Center for Health Insurance Advocacy

Insurance - All the Basics

2009-01-30T05:06:00.000-06:00

Author: D. David Dugan

What is insurance? Insurance is a means of providing protection against financial loss in a great variety of situations. It is a contract in which one party agrees to pay for another party's financial loss resulting from a specified event. Insurance works on the principal of sharing losses. If you wish to be insured, against any type of loss, agree to make regular payments, called premiums, to an insurance company. In return, the company gives you a contract, the insurance policy. The company promises to pay a certain sum of money for the type of loss stated in the policy.

History Insurance is thousands of years old. The Code of Hammurabi, a collection of Babylonian laws of 1700BC, is believed to be the first form of credit insurance. A borrower did not have to repay a loan if personal misfortune made it impossible to do so. Insurance as we know it today can be traced to the Great Fire of London in 1666, which devoured 13,200 houses. In the aftermath of this disaster, Nicholas Barbon opened an office to insure buildings.

Types of Insurance Insurance generally covers situations involving pure risk - that is, situations in which only losses can occur. Such situations include fire, floods and accidents. People also buy insurance to cover unusual types of financial losses like, a dancer might insure her legs against injury. There are mainly three types of insurance policies sold: 1. Life Insurance A life insurance policy provides that the insurance company will pay a certain amount when the person dies. This may be paid in a lump sum or in installments to the beneficiary [people named by the policyholder to receive the death benefit]. Some types of life insurance policies also enable policyholders to save money. Such policies have a cash value. A policyholder may borrow money against the cash value or surrender the policy for its cash value.

Annuities These are savings plans sold by insurance companies to provide a fixed and regular retirement income. If the annuitant [owner of the annuity] dies before receiving the guaranteed number of payments, the insurance company must continue the payments to the beneficiary.

Dividends Some insurance policies refund part of the premiums in the form of dividends. Such policies are called participating policies. An insurance company pays dividends if the money it collected in premiums exceeds the amount needed to pay benefits and administrative costs. Dividends may also include a share of the profits the company earned on investments made with premium funds. Dividends are most commonly paid on life insurance.

2. Private Health Insurance Health insurance pays all or part of the cost of hospitalization, surgery, laboratory tests, medicines, and other medical care. The rising cost of medical care has increased the need for adequate health insurance. You could suffer a major financial hardship without such coverage, especially in case of a serious illness or accident. Dental insurance is one of the fastest-growing types of health insurance. It helps pay for a wide variety of dental services.

3. Property & Liability Insurance Individuals and businesses buy property and liability insurance to protect their assets against financial loss. Property insurance provides direct compensation if a policyholder's possessions are damaged, destroyed, or lost as a result of perils. Liability insurance protects individuals and businesses against possible financial losses if their actions result in bodily injury to others or in harm to property owned by others. The main types of individual coverage are: * Homeowners Insurance This provides protection against losses from damages to an owner's home and its contents.

* Automobile Insurance This is the most widely purchased and most important kinds of insurance. Drivers are legally responsible for any costs arising from accidents they cause. This insurance protects a policyholder against financial losses from accidents.

Financial viability of Insurance Companies Financial stability and strength of the insurance company should be a major consideration when purchasing an insurance contract. An insurance premium paid currently provides coverage for losses that might arise many years in the future. For that reason, the viability of the insurance carrier is very important. In recent years, a number of insurance companies have become insolvent, leaving their policyholders with no coverage (or coverage only from a government-backed insurance pool with less attractive payouts for losses).

How Insurance Is Sold Most insurance companies sell policies through agents. Exclusive agents are employees of an insurance company who sell only that company's policies. Independent agents sell policies for several companies.

About the author: David Dugan is a contributing author to the insurance information site http://insurance.divinfo.com / , a site that has information on auto, homeowners, life, pet and many other kinds of insurance as well as the retirement site http://retirement.divinfo.co m .

We Cannot Do Without A Health Insurance Plan

2009-01-29T05:07:00.000-06:00

Author: Roland Gary Jones

Health insurance plan is a plan which is taken by the individuals either for themselves or for their children, wife or any other relative of his individually or all in one with a family health insurance plan.

Health insurance in today's world has become an absolute necessity. These days many people are falling prey to the worsening living conditions. It is difficult to arrange the total cost of the incident when it occurs because of two reasons firstly a big amount is hard to arrange on a short notice. Secondly it may be out of your reach.

Health insurance plan is now days easily available to the people who are looking for them with so many organizations looking to cater as many people as possible you are sure to get a deal best suited to your requirements.

People who do not have a health insurance plan in place already can get the health insurance plan availed and you can choose one among the following which suits you the best. The plan options available to you are:

* Fee for service insurance - this is a traditional type of health insurance plan in this plan what the insured person needs to do is to pay some amount by him and some amount is done by the insurers. These cover the costs like hospital visits and the visit to the doctors.

* Managed care plans also known as preferred provider organization or health management organization in this you pay monthly premiums on a regular basis and when the need comes and you use the service you pay the minimal costs known as the co pay costs usually ranging between £10 - £15. This method is cheaper than the other options.

* COBRA this is a federal option provided by the government to the people living in USA with this you can cover your other needs as well if the need be.

People can choose their plan with any of these scheme they can also take the advice of the broker which will further help them in getting a plan perfectly appropriate. The broker can help you decide in choosing a policy like a guaranteed renewable or a non cancelable one.

People with pre existing conditions which include things like illness before moving on with the contract find it difficult to get health insurance plans. However they can get other services like temporary coverage, HIPAA or state requirements.

Health insurance plan is something that a person cannot do without these days, it is an absolute must. You never know what might happen next moment so if you are still without a health insurance plan you should definitely reconsider your position.

About the author: Roland Gary Jones is associated with Advance Health Quotes.To find Health Insurance,Health Insurance plan,Affordable health insurance visit http://www.advanceheal thquotes.com/

Health Insurance A Necessity Of Life

2009-01-28T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Roland Gary Jones

Not everything in life goes smoothly or as we expect it to. That is why it is important that we should always be careful. Insurance of any kind is important to cover up for the uncertainties that may occur in future.

However the insurance that is most important to have is the health insurance as we can afford not to have the other insurances but the absence of health insurance can prove to be fatal not only for us but also for people around us as well.

There are different types of health insurance policies person who wants to get insured can choose the policy suits them the best. The two main types of policies are

1. Free - for - service insurance also known as indemnity insurance this is a traditional type of health insurance that pays the portion of each medical service you get like doctor's visit and hospital stays while you pay the remaining costs. Premiums are higher than the other policies.

2. Managed care plans also known as HMO's (health management organizations) or PPO's (preferred provider organization). In this case the health insurance company has a contract with doctors and hospitals to provide you service. In this type of health insurance you pay monthly premiums and a small amount per visit called co pay. You can use the advice of other doctors as well by paying a higher amount of co pay.

The best way to go in for the health insurance is through a broker. You can choose your broker depending upon your requirements. A broker can get you a good health insurance policy as well as give you information on several key features of the policy in general. Like:

* What is the monthly premium? * Is the policy guaranteed renewable/non cancelable or just guaranteed renewable? * Are premium rates based on age of attaining the policy or using the features of policy? * Does the plan pay for catastrophic medical costs?

You can answers to all the questions and more if you take the help of the brokers in your health insurance policies.

The health insurance organizations offer you different deductibles with larger the deductible the lower the monthly installments. You can choose a deductible of 50% to 80%. It all depends on your conditions.

Individuals with pre existing conditions for example, they have a health problem before going in for health insurance find it difficult to get health insurance coverage. However depending on your state you can choose any of the following policies. They are: open enrollment, health insurance provability and accountability act (HIPAA), high risk pools or temporary coverage.

The borrowers can choose from the myriad of resources that deal in health insurance.

Life is uncertain that's why it is essential that we have insurances with us and every member of our family to live life with a reasonable amount of certainty. Also health insurance has plenty of features which help us in times that we feel a little vulnerable. So it is important that we go for a policy of health insurance.

About the author: Roland Gary Jones is associated with Advance Health Quotes.To find Health Insurance,Health Insurance plan,Affordable health insurance visit http://www.advanceheal thquotes.com/

Estimate Your Requirement With A Free Health Insurance Quote

2009-01-27T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Roland Gary Jones

Health insurance is an important aspect of life and it should not be over looked just because you do not have proper knowledge of the topic and how to deal with that. Never the less now even that problem of yours is solved as well with the free heath insurance quote.

A free health insurance quote is something that can help you estimate how and what you need to do while looking for health insurance.

With so many different options as regards to choosing policies available it sometimes becomes difficult to estimate as what could be ideal for us. That is where we can use these free health insurance quotes to their optimum. A health insurance quote used well can save the users plenty of money when it comes to paying of monthly premiums.

The policies that the users can get nowadays are the following:

Fee for services it is a traditional type of health insurance policy. Where you pay a percentage of the cost and it has higher monthly premiums. So a health insurance quote will definitely help people in choosing a better plan.

There are also other management care plans also known as HMOs (health maintenance organizations) here the users pay monthly premiums and a small amount called the co pay at the time when you use the policy. The premiums are lower but the health insurance quote can help you understand the policy better and can offer you a deal better still.

There are other policies as well like COBRA where you can take the help of a health insurance quote to understand the proposition better.

A free health insurance is almost like a benediction for people who have pre existing conditions. It means that they either have health problems or some other thing they can choose any of these policies. * Temporary coverage * HIPAA * State requirements A health insurance quote will be useful with that as well to the people with pre existing conditions.

A free health insurance quote can be availed either by logging online or by taking the services of a broker. A broker will not only suggest a good deal but he will also guide you through the whole health insurance process. You can clear all your queries regarding the process of health insurance as well. Also you can get some valuable tips from a broker as well which will further make the health insurance policy more attractive.

It is always better to have health insurance whether it is for you or a family member. What can help you get one such policy or at least understand it better is a free health insurance quote. So if you are looking for health insurance it is advisable to first go in for a free health insurance quote.

About the author: Roland Gary Jones is associated with Advance Health Quotes.To find Health Insurance,Health Insurance Qoute,Affordable health insurance visit http://www.advanceheal thquotes.com/

Temporary Health Insurance, General Health Insurance, and More

2009-01-26T05:06:00.000-06:00

Author: Kurt Stammberger

You've heard it before; accidents happen. You may have not paid much attention to it before, but there's a great deal of truth in this oft-quoted statement. That being said, it's important to always have good health insurance, because without it, you may be putting yourself in serious financial straights. Below, we've provided short summaries in order to help you understand the types of coverage out there so that you won't be caught in a regrettable predicament that could cost you and your family for years to come.

Health Insurance...In General. General Health Insurance refers to many different types of insurance policies. These range from policies that cover the costs of physicians and hospitals to those that meet specific needs, such as the necessity to pay for care, long-term. Even disability insurance--which replaces lost wages if you are unable to work due to sickness or accident--is considered health insurance, even though it's not specifically for medical expenses. However, when the discussion revolves around health insurance, it generally focuses on the type of insurance offered by employers to their employees. This is the kind that covers medical bills, surgery, and hospital expenses and is often referred to as ""Comprehensive"" or ""Major Medical"" health insurance.

When the dialogue turns to more general health care coverage, it is more likely that you'll hear terms such as ""Fee-for-Service"" or ""Managed Care"". Further, you'll most likely hear about certain kinds of managed care plans. These span the gamut from health maintenance organizations or HMOs to Preferred Provider Organizations or ""PPOs"", and Point-of-Service or ""POS"" plans.

While fee-for-service and managed care plans differ in significant ways, in some ways they are parallel. For example, both cover an assortment of medical, surgical, and hospital expenses, while most offer some coverage for prescription drugs, and some include coverage for dentists and other providers. But there are many important differences that will make one or the other form of coverage the appropriate one for you and possibly your family. Coverage for a group is characteristically offered through many companies, although unions, professional associations, and other organizations also offer it. As an employee benefit, group health insurance has many rewards. Much--although not all--of the cost is frequently absorbed by an employer, as premium overheads are often less due to group purchasing in large groups. In this arena, by enrolling when you first become eligible for coverage, you most likely will not be asked for proof that you are insurable. (Enrollment usually happens when you first take a job, and often during a certain period each year, which is called ""Open Enrollment""). Some companies even offer their employees a choice of fee-for-service and managed care plans. Additionally, some group plans also offer dental insurance along with medical.

Health Insurance for the Short-Term. Temporary health insurance is generally a reasonably priced, short term medical plan intended for healthy people who are, in the interim, without health insurance. It can become effective as early as the following day after enrollment, it can be purchased for periods as short as 30 days or up to 180 days, and it's usually paid for in either one single payment or monthly payments. Temporary health insurance is often utilized by those with specific, short-term needs and generally for individuals who may be: 1. In between jobs or laid off 2. Graduating from college 3. Waiting for Group Coverage 4. Coming off parents' health plan as a dependent 5. Working part-time or temporarily 6. Waiting for permanent health insurance to begin

Insurance for the Individual is also a smart choice if you work for a small company that does not offer health insurance or if you happen to have your own company and self-employed. The advantage to this insurance is that you can customize your plan to fit required needs from the insurance company that you choose. In this case, you should also be a diligent comparison shopper, as coverage and costs differ greatly between all of the companies out there. While assessing policies, you should consider what is covered, what is paid, and how much you're required to pay in deductibles and coinsurance. A thought to ponder. Now that you have a general understanding about the types of insurance available, one idea holds true; be sure that when it comes to health insurance, you always have some. To be caught in an unlucky predicament without it can not only be a hit to your health, but it can be a dire drain to your wallet, as well.

About the author: Kurt Stammberger is VP, Marketing at Healthia Inc. Healthia provides integrated comparison-shopping information on group health insurance products and services, doctors and health insurance plans to empower the drive towards Consumer-Driven Health Care .

Everything Is Taken Care Of With Consumer Health Insurance

2009-01-25T05:06:00.000-06:00

Author: Roland Gary Jones

Have you ever wondered what would happen if all of a sudden there is a health problem in the family and you have no resources to tackle that situation? Well this can only be described as carelessness. You ought to keep yourself prepared for mishaps in life and the best way to go for that is through consumer health insurance.

Mishaps and accidents do not have harbingers attached to them that is why it is important to have health insurance in addition there is also the old saying of precaution is better than cure which is also true in this regard.

The purpose of the consumer health insurance is to make a person feel secure about his future so that the life can be enjoyed to its fullest. That is why various consumer health insurance policies have been made available for the people who want to get insured.

These policies include:

Fee for service - is a traditional type of health insurance scheme where the agency pays a percentage of the costs and you pay the remaining. Premiums are generally higher in this scenario.

Managed care plans - other incarnations for this are health maintenance organizations (HMO's), preferred provider organizations (PPO's) or primary care provider (PCP) in this you pay monthly premiums and when you use the policy you only need to pay a small amount called co pay. The amount is £10 to £15.

COBRA - this is an option offered by the federal government of USA it stands for consolidated omnibus reconciliation act of 1985. With this you can also insure for other aspects that you want to insure.

People with health problems or any other pre existing conditions in usual scenario will find it difficult to get these consumer health insurances. However they can go in for other offerings like temporary coverage, open enrollment or HIPAA.

To get consumer health insurance the best way to go for that is through a broker. A broker can help you in many matters apart from getting you a deal well suited to you.

* A broker can help you in making decision on which scheme to choose a guaranteed renewable or a non cancelable one. * A broker can answer your queries that you may have regarding the consumer health insurance. * A broker can help you get a scheme where you can reduce your monthly premiums to as low as 50% of the earlier amounts. * A broker will provide you guidance at every step of the process of consumer health insurance.

That is why you should go in for consumer health insurance through a broker.

Mean can be any of many but the purpose is one and that is consumer health insurance. No matter what the profile of a person is safety comes first and for that the most appropriate way is the path of consumer health insurance.

About the author: Roland Gary Jones is associated with Advance Health Quotes.To find Health Insurance,Health Insurance Quote,Affordable health insurance visit http://www.advanceheal thquotes.com/

Affordable Health Insurance

2009-01-24T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Felicity Walker

Life can change from certainty to uncertainty in the blink of an eye. It only takes a split second to have a car accident, fall down the stairs and break your leg, or find out you have a serious disease. Although it would be useless to spend hours worrying about the possibility of things happening to you, it's also sensible to be prepared, just in case. It's good to feel secure, knowing you have a plan in place. One of the easiest and most helpful things to put in place is health insurance. The tricky part is finding affordable health insurance, so you don't end up with money worries as well as health concerns!

When you're feeling fit and healthy, it's very easy to think you'll never need health insurance. Sometimes having a family prompts people to take out health insurance, in case the kids get sick. Most of us rarely consider we might need a stay in a hospital. And yet reality is that these things do happen, and if they do, it will probably be when you least expect it. And that's the time you can thank your lucky stars you took out affordable health insurance.

When trouble strikes, you'll be very glad you have a plan in place. Most of us never stop to wonder what it would cost us to spend 3 days in hospital. A lot more than you will want to pay out of your own pocket, that's for sure! This is even more of a [roblem when you're young - it's easy to believe we're indestructible at the age of 20, for example. And yet a 20 year old has a much higher risk of being hospitalised after an accident. Illness, too, can strike, even at that age. For example, a girl I was friends with in college became very ill with little warning. She was hospitalised, and found to have meningitis. Very serious. Even more serious, when she finally left hospital, was the bill for over seven thousand dollars.

Young or old, it doesn't matter- it's always wise to check out the options when it comes to health insurance. You can find an affordable health insurance plan online.

There are plenty of sites that can help you find an appropriate plan. With so many options out there, there will be an affordable health insurance plan that's right for your circumstances. Don't get into a panic about having to pay big dollars - chances are, if you're currently healthy, that your payments won't be that bad. One thing is for certain - if you suddenly find yourself in a situation where you need health insurance, you'll be more than happy that you spent the money. Start searching for an affordable health insurance plan today. You can't start too soon!

About the author: To discover more about health insurance, check out

Health Insurance Zone Online .

Good Health Equals Cheap Life Insurance

2009-01-23T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Darren Yates

If you're looking for cheap life insurance, you should begin looking while you're relatively young and in good health. Age and health are the two biggest factors life insurance agents use to base their decisions about policy pricing.

Unfortunately, most people don't get life insurance until they're older or until they've developed a medical condition. Only then do they realize it's time to start thinking about protecting their families. But that's also when it's practically impossible to find cheap life insurance.

Will your insurance company agree?

Think your high cholesterol isn't much of a problem? Well your insurance company doesn't share that opinion. In fact, if a medical examination reveals this condition, you'll more than likely be put into a higher risk category. Once that happens, you can forget about being offered cheap life insurance, regardless of any other factor.

What about your high blood pressure? You think all you've got to do is take a vacation and it'll be back to normal, but the life insurance company sees the situation differently. It sees high blood pressure as a precursor to more significant health problems; maybe not next month or even next year but very likely during your coverage period.

The same goes for your weight. What you consider ""a few love handles around the middle"" may be considered ""obese"" by the insurance company.

Smoking is another red flag when it comes to shopping for cheap health insurance. If you regularly use tobacco products, forget about getting a break on your life insurance premium. In fact, expect it to cost anywhere from 25 to 50% more. Smoking definitely comes at a price because it can cause so many health problems. Besides making you pay more, insurance companies don't really have any other options.

Show you are willing to make an effort

Insurance companies understand that medical conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, using tobacco products, and being overweight can be controlled and that doing so can lead to a significant improvement in your health.

So there actually is some truth in believing a vacation could help lower your blood pressure. And although you may not have been quoted what you consider a cheap life insurance premium, you're not completely out of luck.

Insurance companies have softened a bit. Rather than permanently locking you into a high risk category for conditions such as those listed above, the company may be willing to improve your rates if you prove you're willing to improve your health. Most agents won't come right out and offer this, but if you ask for suggestions on ways to lower your costs, make sure you listen to the answers.

If you can show you're working towards consistently improving your health, your insurance company may be able to offer cheaper life insurance premiums. You'll be required to show documentation of the improvements, and possibly undergo an independent medical review by the life insurance company, but it will be worth the effort.

About the author: Find Cheap Life Insurance in the UK. Independent brokers finding the lowest rates and then making them even lower.

Insurance Coverage at a Glance

2009-01-22T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Janani

Insurance

The word ""Insurance"" refers to the promise of repayment of the money in the case of any loss to the insurer. The insurer may be an individual or a company who have made prepayment to an insurance company for a secured life. Insurance also provides ""security against future loss"". We cannot predict the timing and the occurrence of loss. So we need insurance plan in order to protect ourselves from the future loss. An insurance policy provides financial assistance to support medical, personal and social services.

Types of Insurance

Life Insurance Health Insurance Dental Insurance Property insurance Automobile insurance

Life Insurance

Life insurance policy is sometimes referred as life assurance, provides reimbursement of money to the decedent's family or other designated. Life insurance gives security for you and your family. The life insurance may be permanent insurance or term insurance. The term insurance is somewhat expensive and complicated. Since the duration of this term insurance is limited to 1 to 10 or 20 years. If something happens to the insurer during this course of time, the death benefit is given to the recipient. If nothing happens at the end of term, they will not be benefited fully. Whereas the permanent life insurance is more secure and gives protection throughout the lifetime. If you cancel the policy then the accumulated cash will be yours and you can make use of it.

Health Insurance

Health insurance is a type of insurance, which covers medical costs of the insured when the insurer becomes sick or injured. Health insurance plans offered in two categories. They are individual and group insurance policy. The individual plans covers health costs for a single person whereas the group health insurance plan covers medical coverage for the entire family.

Dental Insurance

Like health insurance, dental insurance covers dental costs for an individual or group. The costs include normal dental care cost as well as damage to teeth in an accident. Most people in the United States are getting along with their health insurance plans from their employer. Whatever may be the type of policy, it provides you a financial aid for you and your child in future. Dental insurance covers both individual and group. The group dental is more economical and beneficial than the individual.

Automobile insurance

The insurance which legal liability against driver or incase of loss and damage to the vehicle.

Property insurance

Property insurance gives protection against your property. This includes specialized forms of insurance like fire insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance, home insurance etc.

Need for Insurance

For secure life, we require insurance plans. Because anything may happen tomorrow, the things are unpredictable. Insurance makes you to prepare for future. The health insurance plans are provided to in order to meet the expense of any health problem.Now a day's health and dental coverage for an individual/family becomes more expensive. So it is advisable to have a health insurance plan. You can get reasonable price on your individual health and dental plan through an employer.

Whatever may be the insurance plans it provides ""protection against future loss"".

About the author: Janani is a SEO copywriter .She has written many articles in various topics. For more information visit http://www.forhealthplans.com. She can be reached at janani.roy@gmail.com

Health Savings Account (HSA)

2009-01-21T05:06:00.000-06:00

Author: Janani

HSA is designed and introduced to reduce the health care cost for both employers and employees. Health savings account (HSA) is tax privileged savings plans offered to taxpayers in the United States to deposit money to cover current and future medical expenses.HSA provides tax-free savings account for medical expenses and introduced to reduce the current healthcare costs.

HSA is passed by congress in the year 2003, which is a tax-free savings account. It covers both individual and group health insurance. These savings are utilized for normal and customary expenses, like routine health checkups, doctor's visits, and etc.In addition to the tax free savings HSA are more portable. Since you are not coupled with any particular medical group or doctors, you can pick yours.

Health Savings Account offers a new feasible alternative to Medical Savings Account (MSA).HSAs can be used with health plans with decreased minimum deductibles. HSA can be used with minimum deductibles. HSA and MSA vary in several ways. Notable variation is HSA are offered by employers of all size whereas the MSAs are limited to employers who employed 50 or fewer people.

Both employers and employees are benefited through Health Savings Account (HSA), but the deposit should not exceed the limit, proposed by Federal law .Employers can discriminate between full-time and part time employees, and/or family and single coverage.

HSA are analogous to IRAs, you can get same benefit as with IRA's.In the HSA there is no age restriction and qualified medical expenses are never taxed. But in the IRAs money may be taken out without penalty at age 65.At the same time penalty for non-medical withdrawal before age 65 are usually severe.

Benefits: The HSA plans are blend with a high-deductible plan. It provides tax free medical expense. It facilitates employees become better health care consumers. The accumulated savings are owned by the individual and can move from employer to employer. There will be free of tax for the employers' contribution.

About the author: Janani is a SEO copywriter for forhealthplans.com , She has written many articles in various topics. For more information visit http://www.forhealthplans.com .She can be reached at janani.roy@gmail.com

Affordable Health Insurance, an overview

2009-01-20T05:07:00.000-06:00

Author: Greg C.

Affordable Health Insurance , an overview

Affordable Health Insurance offers you a wide variety of medical insurance policies to protect you and your family against the high costs of health care. Affordable individual health insurance is likely for all of us who are in need of it. We just have to do a little homework to understand what is available, and ask ourselves what we need and what we can afford.

Affordable health insurance can be of different types. It can be like affordable individual health insurance, affordable family health insurance, affordable child health insurance, affordable employee health insurance known as group health insurance, affordable business health insurance etc.

The web is amazing in all of its diverse sources of information, and with all the possible that are out there in the insurance world, it is very likely that by using there in the insurance world, it is very likely that by using the internet as a resource, you can find affordable health insurance policies . You can also discuss your possibilities with an insurance broker, or you can call the customer service departments of the major health care providers. There are many ways to obtain the information you need in order to find the right policy for you.

Affordable individual health insurance is likely for all of us who are in need of it. We must have to do a little homework to understand what is available, and ask ourselves what we need and what we can afford. After we have done the research, we can begin to fill out the applications and be on our way to have the health care coverage we need.

Click here for : Affordable Health Insurance Quote

About the author: Health Insurance Expert, http://www.healthinsurancedepth.com

Health Insurance, what does it mean?

2009-01-19T05:06:00.000-06:00

Author: Ariful Anam

Health Insurance, what does it mean?

Your health insurance policy is an agreement between you and your insurance company. The policy lists a package of medical benefits such as tests, drugs and treatment services. The insurance company agrees to cover the cost of certain benefits listed in your policy. These are called ""covered services.""

Your affordable health insurance policy also lists the kinds of services that are not covered by your insurance company. You have to pay for any uncovered medical care health insurance that you receive. Keep in mind that in case of health insurance a medical necessity is not the same as a medical benefit. A medical necessity is something that your doctor has decided is necessary. A medical benefit is something that your insurance plan has agreed to cover. In some cases, your doctor might decide that you need medical care that is not covered by your insurance policy.

Health Insurance companies determine what tests, drugs and services they will cover. These choices are based on their understanding of the kinds of medical care that most patients need. Your insurance company's choices may mean that the test, drug or service you need isn't covered by your policy.

Your doctor will try to be familiar with your insurance coverage so he or she can provide you with covered care. However, there are so many different insurance plans that it's not possible for your doctor to know the specific details of each plan. By understanding your insurance coverage, you can help your doctor recommend medical care that is covered in your plan.

Take the time to read your insurance policy. If you still have questions about your coverage, call your insurance company and ask a representative to explain it. Remember that your insurance company, not your doctor, makes decisions about what will be paid for and what will not.

For for information visit:

You may also find informations about the below -

Health Insurance Quotes

Affordable Health Insurance

Low Cost Health Insurance

Cheap Health Insurance

Self Employed Health Insurance

Small Business Insurance

Group Health Insurance

Personal Health Insurance

Private Health Insurance

Catastrophic Health Insurance

And other useful resources for Individuals, Families, Self-employed, Small business in Arizona, Texas, Florida, California, Houston and across the 50 states of the USA.

