the more affordable your premium shall be, and the lower deductible will make it more expensive. Simple risk and reward scenario.
- Coinsurance could be 100%, 80%, 50%
- Coinsurance is the percentage that either you pay or the insurance company pays after your deductible has been met
- Out of pocket maximum could be $0, $2500, $5,000
- Your out of pocket maximum would vary based on the coinsurance level of the plan you choose.
- Policy Lifetime Maximum could be $1,000,000, $2,000,000, $3,000,000, $5,000,000
- This would be the amount of money the policy certificate would pay out for the lifetime of coverage. $3,000,000 would be a great choice, but wouldn't go below that figure
Basic, deductible based, or traditional health plans are very easy to understand. You could compare this type of plan to your car insurance deductible.
Q: Do you have a car insurance deductible?
A: Yes
Q: If your car was worth $20,000 and you had a deductible of $1,000 what would your car insurance company pay you in return for that car if totaled?
A: $19,000
Characteristics of a comprehensive health plan, copay health plans, managed care health plans:
A deductible must be met before the insurance company pays out any claims for major medical expenses during the calendar year (cyd) This means you pay everything with your own money until the deductible has been met for major medical services such as:
- Hospitalization
- In Patient Surgery
- Out Patient Surgery
- In Patient Testing
- Out Patient Testing
- Emergency Room
Deductible could range from $500-$5,000
- The higher deductible you choose, the more affordable your premium shall be, and the lower deductible will make it more expensive. Simple risk and reward scenario.
- Coinsurance could be 100%, 80%
- Coinsurance is the percentage that either you pay or the insurance company pays after your deductible has been met
- Out of pocket maximum could be $0, $2500, $5,000
- Your out of pocket maximum would vary based on the coinsurance level of the plan you choose.
- Dr. Visit Copay could be $15, $20, $25, $30, $35, $40, $50
- Co pays can vary based on if they are a primary care or specialist Dr. visit. In many cases these two types of office visit co pays will vary based on the fact that a specialist charges a great deal more money than a primary care physician
- Prescription Copay could be $15, $25, $40, $50
Most insurance carriers offer a copay for generic drugs without a deductible being met, but will make you meet a smaller deductible for your brand name drugs. This deductible for brand name drugs is usually $250 for the calendar year (cyd)
Comprehensive health plans are very easy to understand. You could compare this type of plan to overages you have had in the past with an employer. Some good questions to ask yourself to differentiate between a basic and comprehensive plan:
Q: Do I have a co pay for Dr. visits before my major medical deductible?
A: Yes
Q: Do I have a prescription program with copay before my major medical deductible?
A: Yes
If you answered yes to both of these questions you would be on track to purchase a comprehensive health plan. Make sure you understand the difference options when choosing a health insurance program for yourself or family. Every individual person has different ideas in what you should have or need for your health plan, you might have had an employer group plan your entire life, or you might have been self-employed. I assure you that these two people think very differently, one has had the majority of there insurance paid for and the other has always paid his premium in full.
When choosing either a basic or comprehensive health program make sure to find out how your plan covers the following: What are the following?
- Deductible
- Coinsurance
- Out of pocket maximum
- Dr. Visit Copay
- Prescription Copay
Some of you will want all five items and others might only one. Make sure to do your research and find the plan that fits your individual needs.
Aquí está una traducción española:
¿Es cubierto usted por un plan del seguro del grupo de empleador? ¿Tiene usted el alcance de cuidado Médico en el lugar? ¿Es usted actualmente que trabaja por cuenta propia? Si usted es uno de los muchos Americanos cae bajo estas categorías, muy probable un plan de seguro de enfermedad no está fácilmente disponible a sus puntas del dedo. De modo que usted debe salir en su propio y comprar una política del seguro médico privado.
Con los avances tecnológicos que preparando el terreno la mayoría de las corredurías del seguro ahora le ofrece planes de salud en el Internet. Allí usted podrá ver centenares de varios programas del seguro de portadores competitivos de seguro. En muchos casos usted puede ver el lado diferente de planes por el lado e incluso solicitar estos programas por formas seguras en el internet, todo al beborrotear un café del consuelo de su hogar. La mayoría de las personas hacen la pregunta.. ¿Cómo escojo yo el Plan correcto de Seguro de enfermedad para la Familia o para yo mismo?
