Health Spas Guide » Doctors

No Cost Or Low Cost Alternatives For Individual & Family Health Insurance

admin — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:18:40 +0000

Many individuals and families have taken a big hit over the past couple of years because of the high cost of health insurance coverage. Many small businesses that used to be able to provide individual and family health insurance have had no choice but to discontinue offering benefits because the costs were simply too much for them to pay. This has left many people without health coverage and without a lot of option either. If this has happened to you or someone you know, here are a few simple options that might help you out at some point.

#1. Buy private insurance. I understand how expensive this can be. If you do this you may want to consider just carrying a high deductible and paying cash for doctor visits. By raising your deductible you’ll lower your monthly payments by quite a bit. As I said, this is only an option.

#2. Try to find a doctor that will see you for a lower fee in exchange for cash. This is not out of the question at all. Many doctors have to wait several weeks before they are reimbursed for certain insurance claims so even if you had to see someone on a space available basis it might be worth your time to look into it. I know that this is fairly common in smaller towns in some parts of the country.

#3. Don’t be afraid or ashamed to seek public assistance by either applying for government aid or by visiting a free clinic. Hey, you can think whatever you want of me personally, but if one of my children are sick that pride nonsense goes out the window. If I or my wife were sick and were unable to see a doctor we wouldn’t be able to provide for our kids. If you’re a single person then you need a helping hand to get back on your feet. Folks, we’ve got to stick together, especially now. Don’t be passing judgment on anyone that needs help because they or their kids are sick or hungry.

#4. Veterans should visit the closest VA Hospital or clinic. You don’t have to be combat related to be seen and you may qualify for health care at no charge if you are without income, low income or have no insurance.

There may be other alternatives available within your community that you could look into. The best thing that I can recommend other than what I already have is to grab a few free family health insurance quotes online and see what you can come up with there. You just never know what might fit into your budget.

By: Joe Stewart

Filing a Health Insurance Claim

admin — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 20:12:13 +0000

In addition, recent increases in health care costs make it all the more essential to file health insurance claims in a timely fashion, making sure that the insured receives all the payments due to them. Thankfully, several relatively simple measures can greatly reduce the complexity and frustration of filing a health insurance claim.

Useful Tips:

• When possible, allow your the doctor’s office to file your health insurance claim. Most reputable doctors are already set up to file insurance claims and accept the amount paid by the insurance firm.

• When filing your insurance claims, be certain to give the insurance firm all the required details. Any missing information postpones the claims process. If you are required to give an itemized report, remember to include the diagnosis report, service information (description, charges, location, and date), correct insurance numbers, and the hospital and/or doctor’s name.

• Complete the process of filing a health insurance claim as soon as possible. Do not allow claims to accumulate until year’s end, and never wait for a claim to be paid before filing the next claim.

• When filing a health insurance claim under group coverage, discuss the claim with your group health representative, if possible.

• When claims encounter problems, handle them with a written complaint to your health insurance firm, rather than via telephone. This creates a paper trail that ensures both parties remember the information at hand.

• Most importantly, don’t get anxious. If you’re self-confident, aggressive and determined, you’ll easily handle any problems encountered while dealing with your insurance company

By: Richard Cantu

Health Insurance 101 Explained

admin — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 10:59:36 +0000

We all understand the importance of health insurance; however, as the types of health insurance continue to increase it is becoming more and more difficult to select the type of coverage that is best for you and your family. To help you find out which type of policy might benefit you the most, let’s take a look at the most common types of policies.

There is usually a lot of hype regarding HMOs so let’s look at that one first. A HMO is a health maintenance organization plan that works with a specified group of doctors and hospitals within the network. A primary healthcare physician is selected and you must obtain referrals for care that cannot be provided by that physician. The benefits of this type of plan are lower office visit costs and prescription drug co-pays. In addition, there will typically be either no or limited deductible costs for hospital stays. Depending on your coverage, there may also be no pre-existing condition cause limitations. It is also important to understand that your choice of doctors and hospitals will be limited with a HMO and you won’t be able to have out of network services covered.

A PPO or Preferred Provider Organization works similar to a HMO; however, the major difference is that you are not required to select a primary care physician. In addition to the benefit of being free to choose your own physician without worrying about a referral you also gain the benefit of limited or no deductible costs for hospital stays as well as a possible larger selection of physicians that might be available with a HMO. Out of network services may also be covered; however, for a higher charge than in network services.

A POS, or Point of Service, is also similar to a HMO in that you select a primary care physician. The difference is that you are free to choose out of network treatment if you’re willing to pay a higher out of pocket cost.
Another option is what is known as a traditional coverage policy. This type of policy will have a higher monthly premium as well as deductibles. In addition, you will generally be required to pay for services out of your own pocket up front and then submit claim reimbursement forms.

You may also wish to consider various types of disability plans, which cover a percentage of your income in the event that you experience an illness or accident that prevents you from working for a period of time. A short term disability plan will provide benefits from the first day of an accident or the eighth day of an illness up to 26 weeks. Generally, this type of plan will cover 66% of your weekly income.

Long term disability will begin after short term coverage has expired and will provide coverage for a variable term, depending on the policy you select. Some policies are limited to providing coverage up to two years while others will cover you up to the age of 65.