For for information visit: Health Insurance Website

About the author: Working as an SEO Consultant, Web: http://www.dassnagar.com , Email: ariful@dassnagar.com

Sleep-at-night coverage with a Private Health Insurance

2009-01-18T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Ariful Anam

Sleep-at-night coverage with a Private Health Insurance

Health Insurance: a sense of dissatisfaction The three C's, customization, consumerization and customer-satisfaction, seem to be at the core of the business mantra for every service provider. The health insurance provider industry is no exception to this rule. With an increasing concern among the tax payers of US regarding the number of people uninsured in the country, there is a burgeoning market for the providers. Even though, this seems to be a buyer's market, there seems to be a lot of dissatisfaction among the people with the red tape and bureaucracy involved in claims processing, exclusions and limitations. Based on a survey conducted a couple of years ago, only 1 in 4 Americans said, they are ""very satisfied"" with their medical coverage. In general, the consent was that the people were dissatisfied with the bureaucracy of the provider, rather than the health plan itself.

Taking a closer look at the Indemnity Plans Let us now try to take a microscopic view of the intricacies of the two major types of health insurance : Indemnity vis-à-vis the Managed Care. The Indemnity is the traditional fee-for-service plan allowing more flexibility in terms of choosing your physicians and health care providers in lieu of an annual deductible amount. This is also referred to as the typical private or individual health insurance plan, tailored to the person's situation. Exclusions are defined when you buy your policy for your particular scenario. Due to the personalization nature of the policy and the subsequent risk exposure to the insurer, this comes with a higher price tag.

Exploring the intricacies of a Managed Care Plan A Managed Care plan will typically restrict the individual to visiting in-network set of physicians, hospitals and health care providers. This encompasses the Group Health Insurance plan, usually extended as part of an employer benefit. A single policy is designed for a big group of individuals belonging to different age groups and with varied medical conditions. Due to the economies of scale, in terms of risk distribution, these plans have lower premiums and out-of-pocket expenses than the private health insurance plan .There are three variations of the Managed Care plans: PPO (Preferred Provider Organization), HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) and POS (Point-of-Service). The in-line exclusions of these plans are a major concern, which are probably not always evident to the policy holder till the unforeseen happens. The provisions in the policy are decided between the insurer and the policy owner (typically your employer). Due to the restrictions imposed to visit doctors registered with the plan, you may come across a situation where you do not have a doctor to treat your specific illness. Simple surgeries and diagnostic tests can add up to thousands of dollars in medical expenditures due to the exclusions. In the long run, the lower premiums may not actually save your money due to these occasional exclusions/limitations. Thus, it always becomes an annoyance for the consumer to choose a well-rounded managed care plan that covers all or most of the medical diseases and/or illnesses. The bureaucracy and red tape involved in these policies to obtain authorizations and referrals even for the slightest of variations, for cost control measures always lead to a lot of dissatisfaction. Typically, you are also required to go through a primary care physician (PCP) for any of your treatment needs and may not be able to get your treatment done with the doctor of your choice to avoid excessive costs to the insurer.

Private Affordable Health Insurance gives you the freedom of choice! Comparing the two major variations, private health insurance seems to be the option to get the peace of mind for your healthcare needs. With the rising discontent among policy holders, this seems to be a more economically viable option for the long run depending on your health conditions. It is all about the ""freedom of choice"" and the flexibility to guarantee you the best medical care. The exclusions are defined at the onset of the contract based on your specific requirements and if you can afford the extra dollars, you actually get the perfect ""sleep-at-night"" coverage! Unlike group coverage, the provisions are negotiated by the policy holder and depending on the financial ability the policy can be designed as comprehensive as possible. In addition to the customized health care, the next most important advantage is the flexibility to choose your own doctor or specialist and the hospital of your choice. Private health insurance is a surging business in the United States because of the freedom that policy holders have in choosing what they want and how they want to be insured. You can secure yourself against any financial devastation for any and every imaginable health condition.

Consider your priorities for a secured health insurance, make an informed decision! In order for a person to have a secured life, the right health insurance will give the shield for any medical emergency. The comparative analysis is very much subjective and varies from one individual to another. Considering the issues highlighted in this article, here are some other pointers to keep in mind in choosing the side between a managed care vis-à-vis private health insurance plan. Consider the quality of care with the doctors in your policy. In times of distress, mental peace is probably the most important thing you are looking for and with a private health insurance plan; you can easily switch physicians, if you are not satisfied with the service. With the restrictions imposed in a managed care policy, you should give it a second thought by considering the list of in-network doctors and health care providers. Consider the lifetime payout on the policy, which is the maximum reimbursement offered by the policy for your whole life. Lower premiums are not the end of the world, it is a decision you need to make for your life, so you actually maybe better off paying the higher premiums of a private health insurance plan as opposed to rapid depletion of a managed care lifetime payout. Consider the delicate balance between the paying out too much on your out-of-pocket expenses vis-à-vis the risk of your exposure to a serious illness. If you feel, you are more prone to getting infected, you might be better off taking up the more expensive individual affordable health insurance option to save you money in the long-term. Provisions for emergency care, is another major factor to be considered in choosing your health insurance. Typically, some of the managed care plans have been occasionally criticized due to the requirement of primary care physician's approval for an emergency care. You must definitely put your step down on this one, as emergency care is something you do not want to jeopardize due to higher premiums on the policy. Last but not the least, are the pre-requisites defined in the policy before you are eligible for getting medical attention. Keep in mind; if you are not feeling well, you deserve the right to visit your doctor, do not let the limitations in your affordable health insurance policy scare you away from getting your treatment. Occasionally, people have compared buying a private health insurance policy to buying a Rolls Royce, but wouldn't you rather enjoy the tranquility of a peaceful ride rather than traversing the rough terrains with the restrictions put in by the managed care policies? It is a rhetorical question!

About the author: Web Designer and SEO Expart

Money Saving Health Insurance Shopping Tips

2009-01-17T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Mark Erickson

Reprinted from:

http://www.coloradohealthinsurancebr okers.com

Why do we need health Insurance? Health insurance really doesn't insure good health, does it? While it can't guarantee your physical health, health insurance can help protect your financial well being by providing a financial safety net in the event of unexpected illness or injury.

Health related expenses may easily run into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars for a serious illness or injury. Also, in Colorado if you are injured in a car accident it is important that you have adequate health insurance protection, particularly if the person deemed to be ""at fault"" is you, the driver of a car you are riding in, or if the ""at fault"" driver is uninsured.

Here is a three-step strategy to help you save time and money when shopping for health insurance:

Step 1: Do You Need Individual or Group Health Insurance Coverage?

Individual plans are very popular with anyone who has to buy their own health insurance, as well as healthier self employed and small business people and their families. These plans often have substantially lower premiums than small group plans and because individual plans are medically underwritten, it's important to get this coverage in place while you're relatively healthy. Once you are covered, virtually all individual plans are non-cancelable and guaranteed renewable until you are eligible for Medicare at age 65, provided that you continue to pay your premiums and live in the service area.

Most individual plans also provide on the job health insurance coverage for the self-employed. However, you should always make sure that you meet the requirements for on the job coverage, as eligibility requirements vary--depending upon whether or not you are a sole proprietor, or if your business is a LLC, Sub-S Corporation or other business type. Health insurance premiums for the self-employed are 100% tax deductible, but you'll need to verify eligibility for this deduction with your accountant.

Small business owners may qualify for a special ""Group of One"" designation in individual plans. There is typically no difference in premium cost between a Group of One individual plan and standard individual health insurance plan, but you still must medically qualify. The principal advantage for self identifying as a Group of One in an individual plan is that the small business person's business can pay the insurance premium.

For qualified small business owners with serious pre-existing conditions there is also a group health insurance coverage option known as a ""Group of One"". These guaranteed issue plans are typically fairly expensive since most people enroll in these plans because their health conditions will not allow them to qualify for less expensive individual policies.

Individuals with serious pre-existing conditions may also be eligible for guaranteed issue coverage from CoverColorado. Because this is a high risk pool their premiums are typically about 35% more expensive. CoverColorado does not provide coverage for on the job injuries or illnesses and premiums must be paid with personal funds.

If your company has 2 to 50 employees the employer can set up a small group health insurance plan. Small group health plans have no medical underwriting, so they are particularly attractive to groups that include people with serious health problems that would make them unable to qualify for less expensive individual coverage.

Group health insurance is the only available option if the employer wants to pay for any portion of their employees' health insurance premiums. Employers are typically required to pay at least 50% of their employees' premiums and commit to a certain level of employee participation in the plan. Groups of more than 50 employees have a unique set of rules and are considered part of the large group market.

If you have not had health insurance coverage or have had a break in health insurance coverage you may be subject to a pre-existing conditions clause. These typically range from 6-12 months and cover conditions you were treated for in the 12 months directly preceding your new policy's coverage. However, individual and small group insurers in Colorado must give you credit for prior continuous coverage. Coverage counts as continuous if it is not interrupted by a break of 60 to 90 or more consecutive days. However, prior coverage is not credited against any exclusionary riders in an individual policy.

Step 2: Do You Want a Copay plan or a Major Medical/HSA plan?

Rising drug and health care costs have driven up health insurance premiums, increasing the need for consumers to be savvy about their options and choices.

However, there are still some good values to be found on feature-rich plans with copays for doctor visits and prescriptions, particularly if you are willing to consider plans with deductibles of $500 or more. These ""copay plans"" are very popular and often provide many immediate benefits to offset day-to-day health related costs. Alternatively, many Coloradans are increasingly interested in self-insuring for the ""little"" things and getting a relatively inexpensive major medical or catastrophic plan to protect them in the event of serious health problem.

HSA (Health Savings Account) qualified plans are special major medical health insurance plans that can be particularly well suited to healthier small business people. Families can often save thousands of dollars each year in reduced insurance premiums with a higher deductible HSA qualified major medical insurance plan as compared to a traditional copay plan, often while reducing their families' aggregate deductible and coinsurance risk.

Here's how it works: You must first have a relatively inexpensive HSA qualified major medical health insurance plan to be eligible to open a Health Savings Account. Money saved from the reduced insurance premiums can be used to help fund a Health Savings Account and your contributions to the HSA are 100% tax deductible. Money from the HSA can be used to pay for any qualified medical related expenses, including doctor visits, prescription drugs, paying other expenses toward your deductible, as well as dental and vision care.

Because any money you don't spend is yours to keep and grows from one year to the next, HSA's offer a long-term savings advantage. If you're relatively healthy during your working years, by the time you retire, you could build a sizable tax advantaged nest egg.

HSA plans are not for everyone, but for most people they are worth taking a look at. We suggest comparing the premium and benefits of the most attractive copay plan with the most attractive HSA plan and then running a few ""what if"" scenarios to determine which plan best suits you.

Step 3: Do You Want to Spend Days or Minutes Shopping for Health Insurance?

Even in today's competitive marketplace health insurance premiums for similar plan designs can vary significantly from company to company based upon age, gender, tobacco use, health and location. It pays to comparison shop! Here are some time saving short cuts that can help you save both time and money.

Individual health insurance premiums are filed with and regulated by the Colorado Division of Insurance. That means that whether you get your health insurance through a broker, an agent or directly from the health insurance company, you'll pay the exact same monthly premium for the same plan regardless of from whom you buy your coverage.

Knowing this, you can save a huge amount of time and energy by working with a broker and having them do all the time consuming research for you. This service is typically completely free to you. Ideally, you should find an experienced and reputable broker that specializes in health insurance and works with 6 or more different leading companies. Don't be shy about asking them to list what companies they represent, and whether or not they specialize in small group of individual group plans and if they are based in Colorado or out of state.

A good broker will research the various plan options from different companies and send back the results of their analysis for you to review at your convenience. They can also answer all your questions and help you find the plan with the benefits you want at a premium you are comfortable with, and then help you through the application process.

Be Careful Out There...

The Internet is also a good resource for researching insurance options yourself, but make sure you're not inadvertently giving your personal information to a lead-marketing web site. These companies sell your information to several agents often resulting in a bombardment of unwanted phone calls. When in doubt, read their web site's Privacy Policy to make sure your personal information will be kept private.

If you come across a ""health benefit"" plan that seems particularly inexpensive or one that boasts that it will insure everyone regardless or health or risk, be cautious. Some health discount plans mislead consumers into thinking they are buying low-cost health insurance. Discount plans are not health insurance, and consumers are often shocked after having a claim to find out that they are responsible for the entire medical bill.

A final word of advice: don't wait! The best time to save on health insurance is shop for coverage when you're healthy. If you have an injury or your health deteriorates, you may find that your options are more limited and costly.

By Mark Erickson

Owner & Licensed Broker

Colorado Health Insurance Brokers

http://www.c oloradohealthinsurancebrokers.com

NOTICE - For readers outside of Colorado please consult with a local broker to verify the accuracy of the information for your state. Colorado Health Insurance Brokers are not engaged in rendering tax, investment or legal advice. Federal and state regulations are subject to change. If tax, investment or legal advice is required, seek the services of a licensed professional.

Other web sites may may not reprint this article without express written permission. However they may link to the article at:

http://www.coloradohealthinsurancebr okers.com/how_to_buy_colorado_health_insurance.htm

About the author: Mark Erickson is a licensed health and life insurance agent from Greenwood Village Colorado. He is the owner of Colorado Health Insurance Brokers and specializes in health insurance products in Colorado.

Travel Insurance

2009-01-16T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Sara Chambers

There are many vendors who would try and convince you that going abroad without traveler's insurance is downright foolish. However, most people going on vacation have already invested enough in their travel costs that they generally overlook extra costs they consider frivolous, at best. And there are arguments on both sides of the fence. If you have never encountered a flight or cruise cancellation, loss of personal property, or a serious medical malady outside of the United State's borders, you perhaps have never seriously considered a travel insurance plan. But for those travelers who have had experience with the above, many experts agree that a well researched insurance plan may have helped.

Do You Need Travel Insurance?

Before you decide in favor of or against purchasing travel insurance there are some factors to consider. First, are you planning that amazing, once-in-a-lifetime vacation you've had on your To-Do list for the last decade? This type of trip might require some forethought when it comes to considering protecting yourself and your long awaited investment. Perhaps a little extra investment in flight cancellations, medical insurance, and luggage loss might pay off should something befall you on your travels.

Medical Travel Insurance

Traveling outside of U.S. borders? Make sure, especially if you are going for a long stay that your medical insurance will apply should a medical malady occur while you are in Tanzania, for example. You may be surprised to find when you actually ask your insurance provider how little coverage you have when traveling beyond the U.S. Many insurance plans only cover physicians and care within certain network areas. And a big reminder for seniors: Medicare does not apply outside of the United States. Also, make sure your vaccinations are up to date before you travel. And depending on where in the world you may be traveling, know what types of inoculations you may require above and beyond those you already have.

Most travel experts agree that travel insurance is not necessary for all travelers, but that for some it is definitely a wise idea. Long term stays outside of the United States would suggest some type of medical coverage. In the event of a medical emergency, you would want to secure some transportation back to The States. Your health insurance plan may cover the emergency medical care, but it most likely will not pay for your transportation back home for continued care.

Plans and Coverage

There are scads of companies just waiting to sell you all kinds of travel insurance packages, including insurance for terrorist events and accidental death. What you need to consider is exactly what could most likely go awry and plan best for that situation. Experts suggest you research a travel insurance plan thoroughly and make sure you are completely aware of the details of coverage before you pay. Comprehensive package deals will most likely cover a little bit of every major aspect of your trip including basic trip cancellation, luggage loss, and a basic medical and/or dental plan, but, once again, shop around and be sure you really are covered.

About the author: Sara Chambers is a marketing consultant and an internet content manager for http://www.travelinsurance weblog.com

The benefits of group health insurance

2009-01-15T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Jason Hulott

Group Health Insurance is a benefit that some companies offer their employees, enabling them to receive private medical treatment quickly and at no cost should they need it. This means that employees receive the medical treatment they need without the long wait and undue suffering.

Of course, this type of scheme has many benefits to both the staff and the employer.

For the employer, a member of staff needing medical treatment will receive it quickly, thereby helping speed up recovery and keeping disruption due to sickness in the office to a minimum. The employee will also be more focussed on their job as they will not be spending time worrying about a long wait for the treatment on the NHS, or a diagnosis etc or suffering undue pain.

For the employee, being a member of a Group Health Insurance plan has many valuable benefits, which a monetary value cannot be put on. In the first instance, they don't have to pay out huge premiums for a private medical insurance plan - which can literally run into three figures every month. And they have the peace of mind that should they need it, expert medical help is available immediately.

As part of the Group Health Insurance Plan, many companies who do offer this benefit to staff will also pay for their employees to have a once a year 'healthcheck' at a private hospital. These health checks cover weight, height, levels of fitness, blood pressure, blood tests etc and are carried out to check that the member of staff is in optimum health or to spot a so far undiagnosed condition. Either way, the screening is beneficial to staff and their employers.

For an individual who is not part of an employers scheme to have the same sort of health screening, the cost can be anything from £150 upwards, so there is an added value to the benefit.

Any staff benefit, like company health insurance, of course also helps boost staff morale as it shows that the employer really cares about their staff.

Although health plans will vary from provider to provider and employer to employer, a typical Group Health Insurance package will offer cover for:

1. In-patient and day-patient treatment once the employee has received a diagnosis

2. Out-patient treatments (for example, physiotherapy)

3. Free Helplines - for example, a GP Helpline and Stress Counselling Helpline.

4. Specialist consultations following a referral from the employee's GP

If you are an employer who has not yet instigated a company health insurance plan, consider this - you may find that the benefits of taking out group health insurance (such as better staff morale, employees having less time off due to serious illness, attracting a higher qualified level of staff etc) will far outweigh the cost. And in the long term, no doubt it will have a positive effect on your business.

About the author: Jason Hulott is Business Development Director of Protection Insurance. Protection Insurance is an internet based insurance business dedicated to getting consumers the very best insurance rates and the best products. Our product portfolio includes many specialist products such as c heap term life insurance

Affordable Health Insurance - a view

2009-01-13T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Greg C.

Affordable Health Insurance, an overview

The web is amazing in all of its diverse sources of information, and with all the possible that are out there in the insurance world, it is very likely that by using there in the insurance world, it is very likely that by using the internet as a resource, you can find affordable health insurance policies. You can also discuss your possibilities with an insurance broker, or you can call the customer service departments of the major health care providers. There are many ways to obtain the information you need in order to find the right policy for you.

For more you may visit: Affordable Health Insurance

About the author: Health Insurance Consultant

I've got Life Insurance - why would I need Critical Illness Cover?

2009-01-12T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Mike Bromley

If you have life insurance then you know that a lump sum of money will be paid to the beneficiaries of your policy should you suddenly pass away. You will probably have this policy for peace of mind to reduce the financial burden you death might put on any dependents you have, and assist them in settling your estate.

Statistically however, you are six times more likely to suffer from a critical illness than die before you reach the age of 65. Advancements in the field of medicine mean that today we are now surviving the illnesses that might have meant an early grave for previous generations. In this situation your life insurance is unlikely to be able to assist you, but an alternative is available; you might consider obtaining critical illness cover.

Critical Illness Insurance will cover you if you are diagnosed with an illness listed on your policy and, as with life insurance, pay out a tax-free lump sum. This can help with any financial difficulties that sudden diagnosis of a serious illness might bring you. If you were to be diagnosed with a serious illness today and were unable to continue working you may face several financial problems at once; you may have a mortgage payments to make, you might run your own business and need to arrange cover or you illness may require additional medical treatment not covered by your standard health insurance policy.

A standard critical illness insurance policy will cover you for the following illnesses:-

Cancer

Coronary artery by-pass surgery

Heart attack

Kidney failure

Major organ transplant

Multiple Sclerosis

Stroke

However, you may also cover additional critical illnesses under your policy, you will need to check with the individual insurance provider as to which other illnesses they may cover.

Do be aware though that there are fairly strict definitions as to what constitutes any one particular critical illness. For example if you were to suffer from Angina, this would not come under the Heart Attack section of your policy, even though it is a serious heart condition. In addition to this you will normally need to survive your critical illness for at least 28 days from diagnosis in order for your policy to pay out. There are further exclusions to your policy too, for example you cannot reasonably refuse medical treatment that leads to the development of a critical illness.

Obtaining critical illness cover is a fairly straightforward process you will need to complete an application form, and probably undertake a medical assessment. Your premium will depend on your health status at the time of application along with your family medical history. If you are a smoker you will definiately pay higer premiums. It does pay to shop around for your cover, some providers will offer additional free coverage for your children or a joint policy may be more cost effective than individual policies.

About the author:

To find out more information about Critical Illness Cover , please visit here Critical Illness Cover UK .

Rising Insurance Costs To Blame For Lack Of Health Insurance In The Workplace

2009-01-10T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Mike Bell

The constantly rising cost of insurance has forced many employers to eliminate health insurance benefits for employees. The percentage of companies offering health insurance dropped 3% in 2004, to 60 percent. Most U.S. companies that do not offer health care benefits cite rising costs as the determining factor. Health insurance premiums rise from 9 to 11 percent or more on an annual basis. The result is a slow but steady decline in the availability of traditional employment-based health care coverage. The majority of businesses who dropped health insurance coverage have less than 100 employees. 98 percent of larger companies with 100 or more employees offer health care benefits.

The cost of health insurance was the deciding factor for most companies, with some businesses reporting that they had to few employees to negotiate with insurance companies for lower rates. The increasing competition from businesses in foreign countries has forced some U.S. companies to eliminate traditional health care coverage in favor of limited health care benefits for employees. Employers have been forced to pass more of the cost of health insurance coverage on to employees, with the smaller companies being unable to afford coverage at all.

About the author: Mike Bell is the webmaster of http://www.InsuranceOptionsGuide.com, a resource for life and health insurance answers.

A Guide to Finding the Right Health Insurance Company

2009-01-09T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Bob Hett

There are many people in America today that are in dire need of health insurance for either themselves or for their entire families. This can be for many reasons. Sometimes their employers do not provide health insurance. Other times, the people are self employed. For either of these situations, you must obtain health insurance on your own. It is often hard for people in these situations to determine which health insurance company to go with. If you happen to be one of these people, then please read on for a guide to finding the right health insurance company.

There are various ways to look for a health insurance company. The easiest way is to go online and type ""health insurance company"" into the search engine. Then press enter. A whole list of health insurance companies and their websites should pop up. Try to select a website that lets you compare health insurance company to health insurance company. You may also call individual health insurance companies, but this tends to be more time consuming. This can be done by finding their numbers in your local yellow pages.

When choosing a health insurance company, first decide on if you want your coverage to be for PPO or for HMO. HMO stands for health maintenance organization. With an HMO, you can only see a limited list of doctors or doctors that are contracted with the HMO health insurance company. PPO stands for preferred provider organization. A PPO plan means you can select to see certain doctors on a list, as well as doctors that are not in the network, but they still accept the type of health insurance.

Next, you need to decide how much coverage you need because this affects the price you with pay monthly to the health insurance company. Some coverage is very limited and does not include emergency room visits, lab work, x-rays, etc. Also, some coverage's have varying deductibles for emergency room visits. Deductibles can vary from $100 to $2500. The cheaper the deductible, the higher your monthly payments are for the health insurance. Also, some coverage's require co pays for doctor visits. The cheaper the co pay, the higher your monthly payment. Lastly, this is the same for prescription drug coverage. You must keep in mind how much you can afford to pay monthly in conjunction with what type of coverage you need.

Hopefully this guide to finding the right health insurance company was helpful to you. There are a lot of important aspects you must consider when selecting a health insurance company. Your health and perhaps your family's health depend on you making the right decision. Utilize this information carefully to help you make a wise decision.

About the author: Bob Hett offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning health insurance coverage. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting http://www.healthinsurancejournal.info

Travel Insurance Tips

2009-01-08T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: UK Insurance Index

Its often an after thought when booking a trip but good Travel Insurance can be a life saver if things go wrong, especially if you're thousands of miles away from home.

At the very least a good travel insurance policy buys you a little extra peace of mind. Or is it a false sense of security? With travel insurance companies estimating that up to 10% of claims are fraudulent, how can you be sure that any legitimate claim you make gets paid?

TIP 1 - Take a good look before you buy

You might assume that there's little difference between most travel insurance policies. In reality, the quality of cover and excesses you'll have to pay can vary substantially. This might not be a concern now but will be crucial should you make a claim.

Many disputes arise because people think they're covered but discover too late that they're never were.

So before you simply opt for the cheapest premium, take a closer look and check that you're comparing like with like. In particular, be sure to look at:

*The excess: confirm how much of any claim you would have to pay. If the excess is £50 per item that means you have to pay the first £50 of any claim for each item you are claiming for.

*The maximum you claim for individual items.

*What you're not covered for such as pre-existing medical conditions.

*The level of medical protection you have, particularly in countries like the USA where medical costs can be higher.

*If you're covered for lost or stolen cash and how much.

*If loss is covered as well as theft.

*If 24-hour emergency assistance is included or optional.

A comprehensive list of insurers can be found in the

Travel Insurance Index .

TIP 2 - Take a copy policy document with you

A good travel insurance policy document will confirm the procedures to follow in the event of a claim, what you are covered for and who to call in an emergency.

TIP 3 - Disclose any medical conditions

Like any insurance policy, travel insurance is a contract between you and the insurer based upon ""utmost good faith"". This requires you to disclose anything that may affect the acceptance or terms of a policy, any exclusions or its price.

When completing the application form, be open and honest about your medical history and any activities you're likely to take part in, whether you think they're risky or not. If in doubt declare it anyway and if possible keep a copy of the form.

TIP 4 - Document your valuable possessions

Take photo's and keep receipts for expensive items such as jewellery, cameras and designer clothing which you plan to take with you on holiday.

TIP 5 - Report thefts or losses immediately

Any losses or thefts should be reported immediately to the local police. Get an accident report number or similar documentary proof that you've officially reported the loss and if you're on a package holiday, again quickly report the situation to the hotel or travel company rep.

If your bag is lost, stolen or damaged at the airport, report it immediately and get a receipt from the airline or baggage handler.

TIP 6 - Be prepared for medical claims

Previous E111 forms have now been replaced by the European Health Insurance Card which entitles the holder to free medical treatment within Europe equivalent to that available on the NHS. Application forms are available from Post Offices and should be submitted at least ten days before you travel.

Before you leave check your policy document or contact the insurer to confirm what precise steps your insurance company requires you to take in a medical emergency.

TIP 7 - When you get home

If you intend to make a claim, check the small print and contact your insurer. Gather and submit all supporting documentation via recorded delivery (keeping copies for yourself) as evidence of your claim. Submit receipts, photographs and copies of any police or medical reports you have received.

Makes sure you keep copies all correspondence and make detailed records of every phone call, including the name of the person you spoke with and the time of your call.

TIP 8 - If your claim is refused?

Your claim could be rejected for many reasons. For example most policies won't cover alcohol-related incidents and like all insurance you must take 'reasonable' care of your belongings.

The first step is to appeal against the decision providing detailed and specific points for your arguement backed up by any additional evidence. If you feel you have been poorly treated you can refer your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service who will assess your claim independently.

Permission is granted to publish this article online provided that the article and this copyright statement remain unchanged with live links.

Health Insurance - Comparing Health Insurance Plans

2009-01-07T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Jason Woolard

Health insurance coverage can be very confusing. The majority of Americans are able to get some sort of group health coverage through their employer, which makes the process very simple. Do you want the coverage or not? Yes, I want the coverage. But for the rest of us, we have to search, fill out forms, compare 20 companies, compare 100's of plans and get extremely disgusted with the process. Do you really know what youýre comparing? Here's some help.

Comparing health insurance companies. Look for companies you know. There are 100's of fly-by-night companies out there trying to rip people off. Companies like, Blue Cross, Aetna and Humana have been around for many years and will be around when you need them.

