Health Spas Guide » Department Of Insurance

Affordable, Low Cost Health Insurance

admin — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 13:24:44 +0000

There are several ways you can obtain affordable, low cost health insurance. If you’re employed, your employer may offer a group health insurance plan for employees. Married individuals can usually opt to be covered under their spouses’ health insurance – their children can be covered, too. If you belong to a club or organization, you may be able to take advantage of group medical benefits offered by the club or organization. Of course, you may be able to afford an individual health insurance plan.

However, if none of these apply to you, and purchasing an individual health insurance plan isn’t a financial option, perhaps it’s time to contact your state’s department of insurance. Most state’s in America offer some sort of medical benefits package to residents who can’t otherwise afford an affordable, low cost health insurance plan. Or, perhaps you can afford to purchase an individual health insurance plan, but are continually denied coverage due to a pre-existing health condition. Some states also offer health insurance plans for individuals in this situation, too.

Each state sets forth its own criteria for state-sponsored health care coverage eligibility. You may need to meet certain financial requirements, i.e., not make enough money to be considered able to purchase your own health insurance plan. You may need to have a certain number of individuals in your household, or you may need to have a certain number of dependents. If you’re looking into a state-sponsored health care program because you haven’t had success finding an independent health insurance plan due to a pre-existing health condition, you may need to show proof of a certain number of attempts before your state considers you eligible.

Remember, regardless of whether you’re eligible for affordable, low cost health insurance from your state’s health care program, your child or children may be eligible. Always find out your state’s criteria for children eligibility, and make sure your children have adequate health coverage.

By: Elizabeth Newberry

Barack Obama’s Health Care Plan

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:54:33 +0000

Barack Obama’s ambitious health care plan is fairly simple and straightforward. His plan seeks to dramatically and swiftly increase the number of people that have health insurance. He insists that this plan will save the typical American family approximately $2500 in annual costs. Since the average Ohio premium is less than most other states, savings to Ohio residents may average less than $2500.

The plan is designed to give the federal government more control over medical decisions and dollars, a major difference from the current decentralized system of employer-based insurance and state-based insurance regulation. Here in Ohio, health insurers have been effectively held in check by the Ohio Department of Insurance. This, however, is not the case in many other states.

The Obama Plan

Many parts of the Obama plan resemble initiatives from the Clinton health plan of 1994 and the Kerry Health plan of 2004.
Essentially, Obama’s health care plan is divided into three sections:

1. Modernizing the US health care system to lower costs and improve quality
2. Promoting prevention and strengthening public health
3. Quality, portable and affordable health coverage for every person

The “Savings”

The $2500 in savings will come from health care reform, using some of the following initiatives:

*Making medical insurance universal, which may reduce spending on uncompensated care.
*Improving management and prevention of chronic conditions.
*Increasing insurance industry competition and reducing underwriting costs and profits.
*Providing reinsurance for catastrophic coverage, which will reduce insurance premiums.

Shifting Cost Burden

While all of these ideas are feasible, the underlying theme seems to be simply shifting some of the cost burden from the private sector to the government. And of course, much more control of our health dollars and decisions would come from Washington D.C and not Anthem or UnitedHealthCare.

The plan will actually compete directly with Ohio private insurance companies in a “National Health Insurance Exchange.” The federal government (not health insurance carriers) would determine the quality of benefits that Americans would receive. And these new rules would apply to both the new national health plan and all participating private health plans.

Preventative Coverage Would Be Emphasized

Obama’s health care plan will encourage “healthy lifestyles” with specific emphasis on wellness. Employer wellness programs will be increased, and cafeterias and vending machines in the workplace may see healthier food.

School-based health screening programs may increase along with increased support for physical education.

For Ohio individuals and families, the Obama plan would require preventative services on many federally-supported programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP. One benefit may be possible discounts to on health insurance premiums for enrollment in wellness and prevention programs.

Currently, some Ohio individual health insurance policies offer a similar discount, such as Anthem’s Lumenos Health Incentive Account (HIA).

Ohio Group Health Insurance

Employer-based health insurance would radically change under the Obama plan. Here in Ohio, both small and large employers are able to choose among many different plans for their employees. The Obama plan would force employers to offer a specific level of health benefits to their employees or pay a tax to finance a national health program. Currently, the amount of provided health benefits and the size of the tax have not been specifically discussed.

Perhaps the best and most economical health insurance plan for Ohio residents would be a concept already in place…HSAs (Health Savings Accounts). Thus, instead of imposing a top-down change on the health care system, it would seem to be prudent to transfer direct control of medical dollars to individuals and families. This would allow Americans to choose their own health plans and benefits, while making health insurance companies compete directly for consumer’s dollars by providing a real value to patients.

All of this could be accomplished by specific tax and regulatory changes designed to utilize the power of free-market competition. Health care spending could be reduced, preventative treatment could be emphasized and portability could be promoted. Reforming the tax treatment of health insurance and aiding employers that help their employees buy health insurance would help quite a bit.