¿Qué trae consigo esto? La mayoría de los individuos al hacer de compras para el seguro de enfermedad en el Internet parece ser informado con el programa más barato que ellos ven primero. ¿Es esto generalmente el programa ellos compran o deben estar mirando? Probablemente no, pero parece esa naturaleza humana insistirá que la mayoría de las personas quieran obtener por con el plan más barato. ¿Cuántas veces han sido preguntados un agente de seguro o corredor, Cómo obtengo yo el mejor plan en el precio más barato? ¿Adivino que una pregunta retórica buena sería, manejaría usted un Lexus o un Yugo? La última línea, como con cualquier otro producto en un mercado manejado de consumo, usted obtiene lo que usted paga por. Seguro usted puede obtener un plan barato, pero muy probable usted no será feliz una vez es tiempo de tener los reclamos pagados. Cercióresele apenas viene a la decisión educada de algún tipo a comprar su programa de seguro de enfermedad.
¿El restringir qué Plan de Seguro de enfermedad para comprar?
El primer paso a escoger un plan de seguro de enfermedad es de tomar una decisión en si usted querría un plan básico o completo.
Características de un plan básico, deducible, basado o tradicional de la salud:
Un deducible debe ser encontrado antes de las pagas de la compañía de seguros fuera cualquier reclamo para el año común (cyd). Esto significa que usted paga todo con su propio dinero hasta que el deducible haya sido encontrado. Deducible podría recorrer de $500-$10,000
El más alto deducible usted escoge, la más económica su prima será, y el
más bajo deducible lo hará más costoso.
El riesgo sencillo y recompensa el guión.
El coaseguro podría ser 100%, 80%, 50% de Coaseguro es el porcentaje que o usted paga o las pagas de la compañía de seguros después de que su deducible haya sido encontrado Fuera de máximo de bolsillo podría ser $0, $2500, $5.000
Su fuera de máximo de bolsillo
variaría basado en el nivel de coaseguro del plan que usted escoge.
El Máximo de la Vida de la política podría ser $1,000,000, $2,000,000, $3,000,000, $5.000.000
Esto sería la cantidad de dinero el certificado de la política pagaría para la vida del alcance. $3.000.000 serían una gran elección, pero no bajarían esa figura Basic, los planes
deducibles, basados ni tradicionales de la salud son muy fáciles de entender. Usted podría comparar este tipo del plan a su seguro de automóvil deducible.
Q: ¿Tiene usted un seguro de automóvil deducible? Un: Sí
Q: ¿Si su coche valió $20.000 y usted tuvo un deducible de $1.000 le qué pagaría su compañía de seguro de automóvil a cambio de ese coche si totalizado? Un: $19.000
How do we insure America? The gap between high medical costs and affordable health insurance seems to be widening. It seems the solution for many government policy experts and corporate America officials would be to start with the younger population and work up from there. Although they believe that the 57 million people in this country without health insurance is not a good thing, that we must start with the more than 10million uninsured children.
You could then add the four million college students, who do not have insurance, but they are usually not the individuals using health insurance, they tend to be young and healthy. Do they really need health insurance?
Follow that idea up with the 1.5 million or so uninsured people in households with total income at least $80,000, who are perhaps in a position to purchase insurance, but seem to think the big car payment is a better choice. Health insurance should be mandatory just as your car insurance -- if insurance became mandatory and if a market for affordable personal policies were created, we would then have something else to complain about.
These are some of the different ideas arising from corporate America, as change in the nation's health insurance system seems increasingly to become a political objective. The insurance marketplace is a huge industry in America and comprises a large part of our economy. Would universal healthcare make everything better? Or would millions of people lose their jobs?
Big Employers are much of what is holding the nation's piecemeal health care system together and have been very standoffish to having the government take a bigger role in medical coverage. The rise in costs for providing health insurance -- partly because of the costs imposed on the medical system by individuals with no insurance at all - have many people and their colleagues thinking that they are starting to overhaul the system.
Will these frustrations become larger? Will we have universal healthcare? What is the solution to this ever-growing problem? We can ask these types of questions all day long. Does the current system work for individuals and employers? Only time will tell as this has turned into the largest domestic issue on the table for our country.