Comparing health insurance plans. Do you know the difference between PPO (preferred provider organization) & HMO (health maintenance organization). A PPO is a network of doctors that accept a particular insurance plan. With a PPO, you have in-network and out-of-network benefits. Basically you have better cover in-network. You can see any doctor in-network at any time without needing a referral. On the other hand, with an HMO you will need a referral to see any other doctor than your primary physician. Conclusion, you have better control of your healthcare with a PPO plan. Also, there are not very many HMO's left. Most companies only offer PPO plans.

Comparing health insurance benefits. Deductible, doctor copay, coinsurance, prescription copay, there are a lot of different options. This is the simplest way to explain it. When you go to the doctor, you pay your doctor's office copay. This is the same for prescriptions. Any services done out-side of the doctors office like lab work, x-ray and outpatient surgery are not covered under the copay. Your deductible is per member per year. So, everything that is not covered by the copay, you will pay out-of-pocket until you meet your deductible. Then you pay your coinsurance, usually 20-30%. Once you meet your coinsurance maximum, the company will pay 100%. Your coinsurance maximum is usually 3 times your deductible.

It sounds like you are not get very much benefit form the insurance, but you have to remember what insurance is really intended to do. Insurance is intended to protect you, in the event of a catastrophe, from losing your life savings or filing for bankruptcy.

My personal advice is, and this is what I tell my clients...Get a health insurance policy that you can comfortably afford. If you are in good health and never go to the doctor, get a higher deductible plan with limited doctor's office benefit. If you are in poor health, or you have a young child that goes to the doctor often, get a plan with a lower deductible and better doctor's office benefit. Sound like common sense right? Well, it is. You need health insurance coverage, so get something you can afford and trust.

About the author: Jason Woolard, owner of http://www.The-Insurance-Place.com, has been selling and servicing health insurance plans since 1995. With over 10 years experience, he can help you find the right health insurance plan for your needs. Please visit http://www.the-insurance-place.com for Affordable Health Insurance.

Self-Employed Health Insurance

2009-01-06T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Jason Woolard

You've decided to quit your job and start your own business. That's Great! Being self-employed has many advantages. You get to set your own schedule, you don't answer to anyone, you're income is only limited to how hard you work and it's rewarding. However, there are a few drawbacks, namely benefits. Now you have to work 52 weeks per year, setup your own retirement account and find your own health insurance.

Let's talk about the health insurance part. Group health insurance through your employer is easy. Do you want it? Yes or No. Getting individual health insurance is a little tricky. There are many plans available for individuals and self-employed, but which one is right for you and can you qualify.

Comparing health insurance companies and plans. Look for companies you know. There are 100's of fly-by-night companies out there trying to rip people off. Companies like, Blue Cross, Aetna, UniCare and Humana have been around for many years and will be around when you need them. Choose a company you can trust. Each company will offer multiple plans. In general a $2,000 deductible with $25 copay and 20% coinsurance will be a good choice in health plans.

Now, will you be able to qualify? Each company has it's own underwriting criteria. About 20 medical questions will be asked and details will be required for any yes answers. If you have pre-existing conditions, you may not qualify. Some of the major conditions that will not be accepted are: AIDS or HIV, Cancer, Heart Disease or Attack, Coronary Artery Disease and some more. Also, your height and weight are a factor. If you are extremely over weight, you may not qualify. You may want to research your health insurance options well before you actually need them.

It's better to have coverage, even if it's a high deductible, than not have coverage. You probably won't be able to afford the kind of coverage you had with your employer, but you can get an affordable health insurance plan that will provide coverage for major medical. As your budget increases, you can increase your health insurance coverage as well.

It may sound like you are not get very much benefit form the insurance, but you have to remember what insurance is really intended to do. Insurance is intended to protect you, in the event of a catastrophe, from losing your life savings or filing for bankruptcy.

Dental Insurance: Caring for your Teeth

2009-01-05T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Anna Dorbyk

Brush your teeth before bed. Floss every day. Avoid sugary foods. These words have been spoken by parents everywhere. Instilling good dental hygiene habits in your children is necessity, but once these children become adults, many of them begin to neglect their teeth. Although it is crucial that your teeth are carefully attended to in the early stages of life, it is as important to maintain this care throughout your adult and senior years. In fact, as you age, a number of issues may potentially arise that can cause irreparable and often costly damage. Clearly, caring for your teeth is a lifetime commitment.

Once a child has their first tooth, they are susceptible to tooth decay. At this early age it is imperative that parents dedicate themselves to establishing a dental care routine. This includes regularly paying a visit to the dentist, which dentists recommend should first take place around the age of one. At the age of two or three, many children have all their baby teeth. Sadly, it is not uncommon for a two-year old to develop a cavity. With a dental hygiene routine in place, this can be avoided.

In actuality it is not age that causes tooth decay, but neglect. It is a certain guarantee that adults who do not care for their teeth will invariably develop dental problems. Unfortunately, there are serious issues that may arise despite your best dental hygienic efforts in your adult years and these include: cavities, gum disease, tooth misalignment, and root decay. While these issues may be impossible to avoid, you must still exercise diligence in taking care of your teeth and monitoring them for signs of trouble.

Undeniably, suffering from cavities or recovering from root canal can be painful and disruptive to your life. Moreover, in regards to your teeth, there is not just the cost to your health to take into account, but also the cost to your wallet. Dentists are highly trained professionals whose services do not come cheap. Without financial assistance, many people are forced to go without dental check-ups and are left to suffer the consequences.

In Canada, there are very few provinces that offer coverage for dental services. At best, a province may provide basic dental care until the age of 12, or may provide coverage in the case of someone who is receiving social assistance. For a large portion of Canadians who do not have an employee health plan, the financial burden falls solely on the individual. Planning ahead for the cost of braces for your children, surgery for yourself or dentures as you age is imperative if you hope to avoid costly expenses. Purchasing dental insurance is your best defense against expensive dental bills.

Having supplemental health insurance enables you to follow a set dental hygiene routine that includes regular trips to the dentist. Dental insurance plans will vary but several exist that can adequately meet your needs. Opting for a basic supplemental dental insurance plan for example can provide you 50% coverage for your first $1,150 of eligible services in your first year of coverage. This would increase to 80% for the first $300 of services in your second year.

Whether you are visiting the dentist for a check-up or for an unexpected dental problem, you should prepare yourself for the financial cost. Caring for your teeth is a lifelong commitment and a job that you must take seriously.

About the author: Anna Dorbyk is the editor for Canada Health Insurance and is a graduate student in Communication Studies at Concordia University. For more information on health insurance for Canadians please visit www.canada-health- insurance.com .

WHY ARE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAMS SO NECESSARY?

2009-01-04T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Stive W.

There are some diseases that people have to deal with and their costs are unaffordable for the average man, considering the fact that he has several bills to pay and other responsibilities that come along with heading a family. Handling a household plus taking care of expensive hospital bills for particular diseases that are difficult to cure is not easy. In view of an average man handling a hospital bill for a relative suffering with cancer and also having to handle the financial side of his home, it is tedious. His salary may not be enough, and so he would need some kind of plan to help him through. Indeed, there are many people that might be in such a position, and so, a health insurance program is necessary to help them.

Insurance Schemes: It is thought that through the government effective insurance schemes may be devised in order to help those in need of medical attention. The idea is practical, as individuals may be sponsored through the companies they work for in addition to having state support for medical insurance. People who work for their companies may be given a certain amount to pay towards health insurance . The amount need not be poured into the salaries of workers, but could be channeled in their names towards a health insurance that comprehensively covers all employees. In this way, those that end up with serious illnesses can be treated easily with the funds contributed in an insurance health package. If no one gets ill, the premium deposited may or may not be accumulated for later use either by the company or by the employees. In many cases it is the employer that benefits from the premium deposits. Whatever happens to the funds contributed is a secondary matter to be concerned with. The primary concern is the healthcare provision that needs to be streamlined through paying premiums regularly.

Insurance Schemes through Institutions: It is important for institutions to help cover their employees with premium contributions because if they happen to be injured on the job they can at least be treated through the healthcare system that is insurance-driven.

The importance of having a healthcare system that is insurance-driven is that people may seek medical attention as soon as possible. This is because of the fact that that whatever a person's hospital bill comes to the health insurance company pays it. The problem in the recent past that hospitals have faced is that they do not get compensated in a timely manner. Insurance compensation need to speed up the compensation process, which can only be handled through quicker verification of documentation and accounts clearances. If these two areas are handled effectively there should be no problem regarding hospitals being paid back.

Hospitals and Insurance Companies: An important thing to remember is that hospitals and insurance companies need to work in tandem to have an effective healthcare insurance program. If there are misunderstandings and lack of communication problems will persist and possibly worsen, resulting in a breakdown in the service to the people. It is obvious that the people are the ones to suffer most.

It must be remembered that affordable health insurance aside from the government-driven type is also important. This is because it would help in encompassing all those individuals that are not necessarily linked to institutions. These kinds of people also need healthcare protection, as it is possible for anyone to get serious diseases or suffer accidents.

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About the author: Health Insurance Expert

Help! I Lost My Health Insurance!

2009-01-03T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Albert Medinas

It can literally be one of the scariest places to find yourself - without health insurance coverage. When a simple trip to the emergency room can lead to thousands of dollars in charges, the last thing you need is to not have health insurance. But what options do you have? Graduating from college can be a true rite of passage into adulthood, because this is the time when most health insurance plans drop you from your parents' plan. Even landing a job right after graduation can still mean that you will have to go through a grace period before the company's health insurance kicks in. And if you have left a job for greener pastures, well...don't get sick or injured!

But do I even have options?

Well you probably do have options for health insurance coverage, but they may not be ideal. If you have quit your job, then you will have the option of extending your health insurance benefits for up to 18 months - thanks to COBRA. The only catch is that you will have to pay for those benefits out of your own pocket. Not exactly an easy thing to do without that paycheck rolling in every week.

Is that it? Is that my only hope?

Before you panic, just relax. The solution is short-term health insurance. As the name implies, this solution offers you health insurance options for a limited period of time. Most short-term health insurance benefits are available for 30 to 180 days. Depending on where you live, you may be able to obtain these benefits for up to a year.

And short term health insurance is the same as what I had at work?

Well, if you mean that you have coverage in the event of a hospital visit or sudden illness, then yes. You also can pick your own doctors and hospitals, which is actually an advantage over some health insurance plans offered by employers. But there are definitely coverage limitations on short-term health insurance plans.

So what am I not covered for?

That really is the million dollar question, isn't it? Well, routine medical exams are not covered by a short term health insurance policy. Any kind of preventative care is also out the window with this type of coverage. Plus, you can forget about dental and optical coverage with short-term health insurance. For obvious reasons, this sort of health insurance also does not cover medical costs relating to a pregnancy nor, anything having to do with the childbirth itself.

No offense, by why should I bother with short term health insurance?

Because a simple trip to the emergency room can cost thousands of dollars, and any emergency procedure and hospital stay can cost tens of thousands of dollars. Hey, short- term health insurance is not supposed to be the long-term solution. It is just a way to make sure you are covered while you are not on any employer's health insurance plan. And it can help you avoid going into serious debt, should something happen to you when you are not otherwise covered on a health insurance plan. For that reason alone, it is definitely worth the expense.

About the author: Albert Medinas has developed and maintains the website Health Insurance Resources , which answers the most common questions people have about Health Insurance . Please visit us at http://www.healthinsuranceresources.ws today.

WHY IS HEALTH INSURANCE IMPORTANT?

2009-01-02T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Steve W.

People buy health insurance for different reasons. The following are ten of these reasons. Please look them over and consider which reasons apply to you and which do not. This will help you to evaluate what type of health insurance will best meet your personal needs.

(1) Health insurance can protect you from the risk of uncertain bills for health care.

(2) Without health insurance, you may not be able to afford expensive services.

(3) Health insurance can pay for services that you use often.

(4) Health insurance can help you to get better quality care as a member of a coordinated health plan than you would get on your own.

(5) With health insurance, you do not have to worry about the cost of care when you are sick.

(6) The additional money provided by affordable health insurance when you are sick may be more valuable to you than money when you are well.

(7) If you have more dependents than most people, then you may get more out of a family policy for health insurance .

(8) If you or your dependents have more health care needs than most people and you only pay an average premium, then you get more from health insurance than most people.

(9) You do not pay income tax on health insurance benefits so it is more valuable per dollar than the same amount in taxable pay.

(10) Health insurance companies generally pay lower prices to doctors and hospitals than you would pay on your own.

About the author: Health Insurance Expert

About Individual Health Insurance

2008-12-31T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Mark J.

About Individual Health Insurance

Indi vidual health care insurance provides coverage for only one individual, or family. In general, individual plans are more expensive than group insurance. You can obtain individual plans directly from a company who offers them. The company with whom you apply will evaluate you from a health standpoint, in terms of how much risk you present to them. Usually, they'll provide a questionnaire for you to fill out, asking various questions about your current and past health history. They will determine your risk accordingly, from which a premium will be generated.

Things to look for: Most individual plans fall under managed health care plans. Under this, you can opt for an HMO, PPO, or POS plan.

Guaranteed renewable: Your insurer cannot cancel your coverage if you become sick. If you continue to pay your insurance premium, coverage continues.

If available, group insurance is generally a better option, since it is usually more comprehensive and less expensive than individual insurance. However, individual coverage is ultimately better than being uninsured in the event of illness or injury. Although you may think you can do without health insurance, you are taking a major risk if you choose not to get coverage. An unexpected illness or serious injury can put you and your family under financial stress.

In a group insurance situation, the provisions of the policy are negotiated between the insurer and master policy owner (usually an employer or association). With indi vidual insurance , you are directly in control of your policy. You can negotiate to have certain provisions included or excluded, and you can often choose your deductible amount and co-payment percentage. Keep in mind, however, that these things will have an effect on your premiums.

About the author: Insurance Agent

About The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)

2008-12-29T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Mark J.

About The National Association for the Self-Employed (NASE)

At-A-Glance: The Nation's Leading Resource for Micro-Businesses

The National Association for the Self -Employed (NASE) is the nation's leading resource for the self-employed and micro-businesses (up to ten employees), providing a broad range of benefits and support to help the smallest businesses succeed.

The NASE was founded in 1981 by a group of small- business owners in search of a structure of day-to-day support, benefits and consolidated buying power that traditionally had been available only to large corporations. Today, the NASE represents hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs and micro-businesses, and is the largest non-profit, non-partisan association of its kind in the United States.

Since its start-up, the NASE has been an important partner in the explosion of micro-businesses in the United States, supporting the interests of the self -employed health insurance with benefits and advocacy initiatives aimed at leveling the playing field between these businesses and larger corporations.

Specifically, the aim of the association is to help the self -employed successfully meet the challenges of managing and growing their businesses by:

Securing focused tools and resources that help the self-employed manage and compete more effectively; Representing the interests of the self-employed among legislators in Washington D.C. on key issues that affect their business and that give these businesses more equal footing with larger corporations; and Providing access to benefits that promote the health and financial security of micro-business owners.

Supporting Micro-Businesses as Key Engine of Economy

The NASE has pioneered support for the self-employed and micro-businesses, which have been among the largest creators of jobs in recent years. According to the Small Business Administration, micro-businesses generated 37.6 percent of new jobs between 1998 and 1999.

About the author: Insurance Agent

Health Insurance History

2008-12-28T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Stive S.

A brief history of health insurance coverage reveals that in the aftermath of World War II, the US government sought to provide maximum benefits to the populations in her efforts to reduce the burden otherwise incurred on rise in wages. This policy continued for a number of years, until the introduction of relevant laws in 1950 to provide Medicare for the needy populations of the state.

This was also the first time that the government participated in any form of financing health care on behalf of the populations, and this was accomplished through direct payment to the various health care providers including doctors, physicians and hospitals.

The US government also introduced the famous ""Medical Assistance to the Aged"" legislation in the decade of 1960s, opening doors of medical assistance and other health care services to the elderly and poor populations though putting restrictions on the extent of medical expenses.

This was followed by the passage of legislation for the establishment of 'Medicare and Medicaid Programs' in 1965 making a part of the Social Security Act. Responsibilities of these programs was entrusted to the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, all of who are presently covered under a single department of Health and Human Services.

The Medicare program was however run by the Social Security Administration, while the Medicaid program was run by the Social and Rehabilitation Service. Both these areas were then transferred to the newly formed Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) as of year 1977, and renamed again as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

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About the author: Health Insurance Expert

Small Business Health Insurance

2008-12-26T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Stive W.

It is very beneficial to provide small business insurance to your employees to allow them to have affordable health care insurance. You will want to research and find out what kind of small group health insurance quotes you can get, and then decide which plans offer the best benefits to your employees and you. You will want to go with an insurance provider who specializes in small business health insurance plans to really maximize on the low rates available to you.

You will want to get as many quotes as you can to allow you to shop around for the best small business health insurance premiums and benefits. It is best to collect many quotes, as this will allow you to compare all that is out there, and what they offer. Not all plans are the same, and not all offer full benefits that are worth the rates and premium costs.

A small business health insurance quote may show you that it is more affordable than an individual health insurance plan. For a small business group health insurance policy, you must employ at least five workers. It will give you and them some reassurance to know you are all covered medically in case illness or any accidents occur.

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About the author: Small Business Health Insurance Expert

HOW DOES HEALTH INSURANCE REDUCE RISK?

2008-12-25T05:06:00.000-06:00

Author: Stive W.

Health Insurance seems like a simple exchange. You pay an insurance company a premium and insurance pays your bills. You get rid of risk and the insurance company takes your risk. However, there is more to it that this. What does the insurance company do with your risk? Do they keep it? Do they also get rid of it somehow? When you understand what the insurance company does with your risk, then you can better evaluate your options and perhaps get a better deal on health insurance.

One measure of risk is the potential for ups and downs. Having a stock that pays $100 in dividends each year and seldom changes in price is not very risky. Having a stock that goes up or down wildly from one period to another is risky. The same is true for health care costs. Paying $100 each year for eyeglasses is not risky. Having a chance of winding up in the hospital and having to pay $100,000 is risky.

""Risk Pooling"" happens when many people get together and share their losses by averaging them together. Risk pooling works because of the ""law of large numbers."" As you average together more and more numbers in a certain range, the average becomes more and more stable. Unusually high or low numbers tend to cancel each other out. For example, if you roll dice once, the result can be anywhere from 2 to 12. If you roll dice more and more, the average will get closer and closer to 7. By the time you roll the dice 1,000 times, the average will be very stable around 7.

Health Insurance companies use risk pooling to get rid of the risk they take from you. They charge you a premium based on average cost plus their administrative cost. When they pool many people, the average cost is very stable and they have little risk themselves. Risking pooling is also used in finance. When people buy a bunch of different stocks in a diversified portfolio, their average return from the portfolio is more stable and less risky than the return from a single stock.

In order for risk pooling to work, the individual risks that are pooled must be independent. ""Independent"" risks go up and down at different times, not together. When risks go up and down at different times, they tend to cancel each other out. If they go up and down together, the do not cancel out. For example, it is less risky to provide accident insurance for 100 people traveling on 100 different boats than for 100 people traveling on the same boat. Health care risks for individuals are generally independent, although contagious diseases or widespread disasters can change that. This is one reason why many life and property insurance policies exclude losses from catastrophic events such as war.

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About the author: Health Insurance Expert

How to Lower the Cost of Your Car Insurance

2008-12-24T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Evan T Smith

Buying auto insurance is an important part of your overall financial planning. The auto insurance premium rate varies depending on the company and the type of policy coverage you choose to have. Here are some guidelines to lower the cost.

Shop Around - Compare the costs by shopping around at least four to five insurance companies and comparing the quotes. Take the help of your friends, relatives and yellow pages. Your insurance company should offer fair price and posses excellent service records. Check the financial ratings of the company as it indicates the strength and stability of the company.

Ask for higher deductibles - Deductible is the amount of money that you pay before making any claim for an accident. The collision and comprehensive coverage are sold with the deductibles. Higher the deductibles lower will be the premium rate. Increasing the deductible from $200 to $500 may reduce the cost by 15 to 30 percent.

Drop collision and comprehensive Coverage on older cars - If your car is worth less than 10 times your premium inthe current market, consider dropping the collision and comprehensive coverage.

Buy auto coverage from your existing insurer - Buy insurance coverage from your existing carrier. This may help you to reduce the cost. Sometimes low rates are available for the longtime customers.

Avoid double health coverage - If you think that you have enough health insurance, and then avoid health coverage with your auto policy. This will help you to reduce the cost.

Maintain a good credit record - Insurers are using the credit history while determining the price of insurance. Statistically, the lower your credit score, the more you are likely to file claims. A person with a good credit score is more likely to settle the accident without the support of the company. Try to maintain a good credit record.

Discounts with low profile car - Cars that are expensive to repair or attractive to thieves will have a higher rate. Consider buying a low profile or average car as it your insurer might come up with discounts for such a car.

Take advantage of the low mileage discount - Obtain some discount on premiums by driving less than the national average mileage recorded per year.

Consult about group discount - Sometimes you can get some discounts on group plans provided by your employer, or a business groups, or other associations. Find out whether such a plan is available.

Seek Car Safety discount - Some insurers offer discount if you keep your car equipped with air bag, anti-lock brakes, anti-theft devices, automatic seat belts. Take advantage of this.

About the author: Evan T. Smith is a contributing author for http://www.ampminsure.org

Find more insurance articles on http://www.ampminsure.org/community/index.html

Choosing a health insurance online.

2008-12-23T05:08:00.000-06:00

Author: Simon Goodman

Health insurance

When you have a health insurance you are insured against medical expenses due to accident or illness.

Before you jump into any health insurance or medical plan you need to do your homework. As with any insurance you need to read the fine prints of what is covered and what is not. For example it is not uncommon for an health insurance to only cover future expenses.

Health Insurance in the United State

The health insurance programs in the united state vary greatly from state to state, but most will offer some form of health insurance or medical cover.

Most reimburse some of the basic charges due to illness.

In most state it is often advised to have some form of private medical health insurance.

Health Insurance around the world

Every nation has it's own policies when it comes to health insurance. In Europe, for example, most member nation has some form of national health insurance. But that kind of health insurance is usually very limited and only offers basic services. The cost of a nation health insurance is usually offset by an extra form of tax.

Not all countries offer health insurance, even basic health insurance. This is often true in most developing countries.

What you should look for in you health insurance?

--What are the health insurance premiums? If you get ill will those premium increases?

--Are you been overcharged for your lifestyle? Check that certain offers apply to you.

--What is the procedure when it comes to making a claim? Is the paperwork expected realistic? What if you lost everything, (due to a disaster), will the insurance company still insure you?

--Are the payments prompt and on time? Some health insurance can take up to a year to settle an account.

--is your health insurance tax deductable? If yes, does your chosen health insurance company qualify for such tax deduction?

Find out more about health insurance

About the author: Insurance Owl gives simple, clear information about insurance. Everything, ranging from health insurance to indemnity claims, including Auto, Travel and life insurance.

Home owner insurance, what to expect and what to ask your agent

2008-12-18T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Simon Goodman

Your home is probably going to be your single most important purchase in your life, you spend months searching for the perfect place so it makes sense that you would be just has careful when it comes to your home owner insurance.

But what is home owner insurance?

As the name indicates, home owner insurance will insure your home against most disasters. But there are some pitfalls to lookout for.

What does home owner insurance cover?

Good home owner insurance will cover everything in your home as well as your house itself.

Your home owner insurance should at least:

--Cover the price of the house should you need to re-build it, (about the current value of the house).

--Cover at least your mortgage.

--Inflation guard, the total cover should increase every year in line with inflation.

--Does your home insurance offer temporary accommodation after a disaster?

--If you rent part of your house, your home owner insurance should cover your loses, (even if your part of the house is still habitable).

--Cover 50% of the value of the house as contents.

--What are the requirements you need to have along with the insurance? Smoke detector? Burglar alarms?

--Liability cover, (the cover should be fairly high due to the cost of most court cases).

--Pet cover? If your pet causes damages, to property or to another person, are you covered, are you covered against legal actions?

What else should you speak to your agent about home owner insurance?

Bear in mind the property itself, if you have an old, special home, you might want it repaired at all costs rather than a cash payout. Or if it is beyond repair, does your home owner insurance offer to purchase another, similar, home?

Most home owner don't offer flood or earthquake cover, are you in a high risk area? Can you afford not to have such insurance?

After a disaster, building materials are usually more expensive, does your home insurance take this into account?

Do you need to take an inventory of your house content? If you have some special items that are likely to be more expensive/valuable, can your agent offer you a floater/endorsement on your home owner insurance?

How can your home insurance be cheaper?

You also need to ask your agent for special deductions on your home owner insurance. --If you have a smoke detector.

--Fire alarm.

--If you have more than one property.

--Will your home insurance be cheaper if you had some of the above?

Want more protection?

For greater peace of mind you can get an excess liability or an umbrella insurance. First if offers you greater financial coverage and secondly it offers you even more protections that are not always associated with home owner insurance, for example invasion of privacy, slander or even libel.

Find out more about home owner insurance

About the author: Insurance Owl gives simple, clear information about insurance. Everything, ranging from health insurance to indemnity claims, including Auto, Travel and life insurance.

Why should I even bother to buy a life insurance?

2008-12-17T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Derek Gardner

Numerous economic experts believe life insurance to be the basis of sound economic planning. It is in general a cost-effective way to take care about your loved ones after you are departed. It can be an important instrument in many ways.

Income substitute For the majority of people, their main financial asset is their capability to make a living. If you have people depending on you, then you need to think about what would happen to them if they suddenly do not have your income to count on. Income from a life insurance policy can help complement retirement income. This can be particularly useful if the benefits of your surviving other half or family partner will be reduced after you pass away.

Pay your debts Think of life insurance so that your loved ones have the money to pay for the funeral, credit card debts unpaid and medical expenses not covered by health insurance. And further, life insurance can be used to pay off the house loan, as extra retirement savings and assist pay college education.

Charitable donations If you have a favourite aid organization, you can assign some of the money from your life insurance to go to them.

Okay, you get the picture - you need a life insurance!

How much life insurance do you need? To make a decision about how much life insurance to get, you need to find out what your goals are in buying this coverage. Try to find answers for the following: Should I spare my loved ones for the funeral costs and other outstanding debts? Am I worried that my wife or domestic partner will not be able to continue to pay off the mortgage? Do I have dependents who count on my income? What about college savings for my children or retirement savings for my spouse if I die?

Dependents If you have children, or your other half does not work outside the home. Or maybe your aging parents life with you, and you financially take care of them. Then you have dependents. Are your loved ones capable of paying the mortgage without your financial contribution? Either way, your loved ones will no longer have your income to help them pay the bills and keep their lifestyle after you are gone. You will have to buy enough insurance to provide for their future. Your family may also need extra money to make some changes after you die. They may want to move or your other half may have to go back to school to be in a better position to help support the family.

No dependents If you are young and want to have a family in the future, you might also want to buy a life insurance now so that you can lock in a good rate. Just because you do not have dependents, does not mean you do not have responsibilities. You may be concerned with not being an economic burden to others when you die. You may also want to leave some money behind to your family, friends or a charity. You should buy enough coverage to pay outstanding debts, tax liabilities and funeral expenses.

About the author: Huge amount of Life Insurance Information on this site - Go there! http://www.lifeinsurance.infostairs.com

HometownQuotes Adds Life Insurance Quotes

2008-12-16T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Matt McWilliams

HometownQuotes Adds Life Insurance Quotes

Online Insurance Quotes Service Responds Customers Needs; Adds Life Insurance

FRANKLIN, TN - In response to the needs and feedback of their customers and concerns about rising life insurance costs, the online insurance web site HometownQuotes.Com has recently begun offering life insurance quotes to its online customers. Customers visiting the HometownQuotes.Com site can now get up to five life insurance quotes from agents in their home area.

