You don’t want to end up being one of those people who upon getting ill finds that he can’t afford to pay the medical bills. And you don’t ever want to be the person who first looks for coverage after an illness. Even if you can manage to get adequate treatment, the expenses are all yours and the illness may well, from that point on, be regarded as a preexisting condition, rendering it, and possibly you as uninsurable.
Uninsured and under-insured people are at risk of losing everything. It doesn’t have to be so. With a little research and a bit of discipline, insurance can be affordable.
Stop wasting your hard earned money on ’stuff’ and invest in something that really matters. There’s nothing better than knowing you’ve invested in security for you and your family. It’s not hard, and it doesn’t have to be expensive.
One of the first things you want to do, before even talking to an insurance agent, is go online. You can actually get company premium quotes right online. They’ll simply ask you some basic questions followed by an instant quote.
Make sure you research and get quotes from as many companies as you can, and also make sure you’re getting quotes that are for the same coverage and plan you need.
Answer the questions honestly and be aware that online quotes are generally based on “preferred “rates. Your agent, once you speak with him, can tell you into which category you and your health falls.
After you find the plan most consistent with your needs and budget go ahead and call the agent associated with that quoting engine.. He can point out the specifics of each plan and provide information far beyond that which you can see in an online quote.
If you are in a real financial crunch – as many of us are these days – at least think about getting some form of basic emergency coverage. Most health insurance companies offer inexpensive insurance, with very low premiums and payments that offer you flexibility. Plans with very high deductibles, with no bells and whistles, but with catastrophic coverage can at least protect you and your family from total financial ruin should a medical emergency come your way.
Staying healthy and not smoking is also a big plus when looking for health insurance coverage. Carriers know that people living an unhealthy way of life will need much more medical care than someone who is healthy. They adjust rates accordingly. The healthier you are, and the statistically less likely you are to need the coverage, the lower your premiums.
By: William Tuning
Posts Tagged ‘Preexisting Condition’
Health Insurance – Avoid Disaster Painlessly
February 1st, 2010Health Insurance For Someone With Pre-Existing Conditions
November 11th, 2009
If you have you been rated up or declined for health insurance it’s probably because you have a pre-existing condition.
Thousands of uninsured, underinsured and uninsurable individuals are facing serious health issues like heart disease, heart attack, diabetes, cancer, stroke, liver disease, AIDS, pregnancy, depression and kidney disease. Any of these pre existing conditions can cause them to be declined for health coverage. Today, you may even be declined if you are over-weight.
It’s a real challenge obtaining health insurance for someone with pre existing conditions. However, before we get ahead of ourselves, here are some questions we need to address.
What is a pre-existing condition?
A pre-existing condition is any injury or sickness for which diagnosis has been made, treatment has been recommended, treatment has been rendered, or expenses have been incurred within a set amount of months prior to the effective date of coverage (usually 3, 6 or 12 months and this can vary by state). It includes any condition manifesting itself in symptoms which would cause a prudent person to seek medical advice.
What is a pre-existing condition exclusion period?
Insurance companies try to discourage people from waiting until they get sick to purchase medical insurance. This is accomplished by imposing what is known as a preexisting condition exclusion period. This simply means, if you have a medical problem which exists at the time you purchase insurance, the insurer will deny the claims pertaining to that medical problem for a certain period of time.
The rules governing preexisting condition exclusion periods in individual health policies vary widely from state to state and are very much different from the rules of an employer-sponsored plan. If you have or recently have had health coverage, you may be able to apply this creditable coverage to offset a preexisting condition exclusion period.
Why all the hoopla over a pre-existing condition?
The biggest stumbling block with private individual medical insurance is the problem with preexisting conditions. Plain and simple… insurance companies don’t like preexisting conditions. They know in the long run… it will cost them more money to insure you. Frankly, insurers prefer to insure people who are not very likely to need the insurance.
But stop and think! Who doesn’t have some kind of health or medical issue? It may be something as simple as asthma or as complex as cancer. Some pre-existing conditions can be managed and these individuals can live a relatively healthy and normal life.
Yet, insurers can and do turn down “high risks” individuals for coverage because of an existing or previous illness. Even if coverage is found, the premiums charged are often unaffordable. Sometimes the individual may end up with a modified policy paying more because of their medical history or having to take a policy that excludes their pre existing conditions.
Are there things I can do to get healthcare coverage?
Here are some choices for obtaining health coverage. See if any apply to your situation.
(1). Employer-sponsored group health plan
(2). Join a professional organization (e.g. Chamber of Commerce)
(3). Individual health insurance
(4). State risk pool (if one exist in your state)
(5). Discount health cards
(6). Guaranteed Issue Health Insurance
Whether covered by insurance or by some other means, the total cost of health insurance for someone with pre existing conditions is high enough to dramatically impact that person’s lifestyle.
Today it is important for all of us to lead a healthy lifestyle. However, if you already have a preexisting condition that is keeping you from getting affordable health coverage, you should investigate the 6 options listed above to see which would work best for you.
By: Rudy Wilson