Para Lectores españoles
¿Cómo aseguramos nosotros América? El espacio entre costos médicos altos y seguro de enfermedad económico parece estar ensanchando. Parece la solución para muchos expertos de la política y funcionarios corporativos de América serían de empezar con la población y el trabajo más jóvenes arriba de allí. Aunque ellos crean que el 57 millones de personas en este país sin seguro de enfermedad no son una cosa buena, que debemos empezar con los más de 10 millones niños no asegurado.
Usted entonces podría agregar a los cuatro millones estudiantes colegiales, que no tienen el seguro, pero ellos generalmente no son los individuos que utilizan seguro de enfermedad, ellos tienden a ser jóvenes y sano. ¿Necesitan realmente ellos seguro de enfermedad? Siga esa idea con las 1,5 millón más o menos personas no asegurado en casas con ingresos totales por lo menos $80.000, que son quizás en una posición de comprar el seguro, pero parecer pensar que el pago grande de coche es una mejor elección. El seguro de enfermedad debe ser obligatorio así como su seguro de automóvil -- si el seguro llegó a ser obligatorio y si un mercado para políticas personales económicas fue creado, nosotros entonces tendríamos algo más quejarse acerca de.
Estos son parte de las ideas diferentes que surgen de América corporativa, como el cambio en el sistema de seguro de enfermedad de nación parece llegar a ser cada vez más un objetivo político. El mercado del seguro es una industria inmensa en América y comprende una parte grande de nuestra economía. ¿Haría la asistencia sanitaria universal todo mejor? ¿O perdería millona de personas sus trabajos?
Los Empleadores grandes son mucho de lo que tiene el sistema gradual de asistencia médica de nación junta y ha estado muy reservado a tener el gobierno toma un papel más grande en el alcance médico. La subida en costos para proporcionar seguro de enfermedad -- en parte a causa de los costos impuestos en el sistema médico por individuos con ningún seguro - tiene muchas personas y a sus colegas que piensa que ellos empiezan a arreglar el sistema.
¿Llegarán a ser estas frustraciones más grande? ¿Tendremos nosotros asistencia sanitaria universal? ¿Qué es la solución a este problema creciente? ¿Podemos preguntar estos tipos de preguntas todo el día. Hace el trabajo actual de sistema para individuos y empleadores? Sólo el tiempo puede decirlo como esto se ha vuelto el asunto doméstico más grande sobre la mesa para nuestro país.
Is your Florida Health Insurance a Waste of Your Hard Earned Money?
If you are going to spend money on Florida health insurance you want to make sure of one thing: the value of your policy. Getting your money's worth is very important. If you consider your Florida health insurance a waste of money you are making a big mistake. Ask yourself this question: why would you want to pay for something that does not offer any benefits? You wouldn't. And this holds true when you are shopping for health insurance coverage.
Your Florida health insurance can be considered a waste of money in many cases. For one, if you are spending too much, no matter what coverage you are receiving, it can be seen as a huge waste. Some people simply are not comfortable spending a lot of money on a health insurance policy.
You may also see your policy as a waste if you are not receiving the right benefits. Some Florida health insurance policies offer more in terms of coverage such as in-network providers, deductible, etc. Are you getting good value in the area of coverage?
Buying Florida health insurance does not have to be a waste of money. If you don't have coverage through your employer you need to buy a policy; there is no doubt about this. Just remember that you want to spend your money on something that will give you a good return. There are Florida health insurance policies that fit this mold. All you have to do is find the right one.
Soon -- everyone will have health insurance
Here is some good news...Democrats have won nearly total control of the US government, so chances are, Morgan Moran of Florida Health Insurance Web, "all Americans are likely to have health insurance in the future".
The bad news is that the ranks of the uninsured, previously about 46 million, probably will swell by another 5 million to 6 million because of the recession, and a similar number will be added to strained public programs such as Medicaid and SCHIP.
That means the cost of covering everyone will surge far above previous estimates — which were probably low to begin with — of $150 billion a year.
Health-reform plans advanced by President-elect Barack Obama, incoming Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Daschle and congressional leaders such as Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Max Baucus, D-Mont., contain no certain cost-saving mechanism and specifically exclude the one advocated by Republicans: choice-making by individual patient-consumers.