""We simply listened to the feedback from our customers,"" said Matt McWilliams, Vice-President of Customer Relations. ""Offering our visitors free life insurance quotes only expands the services we offer and help that we can be to our customers.""

National and international events have had an impact on the agents of HometownQuotes.Com as well. ""The recent rash of hurricanes and affect they left on families played a part in this decision,"" McWilliams said. ""Families that we know and families nationwide are looking for an easier, better way to shop for life insurance, and we want to help these people the same way we have helped our customers shop for home, auto, and health insurance.""

HometownQuotes.Com will have agents representing all of the top life insurance providers, from large corporations to local independent agents, McWilliams said. Agents will available to help customers decide what coverage is best for each individual and family, whether it be a term life insurance policy or permanent whole life or variable life insurance policy.

About HometownQuotes.Com

HometownQuotes.Com was founded in 2003 by two insurance agents who believed that there was a better way for individuals to connect with local insurance agents in your hometown. Armed with that belief and a working knowledge of the insurance industry HometownQuotes.Com was born.

Today, almost two years later, HometownQuotes.Com is the industry authority in providing quick and easy quotes to consumers. HometownQuotes.Com was founded on the principal that consumers deserve better than the 800-number approach for their insurance needs and that local agents were better suited to handle a clients needs.

About the author: Matt McWilliams is one of the co-founders of HometownQuotes.Com, an online insurance quotes web site . He is originally from Pinebluff, NC and attended Middle Tennessee State University. He is considered an expert in the field of online insurance shopping and finding new ways to help consumers save money on their insurance. For more information visit http://www.hometownquotes.com

Recreation Vehicle insurance, the basics.

2008-12-14T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Simon Goodman

What is a recreation vehicle? Do I need to insure it?

The first questions to answer would be, what is a recreation vehicle and why would you choose to insure it.

A recreation vehicle is one that you would normally use to fun/relaxation. For example if you normally use your car to commute but on week-end drive a motorcycle then the motorcycle is considered to be a recreation vehicle. But on the other hand you use your motorcycle to go to work on hot days then the bike is no longer considered to be a recreation vehicle.

Some of the more common recreation vehicles are:

* Motorcycles

* Boats

* Snowmobiles

* Moto-cross bikes/trail bikes/Quad bikes

* ATV's (All Terrain Vehicles) sometimes used for trail rides or hunting

* Travel Trailers

* Motorhomes

* Caravans

* Personal Watercraft (jet-skis, Inflatable and so on)

Do you need to get a recreation vehicle insurance?

In almost every case the answer is yes, the most common reason is because most good insurance company will not charge you a premium for using a vehicle from time to time. You are usually not penalised for having a recreation vehicle. In most cases a recreation vehicles is well looked after, and because, by definition, it is only used once in a while, most insurance company will offer some very low quotes.

But the other important reason is because most recreation vehicles are not used as often so the likelihood of something happening increases.

You must accept that you are not as familiar with that vehicle as you are with your everyday one. So the likelihood off an accident increases.

You should always check with your insurance company that your insurance is up to date; it is often easy to assume that a vehicle is covered for, say, 12 months when in fact it is only covered for 6 months.

You must also ensure that you are carefully following the policy, if your recreational vehicle is an RV, (Motor home or Caravan), does your license allow you to drive it?

Is the vehicle itself 'legal', (can it legally be used for the purpose you are insuring it for?)

Remember that is almost all cases, breaking the local laws will null and void the insurance policy.

Find out more about Recreation vehicle insurance

About the author: Insurance Owl gives simple, clear information about insurance. Everything, ranging from health insurance to indemnity claims, including Auto, Travel and life insurance.

Medical Insurance - Benefits

2008-12-13T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Nancy Powell

With the cost of medical treatment being a stumbling block to the personal savings of an individual in the US, medical insurance has been more than a necessity today. Often, high costs are involved in various aspects of health care, leaving the majority of us cooped up in a hospital running colossal medical bills. Under such conditions, someone without medical insurance coverage could go through the worst of financial problems involving a doctor or hospital visit. With today rising cost of medical insurance premiums, Americans are spending major share of their income on medical and health insurance coverage every year. Therefore, it is high time every individual American equips himself/herself with the proper medical and health insurance education. It is almost essential that one should look for flexible medical insurance plans; those are reasonably priced and afford coverage between one to six months.

All said and done, finding the right medical insurance policy for you and your family is often a difficult and confusing task, but the World Wide Web makes it easy for you. We, at TheMedicalInsurance.Com have come up with an information on affordable medical insurance plans for individuals and families. We operate in all 50 states in US and assure that all our medical insurance plans are there to promote access to effective and quality medical care. If you have questions to get a cheap medical insurance plan, be sure to visit our FAQ section. Remember, your medical insurance plays a major role as a safety net for your future plans, so you must be prudent in your purchase.

Benefits - theMedicalInsurance.com

WE ARE NOT AN INSURANCE COMPANY. We are an independent medical insurance quote provider partnered with other companies serving our customers in choosing the plan matching their budget and need. You will be able to personalize your health coverage plan at a price just matching your pocket. Our goal is to keep you well informed by giving you one of the most extensive FAQs and glossary sections available on the web today. Hopefully this information will help you to make an intelligent informed decision to select the plan for you, your family or your employees in a small business. Have an independent unbiased network to provide you Free, No-Obligation Medical Insurance Quote

About the author: Independent Medical Insurance Quotes provider partnered with other Insurance Companies

Insurance for long-term care promises peace of mind, but at a dear price

2008-12-12T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: M. Sanders

It's not only people nearing retirement who are being pitched the concept of insurance to cover long-term nursing or other assisted care. Even people in their early 50s, or younger, may find they are the target of insurers who view the aging of America as an opportunity to sell more of their stock in trade-peace of mind. While long-term-care insurance can salvage family finances and ease worries about having a nursing home bed if you need one, its provisions are often misunderstood. And people frequently develop unrealistic expectations of the amount of help such insurance can provide. Buying too soon-or too much-can be a waste of money. Waiting too long can make you ineligible because of health problems. And, because it's so expensive, you may decide it's a safety net that you can't afford or don't need at all. Here's some help to make sense of all this:

Once someone hits 65 and qualifies for Medicare, won't that pay for a nursing home stay?

Sometimes. Medicare pays for 20 days at a nursing home for recuperation and rehabilitation after a hospital stay, and it picks up part of the cost for an additional 80 days. A supplemental Medigap policy could pick up the share that Medicare won't. But neither covers custodial care that elderly people may need when they can't bathe, eat, dress, or get around without help-or when they need supervision because of Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.

What about Medicaid?

This welfare program is often confused with Medicare, the federal insurance program that helps older people pay doctor and hospital bills regardless of income. Medicaid, run jointly by the federal government and the states, is a haven for people with few assets and a low income. It may pay for long-term custodial care and, in some cases, for at-home care or assisted living in communities for the elderly. But it won't kick in until those bills eat up most of a person's assets and income. Provisions vary by state, but protections apply when one spouse is institutionalized and the other stays at home. The at-home spouse can typically retain about half the family's assets but no more than about $84,000, plus the family home-and keep as much as $2,100 a month of income, and perhaps more.

Despite those safeguards, many people worry about a reduced living standard for the at-home spouse or an erosion of the assets they can leave to their children. As a result, many people transfer the title to their assets-at least in part-and make other financial moves to appear poor on paper and thus prematurely qualify for Medicaid. That's part of the reason there are so many more elder-law attorneys, who specialize in helping people with the complexities of aging.

How does insurance help?

It can reduce the incentive to manipulate finances and provide peace of mind about getting care. Insurance can also increase a family's leverage to choose the care it wants. Not all facilities accept Medicaid patients, and those that do may limit the number of such occupants because Medicaid pays a discounted rate. Residents who pay full price from their own assets or insurance may get preference even in cases where regulations bar discrimination against Medicaid patients. ""It's like flashing $20 to the maitre d',"" says Barbara Kate Repa, an attorney in San Francisco. It can help if you use insurance or private funds to start off before turning to Medicaid. A nursing home that accepts Medicaid patients can't force out paying occupants when they go on Medicaid, but lawyers tell of patients being moved to a less desirable room or a different facility. Complaints by family members may help.

Middle-income people are the prime target for this insurance. Their income may not cover long-term care, but they can have sizable assets that could be sliced away. Couples with modest assets and income may need little or no insurance, as Medicaid may protect all or most of that for the at-home spouse. The rich can probably afford to take care of themselves.

What does a policy cover?

This is where you must read the fine print; terms vary widely. Generally, insurance may pay $100 to $200 a day for custodial care in a nursing home for two to four years-but sometimes for life. A similar or reduced amount may be paid for assisted living or care at home. A policy with such options can be useful because alternatives to nursing homes are becoming more popular and available.

Keep anticipated costs in mind. Nursing homes currently charge about $100 to $300 a day, so insurance may not cover everything unless you pay an outsize premium for very extensive coverage. For many people, the insurance may have to serve as a supplement to other savings and retirement planning. A policy that raises its daily compensation each year helps protect against inflation even before the first claim is made. It's a costly added feature that in some cases may almost double the premium, but it's worthwhile, particularly for younger buyers who may not claim benefits for many years. The most generous adjustment compounds the rise in benefits-similar to interest compounding in a savings account.

Buying minimal protection is unwise, as it will hardly dent the bills. A better way to economize is to accept a wait of up to 90 days after entering a nursing home before benefits begin-not unreasonable if you view the policy as a last-ditch backstop against the financial drain of long-term care.

To trigger benefits, a person must generally be unable to handle two or three ""activities of daily living"" from a list of five or six. Make sure bathing is on the list; that is typically one of the first chores that can't be done. Good policies also provide coverage for dementia. Check for restrictions that might, for example, rule out a preferred smaller facility. If you're considering assisted living, check the policy's definition of what qualifies.

What if the benefits run out?

In that case, the resident would pay all expenses until he or she eventually qualified for Medicaid. The following projections aren't fun, but the average nursing stay is about two years, and the chances of surviving long enough to need care for more than four or five years is low. Alzheimer's patients, though, tend to have longer-than-average stays.

Some states are trying to reward those who buy long-term insurance. Pilot programs in California, Connecticut, Indiana, and New York allow residents who have bought insurance to retain a larger-than-normal amount of assets when they go on Medicaid. But the individual's income may be tapped to reimburse Medicaid costs.

What does it cost?

A 55-year-old might pay as little as $500 a year for minimal long-term coverage, or $2,500 for comprehensive benefits, estimates the United Seniors Health Cooperative in Washington. An individual who first purchases insurance at 75 might pay $2,000 to $8,000. Changing the level or length of benefits has a big effect on the cost, but also check for specials, such as a discount of perhaps 10 percent to 20 percent for couples who sign up.

Consider whether you can afford the cost-buying a policy and later letting it lapse is generally a bad strategy, and it is something that many buyers of the first generation of unattractive long-term-care policies did. One rule of thumb is that retirees should not spend more than 5 percent of their income on such insurance. Some insurers allow policyholders who get stretched too thin to downgrade the coverage to a level they can afford-a half-loaf-is-better-than-none approach. In some cases, the premium will be waived once benefits begin, a good feature. It's not unreasonable for children who will inherit the protected wealth to help out. But for many, coverage won't be affordable.

Can the premium rise later?

Once you pass an insurer's health requirements-the older you are, the harder that might be-the initial premium can't be increased as you age or as your health falters. But the rate can legally rise if the insurer generally raises it for everybody-not just for you or those your age. That could happen if claims are heavier than forecast or if a firm initially set prices low to drum up business. Some experts believe that sizable boosts may come in a few years; you may want to consider that when budgeting. Ask an agent about a firm's record of recent price increases and be wary of a premium that's way out of line.

Who sells the insurance?

Sellers are life and health insurance companies, including big names such as Sellers are life and health insurance companies, including big names such as General Electric Capital , MetLife , and John Hancock . A buyer who wants to be conservative should choose a company that receives at least three of the following ratings, advises Joseph Belth, professor emeritus of insurance at Indiana University and editor of the Insurance Forum. They are: AA- or better by Standard & Poor's, A1 or better by Moody's, AA or better by Duff & Phelps, B- or better by Weiss Ratings, and A+ or better by A. M. Best.

For the complete article click on I nsurance for long-term care promises peace of mind, but at a dear price .

About the author: M. Sanders is a long term care insurance marketing specialist. She is appointed throughout the United States as a long term care insurance representative with several major insurance carriers. Her website, About Long Term Care and LTC Insurance , contains information and articles pertaining to long term care, insurance and other related senior topics. It is her goal to inform the public about these

Paying For Long-Term Care

2008-12-11T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: M. Sanders

This type of private insurance policy can help pay for many types of long-term care, including both skilled and non-skilled care.

Long-term care insurance coverage can vary widely. Some policies may cover only nursing home care. Others may include coverage for a whole range of services like care in an adult day care center, assisted living, medical equipment, and formal and informal home care.

Long-term care insurance premiums vary, depending on your age and health status when you buy the long-term care insurance policy and how much coverage you want. Additionally, you must be in generally good health to pass underwriting when purchasing a policy. For this reason, it may be better to buy long-term care insurance at a younger age when premiums are lower. If this is done, a periodic review is advised to make sure your policy covers your current and future long-term care needs. But you can buy long-term care insurance at any age. Talk about this with a family member, insurance agent, or financial advisor to learn what is best for you.

The cost of care, especially in nursing homes and assisted living facilities, varies from state to state. Make sure that the long-term care insurance policy you buy will cover the costs of care where you plan to use it.

Most long-term care insurance policies offer certain tax benefits. These policies are called Tax-Qualified, or TQ, policies. Depending on your age, you can include some or all of the premium for a TQ policy as a medical deduction on your Federal income tax form if you itemize your deductions. Also, when you receive payments from a Tax-Qualified policy, you generally don't have to pay Federal tax on them.

Private insurance companies sell long-term care insurance policies. You can buy them from an insurance agent or through the mail. Or, you may be able to buy a group policy through an employer or through membership in an association. Insurance companies may let you keep coverage after your employment ends or your employer cancels the group plan. You may be able to continue your coverage or convert it to another long-term care insurance policy.

The Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) offers Federal and U.S. Postal Service employees, and annuitants, members and retired members of the Uniformed Services, their spouses and other qualified relatives the opportunity to buy long-term care insurance at a group rate. Under this program, insurers that are selected and approved by the Government will make long-term care insurance policies available to those individuals who qualify.

The Partnership for Long-Term Care, a partnership between Medicaid and long-term care insurers, is currently available in four states (listed below) to provide an alternative to spending down or transferring assets. The four Partnership States have focused on creating affordable products that encourage people to self-insure, enable purchasers to provide better protection against impoverishment, and reduce long-term care costs for the Medicaid program. For more information on the Partnership program, call or look at the websites listed below.

New York - 1-888-NYS-PLTC (1-888-697-7582) (Note: This telephone number is toll-free in-state only.) or 1-518-473-8083 from anywhere (Note: This telephone number isn't a toll-free number.)

California - 1-800-Care445 (1-800-227-3445).

Indiana - 1-317- 233-1470 (Note: This telephone number isn't a toll-free number.)

Connecticut - 1-860-418-6318 (Note: This telephone number isn't a toll-free number.)

Buying a long-term care insurance policy is an important decision. Make sure that you buy from a reliable company. Insurance companies must be licensed by your State to sell long-term care insurance.

Be certain that you are dealing with a company that you know. If you decide to buy long-term care insurance, be sure that the company and the agent, if one is involved, is licensed in your State. If you aren't sure, call your State Insurance Department.

If you are considering buying long-term care insurance policy, call the insurance company and ask for a sample policy or Outline of Coverage that shows benefits and costs. Go over the information carefully. Compare the costs and benefits of policies from different insurance companies. Find out if any of the policies are Tax-Qualified if this is important to you. Be sure to talk with the insurance agent about anything you don't understand.

For more information on long-term care insurance, contact the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). NAIC represents state health insurance regulators and has a publication called ""A Shopper's Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance."" You can also get a copy of this publication from your State Insurance Department or the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 2301 McGee Street, Suite 800, Kansas City, MO 64108-3600.

If you have questions about where to buy long-term care insurance in your area, call your State Insurance Department.

State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs) are state programs that get money from the Federal Government to give free health insurance counseling and assistance to people with Medicare. SHIPs have counselors who might be able to answer your questions about how to pay for long-term care, the coverage you may already have, or whether there are any government programs that may help with your health care expenses.

Some online resources for Long-Term Care Insurance include:

Allianz LTC Insurance

GE Long-Term Care Insurance

John Hancock LTC Insurance

Long-Term Care Insurance from MetLife

For the complete article click on

Paying For Long-Term Care .

What Senior Citizens Need To Know About Private Long Term Care Insurance

2008-12-10T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: M. Sanders

Long term care is a major concern of American senior citizens and their families. Studies have shown that Americans rank long term care second, behind saving for retirement, when prioritizing financial needs. Unfortunately, many Americans do not want to think about needing long term care and, therefore, fail to plan for it. Others wrongly assume that Medicare or standard health insurance policies will cover the costs of long term care services. As a result of this failure to plan, tens of thousands of Americans are impoverished each year by the costs of long term care.

The best time to plan for long term care is before it is needed. Start thinking about long term care when you plan for retirement. If you are already retired, it is not too late to begin planning for potential long term care needs.

Private long term care insurance is an excellent way to finance long term care. This brochure will guide you through the important process of selecting the right long term care insurance policy. This booklet provides information on long term care services, what to look for in a long term care insurance policy, and a glossary of terms.

Finding a good policy will take some effort, but the effort will be worthwhile. Here are some steps to take when considering the decision to purchase a long term care insurance policy:

1. Talk to your financial planner or insurance agent about whether long term care insurance makes sense for you. 2. Ask your financial advisor to recommend a company and a policy.

3. Check with insurance rating services to make sure the insurance company you are considering is financially secure. 4. Call your state insurance department and ask about the company and its record in your state. 5. Make sure your insurance agent is licensed to sell long term care insurance in your state. 6. Review all the details and options of the policy. Do not rely just on the marketing materials or outline of coverage. 7. Make sure you understand all the provisions before you purchase any policy. 8. Ask your insurance agent questions. Seek guidance from the state insurance commission office, the Area Agency on Aging, or local senior centers. Discuss policies with friends, family, and others whose opinions you respect. Take time when choosing a policy, and don't allow yourself to be pressured into making quick decisions. And remember: Never pay cash.

The decision to purchase long term care insurance is not a simple one, but thorough investigation and thoughtful planning now can offer you and your family financial protection for the future, and, most importantly, peace of mind.

Defining Long Term Care

Long term care includes a range of nursing, social, and rehabilitative services for people who need ongoing assistance. Most people in long term care facilities are older, but many young people need long term care during an extended illness or after an accident.

Assistance with routine personal needs such as bathing, dressing, eating, toileting, and taking medicine is the most common long term care service. Long term care facilities also provide skilled nursing and rehabilitative care, which is ordered by a physician and supervised by skilled medical personnel such as a nurse or licensed therapist.

Long Term Care Is Offered In A Variety Of Settings

Nursing facilities are the primary settings for people who require medical care daily or intermittently. You must have a physician specify needed services in a written treatment plan for admission to a nursing facility. Many nursing facility stays are short periods of recuperation from an acute medical episode such as a hip fracture or surgery.

Assisted living facilities or residential care facilities provide general supervision, housekeeping services, medical monitoring, and planned social, recreational, and spiritual activities for people who are still independent and ambulatory. Assisted living facilities do not provide medical care.

Facility care services include skilled nursing care, speech, physical, or occupational therapy, facility health aides, or help from facilitymakers. Sometimes, family members, or caregivers, provide most of the care with the help of facility aides and skilled professionals.

Adult day care services are available in many communities, providing personal care, skilled care, and recreational services.

Financial Issues And Long Term Care

The cost of long term care varies by the level of care needed, the setting where the care is provided, and geographic location. Nursing facilities, assisted living facilities, and facility care services provide different levels of care to different resident populations; therefore, costs are not comparable.

On average, round-the-clock long term care services in a nursing facility cost $40,000 per year, or $112 per day.

Assisted living costs vary dramatically--anywhere from $900 to $3000 per month depending on room size, amenities provided, and services required.

Facility care, if needed daily, also can be quite expensive. In 1996, an average facility care visit from a registered nurse (RN) cost $99. RN visits for facility care typically do not exceed 2-4 hours per day, so care is not round-the-clock.

Eight hours of adult day care can cost an average of $45 per day.

Nursing Facility Care: About one third of the costs of nursing facility care are paid directly by individuals and their families. Two government programs may pay for some of your care.

Medicare, a health insurance program for people age 65 or older, only covers skilled facility care and up to 100 days of skilled care in a nursing facility if you are admitted after a three-day hospitalization (not required if you are an HMO member) and your physician prescribes skilled care in your treatment plan. Many people think that Medicare is the primary payor of nursing facility stays, but Medicare accounts for only 9 percent of nursing facility expenditures.

Medicaid, a program for the poor, pays for approximately 52 percent of the nation's nursing facility care, but only for people who have spent almost all their assets and become impoverished. Due to lack of planning for long term care, Medicaid is the source of payment for nearly 70 percent of people in nursing facilities!

Unless you have long term care insurance, qualify under limited conditions for Medicare coverage, or become poor, you will pay out of your savings for nursing facility services.

Assisted Living: About 90 percent of the nation's assisted living services are paid for with private funds. The Supplemental Security Income, Older Americans Act, and Social Services Block Grant programs pay for some assisted living services, while about one-fifth of the states allow the federal Medicaid program to pay for some service components.

Facility Care: Private funds pay for about 46 percent of facility care costs; Medicare covers 32 percent; Medicaid, 22 percent.

Adult Day Care: There are some out-of-pocket expenses for adult day care; however, the majority of funding comes from public sources either the state exclusively, or, in some states, Medicare and Medicaid. Private donations from corporations and charitable groups such as the United Way also supplement the costs of adult day care.

When To Buy Long Term Care Insurance

Because long term care insurance premiums are based on age at the time of purchase, the younger you are when you purchase a policy, the less expensive the annual premium. These premiums for most policies stay level each year as you age. If you buy at age 55 a policy that cost $800 per year, you will continue to pay the same premium. However, if you wait until you are 65, the same policy will cost you $1,700 per year.

What To Look For In A Policy

The best policy for you depends on several factors, including your family arrangement, your financial situation, your preferences regarding long term care choices, and the level of risk you are willing to accept. There is no one best company or one best policy for everyone. You should select a policy that meets your needs.

Before you buy a policy, make sure you know the product you are buying and from whom you are buying it. Be sure your agent is licensed to sell insurance in your state and has received specific training on long term care insurance. Consult friends, consumer guides, and information from your state's insurance counseling program or local agency on aging.

For the complete article click on

What Senior Citizens Need To Know About Private Long Term Care Insurance .

The Ins and Outs of Long-Term Care Insurance

2008-12-09T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: M. Sanders

If you aren't considering the purchase of long-term care insurance as part of your retirement planning, then your plan isn't complete. I'm not saying everyone needs long-term care (LTC) insurance, but I am saying you need to educate yourself about the issues and decide how you want to address those financial concerns.

According to a recent MetLife survey, the average cost of a private nursing home room is about $70,000 per year.

The average stay in a nursing home varies by the type of condition that put you in the facility. For example, those who suffered strokes require an average of 21 months of care, those with cancer average 36 months, and those with Alzheimer's average 96 months. There are a dizzying array of options and features you'll need to understand if you are thinking about buying an LTC policy.

What daily benefit will you need? The higher the daily benefit, the higher your premium. But you'll need to find a balance between daily benefit and cost.

How long will benefits last? The typical stay at a nursing home is between three and five years, so make sure your coverage lasts for at least that long. Think about your own family's health history when choosing benefit periods. Have family members traditionally lived to ripe old ages or had dementia problems? If so, you may want a longer benefit period. Many policies offer unlimited benefits, although that gets expensive.

What's the elimination period? The elimination period is comparable to the deductible on your other insurance policies. Your long-term care policy won't begin paying out for a certain number of days. Medicare typically pays for about 20 days. Most policies start with a 30- to 90-day elimination period, but you can increase that. The longer the elimination period, the cheaper your premium. Consider, too, that you may be able to pay out of pocket for six months or even a year of care. It's the long haul that might sink the financial ship.

Is the benefit inflation-protected? Go for the guaranteed annual inflation increases rather than the opportunity to increase daily benefits down the road. This rider may be more expensive up front, but you have a better chance of keeping pace with inflation.

Is the policy guaranteed to be renewable? This language guarantees that you can continue the policy as long as you pay your premiums. That includes coverage even if the company stops selling policies. This language does not, however, guarantee that your rates won't go up.

What level of care does the policy cover? The policy should cover all levels of care, both skilled and nonskilled. Nurses are generally the ones providing skilled care. Nonskilled care includes assistance with activities that don't require a nurse, such as bathing, walking, and dressing. You should be able to use the benefits not only for care at a nursing home but also for home health care, day care, or assisted living.

Does the policy cover help at home? Some policies will cover the costs of bringing people into your home to help with physical therapy, bathing, dressing, walking, and so on. Make sure the policy doesn't require a prior hospital stay before this benefit is available. Does the policy cover mental conditions? Sadly, Alzheimer's disease is a reality for many people. Be sure your policy includes all types of dementia.

How are premiums waived? A typical policy will waive premiums after 90 days of skilled care. Check to see if the days must be consecutive. Also, find out when premiums kick back in if you get better and go home.

How financially stable is the insurer? Research the financial rating of the company offering the policy. Check out ratings at A.M. Best's Web site. Several long-term care insurers have gone out of business. If you have a policy with a company that goes under, you still have a binding contract with that company. You do not have to surrender your contract unless you feel it is in your best interest.

Is the policy tax-qualified or nonqualified? In 1996, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was passed. Part of that law was a tax distinction for long-term care policies.

A qualified policy allows you to deduct premiums as a medical expense, up to certain limits, (to the extent all medical expenses exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income). Benefits from qualified policies are not considered taxable income (up to a limit of $240 a day for 2005). A doctor must certify that the insured will be unable to perform two or more activities of daily living (eating, going to the bathroom, moving from a bed to a chair, bathing, dressing, or maintaining continence) for the next 90 days or that the insured has been diagnosed with cognitive impairment (such as Alzheimer's). All policies issued before 1997 are considered qualified. The vast majority of policies issued today are qualified.

A nonqualified policy does not require a doctor's certification to pay benefits, but they set their own internal triggers of when to pay out benefits. For example, the policy may not include bathing as one of the daily living activities (and bathing is the number-one activity that people need help with). And you don't get the tax breaks that you would with a qualified policy. Do your homework on the companies issuing these policies to make sure they are financially solid.

For the complete article click on T he Ins and Outs of Long-Term Care Insurance .

-----------------------------------

Some online resources for Long-Term Care Insurance include:

Allianz LTC Insurance

GE Long-Term Care Insurance

John Hancock LTC Insurance

Long-Term Care Insurance from MetLife

Dental insurance, what the insurance companies didn't tell you.

2008-12-08T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Simon Goodman

What is dental insurance?

Dental insurance covers the patient against dental costs. It is not uncommon to have a dental insurance or dental plan together with your health insurance. Some employer will offer some form of dental insurance over and above the company medical insurance.

Unlike health insurance that covers diagnosing, treating and curing serious illnesses, dental insurance mostly covers preventive treatment. Dental treatment is highly predictable and very often non-catastrophic. Most dentists will advise patients to have at least one check-up every six months, that kind of preventive treatment is covered by most good dental insurances.