For now, Ohio health insurance rates are remarkably low compared to many other states. There are many reputable insurance companies that offer a wide array of policies, including Health Savings Accounts. That shouldn’t change much for the next two years. In 2011, things might change…hopefully, for the better.

By: Ed Harris

Affordable Health Insurance in Houston, Texas

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 01:24:49 +0000

Houston, Texas provides many things to many people. Museums, fairs, marathons, festivals – you name it, and Houston, Texas has it. Not only can you find fun, but you can also find safety. How? Residents are able to find affordable health insurance in Houston, Texas, too.

Fortunately, Texans have several options when searching for affordable health insurance in Houston, Texas. Try following these steps.

Continue your health insurance with COBRA. If you are a Houston, Texas resident who has lost his job, COBRA (otherwise known as the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986) should be the first alternative you consider. Under COBRA, Houston, Texas residents can remain covered by their former employer-sponsored health insurance for up to 18 months after they have lost their jobs.

Not covered under COBRA? Texas has certain health insurance continuation rights for those residents who are either not eligible for COBRA, or who have maxed out their time being covered under COBRA. The health insurance continuation rights allow you to stay covered under the same health insurance policy for another six months.

Exhausted your COBRA benefits and state continuation rights? Perhaps it is time to look at the Texas Health Insurance Risk Pool. If you have reached your limit of COBRA benefits as well as your health insurance state continuation rights, you may be eligible for the Texas Health Insurance Risk Pool. Of course, you must have maintained some form of health insurance for the previous 18 months, and no break in coverage can be longer than periods of 63 days.

Feeling too financially stressed for any of the above options? Look into the TexCare Partnership, which offers affordable health insurance to Texans based on family size and income.

For more information about these ways to obtain affordable health insurance in Houston, Texas, contact the Texas Department of Insurance. You may even find that you are eligible for other means of affordable health insurance, too.

By: Elizabeth Newberry

Alabama Health Insurance – Beware This Isn’t Health Insurance

admin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:15:00 +0000

Because the cost of health insurance is on the increase nationwide, residents of Alabama are also in a desperate search for low cost health insurance. However, it is wise to bear in mind the fact that not everything out there qualifies as health insurance. I’ll show you what they are and their true uses and what amounts to real Alabama health insurance. Finally, I will show you how you can make the most savings.

Discount health care plans are great. However they should never be looked at as an alternative to health insurance — They are only supplemental in nature. Here are a few reasons…

1) You are still responsible for all medical bills you incur. They, however, provide medical discount services.

2) The Alabama Department of Insurance does not regulate these plans. This means that you’re on your own if you have a dispute with an Alabama discount health provider. But if you get a real health insurance plan, you can rest assured that you’ll have recourse from the Alabama Department of Insurance.

Do these mean that Alabama discount services are worthless? Far from that. I’m just trying to put things in proper perspective. You can’t get a discount health plan and wave good buy to an insurance health plan. If you can afford it, get both. Here’s how you can save enough to get both without changing your budget…

Hopefully you have other insurance policies: Auto, home, etc. Now, take out about 30 minutes to visit at least three insurance quotes sites and make sure you input the same information in all three. You’ll get quotes from up to 5 A rated insurance companies if you use the right quotes sites.

Do this for each policy: Auto, home, health and any other you already have. Compare your results. You’ll see companies that offer comparable plans for less. Make sure you understand what is truly covered (You don’t want to be shortchanged). Some lucky folks have been able to shave off a few thousand dollars from their insurance costs this way.

By: Chimezirim Chinecherem Odimba

How to Compare Low Cost Health Insurance in Georgia

admin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 20:26:51 +0000

The Georgia Department of Insurance should be one stop you make on your road to finding low cost health insurance. The state can confirm to a consumer whether or not a particular insurance company is licensed to do business in the state. They can also provide that same information as it pertains to individual insurance agents. This is something that every consumer should look into before finalizing their decision to purchase a policy.

Consumers should also take some time to research the various companies that do offer health insurance. It may be tempting to call one company, receive what seems like a reasonable quote, and then purchase a policy from them. Although this certainly takes much of the headache of purchasing low cost health insurance away, it rarely will result in you finding the lowest price. Instead gather a few quotes, and then carefully review them before making a decision.

It’s also advisable to consider other qualifying factors when you are choosing health insurance. The claims process for health insurance can be tricky. Some companies will even refuse to pay a claim if the form isn’t filled out correctly. For this reason, ask your insurance agent about the process of making a claim and how long it generally takes to receive reimbursement. This will give you a good idea of how easy the company is to work with. You can even request a sample claim form so you can review it to see how complicated or detailed it truly is.

Also, don’t rest on your laurels once you do find a good plan. It never hurts to recheck prices every few months and this is especially important if your health or family situation changes. You want to ensure that you are always receiving the lowest price possible for your health insurance needs.

By: Deborah Mills