By: Joseph Kenny

Personal Health Information – Keeping Tabs On Your Health In Texas

admin — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:33:51 +0000

Your personal health information — do you know who has it or where to find it in Dallas, Houston or in the other Texas cities where you have lived? Do you have it? In most cases, a complete record of all of your personal health information can’t be found at any single location or in any consistent format. Each one of your healthcare providers (family practitioner, allergist, OB-GYN, etc.) compiles a separate medical record on you. And often times, these multiple medical records can lead to an incomplete story about your health.

Keeping your own personal health record (PHR) provides doctors with valuable information that can help improve the quality of care you receive. A PHR can minimize or eliminate duplicate tests. It can also help you receive faster, safer treatment and care in an emergency. In short, with a PHR, you can play a more active role in your healthcare.

Starting a Personal Health Record

Your health information is scattered across many different providers and facilities. A Personal Health Record is a collection of this information about your health or the health of someone you are caring for, such as a parent or child that you would actively maintain and update. The information comes from your healthcare providers, and most importantly, from you.

Why Start a PHR?

Your own PHR should provide a different perspective, showing all your health-related information. It can include any information that you think might affect your health, including information that your doctor may not have, such as your exercise routines, dietary habits, or glucose levels if you are diabetic.

In addition, the PHR is a critical tool that enables you to partner with your providers. It can reduce or eliminate duplicate procedures or processes, which can save healthcare dollars, as well as your time and the provider’s time.

What Should be in Your PHR?

When collecting information from your health records, make sure you include:

* Personal identification, including names, birth dates, and social security numbers

* Emergency contacts

* Names, addresses, and phone numbers of your physician, dentist, and other specialists

* Health insurance information

* Living wills and advance directives

* Organ donor authorization

* A list and dates of significant illnesses and surgeries

* Current medications and dosages

* Immunizations and their dates

* Allergies

* Important events, dates, and hereditary conditions in your family history

* A recent physical examination

* Opinions of specialists

* Important tests results

* Eye and dental records

* Correspondence between you and your provider(s)

* Correspondence between you and your health insurance company

* Permission forms for release of information, operations, and other medical procedures

* Any information you want to include about your health – such as your exercise regimen, any herbal medications you take and any counseling you may receive.

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a PHR

Young, healthy people move, often frequently. Therefore you are likely to have health records scattered over all over Texas and beyond. Remember the flu last year in Dallas? And the routine exam three years ago in Houston? Keeping your own personal health record (PHR) provides new and existing doctors with valuable information that can help improve the quality of care you receive.

To start your personal health record, you will need to request a copy of your health records from all your healthcare providers, including your general practitioner, and your eye doctor, dentist, and any other specialists you have seen. Don’t feel that you need to gather all your health information at the same time. One way to handle your record retrieval is to ask for your recent records each time you visit a healthcare provider.

Incorporate the following steps, at your own pace, when creating your own personal health record:

1. Contact your doctors’ offices, the health information management (HIM) or the medical records staff at each facility where you have received treatment. Ask if your records are in an electronic format that you can access, or if you need to request copies. Also, ask your physician or the HIM professional to help you determine which parts of your record you need. Furthermore, find out if your provider has his or her own plan for helping patients to create their PHRs.

2. Ask for an “authorization for the release of information” form. Complete the form and return it to the facility as directed. Most facilities charge for copies. The fee should only include the cost of copying (including supplies and labor), as well as postage if you request the copy to be mailed. It can take up to 60 days to receive your medical records, so ask when you can expect to receive the information you’ve requested.

3. Now that you’ve gathered your information, there are a few different ways you can maintain your PHR. One way is to simply gather your information in a file folder. Not all information may be available to you in an electronic format, so an old-fashioned file folder or three-ring binder may be the easiest and most inclusive format. You can divide the binder into sections by family members. Then, within each family member’s section, divide information by year or illness.

4. There are many great digital PHR tools and services to help you get organized. You can burn data onto a CD. Also, portable devices, like keychain USB drives that plug into most computers, will make your PHR information extremely portable. There are also Internet-based services where you can store and retrieve your health information, including services which may be sponsored by your insurance company. Some services even help collect your data from your doctors and other healthcare providers.

Some of these digital PHR tools may be available free of charge and others are products or services you will need to purchase or pay a subscription fee to use.

5. Bring your PHR to all healthcare provider visits so that you have the information with you. And remember to keep adding and updating it with entries from providers, yourself, or your family member.

6. Because you won’t always have your PHR with you, create and carry a card that has vital information on it—such as medications or allergies—with you at all times.

7. Remember, this private information is yours and your family’s, so protect it and maintain its confidentiality. Let trusted family members know it exists, and where it’s being kept, but beyond that, keep it safe and protected.

Knowledge is power and your Personal Health Record can certainly empower you. The information gathered gives you information you can use when preparing for medical appointments. And it gives you more intimate knowledge of your healthcare, including giving you an active role in your preventive care and care management.

It’s easier to start gathering your medical records while you’re a young, healthy Texan compared to when you’re older and have a more complex medical history. Start with your parents and work your way up to your current healthcare providers.

With your PHR in hand, you will then want insurance to help with the costs when you need to visit physicians or have an unexpected hospitalization. Why not take a look at the revolutionary comprehensive individual health insurance solutions created by Precedent specifically for young, healthy individuals? Precedent offers affordable, individual health plans,. For more information, visit us at our website, [http://www.precedent.com]. We offer a unique and innovative suite of individual health insurance solutions, including highly competitive HSA-qualified plans, and an unparalleled “real time” application and acceptance experience.

By: Patt Carpenter