Dental plans very often encourage patients to have regular dental check and promote good dental hygiene, it is in there best interest to offer such plans with the dental insurance.

Do i need dental insurance?

As mentioned, unlike health insurance, dental insurance is very predictable and as such is not always a good candidate for insurance.

For example, most dental insurance will offer $1000.00 cover per year, but the fact is that most patients never require more than $100.00 per year. Self funding might be a better option as it removes the dental insurance overheads.

The employer option

But if something goes wrong then you might need a comprehensive dental insurance cover or access to funds that you might not have.

This is why some employers offer Direct Reimbursement (D.R.), the employer takes a percentage of salary into a dental insurance fund and this covers the employees.

The insurance companies response

To offer cheaper dental insurances than the one offered by employers, insurance companies responded with HMO's and Preferred Provider Plans (PPO's). Under those plans the insurance can offer cheaper premiums, but the treatments offered are often very limited. Another problem is that the dentists often increase the waiting lists and limit specialist treatments.

The common options

Although the employer dental insurance is often the better option you need to look at that they actually offer you.

Who will select the dentist?

--Open Panel, you choose the dentist without any restrictions.

--Close Panel, you are given a list of dentist to select, they in turn signed an agreement controlling their charges with the dental insurance company.

--Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Group of dentist that offer to charge less, if you want someone else, you might need to pay the difference.

--Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO), Group of dentist that offer to charge a lot less, but then the client cannot go anywhere else, (unless they pay the full price).

As you can see the more you go down the list the more restrictive the options are, typically an Self-Funded Insurers will offer an open panel whereas Dental Service Corporations and Insurance Carriers will offer EPO's.

How is the dentist compensated?

--Payment plan, the patient pays a monthly fee to the insurer and in turn the insurer pays the dentists/specialist.

--Capitation Plans, the dentists charges the insurance company a certain amount per-capita, (per patient), and in turn offer to treat the patient.

--Direct Reimbursement Plans, the patient pays the full price and the dental insurance plan will reimburse all or some of the money.

The second option is very limiting as some rogue dentists are inclined to offer substandard treatment to maximise their profit. The last option allows you to choose the best treatment plan.

All above can limit the percent value that is actually been repayed and/or cap the yearly value that can be (re-)claimed.

How are the benefits and payments calculated?

--A list is given of what is covered and for how much, any amounts over are not reimbursed by the dental insurance.

--The dental insurance offers a maximum amount that can be reimbursed per year, as long as the patient is within that figure the insurance will cover them. This is great for long term treatments, allowing the patient to choose the best value for money and overall treatment for their need.

What ever cover is offered by the dental insurance you must make sure that it has a regular review to ensure that the benefits are fair and reasonable.

Find out more about dental insurance

About the author: Insurance Owl gives simple, clear information about insurance. Everything ranging from dental insurance to health insurance and indemnity claims including Auto, Travel, and Life Insurance.

Determining how much Auto Insurance Coverage you Need

2008-12-07T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Matt McWilliams

The Three Basic parts to an Auto insurance Policy

1: Other Party:

Auto Insurance Bodily Injury (BI) Liability and Property Damage (PD) coverage is Legally required in most states today. (BI & PD) Most people understand that they need BI and PD, but they have no idea how to determine how much coverage they need.

Try this simple question: What if your car was involved in an auto accident tonight where heaven forbid, someone else was injured or killed? Remember, everything you own is in the back seat of the car with you and is at risk in a lawsuit! So, what do you think their family would sue you for? $15,000? $25,000? $100,000 or even maybe a Million dollars! Where would you get the money to pay them?

Perhaps the Equity in your Home would help? How about your Savings and/or Investments? You could even have up to 25% of your wages attached to pay the award in most states! Are you prepared to sacrifice everything you own to pay an award due to this accident? If not, read on for how to choose the auto insurance coverage you need.

2: You and Your Family:

Now let's turn the above accident around. For some unfortunate reason, you or a loved one is the one who is injured or killed in an auto accident. Where would you get the money if the person who hit you did not have auto insurance or not enough auto insurance? Medical bills can be covered if you have

health insurance . But health insurance doesn't cover loss of life, pain & suffering or permanent disability.

Maybe you have a life insurance policy through your employer or your own individual life policy. Is the benefit amount sufficient to cover your family if your loved one is killed? But even if you have life insurance, what pays for the misery, the pain and suffering, maybe the fact you or a loved one can't walk or use their arms again?

You might have a disability insurance policy through your work if you're lucky or had good financial advice. But disability insurance doesn't pay for loss of life, pain & suffering, permanent loss of your legs, arm or hand.

The only coverage that pays for these things is a part of an auto insurance policy known as Un/Under-insured motorist coverage. You can only buy as much coverage here as you have in Liability coverage. Your auto insurance agent should be able to help you determine the exact amount you need.

3: Your Car

Comprehensive and Collision Coverage are the third part of an auto insurance policy and are sometimes referred to as ""Full coverage."" Basically the difference is this: If you run into the tree you are covered by Collision coverage. If the tree runs into you (hypothetically of course), then you are covered by comprehensive coverage. Comprehensive also covers broken windshields, fire, theft and vandalism. The higher deductible (risk) you take here, the lower the premium. Use the savings here to purchase higher limits in the coverages that protect your assets and your family.

The bottom line to determining proper auto insurance coverage is, of course, the money available in your household budget. An excellent place to start in determining the proper auto insurance coverage for your family is to meet with your local auto insurance agent.

Most cut-rate companies concern themselves with one thing only: Price. Tell them what coverage you have and they'll see if they can give you the same coverage for less. You become the insurance professional. If this is the only need you have then that is ok. If not, you need to seek the advice of a professional to help you determine the proper amount of coverage you need and how best to accomplish it.

Review these tips for auto insurance coverage to make sure you have enough to protect your family.

You may reprint this article on your site or in your newsletter with proper credit to the author and a simple link to http://www.hometownquotes.com

About the author: BIO: Matt McWilliams is one of the co-founders of HometownQuotes.Com, an online insurance quotes web site. He is originally from Pinebluff, NC and attended Middle Tennessee State University. He is considered an expert in the field of online insurance shopping and finding new ways to help consumers save money on their insurance. For more information visit http://www.hometownquotes.com

Choosing an Insurance Company

2008-12-06T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Lee Asher

We don't think of it too often; as a matter of fact, unless we are faced with a health crisis or need, we don't think about health insurance at all! It is no wonder that many of us are caught unawares when an emergency happens, and some of us suddenly realize that the insurance coverage we had ten years ago is woefully out of date for our current needs.

The first step in selecting a financially strong insurer is to shop around. Talk to several representatives or insurance producers from a number of different companies. Tell them what your insurance needs are and ask them what their company will charge to cover you.

While purchasing insurance can be a daunting task in itself, please remember that any plan is only as good as the company that underwrites and stands behind it. To this end, here are ten things to consider before choosing your next insurance company:

Full Disclosure

When purchasing an individual health insurance policy, the underwriter will look at your medical history. Prior to comparing rates, be sure to write down all pertinent information, so you will be able to compare apples to apples. Additionally, it will give you a feel for what kind of information raises red flags for insurance companies. If you suddenly deal with a company that does not bat an eyelash at your skydiving accident that happened just last month, you will need to ask a few more questions to make sure the rates don't suddenly change after you sign on.

Pre-Existing Conditions

Most companies will not insure pre-existing conditions; others will do so after a sometimes lengthy waiting period. Still others are legally mandated to carry ""guaranteed issue"" policies. Prior to signing on with a company, get a detailed list of what is considered a pre-existing condition, the exclusionary period, and also what kind of coverage will be provided one the exclusion ends.

Interview An Agent

A licensed, independent insurance agent is a goldmine of information and industry gossip. Furthermore, the agent will be able to share feedback received from other clients about a given health insurance company, insurance products, and even customer service.

Have It Your Way!

Since you will have to live with the health plan of your choosing, it is imperative that it will work for and with you. Therefore, you should think through your wants and needs when it comes to coverage. For example, how important is it to you to pick your own doctors? If it does not really matter to do, then an HMO may be a cost-saving choice. On the other hand, if you have a favorite doctor and wish to continue consulting this physician rather than picking someone else, you may wish to consider the pricier PPO.

Add-Ons

Some companies will bundle their products with other coverages, such as short- and long-term disability, prescription drug coverage, dental and vision coverage. If these are important to you, you should make sure the insurance company you wish to do business with will offer them.

What Does The Future Hold?

When picking an insurance company it is imperative that its products and coverages can grow with you and your changing needs. Thus, a company that specializes in catastrophic coverage only will be of little use once you have children in the house.

Out Of Pocket Expenses?

Take the time to look at the fine print. For example, how much are the co-pays? Is there an annual cap on the co-pays? Do these caps pertain to a calendar year or any 365-day period? In addition to co-pays, what is the percentage of coverage?

Rating

Check out the insurance company's rating with the Better Business Bureau. A company that has too many unanswered complaints does not need your business!

Accessibility

An insurance company should be easy to get a hold of, should have extended office hours, and naturally also a toll-free number. Give the company a call and get a feel for average hold times, times of operation, and also services offered via telephone.

Rate Increases

Talk to friends and neighbors who are insured with the company you are choosing, or if you are working with an agent, seek to find out how often the insurance companies has raised its rates in the last two years. This will be a fair measure of the possible rate changes that will await you once you sign on!

About the author:

Original Source: Articles Galore.com

Information supplied and written by Lee Asher of The Home Income Portal

Serious Online Business Options.

Using your Health Savings Account to pay for Dental Expenses

2008-12-04T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Wiley Long

If you've been to a dentist recently, it is unlikely you smiled when you received the bill. Costs of most dental procedures have been rising faster than inflation. Just a check-up and cleaning can cost up to $150. And if you need major dental work, fees can be astronomical. Crowns typically cost $850 - $1,000, and oral surgery can cost thousands of dollars.

Individual dental insurance plans are available, but are typically very expensive. This is because of what is known in the insurance industry as ""adverse selection"" - the only people who tend to buy dental insurance are people who know they have dental problems and are already planning on using the coverage.

Unfortunately, most insurance premiums, including dental insurance premiums, cannot be paid for from a Health Savings Account . But dental expenses certainly can be. Because you fund your HSA with pre-tax dollars, you could easily save $500 or more off the costs of your family's yearly dental expenses by paying for the charges from your Health Savings Account.

Prepaid dental plans are another way to help reduce your dental expenses. These plans charge a small monthly fee (typically around $7/month for individuals, or $16/month for families), and subsequently provide significant discounts for check-ups, fillings, extractions, and other services, as long as you go to a network dentist. Some plans also help towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses. Because these plans are not considered to be insurance, they can also be paid for from your HSA.

So when keeping track of your eligible medical expenses that can be reimbursed from your HSA, remember to include dental fees and the premiums you pay for a prepaid dental plan.

To your health and wealth,

Wiley Long

President

HSA for America

About the author: Wiley Long started in the health insurance business in 1986, marketing directly to individuals and small businesses all over the state of Georgia. The introduction of Health Savings Accounts in 2004 let Wiley use his experience in the health insurance business to become an expert on Health Savings Accounts .

Who Else Wants Low Cost Auto Insurance?

2008-12-03T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Dean Shainin

Those TV commercials featuring happy customers who saved money and got low cost auto insurance aren't just hype. After many years of rate increases and premiums, the cost of auto insurance is finally starting to come down. But auto insurance companies are still choosy about who can get a break on their insurance costs.

It is wise to start with your current auto insurance company to make sure you're paying as little as possible for your premium.

The next step is to consider other ways to get low cost auto insurance and the discounts you can take advantage of.

Effective Ways To Get Low Cost Auto Insurance

* Buy A Safer Vehicle. Premiums for collision and comprehensive coverage depend on accident and theft claims and the costs of repairing your vehicle. The more expensive the vehicle, the more you will pay. Buying a safer car can help you get low cost auto insurance. Simply look into vehicle ratings. Auto manufacturers have 1 to 5 star government crash test ratings. A 5 star crash test rating is the best a vehicle can get.

* Work On Your Credit Score. The better your credit, the higher your insurance score. This score is a slightly modified version of your credit score that insures use to help set rates.

* Combine Auto And Homeowners Insurance. You can shop for both as a package, and you can typically save up to 10 % on each. You can also add an umbrella liability, or a life or health insurance policy and get an even better price break.

* Clean Up Your Driving Record. Three years without a ticket or accident are usually enough to qualify you for low cost auto insurance premiums that are available.

* Drop Collision And Comprehensive On An Older Vehicle. You can reduce your premium by at least 1/3rd. Raising your deductible from $400 to $1,200 on most vehicles can save you as much as 40%. This is a very effective way to get low cost auto insurance.

* Ask For Discounts. Getting a 10% discount on a multicar discount may be automatic, but many other price breaks aren't always as obvious. If you drive fewer than 7,500 miles a year, you can usually get you a 5% to 10% discount. You can get a lower premium if your vehicle has anti-theft devices and you may pay less if you have safety features such as ABS brakes and automatic seatbelts. Your type of occupation can also get you a low cost auto insurance policy discount up to 10%. Taking a safe drivers class can help you get a discount, but it has to be voluntary and not because of a traffic violation.

You can get low cost auto insurance with a little time and research into the many aspects that effect the cost of your insurance premiums. It's best to get several auto insurance quotes online, so you can easily compare the best rates and plans.

About the author: Dean Shainin offers free online low cost auto insurance quotes. For more information, articles, news, tools and valuable resources on low cost auto insurance, visit this site:

Auto Insurance Quotes

Types of insurance

2008-12-02T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Amit Laufer

Any risk which can be quantified probably has a type of insurance to protect it. If the coverage is unique, the insured will pay a correspondingly more expensive premium. Lloyd's typically accepts special coverages. (e.g. the insuring of Tina Turner's legs).

Among the different Insurance Types are:

Vehicle Insurence In the GB named motor insurance, is probably the Very common form of insurance and may contain both legal liability claims against the driver and damage to the vehicle itself. Over Virtually all of the United States purchasing a vehicle insurance policy is mandatory to legally operate a motor vehicle on the roads. Injury insurance insures against car accidents, not necessarily attached to any specific property.

Credit insurance pays Some or all of a loan back when specific circumstances happen to the borrower like unemployment, disability, or death.

Financial loss insurance covers people and firms against different financial risks. For example, a business can buy contain to secure it from loss of sales in case a fire in a factory prevented it from carrying out its business for a while. Insurance can as well cover default of a creditor to pay money they owes to the insured. Fidelity bonds and surety bonds could be included in this category.

Health insurance covers medical bills incurred due to sickness or car accidents. Health insurance, which is coverage for people to protect them against medical fees, is a very emotional and political issue in the United States, which doesn't have socialized health coverage. In theory, the market for health insurance stipulation must function in a manner same as other insurance coverages, but the skyrocketing cost of health coverage has dismantled markets around the globe, but perhaps Most noticeable in the United States.

Dental insurance , same as health insurance, is coverage for people to secure them against dental costs. Dental insurance typically goes hand-in-hand with health insurance, with Many people in the United States getting it included in their health insurance plan given by their employer. Together with getting dental insurance given by your boss, there are ways to receive dental insurance through resellers and companies for individuals and families; although this way tends to be too costly for The majority of indeviduals.

Liability insurance protects legal claims against the insured. For example, a homeowner's insurance policy provides the insured with protection in the event of an insurance claim brought by someone that slips and falls on the property, and brings a lawsuit for her injuries. Similarly, a doctor may purchase liability insurance to cover any legal claims against him in case his negligence (carelessness) in dealing with a patient caused the patient injury and/or for short time harm. The protection offered by a liability insurance policy is two fold: a legal defense in the event of a lawsuit commenced against the policyholder, + compensation (payment in the name of the insured) with respect to a personal injury settlement or court ruling.

Life insurance provides a cash profit to a decedent's family or other designated beneficiary, and can specifically provide for burial and additional final expenses. Annuities give a stream of payments and are usually defined as insurance because it is issued by insurance companies and supervised as insurance.Pensions and Annuities which pay a gain for life are occasionally perceived as cover against the possibility that a retiree might outlive his or her financial resources. In that sense, they are the offset of life insurance.

Disability insurance provides advantages whenever an indevidual is permanently disabled and may not work in their occupation, often taken as an add-on to life insurance.

Marine Insurance covers the loss or damage of goods at sea. Marine insurance typically cover the owner of merchandise for damges sustained from fire, shipwreck, etc., but excludes losses that might be recovered from the ship.

Professional Indemnity Insurance is ordinarily a mandatory requirement for professional practitioners like Architects, Lawyers, Doctors and Accountants to provide insurance cover against potential negligence claims. Non licensed professionals may also buy negligence insurance, it's commonly called Errors and Omissions Cover and covers a service provider for claims made against them that arise out of the performance of specified professional services. For instance, a web site designer could obtain E&O insurance to cover them for certain insurance claims made by surfers that arise out of negligent performance of web site development services.

Property insurance provides protection against risks to property, like fire, theft or weather loss. This includes specialized forms of insurance such as fire insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance, residence insurance or boiler insurance.

Terrorism insurance is insurance purchased by home owners to cover their expected damges and liabilities that can occur as a result of terrorist strike. It's considered to be a complex product for insurance companies, as the odds of terrorist attacks are very risky to predict and the expected liability enormous. For example the September 11, 2001 strikes out come is an estimated $31.7 billion loss. (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insurance).

About the author: MBA - International Trade & Finance - Heriot-Watt University. Bsc. Computers and Information Systems - Long Island University - C.W Post Campus. Hobby: Photography. Married with two Children.

Owner Editor of:

http://www.insurance-best-info.com/

Low Cost Health Insurance - Oxymoron?

2008-12-01T05:06:00.000-06:00

Author: Nelson James

Some people would underscore ""oxymoron"" when reading the words ""low cost health insurance,"" especially since healthcare costs have been rising by double digit inflation over much of the past decade, slowly now to the 8-9% level, still way ahead of overall inflation. Yet, just ""Google"" the term and you will receive dozens if not hundreds of opportunities to purchase ""low cost health insurance"" through broker groups.

In fact, it is possible to obtain lower cost health insurance with a slightly different proviso, i.e., ""There's no such thing as a free lunch."" Regardless of the advertising you will see on-line and elsewhere about low cost health insurance, these offerings are based on one of two models: some type of group-like coverage at negotiated rates or some type of general discounting program.

Let's look at general discounting first. Companies that offer a medical care discount card, usually for an annual fee, have established networks of medical providers who will accept a discount on their fees when presented with a discount card. In general, these discounts are very simple for providers to agree to because in most cases, they never expect to get full, established prices for services. Most providers have fees that are established at higher than expected levels because those fees will necessarily be discounted by major insurers as well as Medicaid and Medicare. Anyone who opts for a discount card, by definition, does not have any other insurance, and will be required to pay by cash or charge. Providers are happy to provide the usual discounting in exchange for a simple billing arrangement. So, are these cards useful? Yes, they can be helpful in dealing with medical providers, pharmacies and medical supply companies. If you have no insurance and need to be hospitalized, you are better off working directly with the hospital to negotiate the best arrangement.

Companies offering low cost insurance, or brokers who offer to find such insurance products for you, may have legitimate offerings and may be able to help you select the right coverage, but you must understand that by purchasing low-cost coverage, you are trading payment today for some type of risk or payment tomorrow.

These insurers or brokers have not discovered some new, secret formula for lowering healthcare costs. They are simply manipulating risk or payment options. In general, health insurance can become lower cost, that is, lower premium payments, in one of the following ways:

* High deductible. You may pay a low monthly premium but need to pay a large amount out of pocket before the insurance begins to cover expenses. This may be an excellent type of coverage for someone who is healthy and probably won't need much medical care during the year but does need to insure the risk of a major accident or some other hard-to-predict major medical event.

* Coverage exclusions: Some health plans keep premiums low by not covering services that they consider to be expensive, such as prescription drugs, allergy treatment, etc. Again, this type of coverage may work for you if you can live with the exclusions.

* Pre-existing conditions: Some plans will not cover pre-existing conditions for a period of time. This tactic does not save enough money over the long term to be a viable single strategy so pre-existing condition clauses are usually just one cost-saving component of a low cost insurance plan.

* High cost-sharing. Some plans reduce the cost of health insurance by creating significant cost-sharing requirements. For example, instead of requiring a $15 co-pay for a doctor's visit, the plan may require a 40% cost share that could translate into a $50 to $100 cost to you, depending upon the services rendered.

In general, the healthier you are, the more likely you will be able to manage well with a plan that requires less monthly premium payment in exchange for higher payments if you actually need service. If you have chronic medical conditions, you will need to look very carefully at which plan provides the best benefit for your situation.

About the author: To learn more about

low cost health insurance visit my site at http://www.mynextquote.com

Year-end Health Savings Account Strategies

2008-11-30T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Wiley P. Long III

2006 is just around the corner, and there are several issues to consider if you currently have a Health Savings Account , or are planning on getting one in 2006.

Contribution Limits and Deadlines

100% of the deposit you place in your HSA is deductible on your federal income taxes. All but a handful of states also make HSA contributions tax-deductible on state income taxes. If you are looking to reduce your 2005 tax burden and/or put away more money for retirement, your HSA is the first place you should put your money if you have not yet maximized your contribution.

The maximum you can contribute to your HSA in 2005 is the lesser amount of your deductible, or $2,650 for singles and $5,250 for families. Individuals who are 55 or older may contribute an additional $600.

Note that contribution limits are pro-rated, based on the number of complete months during the year in which the taxpayer has a qualifying health insurance plan. If you obtained a qualifying health insurance plan in 2005, you may use our

HSA Contribution Calculator to quickly determine your maximum contribution.

You have until April 15 (or later if you file for an extension) to make your 2005 contribution. If you do not fully fund your account for the current year, you cannot make a catch-up contribution for 2005 after this deadline. However, you can reimburse yourself in later years for qualified expenses incurred in 2005, even if you do not have the funds in your account to reimburse yourself at this time.

In 2006, the maximum annual HSA contribution will go up to $2,700 for individuals and $5,450 for families, and people 55 or older will be allowed to contribute an additional $700.

To maximize your tax benefit for 2006, it is important to have your HSA-qualified health coverage in place no later than January 1.

Record Keeping

In order to pay for a medical expense from your HSA, it must be a qualified expense. In

previous issues I have discussed some of these qualified expenses, including dental expenses, eyeglasses, chiropractor visits, over-the-counter medications, and sometimes even nutritional supplements. Please see our

qualified expenses page for more details.

Now is a good time to make sure you have an accurate record of your medical expenses for the year. Make sure you separate the expenses for which you have reimbursed yourself from your HSA from those that you paid for out-of-pocket. You'll want to keep receipts for all medical expenditures paid from your HSA with your 2005 tax records. Place the ""non-reimbursed medical expenses"" in a separate file, keeping them with the concurrent year's tax records in whatever year you decide to reimburse yourself.

Over-funded Accounts

The penalty for over-funding your HSA is a whopping 6%. I actually over-funded my own account, because I had set it up in January yet made the maximum deposit as if it had been in effect since January 1. (Yes, I should have known better!)

You have until April 15, 2006 to withdraw excess funds for the 2005 tax year to avoid the penalty. My HSA administrator fortunately notified me of my mistake, but they had no obligation to do so. It is your responsibility, so make sure you check into this if you think you may have over-funded you account.

2006 Deductible Changes

The minimum deductible for HSA-compatible health insurance plans in 2005 was $1,000 for individuals and $2,100 for families. In 2006 this will increase to $1,050 for individuals and $2,100 for families. If you currently have an HSA-qualified plan with the lowest eligible 2005 deductible, that deductible will automatically go up on January 1 to the new minimum.

Strategies to Maximize Your Tax Benefits

There are basically three different strategies you can take when deciding how to fund your health savings account.

1) Put no money in the account, except when you incur a medical expense. This strategy allows you to legally ""launder"" any money used to pay medical expenses. In other words, by depositing money into your HSA, then immediately withdrawing it to reimburse yourself for medical expenses, you are making your medical expenses all tax-deductible. You may want to use this strategy if you are on a tight budget and want to keep your cash outlay as low as possible.

2) Fully fund the account, or at least put in as much as possible based on your budget. Take money out of the account any time medical expenses are incurred, and let the rest grow tax-deferred. This strategy will maximize your tax deduction, while making your HSA funds available to pay any non-covered medical expenses before your deductible is met.

3) Fully fund the account, but pay all medical expenses from a non-HSA account. Reimburse yourself for medical expenses at a later date. This strategy will allow you to maximize your tax deduction, and will also allow you to maximize the tax-deferred growth of your HSA. You can then reimburse yourself, tax-free, at any time in the future for medical expenses incurred over the ensuing years. (For an example of this strategy, see

Maximize Your HSA, Issue 3 ).

To maximize the potential growth of your funds, you may want to make your 2006 deposits as early in the year as possible. Any growth in your account is tax-deferred, like an IRA. I plan on making my deposit the first week in January.

If you do not yet have an HSA-qualified health insurance plan, please give us a call at 866-254-5121 as soon as possible. By getting your HSA-qualified health insurance in place by January 1, not only will you be able to maximize your tax benefits, but you also may be able to lock in 2005 rates for the next 12 - 24 months.

To your health and wealth,

Wiley Long President HSA for America http://www.HSAforAmerica.com

P.S. Every December I write out my goals and objectives for the next 12 months. Finance and health are two areas I always spend some time thinking about. By staying healthy, I expect to build a nice second retirement account with my HSA. Next month I'll cover some lifestyle strategies that you may want to adopt as part of your New Year's resolutions, that have the potential to dramatically improve your health (and wealth) over the coming years.

About the author: None

Private medical insurance - what's it all about?

2008-11-29T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: sam lowe

The origin of private medical insurance goes back a long way - before the NHS was formed. In pre-NHS days, people contributed to ""friendly societies"", which provided financial assistance to people in times of need. Some private medical insurance providers, such as BUPA, remain non-profit-distributing bodies, though there are also many commercial insurance companies providing private medical insurance these days. One of the best-known names in private medical insurance cover is AXA PPP healthcare - which was actually conceived in 1938 to provide a health insurance scheme for middle income earners in London. The principal aim of private medical insurance is designed to cover treatment of ""acute illness"" - defined by Which? As ""conditions which can be cured or substantially alleviated by treatment."" Treatment of chronic illnesses, such as multiple sclerosis or arthritis, may not be covered by private medical; so critical illness insurance might be more suitable. Critical insurance cover will be based on your individual requirements - so shop around for the right policy and always be completely open with your insurance provider, or you may invalidate a claim at a later date. Other treatments generally excluded from private medical insurance include cosmetic surgery, treatment for alcohol or drug abuse and infertility treatment. The majority of standard policies exclude private consultations of a GP, routine check-ups and dental work - unless it is undertaken in a hospital. However, always check your private medical insurance policy - as some will be more comprehensive than others. Private medical insurance can be an effective way of ensuring swift access to medical care for your family. Just remember that insurance policies reflect your exact circumstances - so don't assume that one size fits all. For additional information on private medical insurance and critical illness insurance: ""Be your own financial advisor"", Which? Consumer Guides, author Jonquil Lowe

Private healthcare in the UK

Critical illness insurance information

About the author: None

What should you look for in an auto insurance company?

2008-11-28T05:06:00.000-06:00

Author: Simon Goodman

What is a car insurance? What will an auto insurance cover?

Auto insurance companies cover you and your passengers in the event of an accident. But it is up to you to decide the level of cover you will get.

Will the damages to your property be covered by the company? Will all the passengers be covered or only your family? What if your daughter was driving your car?