So, it wouldn't be surprising if the 10-year cost of providing insurance to all who need it could be far more than $3 trillion, the figure some conservatives put on buying federal-employee-quality coverage for 45 million people.
Few are seriously advocating imposing a Canadian-style, government-run, single-payer system in one fell swoop, but creation of a Medicare-like option for all Americans could lead to that result, especially if government policy drives up the cost of private insurance.
Democrats such as Rep. Pete Stark (Calif.) want to revive the Clinton-era proposal of allowing people 55 and older to buy into Medicare, another step toward Canadian-style medicine.
Morgan Moran said, "Medicare is more efficient than private insurance, but the fact is, the Medicare system is scheduled to go broke by 2018, and seniors express high satisfaction with one part of Medicare that's private, Part D, the prescription drug benefit."
Democrats are likely to declare war on pharmaceutical companies, the people whose research produces the drugs that save lives and help people avoid costly chronic care.
The purpose is to hold down Medicare costs, make drugs cheaper for seniors and prevent "profiteering" by drug companies. But, in the process, research and discoveries will be stifled. And seniors are likely to balk at having their drug choices restricted.
Need Facts About Health Insurance?
How much you know about your Florida health insurance coverage is important. This is true even if you don't pay for a policy, but receive it as a group benefit through your employer. No matter what you need to know the details that makeup your Florida health insurance, and how they will effect your life.
To learn more about your Florida health insurance all you have to do is take out a copy of your policy. This is something that you should receive when you first sign up for coverage. If you don't have a copy of your Florida health insurance policy you will want to contact your provider at once. If you are involved with Florida group health insurance your company's HR department may be able to help you out with this.
As you go over your policy you may come across some details that surprise you. If there is anything you don't like it is time to make an immediate change. It is one thing to know a lot about your insurance but another entirely to make sure that you have the coverage you want.
If you don't know your Florida health insurance policy very well you can change this in no time at all. Start out by getting a copy of your policy, and from there go over every aspect in detail. Soon enough you will know more about your coverage, what it is all about, and whether you need to make any changes.
Free Tips On How to Find the Right Florida Health Insurance Broker
Finding the right Florida health insurance broker may not be the easiest thing to do. But on the same token, if you know what you are up against and how to move along the process of locating a broker can be easy enough. Don't let the prospects of running into potential issues slow you down or hold you back from finding a Florida health insurance broker who can help you purchase the right policy.
The first step in finding a Florida health insurance broker is deciding that you are in the market for coverage. After all, a broker will not do you any good if you are not shopping for insurance.
Secondly, you need to speak with a couple of brokers before deciding on one. Why is this important? Just like any hire, every broker has their own way of working with clients. You want to be 100 percent sure that you hire the one that you will get along with best.
Finally, don't delay too long. Remember, a broker is simply a middle man between you and the health insurance companies. While you want to hire the right person, you don't want to wait too long to move forward.
With the above steps in mind, albeit simple, you should be on the right path to hiring a Florida health insurance broker. Hopefully you now feel more comfortable about which steps need to be taken in order to hire the right broker.
Help Finding Florida Health Insurance
Comment here--
Your health insurance policy is very important. If you receive benefits through your employer here in Florida, you won't have to think twice about buying coverage on your own. But if you are in charge of buying your own Florida health insurance policy you have to know where to get started and what you are looking for. Many consumers shop on their own, but you should not feel like you have to do this. For many, hiring a professional, such as a Florida health insurance broker, is the best way to find a policy.
The act of hiring help is not difficult. As a consumer the best help you will find is a broker. With a Florida health insurance broker on your team you will be able to rely on them for professional help. This is much better than shopping for a policy and guessing what is best. Your Florida health insurance broker will not only tell you what is best, but they will also go out and find it for you.
Do you need to hire help to find Florida health insurance? Absolutely not. Some consumers feel that shopping without help is the way to go. But if you need somebody on your side you should hire a Florida health insurance broker. They are in the business of making your life easy and ensuring that you buy the right policy. To go along with all these benefits, the fact that you don't have to pay a Florida health insurance broker makes this decision a no-brainer.
Search Google For Florida Insurance -- Free Health Insurance Quote
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