What questions should you ask your auto insurance company when it comes to auto insurance? This article help you choose between the various insurance policies.

Types of auto insurance

Liability insurance, or third party insurance.

This is general the lowest form of insurance offered by an auto insurance company. This is the basic insurance, if you are involved in an accident, and it is proven to be your fault, the auto insurance company will pay damages to the other party.

The cover offered by the auto insurance company is usually set beforehand. These are the maximum amount the auto insurance company will pay in case of accident

For example the agent will agree on a $10000 coverage per person, (bodily injury) and/or $40000 coverage in bodily injury and/or $10000 in property damage per accident

You need to confirm with your auto insurance company what they will cover and what are the limits.

You might be offered a very low premium by some auto insurance company only to realize that your cover is minimal and unrealistic.

Collision and comprehensive coverage, comprehensive insurance and full comprehensive insurance

An auto insurance company will also offer you a comprehensive insurance, as the name indicates, you will be comprehensively covered.

In simple terms it means that if you are responsible for a collision the insurance company will pay for the repair of the vehicle.

But it is not so simple, an auto insurance company will almost always have the final say on what amount will be paid out, so if it is cheaper to give you market value for the car, then they will.

You might think that your car is worth $1000.00 but the real market value might be $500.00. This is not an uncommon scenario. So if the repair of your car are more than $500.00 then the auto insurance company will simply pay the book value of the car.

You must make sure that the insurance company is not in control of the market value of the car, normally organisations like the AA will give an impartial market value.

As with the third party insurance, the auto insurance company will almost certainly limit the amount that will be paid out, but in general terms, a comprehensive insurance will have higher limits.

Recreation Vehicle

A recreation vehicle needs its own insurance, a Recreation vehicle insurance is not the same as auto insurance. You should not assume that because your car is comprehensively insured, so is your recreation vehicle.

Other Types of auto insurance

Medical (MedPay), Persona Injury protection (PIP) and no fault cover

This insurance will cover you and your passengers medical expenses in the event of a collision.

The no fault cover means that the auto insurance company will pay regardless of who is at fault. This give you the piece of mind that, at the very least, your family and friends are covered.

PIP is often a minimum requirement in some countries or states, ask your auto insurance company what the requirements are.

Uninsured/Underinsured motorists' coverage

This cover, (also sometimes a minimum requirement in some states), will cover you if the person at fault is not insured or is underinsured. You must ask your auto insurance company what you will be charged in case of such a situation. Normally the auto insurance company should not charge you some extra premiums.

Rental reimbursement, towing and labour

Those 'extras' often given with a comprehensive insurance is often use by auto insurance companies as specials.

So in case your car is damaged the auto insurance company will pay for rental costs, (sometimes only for a few days).

The auto insurance company might also offer to pay for the towing of your vehicle, (not always included).

As always you should ask your auto insurance company what is included in the cover.

The legal requirements.

Most states, and most countries will require a certain level of cover, from full comprehensive car insurance to third party auto insurance.

In most cases it is up to you, the driver, to ensure that your auto insurance company offers you the minimum required. In most cases the insurance company, (the auto insurance company), is under no obligation to instruct you of the requirements.

But of course, a good auto insurance company will, (should?), try its outmost to advise you on the best deal for you.

Find out more about Auto Insurance company on our website.

About the author: Insurance Owl gives simple, clear information about insurance. Everything, ranging from health insurance to indemnity claims, including Auto, Travel and life insurance.

Understanding Health Insurance

2008-11-27T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Ray Shelton

Health insurance is a necessity for everyone who wishes to maintain or improve their health. Whether you use your health insurance for regular checkups, chronic and debilitating illnesses or unexpected emergencies, you will find that carrying an insurance policy can result in a significant cost savings for you and your family. Those who carry health insurance often have a difficult time understanding what is covered under their policy and where they can go to obtain the services that they require. Without this necessary information, it is likely that many health insurance holders do not receive the maximum benefit that their insurance provides.

We all need health insurance to receive financial assistance for the maintenance and restoration of our health but we don't all receive all of the assistance that we are eligible to receive. Most of us are aware that our health insurance will cover at least a percentage of certain treatments such as office visits, hospital stays and surgeries and prescription drugs that fall under their list of covered drugs but many of us don't know what is offered beyond these basic services. Not all health insurance plans cover the same treatments so the only way to fully understand what is covered in your plan is to read your policy carefully. Some examples of inclusions that are not well known include speech classes, hearing aids, gym memberships and a variety of other features. The only way to know for sure if these items are covered is to review your policy carefully or contact your health insurance provider. You may find a variety of services or treatments that are covered under your plan that could amount to a significant financial savings.

Knowing what is covered under your health insurance plan is very important but it is equally important to understand what is not covered under your insurance plan. You should review your plan carefully to ensure that the services that you choose will be covered by your health insurance plan. Sometimes treatments that are deemed medically necessary by your doctor will not be covered by your health insurance plan. In this case it may be necessary to bear the burden of this expense in order to maintain or restore your health. If your claim is denied because your provider does not consider the treatment necessary, then you have the right to file an appeal. You should carefully review the provider's policy to ensure that you fully understand the appeal process before filing your appeal. Your claim may still be denied even if you follow proper procedure but the possibility that you will lose your appeal as a result of improper filing is greatly reduced. You should review your insurance plan carefully before undergoing preventative treatment to determine whether or not the treatment will be covered. In an emergency you may not have the opportunity to review your policy before authorizing treatment but you will have the opportunity to appeal if the treatment is not covered.

Knowing which doctors you can visit can also be confusing. Some health insurance policies allow you to visit any doctor you choose while others limit you to the participating doctors in their plan. Also, whether or not you can see a specialist is often difficult to determine. Usually, the receptionist at the doctor's office will be able to tell you whether or not they accept your health insurance policy before you schedule your appointment. You can also call your customer service representative to inquire as to whether a specific doctor will be covered.

Health insurance can literally be a life saver but understanding your policy can be a nightmare. In most cases carefully reading your policy to determine the covered treatments as well as the exclusions and limitations may help you understand your policy better. If after reading through your policy you still have general or specific questions you should contact the customer service representative for your policy. They will be able to provide you with answers that will enhance your understanding of your policy. Knowing what is covered and what is not covered are the most common misunderstandings involving health insurance. It is also important understand your provider's appeal process in case you ever incur claims that are denied. In all cases your health may necessitate treatment that is not covered and you will have to make the difficult decision of whether or not to authorize the treatment.

Ray Shelton is the editor and writer for http://www.ww-health-insurance.com

About the author: Ray Shelton is editor and writer for http://www.ww-health-insurance.com

Finding Affordable Health Insurance

2008-11-26T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Carol Cass

With prices seeming to be on a never-ending rise, health insurance costs have increased to the point that affordable health insurance seems to be a thing of the past. One of the most common means of obtaining affordable health insurance is working for a company that offers a group health insurance. But what about those of us who don't work for a company with insurance benefits, those who have lost their jobs or are in between, those who are uninsured and under-insured ?

The first thing to do when looking for affordable health insurance is to assess your personal situation. Not all people need the same benefits in an insurance policy. Someone who has a family will need a different policy than a single person, and, even though a company offers a family group policy, their group policy might not meet the needs of your particular family situation. You must look at your needs before starting to shop for affordable health insurance, and, then, shop around. Pay strict attention to the cost of the benefits that are important to you, the yearly deductibles, co-pays, ceilings, and lifetime maximums that might adversely affect you. For instance, some may need a policy that covers maternity, but if you don't need it, delete that from your list of necessary coverage. Look at a minimum of 8 to 10 companies and keep looking until you find an affordable health insurance that fits your needs.

If you are low income, be sure to first look for affordable health insurance with your state's Medicaid program. Every state has a family services assistance program that you might qualify for. These programs can cover doctor visits, eye care, dental work, emergency rooms, and prescriptions; they offer the most affordable health insurance available and are generally sufficient in coverage to fully protect your family. If you qualify for this assistance, it's free or at a very low cost to you, so it's worth a trip to the office that handles family services for your area and filling out an application.

However, if you don't qualify for assistance, the best place to look for affordable health insurance is on the internet. Because of the amount of competition on the internet and the fact that no agent receives a commission, you will find considerably lower prices along with other benefits of doing business online. All the top insurance companies are online, too, offering affordable health insurance and competing for your business. When doing business online, however, just be sure to verify that the company you choose is licensed in your state before making your final choice.

There are two major keys to finding affordable health insurance. The first one is realizing that insurance is to protect you from a major financial loss, not to defray the everyday expenses of health care. Paying the costs of office visits, medicines, and check-ups will help you keep your health insurance affordable. And the second key to affordable health insurance is to shop around and compare.

About the author: Carol Cass has written several articles on a variety of subjects. This article on Finding Affordable Health Insurance, compliments her website on Affordable Health Insurance, which is for helping people find more Affordable Health Insurance.

Minimizing Your Prescription Drug Costs

2008-11-25T05:08:00.000-06:00

Author: Wiley P. Long III

Americans spend over $150 billion per year on prescription drugs. The average American gets 10 prescriptions per year, and over 10% of their total healthcare expenses are for prescriptions. Starting in 2006, no plans that are qualified to work with health savings accounts may cover prescription drugs as an insured benefit until after the deductible is met. So for HSA owners, one of your biggest health expenses could be for prescription drugs. Here are some ways to reduce those costs.

Generics

A report was published this week by Express Scripts Inc., a pharmacy benefit manager, indicating that increased use of generic drugs would save consumers $24 billion in 2005. Generic drugs cost an average of $60 less per month, than brand name drugs.

It is important to understand that brand name drugs often have little or no benefit over older generic versions. A prime example is Prilosec, a heartburn medication whose patent was scheduled to expire in April of 2001. Prilosec consists of two ""isomers"", a right-hand version and a left hand version. Studies showed an 87% success rate for this drug. AstraZeneca, the manufacturer, decided to offer a newly patented single isomer version called Nexium, which showed only fractionally better results with a 90% success rate.

A $500 million marketing campaign ensued, aimed at both physicians and consumers, to convince them that Nexium is ""state-of-the-art"". AstraZeneca now sells over $3 billion worth of pills annually, at $120 per box. This is a drug that is essentially only a repackaged version Prilosec, which sells for about $20 per box.

When your doctor is prescribing a drug, make sure to ask him if there is any benefit to taking a brand name over a generic, and let it be known that you'll be paying for the prescription out of your own pocket.

Drug Discount Programs

Pharmaceutical prices are a lot like hospital prices - very few people actually pay the listed retail price. There are numerous drug discount cards available on the market, which provide savings that average 15% to 40% below retail at participating pharmacies. Typically, most of the chain pharmacies (CVS, Eckerd, Walmart, Kroger, Costco, etc.) participate in these plans.

Many insurance companies include discount cards as an additional benefit that comes with their coverage. Because these cards are not considered to be insurance, they can be offered with an HSA-qualified plan. Insurance companies that provide Rx discount cards with their HSA plans include American Medical Security, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Assurant, Golden Rule, Imerica, Unicare, and World. We also know of one HSA administrator - HSA Trustee Services - that provides a drug discount program to people who use them.

Stand-alone drug discount plans are also available to anyone with access to the internet. We've found the average cost of these discount plans to be around $7 or $8 a month. HSA for America has secured for its members (and readers of this newsletter) a free discount Rx card through a company called Drug Card America. To enroll online, simply visit: http://drugcardamerica.com/index.aspx?affid=104&agent=1&rxgrp=SAS 104&affguid={458151a2-8511-4e15-! 9c22-d335be23527c}. You may want this card in addition to any other cards, since the card that offers the best deal usually varies, depending on the drug.

If you're looking for a plan that has co-pays for prescription drugs rather than only discounts, American Health Care Options offers a four-tiered prescription card program where you pay $10, $20, $50, or a special discount price for generic and brand name drugs. You can check the tier of any drug you're interested in, and apply online at http://www.ahco.biz/index.cfm?id=14593. The cost of this plan is $19.95 per month for an individual, or $29.95 for a family.

Mail Order

If the need for a prescription is not urgent, or if you are on long-term medication, mail order is almost always a less expensive way to buy prescription drugs. It is generally cheaper to get a 90-day supply because of a volume discount. I recommend asking your physician to write the prescription for a 3-monthly supply plus three refills. This will get you a year's worth of drugs, with only one shipping fee.

One company that has good prices is Save Now Discount Pharmacy. They have a 'no insurance' business model, and have been able to reduce their prices by eliminating the cost of dealing with insurance companies. They also post prices online, so it's easy to compare. Unfortunately, they are only licensed in 13 states at present, but they will apparently be expanding soon. You can check them out at www.savenowdrugs.com.

Importing Prescription Drugs from Canada (or wherever)

The city of Boston, the city of San Francisco, the state of Wisconsin, and the State of Minnesota all use a company called Total Pharmacy Care to give their citizens access to international mail-order pharmaceuticals.

Officially, re-importation of prescription drugs by anyone other than the drug's manufacturer is a violation of federal law. But FDA enforcement guidelines allow agents to exercise discretion for drugs imported for personal use. According to the guidelines, ""FDA personnel may consider a more permissive policy"" in cases where an individual seeks to import no more than a three month supply of a product that does not appear to pose an unreasonable risk, if the individual affirms in writing that it is for personal use and provides the name and address of the U.S. doctor supervising their treatment.

Advocacy groups cite these guidelines as proof that re-importation is legal. But in a February 2003 letter, the FDA's Associate Commissioner, Thomas Hubbard, said the guidelines have been misinterpreted. They were meant to allow FDA agents discretion in allowing U.S. citizens access to medicines for serious conditions that were unavailable or hard to find in the states, not to allow international comparison price shopping.

Nevertheless, thousands of U.S. citizens have found they can save money by buying their drugs from outside the country. Drug price comparisons from several countries (Canada is not always the cheapest!) can be found at http://www.crossborderpharmacy.com/Total-Care-Pharmacy/totalcarep harmacy.html. Keep in mind that since this importation is technically illegal (though rarely enforced), it may not be proper to use your HSA to pay for prescriptions purchased this way. Talk to your accountant if you decide to go this route.

Avoiding Prescription Drugs

The people who spend the least on prescription drugs are those who rarely take them. The need to take an antibiotic for an acute infection may seem fairly expensive, but it is nothing compared to the cost of taking a medication for the rest of your life. Unfortunately, by age 45 over half of all Americans are on a regular prescription medication, and by age 65 nearly half are on three or more prescriptions during any given month. Most of this is entirely preventable.

Some of the biggest selling drugs are to treat elevated cholesterol, hypertension, and acid reflux. A paper published this year in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition entitled Origins and evolution of the western diet: Health implications for the 21st century, explains how these and other common health issues did not exist for our hunter-gatherer ancestors, and how diet is the root cause of so many of the health problems people in our culture experience.

The author is Dr. Loren Cordain, one of my professors at Colorado State University. In a nutshell, he shows why the healthiest diet is one based on fruits, vegetables, fish, and lean meat. Foods to be avoided or limited include added sugars, shortening and other processed vegetable oils, grains, and legumes. These are all foods that did not exist in our diet prior to about 10,000 years ago, and are thus foods that we are not genetically adapted to eat. If you're interested, you can download a copy of this paper at: http://www.thepaleodiet.com/published_research/.

Remember that all qualified expenses, including prescription drugs, can be paid for tax-free, from your HSA. If you've still got a traditional health insurance policy and would like to investigate a health savings account, please visit HSA for America us and we'll be happy to help you.

To your health and wealth,

Wiley Long

President

HSA for America

About the author: None

Is Your Home-Business Insured?

2008-11-24T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Kim Haas

Most people don't consider getting business insurance when they work out of their homes. For many home businesses, it may not be necessary. This article will help you decide if you need additional insurance coverage for your home business.

Insurance helps protect your business against losses from fire, illness, and injury. You should not operate without it. If you are running your business out of your home, your homeowners insurance will probably protect you against most accidental losses.

Check with your insurance carrier to make sure that your coverage includes business use of your home. If not, you should add the insurance you need to your existing policy. You may need to add additional coverage to include Product Liability. The purpose of Product liability insurance is to protect you in the event your product causes injury to the consumer. While you may or may not think this is necessary, you would be better safe than sorry if a consumer sued you because your product injured them.

Disability Insurance is a kind of health insurance that will protect you, should you become disabled and unable to work, provide for your family and meet your financial responsibilities.

Auto Insurance may be necessary if your personal car is used in your business. Most (if not all) states require that an individual must have auto insurance in order to operate a motor vehicle. Getting caught without it usually results in a traffic ticket and some pretty stiff fines.

Medical Payments Insurance is necessary if someone is injured in your home whether or not it was your fault Most homeowners policies include this as a standard portion of the policy, but check with your agent just to be sure you are adequately covered.

Worker's Compensation Insurance will probably not be necessary if you are working out of your home, however, if you have employees it is a requirement in order to protect you, the businessperson, as well as the employee from losses due to accidents on the job.

Business Interruption Insurance is not something we want to consider, however, it is an extra protection you might wish to add to your policy. In effect, if your business is damaged by fire or circumstances beyond your control prevents you from operating your business and you must totally or partially suspend operations, this insurance will help protect you from total losses while you rebuild your business.

Keep all your insurance records and policies in a safe place. A bank safe deposit box or home safe is ideal.

Although we don't like to think about the unpleasant ""what if's"" in life, it is often better to be prepared than to face the unnecessary expense of loss. Insurance can help protect your home business if you take the time to evaluate your business insurance needs.

About the author: Kim Haas is a WAHM and Founder of http://Womans-Net.com, a popular online networking community focusing on working from home and women in business and Owner of http://Article-Host.com. To learn more about Kim, visit http://kimberlyhaas.com Copyright 2005

What Do You Need to Ask Diabetes Supply Company?

2008-11-23T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: John Mancini

For many diabetic patients, getting the supplies they need can be a frustrating experience. There are many options that exist and many places that will even help you fill out the paperwork that is needed for your insurance company. However, sifting through all of the information and selecting the right option for you can be time consuming and nerve wracking. These suggestions will help you decide where to purchase your diabetes supplies.

While you are conducting your search, be sure go check that the companies you are considering have an actual address that isn't a P.O. Box. What you are looking for is that any diabetes supply company you are thinking of purchasing from is a real company, not someone who is, for instance, buying and reselling supplies.

While you are checking for a knowledgeable staff, ask if they have a pharmacist on staff. If they don't, find out if they have a certified diabetes educator on staff that can answer your questions. This will help to ensure that you are dealing with a reputable firm and not a fly by night company.

First, do not deal with any diabetes supply company that is not based in the United States or in Canada. The reason for this is simple, if the supply company is not in North America, shipping tends to be less dependable and your supplies could be held in customs. Avoid supply sources that are located in South America, Asia or Mexico for these reasons.

You also want to know who fills out the insurance or Medicare paperwork. Most larger, well-run diabetes supply companies will offer this service for you as an added benefit. They will know what the insurance companies require to process a claim. If they offer this to you, use the service to your advantage. It is also a good idea to contact your insurance company to verify that they work with a particular diabetes supply source.

When you are beginning your search for a diabetic supply source, it is important to know what to look for. While you can purchase the needed supplies from your doctor, online or through a mail order company, some important questions need to be answered before you decide. You will need to know where they are located, what the hours of operation are, how qualified the staff is to answer questions and how they will ship the diabetes supplies to you.

Shipping is very important when purchasing diabetes supplies. Find out how they ship the products, this information could ensure that you get supplies that are good and that have not gone bad in transit. Insulin, for example needs to be kept cold to stay useable, ask how they ensure this. Ask about shipping charges also, some companies will offer free shipping as an incentive to buy from them. However, if they don't, the shipping can get expensive.

About the author: John Mancini has been writing about Diabetes online and offline for a long time. Visit http://diabetes-now.info or http://stop-diabetes.net to read more about matters like diabetes 2 and diabetes alternative medicine.

Primary Pulmonary Hypertension Treatment Choices: is Flolan your Best Option?

2008-11-22T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Nick Johnson

Significant advances in the treatment of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) have been made since the 1990s. While there is still no cure for this condition, there are now a variety of options that increase the quality of life and improve the long-term prognosis for people with this disease.

If you have been diagnosed with PPH as a result of Fen-Phen use, you have several options available for treatment depending on how far advanced your disease is and how healthy you are in other respects. Other considerations such as allergies are also an important factor in determining whether you will be treated with Flolan or another similar drug.

Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is caused by increased blood pressure in the lungs, which in turn has a variety of causes, one of which is known to be prolonged use of the diet drug Fen-Phen. The high blood pressure in the lungs puts extra strain on the heart of the affected individual, and causes shortness of breath, fatigue, fainting, dizziness, and cyanosis (a blue tinge to the skin of the feet, hands, and lips).

Drugs used for PPH treatment are, therefore, typically targeted to expanding lung blood vessels and increasing blood flow to the lungs in order to ease the strain on the heart and provide relief from the symptoms of the disease.

Determining which of these drugs is the best to use for PPH treatment can be a lengthy process. Individual reactions to each drug can vary quite widely, so a patient may have to try several different treatment options before an effective long-term treatment can be established.

Approximately 25% of patients can be treated effectively with oral medication using drugs called calcium channel blockers; however for those that do not respond to this medication, stronger oral medications or intravenously-administered drugs such as Flolan are needed to treat PPH effectively.

While Flolan is an effective medication for the treatment of Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, it does have some disadvantages. Flolan is administered intravenously directly into the patient's bloodstream, via a catheter which must be surgically implanted into a chest vein.

Once the drug is injected, it functions for only five minutes in the body, and this means that a patient being treated with Flolan must be continually injected with new doses of the drug (via the catheter) to maintain an optimum level of treatment. People receiving Flolan treatment wear a small battery-operated pump which injects Flolan into the catheter at a pre-determined rate.

All of this means that for people who have had and would like to maintain a very active lifestyle, Flolan may not be the best choice for PPH treatment. The preparation that is injected must be prepared daily, as the drug has a very short life-span, and the pump must be kept cold with mini ice packs if the supply of the drug is to last longer than eight hours without being renewed.

The pump itself can also interfere with daily life. Certain sporting activities, such as swimming and other water sports are made more difficult, and high impact activities such as contact sports are not recommended due to the possibility of the pump or catheter being displaced. The effects of sudden withdrawal of Flolan treatment, even if for a short time only, can be quite severe, and may cause breathing difficulties as well as dizziness and weakness.

Despite its disadvantages, Flolan treatment has some advantages when compared to treatment with other medications such as Tracleer. The side effects of Flolan are typically less severe than those of some other medications used for PPH treatment, particularly for long-term use. Tracleer, for example, can cause liver damage and is known to be harmful to unborn babies.

Flolan can improve the quality of life for people with PPH quite dramatically, and can improve the long term prognosis for the disease as well as enabling individuals to achieve a normal level of physical fitness and activity. Flolan treatment is also known to slow down the progress of scarring in lung tissue caused by Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, and it is now viewed as an effective alternative to lung transplantation (which was once used as a last resort for PPH treatment and carries its own set of risks).

One final advantage of Flolan treatment is one of cost. Flolan is currently considered a PPH treatment rather than a prescription medication. For this reason, Flolan treatment is usually fully covered by Medicare and health insurance, as long as approval is gained before treatment begins.

About the author: Nick Johnson is lead counsel with Johnson Law Group. Johnson represents plaintiffs in many states and focuses on injury cases involving Fen-Phen and PPH, Paxil, Mesothelioma and Nursing Home Abuse. Call Nick Johnson at 1-888-311-5522 or visit http://www.jbclawfirm.com

Best Anthrax Treatment Is Customized To You

2008-11-21T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Alvin Soong

You may be frowned to hear that there are treatments available for treating anthrax. As this is a bacterial disease, we can cure the disease, if it is diagnosed early.

The antibiotics are very effective against Bacillus anthracis. Some of the antibiotics that can be tried successfully are penicillin, doxycycline, amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and chloramphenical.

Those who are severely infected must be given antibiotics in the intravenous route. The anthrax treatment must continue for several weeks as the medications are required till the bacteria are eliminated completely from the body. Those who are at high risk zone can be given antibiotic in advance for at least sixty days.

In cutaneous type, ulcers can be treated topically using creams that contain anti-inflammatory substances and antibiotics.

In case of intestinal type anthrax, the persons must be given sufficient water, electrolytes etc to balance the loss of the same. The antipyretics can be used to control the fever.

Analgesics can be thought of to mitigate the head ache. The person must be given sufficient rest at home. In case of serious illness the person may be admitted in the hospital till the condition improves.

About the author: Alvin Soong is a Chartered Financial Planner in for more than 5 years. He dedicated his blog to his clients and share with them knowledge on Insurance, Investment and Wealth Management. His website (www.skcagency.com) serves as a bridge for investors and his family group of agents. Click here to find out more: www.skcagency.com/blog

Medicare Part D | Medicare Part D FAQs

2008-11-20T05:05:00.000-06:00

Author: Leslie Pepper

By Leslie Pepper

You've likely heard about Part D, Medicare's new coverage for prescription drugs. Of course, that doesn't mean you understand it. Here, we answer your frequently asked questions.

Who is eligible for Part D? Anyone with Medicare--that is, anyone over age 65, or under 65 with disabilities.

What does Medicare Part D cost? There are hundreds of different plans, with an average premium of about $22 a month. If you're under a certain income level, you may qualify for free coverage.

How do I get Part D? You can sign up within three months prior to or three months after turning 65. If you don't sign up then, you can't sign up again until the following November and you may pay a penalty.

Once you've chosen a plan, you have to stick with it for the rest of the year--but everyone is allowed to switch plans between November 15 and December 31.

What will I be paying for prescription drugs? First, you must meet your plan's deductible (this year, the deductible can be no higher than $265). After that, you're responsible for 25 percent of the cost of covered prescription drugs until together you and your plan have spent $2,400. At that point you've reached the Part D coverage gap or ""donut hole,"" in which you must pay the full cost of drugs.

But once you have spent $3,850--including what you've paid for your deductible, copays and coinsurance, but not premiums--you qualify for catastrophic coverage. Under this, you pay $2.15 for a generic or preferred drug and $5.35 for other drugs, or 5 percent of the drug's price (whichever is greater) for the rest of the year.

Should I sign up for Medicare Part D, even if I don't take a lot of medications? ""We urge everyone to sign up,"" says Jeff Nelligan, spokesperson for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. ""Situations change--and they can change pretty rapidly.""

How should I choose a prescription drug plan? Because there are so many plans, there are many different cost structures. Some plans may have a higher monthly premium, but they may also have a lower deductible or cover more medications. Their copayments may be lower as well.

Keep in mind the following factors:

Deductibles. These vary widely--they can be anything from zero to $265.

Participating pharmacies. Make sure there's one on the plan that's convenient to you. Also, if you spend winters in one state and summers in another, make sure both places have participating pharmacies. Some plans may offer a mail-order program that delivers drugs directly to your home.

Medications. Make sure that the drugs you currently take are in the formulary. If not, you won't get coverage for them, nor will they count toward your deductible. Some plans require doctors to prove that you really need the drug. You can find information about each plan and what it offers by visiting medicare.gov or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

Now that you better understand Medicare Part D, you can make wiser choices about prescription drug coverage.

Writer: Leslie Pepper ©MediZine's Healthy Living, Second Quarter 2007

About the author: Get a FREE 2-year subscription to the health publication REMEDY, REMEDY is an award-winning magazine published by MediZine, LLC. that can help you and your family get healthy and stay healthy for life! Sign up today!

Also, check out: HealthyUpdates.com

Differences between Nursing Homes, Assisted Living Facilities and Continuing Care Retirement Communities in Virginia

2008-11-19T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Lauren Ellerman

Benjamin Franklin said it best - ""nothing in life is certain except death and taxes"" but with daily advancements in science, technology and health care, Americans are living longer than ever before*. This blessing however, has created a unique dilemma for modern American families: How to plan for and prepare for one's retirement years.

Have you taken a road-trip lately? Almost every highway is graced with large bill-boards providing the locations of new planned communities where couples can spend their retirement years dedicated to recreational pursuits. I doubt you will find a local newspaper that doesn't have at least one ad promoting the amenities found at a local assisted living facility. Try to search for ""nursing homes in Virginia"" on the Internet and thousands of web pages will appear. Each and every day new facilities offering different programs are being built and marketed across the state.

Is such a facility right for you and your family? If so, which facility? We often hear the terms ""retirement community,"" ""nursing home,"" and ""assisted living facility"" but rarely consider what these terms actually mean. The differences however, are striking and it is imperative to understand these differences when making choices for yourself or your loved ones.

NURSING HOMES

In Virginia, a nursing home means any facility with the primary function of providing long-term nursing care, nursing services and health-related services on a continuing basis, for the treatment and inpatient care of two or more non-related individuals**. Put simply, a nursing home is a facility designed for someone who needs less care than a hospital, but requires daily health care assistance.

The Virginia Department of Health licenses such facilities and has established guidelines regulating various aspects of their operations, programs, and staffing needs, etc***. For example, a nursing home must: (a) have written policies and procedures regarding the treatment of residents and the management of resident care which are available to residents and their families (12VAC5-360-20); (b) provide emergency medical services within 15 minutes, under normal conditions (12VAC5-360-50); (c) be subject to unannounced on-site inspections of the nursing facility by State employees (12VAC5-371-60); (d) have a written agreement with one or more physicians licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine to serve as medical director (12VAC5-371-230); and (e) each resident shall be under the care of a physician licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine (12VAC5-371-240).

In addition, residents of nursing homes are also given certain rights as defined by Virginia Code §32.1-138. See http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+32.1-138. Nursing homes are the most regulated and structured residential options for our Seniors requiring some level of daily health care. If the facility provides care through Medicare and Medicaid programs, it is deemed a ""Certified nursing facility"" (Virginia Code §32.1-123; Virginia Code §32.1-127) and must be in compliance with both federal and state laws.

Of course, the more rules and regulations that define and control the daily operations of a nursing home, the greater the responsibility of the staff. These are the people who will be charged with the daily task of caring for your loved one, and making sure they are in compliance with state and federal laws. No matter how nice and or attractive the facility might be, the staff will make the difference between your loved one being cared for and encouraged, or not.

A nursing home is best suited for someone:

Who requires daily health care - such as assistance getting in and out of bed; taking medicine; or using the restroom. Who may have dementia or Alzheimer's and as a result, is unable to eat and or bathe daily without reminder or assistance; Who is recovering from a fall or accident and is therefore unable to walk, dress and or eat without assistance ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY

""Assisted living facility"" means an adult care residence which has been licensed by the Virginia Department of Social Services to provide a level of service for adults who may have physical or mental impairments and require at least moderate assistance with the activities of daily living. Within assisted living, there are two types: regular assisted living for those seniors (typically) who need assistance with one or more daily activity; and intensive assisted living for someone who may be incapable of performing activities due to mental and/or severe physical impairment (12VAC30-120-450).

The Virginia Department of Social Services licenses assisted living facilities but does not regulate in the way the Department of Health regulates nursing homes. While there are Virginia guidelines regulating aspects of assisted living facilities, they are limited: An assisted living facility must: (a) provide or coordinate personal and health care services; and (b) provide 24-hour supervision. As reflected in the table below, assisted living facilities have no obligation to provide health care and/or have health care staff available to assist your loved one. In addition, with no obligation to provide such services, there is the question as to whether or not they owe a duty to warn or treat residents with illnesses or diseases that could be transmitted from other residents. While a nursing home will have many nurses on staff and doctors hired to monitor the residents, assisted living is more analogous to an apartment building or college dorm where laundry and food services are provided and residents are on their own for the rest of the day.

An assisted living Facility is best suited for someone:

Who is basically independent but may not be able or willing to prepare their own food or drive to doctors' appointments; Someone who wants to scale back and anticipates needing assistance with laundry, cooking, etc. in the near future. A couple where one spouse is independent but may need assistance in feeding and or providing for needs of other spouse. CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

In Virginia you may also see advertisements for a retirement community. They are popping up all around our favorite College Towns and Tourist destinations.

A Continuing Care Retirement Community provides care depending on your current needs. Like an insurance policy, the resident pays an entrance fee and periodic adjustable payments, which in turn gives the resident a package of residential and healthcare services that the CCRC is obligated to provide at the time these residential and health care services are required. For example, if upon entering, all you want is help with your meals, that is the only service which will be provided. If you require intensive physical therapy or God forbid, daily assistance for a Dementia patient, the CCRC has assisted living services or nursing home services available under your contract. Continuing care contracts are regulated by the Virginia Bureau of Insurance of the Virginia State Corporation Commission.

Many CCRCs can have nursing home services available either on-site, or at licensed facilities off-site (12VAC5-360-10). While you may be entering the Retirement Community as a very healthy independent and capable resident, as your needs change, so will your contract with the Community and in turn, the facility's obligations to you.

A Continuing Care Retirement Community Facility is best suited for someone:

Who is basically independent but anticipates the need for daily health care for themselves or a spouse in the near future; Someone who is physically disabled and would be unable to care for themselves or a spouse if the disability grew worse. With at least three very different choices, it is very important to do your research:

To research assisted living facilities in Virginia, go to Department of Social Services website: http://www.dss.state.va.us/facility/search/alf.cgi.

To research nursing homes, go to Medicare's website: www.medicare.gov.

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST

It is always best to speak to a family member of a current resident and spend time getting to know the staff, no matter what type of facility you are looking into. If looking and researching is not enough, then consider the chart below - a comparison of the legal duties of a nursing home compared to the legal duties of an assisted living facility in Virginia.

DUTY or REQUIREMENT NURSING HOME ASSISTED LIVING Duty to provide nursing care and or monitor resident's health? YES NO Doctor required to supervise residents? YES NO Each resident shall be under the care of a physician licensed by the Virginia Board of Medicine? YES NO Must have nurses on staff? YES NO Must offer rehabilitative services? YES NO Must have ongoing consultation from a registered dietitian or dietitian on staff? YES NO 24 Hour Supervision required? YES YES Must develop a written plan upon admission of resident? YES YES Staff must undergo criminal background check? YES YES Monitored by Virginia Center for Quality Health Care Services and Consumer Protection YES NO Monitored by Department of Social Services NO YES

*Life expectancy increased dramatically during the past century, from 47 years for Americans born in 1900 to 77 years for those born in 2001. These same factors--improved medical care and prevention efforts-- that are partly responsible for the dramatic increases in life expectancy have also produced a major shift in the leading causes of death in the United States in the past century, from infectious diseases and acute illnesses to chronic diseases and degenerative illnesses."" The State of Aging and Health in America 2004, published by the Center for Disease Control, available at http://www.cdc.gov/aging/pdf/State_of_Aging_and_Health_in_America _2004.pdf.

**See generally, Virginia Code §32.1-123, as amended and Virginia Administrative Code § 12VAC5-360-10.

***It is a Felony under Virginia law to operate a nursing facility without a license. See generally, 12VAC5-371-30.

About the author: Lauren Ellerman is an attorney with Frith Law Firm in Roanoke, Virginia. She concentrates her practice on medical malpractice, nursing home abuse, nursing home neglect, lead paint poisoning, and business torts. You may view her complete profile at www.frithlawfirm.com/lauren.htm and the firm's home page www.frithlawfirm.com

Devotees of Liquid Nutrition Hail The End Of The Horse Pill

2008-11-18T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Steve Smith

It's perhaps one of the sadder ironies of our time that the astonishing affluence we enjoy in inessential luxuries should be accompanied by increasing poverty in the most basic necessity of all - the very food we eat.

The one thing in which our modern Western diet is not deficient, of course, is calories, as a glance at our surging rates of obesity and diabetes will quickly confirm. But these calories are largely provided in the form of refined carbohydrates, sugar and fat, leaving little time or space for the consumption of health promoting fresh fruits and vegetables.

Worse still, there's overwhelming evidence that even our fruits and vegetables are not as nutritionally potent as they used to be. As early as 1936 Senate Document 264 (74th US Congress, Second Session ) noted that 99% of Americans were deficient in necessary minerals and in the light of the continued intensification of farming methods it seems highly unlikely that the situation will have improved in the intervening years. Indeed, the 1992 Earth Summit reported that mineral concentrations in US farm soils were 85% lower than those of a hundred years ago.

The figures for other wealthy Western nations are almost as alarming, and the problem doesn't just lie in the soil. The modern prevalence of highly refined grains, and the treatment of fruits and vegetables with preservatives, dyes, pesticides and even radiation is a proven disaster for vitamin and mineral retention in our food, as well as a significant toxic assault with which the human organism simply wasn't designed to cope.

So not surprisingly in the face of this depressing picture, diet supplements have become a multi-billion dollar industry in spite of conventional medicine's insistence that a well balanced diet including all the main food groups should supply all our nutritional needs.

In a way this traditional view has some sense in it, because there's a fundamental problem in trying to rectify a very poor diet through supplementation alone. The problem is that the human body is a wonderfully complex organism which functions holistically. That's to say that each and every one of its almost infinite number of biochemical processes is dependent upon numerous others for its proper functioning, and no vital nutrient can do its work in the absence of an adequate supply of the others .

So it's rarely any use to take specific supplements in isolation except in the very short term. And since research has shown that healthy animals, including humans, require at least 45 different minerals as well as essential vitamins, amino acids and fatty acids, trying to take all these as individual supplements would be a time consuming and tiresome process.

As a not very palatable alternative there are of course the torpedo size multis or ""horse pills"". The problem is that is that these must be heavily compressed and treated with a binding agent and the tablets produced by this process are inevitably bulky and difficult to swallow. Laboratory technicians try to help to some extent by wrapping the vitamins and minerals in protein to assist with their metabolism; but according to the 1996 Physician's Desk Reference only 10 - 20% is absorbed even if your digestive system is extremely efficient.

And for those with even slightly sub-optimal health, this bleak outlook is even worse, because digestion is one of the most sensitive and easily upset of all our vital functions. We all know that when we have any kind of emotional upset or illness, even as minor as a cold, the first thing to go is our appetite. The fact is that the complex and subtle biochemistry required for digestion has been thrown off balance, and your body just doesn't want to take in food it knows it won't be able to absorb. So it's a cruel paradox that it's just when you're most in need of supplements that you're least likely to be able to benefits from them.

But this doesn't mean you should give up on the idea of supplements. Advocates of liquid vitamin and mineral supplements now claim absorption rates as high as 95-98% from fresh ingredients which in the scientific jargon are much more bio-available. That's to say they're much more quickly and easily assimilated into the blood stream and thereby conveyed to the tissues that so urgently need them.

Since the plant-derived ingredients are not powdered or compressed and require no added fillers or binding agents; devotees claim as little as a single fluid ounce may contain all of the body's daily nutritional requirements. And as many of the minerals we require are needed in trace amounts of 100 milligrams or less, there may be some truth in this.

So although no one suggests that a liquid supplement can take the place of a healthy diet, it may perhaps be worth considering as a convenient and extremely cost effective form of health insurance.

About the author: Steve Smith is a freelance copywriter specialising in direct marketing and with a particular interest in health products. Find out more about liquid vitamins at http://www.sisyphuspublicationsonline.com/LiquidNutrition/Informa tion.htm

How The Blue Cross Works

2008-11-17T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Richard Cussons

The Blue Cross is, in actuality, not a single company, but is instead a large conglomeration of companies that make up the Blue Cross Group of companies. These businesses that make up the Blue Cross include the leading companies with the highest financial stability in providing several medical services, such as travel insurance, personal accident insurance, and medical insurance, as well as Third Party Administered Plans for healthcare services, and many more similar products.

The grouping of companies under the Blue Cross has a solid experience of over fifty years. They pride themselves on their ability to maintain a steady level of excellence, while still giving all of their many clients comprehensive and practical services.

The commitment of Blue Cross, according to their own website, is to continually improve their own customer service, to ensure that the services that they provide their customers are always getting better. With the track record worthy of boasting, and a competent support staff, they feel confident that they are always equipped to provide customers will immediate service at high levels at any given time.

This level of service is especially important in the health industry. Certainly, we all expect good customer service from any company with which we do business, but with the utter basic importance of proper health services, companies like the Blue Cross allow us a bit more security and peace of mind in a world that seems to have lost a lot of its own stability and comfort. It is exactly that kind of assurance that the Blue Cross aims to give its clients.

Furthermore, the Blue Cross excels in its ability to provide a multitude of services at a high level, instead of just one. This convenience is important, especially when it comes to your health. When you are in need of health services, there is nothing more trying than having to deal with several different companies, all with their different requirements, forms, and levels of service. Blue Cross gives you everything in once place, with a standard level of high service, and the assurance that they¡¯re easy to reach and will always be there when you need them.

Blue Cross has become the envy of the health industry, with its proud history, stable present, and bright future. It is an example of what proper health care services should look like in today¡¯s level of quality and technology. It is refreshing to know that a company such as Blue Cross is out there to take care of millions throughout North America.

About the author: Richard Cussons is a prolific and diverse writer. You will find out more about The Blue Cross at Blue Cross Resources .

14 Startling, Must-Read Facts About Prescription Drug Prices and America's Uninsured

2008-11-16T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Jeremy Cockerill

Fact #1: 45.8 million Americans under the age of 65 lacked health insurance coverage in 2004.

Fact #2: In 2005, the cost of health care insurance for family coverage surpassed the annual salary of a minimum-wage worker.

Fact #3: Drug benefits of many employer insurance plans are being reduced every year. These reductions in drug benefits include steps such as higher premiums for drug benefits, higher co-payments on drug purchases, higher annual deductibles, tiered cost sharing, annual dollar limits on drug purchases, tightening eligibility rules and completely cutting drug benefits all together. This means more and more individuals are becoming underinsured when it comes to prescription drug coverage.

Fact #4: U.S. National Health Care Expenditures per Capita rose by 123% from 1990 to 2004. In that same time frame Prescription Drug Expenditures increased 78.6%. Prescription drug spending is one of the fastest growing components of national health care spending. In fact, in 1999, national prescription drug spending increased an astounding 18.2%, compared to an 5.2% increase for physician and clinical services and a 5.0% increase for hospital care.

Fact #5: Retail prescription drug prices increased an average of 8.3% a year from 1994 to 2004 (from an average of $28.67 to $63.59), more than triple the average annual inflation rate of 2.5%.

Fact #6: A recent AARP Bulletin reported that some individuals have to resort to very desperate (and unnecessary) measures to obtain their medications. The report stated that ""A widow recently sold her wedding ring to pay for medicine. Another sometimes begs for prescription drugs left by friends who have died. Another on occasion uses pills prescribed for her dog.""

Fact #7: In a 2004 survey, over a third of uninsured adults said that they did not fill a drug prescription in the past year due to cost. The scary part is that skipping doses or simply not taking a medication to save money can be extremely dangerous to your health.

Fact #8: From 1995 - 2002, pharmaceutical manufacturers were the nations most profitable industry. In 2004, they ranked third, with profits of 16%, compared to 5% for all Fortune 500 firms.

Fact #9: The five most highly paid drug company executives pocketed more than $183 million in compensation in 2001, with the top 25 pharmaceutical execs averaging nearly $6 million in annual compensation in 2000. That compensation does not count stock options, which can add millions of dollars to a CEO's income.

Fact #10: Prescription drug costs are expected to increase by 12.6% a year for the next 10 years, according to a recent report issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. By 2010, 16% of what Americans spend each year on personal health care will be spent on prescription drugs, the department said. In 1999, it was 9.4%.

Fact #11: The United States is the only developed nation that does not regulate drug prices. American consumers pay much more for their prescription drugs than any other country in the World. In fact, a 2003 study by the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration compared the U.S. prices of a list of 54 prescription drugs with the prices in 9 other countries and found that the prices in these 9 other countries were 18 to 67% lower than the U.S. prices.

Fact #12: FDA-approved does not mean ""Made in the U.S.A."". Actually, more than 40% of the drugs sold in the U.S. are made by foreign-based firms that may have American operations.

Fact #13: An estimated 2 million Americans now buy their drugs from a Canadian pharmacy.

Fact #14: A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in September 2005 (Volume 143 Issue 6) concluded that brand name medications are often substantially less expensive when purchased from Canadian Internet pharmacies instead of from major online U.S. drug chain pharmacies.

Individual's struggling to afford their medication costs may want to look to Canada as a viable option for purchasing their prescription drugs. Canada is a very highly regulated and safe country to buy medications from. Millions of Americans have been ordering medications from Canada for more than 5 years now and there have been no reported cases of an American citizen harmed by an inferior medication. American residents can save an average of 45% on their prescriptions when buying from a licensed Canadian pharmacy.

About the author: Jeremy Cockerill is a licensed pharmacist and the co-founder and pharmacy manager of UniversalDrugstore.com. Mr. Cockerill graduated from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Manitoba with Honors in 1998. Mr. Cockerill is the recipient of the 2005 Manager of the Year award from the Manitoba Customer Contact Association. http://www.universaldrugstore.com

Worried about your future?

2008-11-15T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Devi Nisha

Today we are happy healthy individuals; we are able to do the necessary tasks without any extra help. Life would be pleasant if it could continue just the way it is now, but then we have a future the most unpredictable aspect in the whole cosmos.

Some may argue that future is filled with suspense and we cannot control it, true but then we have to put in a small amount of effort to safe guard our future, equipping our lives with suitable amenities is no crime.

So to avoid late realizations, it is better to grasp the situation and thus equip one's self. One way to accomplish this task is by taking insurance, the word insurance is certainly a golden one as it can be a source of consolation if we are stuck in the middle of any tribulation. Assuming that you know a lot about insurances, we are going stipulate one aspect of the insurance- long term care.

Long term care, every individual requires ample amount of care when he reaches a stage of not being able to take care of himself. The long term care provides such assistance for the individual for performing his daily activities such as bathing, dressing, commuting and other indispensable activities.

Why do I need long term care?

Some people or perhaps many consider that long term care is just not for them, they hate the idea of being a burden to others and they don't want to lose their independence, so they fail to take up the long term care. This is the biggest mistake a person can make. Long term care is necessary because we may be affected by any of these ailments-

Arthritis Cancer Heart disease Diabetes Strokes Alzheimer's disease Depression Do not panic, these are the various possible ailments one can face when they enter an old age, this may happen to anyone and wouldn't it be better if every one takes up the precautionary measure. Long term insurance is actually a very helpful feature, avoiding this will not make any sense later in life.

The long term insurance provides a lot of benefits like home health care, where you will be provided with good personal care while you are at home. Community care or adult day care, as the name suggests you can get care from a community care center, if a person is seriously ill or if he needs regular hospital care he can obtain the nursing home care. The hospice care, caregiver training and care coordination services are the other benefits for which the long term care would pay for. There are two kinds of long term care insurances the individual long term care and the group long term care, as the names suggest the individual long term care insurance involves the insurer and the insured person. These kind of individual health policies need to be approved by the California department of insurance. Where as group health policy involves a group and the insurer.

Normally group insurances are always priced less than the individual policies. The same applies here too. Thus we have to develop a positive attitude towards the future, this does not mean that you have to frighten yourselves and thus panic about your future. Careful planning and implementation of those plans would prove to be very helpful. It is better not to complicate matters just by saying that these ailments will not affect you. All these decisions of not taking up the long health care may seem to be convincing now, but the future awaits and it might offer anything so isn't it better to prepare ourselves for the worst and thus lead our lives peacefully.

About the author: Devi nisha is a seo copywriter for everyhealthplan as well. She has involved herself in this field for more than 3 years. For further details related to the article you can visit the site http://www.everyhealthplan.com . You can contact her through mail at dev.nisha@gmail.com .

Get to Sleep Again - Banish Insomnia

2008-11-14T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: ian Williamson

There is something most uncivilized about living in a civilized world. What is it? It's hard to get good night's sleep.

Some of this punishing sleep deprivation is voluntary. Too much to do. Too much to see. Too many responsibilities. Not enough sleep.

For many people, sleep is a desperate need. People toss and turn, but sleep does not come. Others get to sleep only to awaken later in the middle of the night. In the morning, thousands (millions?) head off to work bleary-eyed, trying to be productive. It's a vicious cycle.

Eventually exhaustion can get bad enough that a person seeks help from their doctor, who obligingly writes a prescription for some pills. At first, they work well and the sleepless person gets some much needed relief.

However, the real nightmare is about to begin. After awhile, the sleeping pills stop working. Unfortunately, by then, the person is addicted. The doctor has been told the drugs are not addictive by the drug manufacturer. Anecdotal evidence, however, suggests drug manufacturers aren't giving doctors the whole story. There's big money in having a ""non-addictive"" sleeping pill. As the saying goes, ""Money Talks.""

It turns out that there is another way, but not one health insurance will pay for. Because there are no large drug companies standing behind this alternative, health insurance companies don't recognize it as a therapeutic choice.

Contrary to what doctors usually are taught both in medical schools and from drug companies, nutrition plays a large role in getting a good night's sleep. There are a number of vitamins and minerals that support sleep. An internet search for ""insomnia vitamins"" and ""insomnia minerals"" provides a wealth of information about these nutritional supports.

Staying away from nicotine, caffeine and alcohol helps in getting a good night's sleep, as does having a good diet and getting regular exercise

Amino acids are lesser known for their importance in being able to get enough sleep, but they are just as vital. L-Tryptophan, for example, is called ""essential"" for a reason. People can't live without it.

Without enough L-Tryptophan, or its easier-to-get cousin, 5-HTP (5-Hydroxy Tryptophan), human beings are not able to calm down. Sound familiar? Usually, about 100 mg of 5-HTP provides enough relaxation that sleep becomes an option for an average adult. Experimentation to discover an appropriate dosage is safe and easy.

Sleep becomes an option with enough L-Tryptophan in the brain. This is where L-Theanine, another commonly available amino acid, comes in. It's a sleep time amplifier, providing more rest in less time. A dose of 100 mg at bed time is a good starting place.

Finally, GABA (yet another amino acid) works for some people. Most sleeping pills work on the same part of the brain that uses GABA. Unfortunately, for technical reasons, just taking GABA does not always work that well. Trying 200 mg at bed time is a good starting place. It may or may not work.

About the author: For more Insomni a Articles by Ian Williamson please visit http://www.real-articles.com/Category/Insomnia/107

How to Get a Safe Good Night's Sleep

2008-11-12T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: ElmerFizz

It's hard to get good night's sleep. But here's how you can get a good night's sleep and also a safe night's sleep.

More often than not, sleep deprivation is voluntary. Too much to do. Too much to see. Too many responsibilities. Not enough sleep.

Staying away from nicotine, caffeine and alcohol helps in getting a good night's sleep, as does having a good diet and getting regular exercise

Anyone having trouble getting a good night's sleep can leave the sleeping pills in the cabinet. Instead, trying some 5-HTP, L-Theanine and GABA is an inexpensive option. These supplements are a safe and non-addictive alternative. For another safe supplement for sleep, calmness and serenity see http://www.healthybodysupplements.com/sleepproblems

About the author: This article may be reprinted on a website or blog IF the content is left unchanged and this resource box is included. (c)Copyright Compliance is tracked. Please respect this request. http://www.healthybodysupplements.com

Choosing a Healthcare Plan. What you need to know !

2008-11-11T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Gary Dunaway

Choosing a Health Benefits Plan that is best for you and your family is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make. Choosing between Health Plans is not as easy as it once was. Although there is no one best plan, there are some plans that will be better than others for you and your family's health needs. Plans differ, both in how much you have to pay and how easy it is to get the services you need. No plan will pay for all the costs associated with your medical care, some plans will cover more than others.

Most Americans have Health Benefits through their employers, and every year more employers offer insurance coverage by managed care organizations (MCOs). Today, Americans are in an era of managed care. It's a new experience for most people. Managed care companies may decide what doctor you will see and when, and what treatments will be covered. It requires you to make some important decisions because not all managed care plans are the same.

Wouldn't you rather make your own choice ? Today, Discount Benefit Plans are one of the few plans that allow you this freedom. I warn you HMO's are dinosaurs, and will be ancient history in the next 5 to 7 years.

In choosing a Health Benefits plan, you have to decide what is most important to you. All plans have tradeoffs. It is worth asking yourself a few questions such as:

1. How comprehensive do you want coverage of health care services to be?

2. How do you feel about limits on your choice of doctors or hospitals?

3. How do you feel about a primary care doctor referring you to specialists for additional care?

4. How convenient does your care need to be?

5. How important is the cost of services?

6. How much are you willing to spend on health insurance premiums and other health care costs?

7. How do you feel about keeping receipts and filing claims?

Discount Benefit Plans eliminate most of these troubling items. There is no paperwork, no referral, see any provider you wish, and there are no limits on visits. This is the Future of Healthcare in America.

You might also want to think about whether the services that a health insurance plan offers meet your needs. Call the plan for details about coverage if you have questions. It is worth considering the following:

* Life changes you may be thinking about, such as starting a family or retiring.

* Chronic health conditions or disabilities that you or family members have.

* If you or anyone in your family will need care for the elderly.

* Care for family members who travel a lot, attend college, or spend time at two homes

Most health insurance plans provide basic medical coverage, but the details are what count. The best plan for someone else may not be the best plan for you. For each plan you are considering it pays off to find out about a range of things from physical examinations and health screenings, care by specialists and prescription drugs to vision care and dental services.

This is where Discount Benefit Plans differ from conventional insurance. YOU have the freedom to make these lifestyle choices.

Finally you should think about the location of services and how far you may be prepared to go for care. On this subject you should consider whether or not the plan handles care when you are away from home.

After you review what benefits are available and decide what is important to you, you can compare plans. Many things should be considered. These include services offered, choice of providers, location, and costs. The quality of care is also a factor to think about.

Finally, I urge you to look at the Future of Healthcare. Consumer driven plans are the new wave. Don't be left out.

About the author: Gary W Dunaway authors informative article related to Healthcare in America. In addition, he offers Discount Benefits Plans that save money, and everyone can afford. Email him at garysdental@fuse.net for a FREE DVD. Visit his website at http://garysdental.net - Call him Toll Free at 1-877-534-6513

Stroke Camp: Rest, Relaxation and Renewal

2008-11-10T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Celise Downs

STROKE CAMP: REST, RELAXATION AND RENEWAL By Celise Downs

S'mores. Sleeping bags in pup tents. Fireside stories and songs. Brave souls going "polar bear" swimming in a freezing lake at dawn. These are the memories I have of going to camp. But the camp I recently attended was different. At this camp, I was surrounded by survivors: stroke and spinal cord injury survivors. The July 2005 Stroke Camp at Chapel Rock Church Conference Center in Prescott, AZ allowed stroke survivors and their caregivers, as well as spinal cord injury survivors, a weekend of rest, relaxation…and play time. Kay Wing, owner and founder of Swan Rehab, which specializes in stroke and brain injury rehabilitation, wanted to host a camp that was "No work, just fun."

"I teach a week long class at NAU every year for the Physical Therapy students," says Kay. "We have stroke survivor volunteers for the students to treat. The patients are there all day long, and rotate between various therapeutic activities. Everyone has such a good time that it's like camp. It made me realize how hopeless a permanent disability can seem to both the survivor and the caregiver. Just the week of this class gave people new hope, a change of scenery, and the caregivers a rest from the constant responsibility. I thought this type of hope needed to be available to a wider community of stroke survivors and their caregivers. Only, I wanted it to be just a fun camp."

Jim Koeneman, President of Kinetic Muscles and co-sponsor of the event, agrees. "Through Kay Wing and our customers, we became aware of the tremendous need that stroke survivors and their caregivers have for recreational opportunities." Spinal cord injury survivors were included for the first time after a serendipitous encounter with Amy Rocker, Community Relations Director for the Arizona Spinal Cord Injury Association. The woodsy, rustic atmosphere and hotel-like accommodations offered Camp attendees a multitude of activities to choose from: nature walk, arts and crafts, bingo, yoga, a lecture on fishing, indoor volleyball, and a massage or acupuncture. The group attended a mixer and learned about meteorites from guest speaker John Salza on Friday night; and was allowed to sit in during the Phoenix Boys Choir music rehearsal Saturday morning.

It was here, at this special camp, where I learned what it meant to be a survivor:

1) Change is gonna come. Some of the simplest daily activities we take for granted are the first things a stroke and spinal cord survivor have to re-learn. Not only is the survivor affected, but loved ones are, too. For the first year after his wife, Susan, got home from the hospital, Jack Fuhrer's daily routine was simply to 'get through the day' and observe her daily therapy sessions. "Tending to Susan's basic needs was hard physical work because she was so profoundly paralyzed," he states. Chang Bae and his wife, Kim, who were invited to the camp through the American Heart Association, still cope with difficulties like not being able to communicate well and rapidly. And the physical impairment prohibits certain activities that they're trying hard to get back. Ron and Nancy Wheelen's 14-year-old daughter is handling the new routine, but is frustrated and tends to be short-tempered at times.

2) It really does pay to have insurance. Insurance companies have gotten a bad rap for years. So much so that a couple of movies have been made to drive the point home that they have a habit of leaving their members twisting in the wind. Like a coin, there's going to be two sides with insurance companies: the bad and the good. Jack Fuhrer feels he and Susan are among the fortunate few who have had good, hassle-free insurance coverage for a several million dollar illness. They were assigned a "supportive and helpful" case manager courtesy of Cigna. And an uninsured friends' tragedy a few years earlier caused him to buy long term care insurance. Consequently, there are still a lot of deductibles. Ron Wheelen, whose wife, Nancy, suffered a stroke in a hospital in June 2004, states that "overall, there was $3,000 to $4,000 not covered by insurance. The hospital visit was $500 out of pocket." Although he didn't have to pay it, Ron said that the helicopter ride from one hospital to another was almost $12,000. Taxi, please.

3) Remember when?... Family members birthdays. The day my boyfriend popped the question. The day I got married. These are the special occasions I'm going to remember for the rest of my life. For a stroke and spinal cord injury survivor, the day their life changed forever is something they're not bound to forget. Kim Bae, February 5, 1999; Susan Fuhrer, Sunday June 23, 2002, 9:15 a.m.; Kenny Baker, August 13, 1999; Terrible Tom O'Brien (who's not terrible at all, but a shameless flirt), Monday May 27, 1996-Memorial Day; Susan Wheelen, June 2, 2004, 6:30 p.m.

4) There's no such thing as limitations. Just because someone walks with a limp, wears a brace on their leg, or gets around by wheelchair, doesn't mean they're completely helpless. Diana Partain is an occupational therapist whose methods of therapy include driving rehabilitation and expressive art. "You don't have to give up your hobbies or your life after having a stroke," she says. "You just have to find another way to do them." And in the words of Terrible Tom O'Brien: "I have two eyes, two nostrils, two arms and two legs. If one doesn't work, I still have the other one." Amen.

5) Support, support…and did I mention, support? The dream of seeing my work published has been a goal of mine ever since I started writing in the seventh grade. I not only had to believe it for myself, but I needed to have someone else believe in me, too. Don Price broke his neck and sustained a spinal cord injury in a diving accident in 1982. He was 18-years-old. "It was a difficult adjustment," he says. "I had great family and friend support, but the best help in adapting to my disability came through peer mentorship—meeting others who had a similar disability, and learning from them. Once I spent time with other quads, I realized that they were out in the community working, playing, dating, driving, traveling and having fun. So I knew I could, too. They supported me; we supported each other."

6) Celebrate the victories. Sixteen stroke survivors and two spinal cord injury survivors attended the Stroke Camp this year. The most inspirational person I spoke to was the youngest of the group, and was neither one of those. 24-year-old Laurel Murray survived an encounter with a drunk driver. She was pronounced dead at the scene for ten minutes. The doctor's told her she would never walk again. "What do they know," she scoffs. The brain damage she suffered is comparable to that of a stroke, her speech is slow and meticulous, her gait is even slower, and she's determined to do things without help. But she's walking. So stick THAT in your stethoscope and smoke it, you overpriced, pessimistic doctor!

The best part of this camp was the boys. All of our meals were blessed by the angelic voices of the Phoenix Boys Choir. I still get chills thinking about those young boys, some as young as eight, opening their mouths and hearing this almost supernatural sound emerge. I think about 12-year-old Collin, a member of the choir, who was born with no arms (stumps) and no legs (stumps fitted with suction-cup type prosthetics). And yet he was still wholly accepted by his peers. Those boys will grow up and never look twice at someone with a physical disability because of Collin. Get'em while they're young, that's what I say.

I've been in the medical field for several years now, but only in the form of a desk job. As a medical biller, I sit at a computer all day and register members. I have no contact with the member and have never had much contact with the physically disabled. After spending a day and a half with these eighteen survivors, I am simultaneously humbled and inspired. My life, my daily complaints, seem so small compared to what they've suffered and what they still struggle to accomplish. For a moment in time, I was allowed a sneak peek into their world. We rested, we relaxed, we had fun. We have been renewed. I recently attended a camp. At this camp, I was surrounded by survivors.

STROKE FACTS:

~ On average, every 45 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke.

~ Stroke is our nation's No. 3 killer and a leading cause of severe, long-term disability.

~ African-Americans, American Indians or Alaska Natives, and Mexican Americans have a higher than average risk of getting a stroke.

~ Recent studies indicate that the risk of stroke may be higher in women during pregnancy and the six weeks following childbirth.

~ Each year, about 700,000 people experience a new or recurrent stroke. About 500,000 are first attacks and 200,000 are recurrent attacks.

~ Each year, about 40,000 more women than men have a stroke.

~ African-Americans have almost twice the risk of first-ever stroke compared to Caucasians. The age-adjusted stroke incidence rates (per 100,000) for first-ever strokes are 167 for Caucasian males, 138 for Caucasian females, 323 for African-American males, and 260 for African-American females.

To see pictures from the July 2005 Stroke Camp, go to www.swanrehab.com.

About the author: Celise is a Young Adult fiction author and owner of Gemini Mojo Press. She currently has two books out and is working on a teen series. Check out her "Young Adult Fiction with a Twist" at www.GeminiMojoPress.com.

Should you consider Cosmetic Dentistry?

2008-11-09T05:06:00.001-06:00

Author: Sue Wong

If you want to improve the appearance of teeth, cosmetic dentistry could be your choice. With the recent developments in dental techniques and dental materials, cosmetic dentistry has made it possible for many people to have better looking smile.

Cosmetic dentistry's prmary focus is the modification of appearance of a patient's oral cavity and surrounding structures, rather than the prevention and treatment of organic, structural, or functional oral disease. If you have one of the following conditions with your teeth, you might consider cosmetic dentistry: cracks or cavities, gaps between teeth, broken or crooked teeth, uneven teeth, stained or discolored teeth, chips or rough spots.

Cosmetic dentistry treatment options include: whitening, enamel shapping and bonding.

You should keep in mind the following facts if you are considering cosmetic dentistry: Financial costs: cosmetic dentistry is quite expensive and normally not covered by dental insurance. Make sure you can afford it because you do it. Besides, the cosmetic dentistry procedure might need to be repeated every 10 to 15 years due to the fact that some materials used might not last very long.

About the author: Sue Wong is a freelance writer who has written articles for any websites and eZines including dentistry websites such as 101dentist.com (http://www.101dentist.com )

Acupuncture Offers New Hope for Fibromyalgia

2008-11-08T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Annie Beal

If you have fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), you simply ache all over. It is a musculoskeletal pain and fatigue disorder for which there is no known cause or cure.

Fibromyalgia involves pain in the muscles, ligaments and tendons; anywhere there are soft tissues in the body. More women than men suffer from this syndrome, with as many as eight million people throughout the U.S.

Most of the time its symptoms are treated with medication, but there is exciting new research that acupuncture may help fibromyalgia patients as well.

In addition to feeling like you have a severe case of the flu all the time, you feel tired and totally devoid of energy. For this reason doctors believe fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome may be closely related.

Besides muscle pain, fibromyalgia patients may have sleep disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, frequent headaches, TMJ (jaw-related face and head pain) and premenstrual symptoms.

The goals of the most common treatments are to improve the quality of sleep and to reduce pain. It is believed that a lack of sleep could be a contributing factor to the condition.

Pain relievers, muscle relaxants, anti-epileptics and other drugs are frequently prescribed. But doctors will admit that drugs alone will not alleviate all the symptoms of fibromyalgia, plus how many medicines can a body tolerate in one day?

A more natural approach that can be used in conjunction with drug therapy is acupuncture. It has been used in China for over two thousand years, and there are at least eight million Americans who have tried it.

The skin is penetrated with hair thin metallic needles at various ""acupoints"" rich in nerve endings. Stimulating these acupoints can help release the body's natural pain-killing endorphins.

At your first visit, the acupuncturist will take a complete medical history and will ask about your lifestyle and the medications you are taking. This is the time for you to ask how many treatments will be required and what the cost will be. The good news is that many insurance companies now cover the cost of acupuncture treatments.

There have been a few studies published to try and prove the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating fibromyalgia. The results thus far indicate acupuncture can be effective for many people.

One study that was considered to be of very high quality suggested that ""real"" acupuncture is more effective than sham (placebo) acupuncture for relieving pain, increasing pain thresholds and reducing morning stiffness associated with fibromyalgia.

Studies need to be conducted for a longer period of time, but initial results show that after initial treatments are stopped, booster treatments of acupuncture to maintain its benefits will probably be necessary.

So what do you have to lose? Acupuncture performed by a qualified practitioner is safe and effective for many people. It might be covered by your health insurance so it should not entail a huge investment.

If there is little risk and a good possibility of alleviating the pain associated with fibromyalgia, why not give acupuncture a try?

About the author: Annie Beal makes it easy for anyone to feel better naturally with acupuncture and acupressure. To receive your free 7-part mini-course visit:

www.acupuncturegold.com/tips.html

Breast Lifts - uplifting..or..awful?

2008-11-07T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Gay Redmile

If your breasts are succumbing to gravity and beginning to sag a little, then perhaps the time has come to consider breast lift surgery. Your first step should be to visit a board-certified plastic surgeon who will explain the procedure to you. Thousands of women in the US have already undertaken this popular procedure. As part of the natural aging process, pregnancy, breast-feeding, and excessive weight loss - can all cause women to lose skin elasticity in their breasts. Gravity takes over and breasts begin to sag.

Breastlift, or mastopexy, is a surgical procedure to raise and reshape sagging breasts - making the breasts firmer and more shapely - at least, for a time - with the best results achieved in women with small breasts. Large breasts can also be lifted however the results may not last as long. For women seeking breast enhancement - this can be undertaken in conjunction with implants to increase the breasts' size.

In general, the best people for a breast lift include: women 18 years of age or older; whose skin has stretched; who has less breast volume than previously; who does not intend to lose a great deal of weight, get pregnant, or breastfeed; who is not currently pregnant or breastfeeding; who is in good health; and who wants to improve their appearance and has realistic expectations.

Some breast lifts can be performed under local anesthesia, however, those with larger breasts that require more extensive surgery, require inpatient surgery with a hospital stay of one or two days. There are three basic techniques used for breast lift surgery:

Concentric Mastopexy: this technique will only work for women with smaller breasts and minimal sagging.

Vertical Mastopexy: this surgery allows an additional strip of skin to be removed, giving the surgeon the option of greater correction.

Anchor-Shaped Mastopexy: an incision is made above the nipple in the shape of an anchor, with a circle at the top. This incision forms the shape of the new breast with the nipple placed in the circle at the top of the anchor, and the elliptical line at the bottom forming the lower contour.

After surgery patients are wrapped with gauze and elastic bandages or a surgical bra. Your breasts will be bruised, swollen, and uncomfortable for a day or two, but the pain shouldn't be severe. It my be suggested that you refrain from sex for a week or so, and to avoid strenuous sports for about a month. After that, you can resume these activities slowly.

As with any major surgery, complications are a possibility. Mastopexy does leave noticeable, permanent scars, although they'll be covered by a bra or bathing suit. Slow healing and wider scars are more common in smokers. Adverse reaction to anesthesia, infection, and blood clots are possible with any surgery. Loss of sensation in the nipple and breast tissue is common, but usually returns as nerves begin to regenerate. When implants are being used in conjunction with a lift, additional risks including implant leakage and interference with mammograms are a possiblity.

The average breast lift prices, depending on which technique is required, will range from $3,148 to $6,500 and $3,500 to $7,500. Should you choose to have a combined breast lift with breast augmentation prices will range from $4,000 to $9,000.

Breast lift finance is available - as simple as filling out an online application - with a response in as little as 30 seconds.

Breast lift surgery, as an aesthetic (cosmetic) procedure, generally is not covered by insurance. However if a breast reconstruction after mastectomy is performed, the other breast may need to be modified.

However - you must be aware that a breast lift won't keep you firm forever - the effects of gravity, pregnancy, aging, and weight fluctuations will eventually take their toll again! Women who have implants along with their breast lift may find the results last longer!

About the author: Gay Redmile is the webmaster of several health and wellbeing sites. For further important information and resources on breast lifts visit her site at http://www.getabreastlift.com or visit one of her other sites at http://www.plasticsurgeryinfosite.com or http://getabreastenhancement.com

5 Tips to Choosing the Right Electric Wheelchair for You

2008-11-06T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Peter Wallander

If you or anyone that you are close with are wheelchair bound, then you know the limitations that they encompass. All too often doorways are not wide enough; hills are too steep to maneuver alone, not to mention the sore arms and blistered fingers. Enter the electric wheelchairs. These newer chairs are equipped with electric motors that replace the manual tire rotation that you may be accustomed to. Electric wheelchairs offer a chair bound person a freedom that was never within their reach before. However, it is still important to choose the right electric chair for you and your personal situation.

1- When beginning the process of selecting the correct electric wheelchair for your situation, it is important to know how much money that you have to work with. Call your medical insurance provider; they will be able to answer this question for you. You will also need to decide how much of your personal money will be available to add to the insurance companies figures. The average electric chair can run anywhere from $5,000.00 to over $30,000.00, keep this in mind when you are shopping.

2- You will need to decide upon such features as the height and support of the back that you will want. You personal physical limitations will help you determine this, for example, if you have little or no upper body muscle strength, it is recommended that the back be tilted at a 45 degree angle. Speak with a physical therapist or with your personal physician to determine the correct angle for you.

3- The control system that you choose will also be somewhat dependant upon your physical limitations. There are many types of systems to choose from, a joystick is very popular and works in much the same way as with a video game. However, if you do not have any arm control, you may need a chair that is equipped with a control system that is controlled by the head, the trunk of the body or through propulsion. Again, your doctor will be able to help you to decide which type of control system is right for you.

4- Once you get these basics of the electric wheelchair decided upon, it is time to customize it specifically for you. You can choose how much or how little padding should be added to the back of the chair, the type of leg and foot supports, height of the chair, even the fabric and paint that you prefer. These options may or may not increase the overall cost of the chair depending upon what the manufacturer offers.

5- It is very important that you take an electric wheelchair for a test drive before you agree to purchase it. Many companies will let you try it out for a period of time that ranges from a couple of hours to a couple of days. Taking advantage of this option will allow you to get the right wheelchair for you.

About the author: Visit http://wheelchairs-central.net or http://wheelchairs-expert.net to learn more about wheelchair ramps and wheelchair boat lift.

Blue Cross Insurance - Providing Health Insurance For One Third Of All Americans.

2008-11-05T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Donald Saunders

Blue Cross insurance was the creation of Justin Ford Kimball who, in 1929, devised a plan to provide hospital care for school teachers in Dallas. The plan provided teachers with cover for up to twenty one days in hospitalization each year for a premium of six dollars.

From these humble beginnings the plan spread, first throughout Dallas and other areas of Texas and then nationwide, providing cover for employees across an ever widening range of employment.

Just ten years after it was born the Blue Cross symbol was adopted by the American Hospital Association for plans that met certain standards and this formal recognition provided Blue Cross insurance with a springboard for further growth.

In 1960 the growth in popularity of Blue Cross was such that the Blue Cross Association superseded the American Hospital Association commission and some twelve years later severed all ties with the commission.

Finally, in 1982, the Blue Cross Association merged with the National Association of Blue Shield Plans and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association we know today was formed.

The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is in effect a trade association for some thirty eight independent and locally, or regionally, operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans. These together provide cover throughout the United States, as well as in the Canadian province, for millions of Americans (it is estimated that one in three Americans now carry a Blue Cross and Blue Shield card) and makes Blue Cross and Blue Shield the country's largest healthcare provider.

But Blue Cross and Blue Shield does much more than simply provide medical insurance cover on a group and individual basis.

The Association is now also the administrator for Social Security in a large number of states and often provides group cover for state government employees and for employees of the Federal government. As a result, officials within Blue Cross and Blue Shield work closely with government health policy makers at the very top levels of government and the Association plays a significant part in influencing the direction of government health policy.

It is amazing to think that a plan originally devised simply to provide cover for hospital bills for a small group of school teachers in Dallas has now developed not only into a nationwide plan providing cover for just about anything you can imagine from critical illness through long-term care, disability, life cover, dental cover, pharmacy cover and even cover for worldwide travel, but has also spawned an organization that is at the very heart of healthcare system of the United States.

With such phenomenal growth in the past seventy five years and such a strong position today one can only imagine that Blue Cross and Blue Shield will continue to grow in the years ahead proving yet more and more cover for an ever growing number of customers.

About the author: To learn more about Blue Cross and Blue Shield and

Blue Cross insurance please visit

Blue Cross Insurance Today .

Diabetes Watch: Common Mistakes to Avoid

2008-11-03T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Kay Zetkin

Are you one of the 17 million people in the United States with diabetes? Then you are aware that it is critical for you to be monitoring for your blood sugar and have continuous treatment. Keeping your blood sugar as close to normal as possible is the all-important thing to do to lower the risk of any long-term problems that are probable to occur in diabetes patients.

As you keep your vigil over your blood sugar level and keep going on your diabetes treatment, here are five common mistakes that you should avoid. Keeping in mind and avoiding these mistakes is one of the good ways to continue your good health.

1.Doing your monitoring alone – it is very important to consider developing a health care team that is constantly on the vigil as to your health situation. The core of this health care team is your doctor, a certified diabetic educator and a nutritionist. For those with type 1 diabetes, it is all very well to add an endocrinologist to be part of your core team also. Knowing why you are testing your blood sugar is significant and what the results mean. A testing routine may be set up with the help of your team and don't attempt to alter it without consulting them.

2.Ignoring specific routines and schedules – to be consistent in monitoring your situation, do not stray off from the straight and narrow. Getting accurate results depend on following specific routines. Code your meter with every new box of test strips. Control solutions are always handy for your use. This way, you can accurately know that your test strips are accurate. Usually, it is sufficient to have one test per box. That is so, unless you left the remaining strips exposed for a prolonged period of time. Tests that come up a number that does not match your symptoms like having an abnormally high or low test reading may be checked by having your meter coded properly. When this happens, also make sure to do a control test before adjusting medications. Reuse lancets may also lead to callused, infections and increased pain. This is where a team member comes in handy. Don't hesitate to request for them go over proper procedures as often as necessary.

3.Choosing unfit equipments – do not test with the dinosaurs. Make self – monitoring of blood sugar easier and less painful. It is important that you know how to choose and use your equipment and that it fits your needs. There are meters that give reliable reading that use under 3 micro liters of blood only. Another new technology that could be added for your diabetes medical supply is one that does not require finger sticks. This testing technology lets you use alternate sites on your body. Thus, you could choose a body part to check your blood sugar with virtually zero pain, as compared to using fingertips.

4.Moving your mouth more than your hips – it is best to get a doctor's or nutritionist's advice with regards to taking on a healthy diet. You also have to plan ahead so that you can stick to it. Remember that obesity is one of the factors that can lead to and worsen diabetes. Having an exercise regimen may also be ideal for lowering your blood sugar. An activity that fits your interest and lifestyle may be an ideal exercise regimen for you.

5.Using up too much budget on testing supplies – cost of testing supplies can exceed to $1,200 a year for someone who tests their blood sugar three times a day. Medicare and most third party insurers cover some of the cost but you, as patient can incur substantial out-of-pocket expenses while waiting for insurance reimbursement. That is why it is very important to look for the best deal on testing supplies. Look out there for companies that help patients avoid too much expense. These companies take out the hassle from the patient by letting having the ordered supplies be billed directly to insurance providers and Medicare. Patient does not have to face upfront costs, too.

By noting these common mistakes, choosing the best deals for your diabetes home medical supply, and having your health care team support you throughout you will be assured of a straight road to recovery. -30-

For comments and inquiries about the article visit http://www.onlinehomemedicalsupply.com

About the author: Kay Zetkin discovered the pleasure of writing through her daily journals as a teen-ager. Writing in it helped sort out her thoughts, relieve her feelings and record what she observes of the world.

For her, writing is an effective tool to express your viewpoints... To write is already to choose, thus, writing should be done along with a critical mind and a caring soul. She hopes to become more professional, skilled and mature in her craft.

Hurricane Katrina Causes Diabetes

2008-11-02T05:05:00.001-06:00

Author: Devin Hastings

Hurricane Katrina Causes Diabetes By C. Devin Hastings _________________________________________________________________ ___________________

""Hurricane Katrina Causes Diabetes"" may soon be a real headline. This article will explain what you need to know before you or someone you know are unpleasantly surprised.

Though the debate still continues as to the exact cause, Type 1 diabetes (having to use insulin) is thought to be the result of an inappropriate autoimmune response in the body. What apparently happens is that the body attacks the Beta cells of the pancreas believing them to be invaders. These insulin-producing cells are therefore destroyed to a significant degree and ""Hey Presto! Instant Diabetes"".

Type 2 diabetes (not needing insulin) is caused by insulin resistance which is generally the result of obesity though now there is a blurring of boundaries between Type 1 and 2.

Now, with the above in mind, the question is, how the heck could a hurricane cause diabetes? Well, regarding Type 1 diabetes a theory that may prove correct or incorrect is that an autoimmune response may be precipitated by on going stress of such intensity that the inflammation caused by chronically high levels of cortisol leads to an immune system malfunction.

However, regarding Type 2 diabetes I think there is a very clear and direct connection. For the sake of brevity I will not cover all pertinent details because the purpose of this article is to convey an idea that may be worth considering.

So, ""Hurricane Katrina Causes Diabetes"" may be a reality when you look at two groups of persons. First, are those directly affected. Many people, when stressed sufficiently, will eat more than they need. I am willing to bet that over the next 5 years, if the direct victims are tracked, many of them will become obese and get diabetes; even those without a genetic predisposition.

The second group are those who, though not directly involved with the disaster, are vicariously involved to the point where they begin to gain significant amounts of weight due to poorly managed stress.

Both groups may also, to some degree, be affected by a type of hyper-vigilance that creates an on going 'fight or flight' response that can lead to insulin resistance. Untreated insulin resistance not only can lead to diabetes but, to its corollary, hyperinsulinemia which is also very dangerous.

So, what is an answer? For both groups, effective stress management tools are a must. I believe that being taught self-hypnosis is the best, most cost-effective answer. If insurance companies want to save a lot of money over the next decade then it is definitely in their best interests to somehow get their insured clients strongly involved in stress reduction classes.

Stress reduction may also mitigate some of the potential harmful, autoimmune responses that Katrina may induce in those who are susceptible.

If these ideas are taken to heart, maybe the headlines might read: ""Katrina Almost Caused Diabetes"".

Thanks for taking time to read this article.

Warm Regards,

Devin Hastings ""Speak well to yourself because your deep mind is always listening.""

About the author: C. Devin Hastings is the owner of MindBody Hypnosis and the founder of the Diabetes Research Association of America. In 1992 Devin was going blind from diabetes however, he currently enjoys 20/20 vision. To learn more please visit: www.MBH4U.com.

7 Things You Need to Know Before Purchasing Diabetes Supplies

2008-11-01T05:05:00.001-05:00

Author: John Mancini

Have you been diagnosed with either type 1 or typ2 diabetes? If you have, you may be wondering where the best place is to purchase the diabetes supplies that you need. With today's technology, the avenues available to you are plentiful. However, you may still have questions as to which place is the best for your particular situation. These tips will help you answer those questions.

1- When you are beginning your search for a diabetic supply source, it is important to know what to look for. While you can purchase the needed supplies from your doctor, online or through a mail order company, some important questions need to be answered before you decide. You will need to know where they are located, what the hours of operation are, how qualified the staff is to answer questions and how they will ship the diabetes supplies to you.

2- First, do not deal with any diabetes supply company that is not based in the United States or in Canada. The reason for this is simple, if the supply company is not in North America, shipping tends to be less dependable and your supplies could be held in customs. Avoid supply sources that are located in South America, Asia or Mexico for these reasons.

3- While you are conducting your search, be sure go check that the companies you are considering have an actual address that isn't a P.O. Box. What you are looking for is that any diabetes supply company you are thinking of purchasing from is a real company, not someone who is, for instance, buying and reselling supplies.

4- Be sure to ask for a telephone number that you can use if something goes wrong with your order. The best option here is to use a company that has a 1-800 number that is answered 24 hours a day. It is also important to test that number before you decide to buy from that company. Don't just take their word that they have the number actually test it. Ask the person who answers the phone some basic questions about a specific diabetes supply; you want to know that they have knowledgeable people answering questions.

5- While you are checking for a knowledgeable staff, ask if they have a pharmacist on staff. If they don't, find out if they have a certified diabetes educator on staff that can answer your questions. This will help to ensure that you are dealing with a reputable firm and not a fly by night company.

6- You also want to know who fills out the insurance or Medicare paperwork. Most larger, well-run diabetes supply companies will offer this service for you as an added benefit. They will know what the insurance companies require to process a claim. If they offer this to you, use the service to your advantage. It is also a good idea to contact your insurance company to verify that they work with a particular diabetes supply source.

7- Shipping is very important when purchasing diabetes supplies. Find out how they ship the products, this information could ensure that you get supplies that are good and that have not gone bad in transit. Insulin, for example needs to be kept cold to stay useable, ask how they ensure this. Ask about shipping charges also, some companies will offer free shipping as an incentive to buy from them. However, if they don't, the shipping can get expensive.

About the author: John Mancini has been writing about Diabetes online and offline for a long time. Visit http://diabetics-center.com or http://diabetes-central.net to read more about matters like diabetes 2 and diabetes.

Should You Open A Health Savings Account?

2008-10-31T05:05:00.001-05:00

Author: Samantha Kay

Article:
A health savings account is another option for consumers in a
market where the continuing drive for better health care and
more varied coverage options. This option is a creative way for
individuals to attempt to save money on their medical expenses.
What is a health savings account? A health savings account is a
tax-free savings account similar to an individual retirement
account (IRA). It is designed for the specific purpose of paying
for unforeseen medical expenses.

These expenses are completely tax deductible if you are
self-employed, and there are even deduction for those who are
not. Cash from these accounts can be withdrawn by using a check
or debit card. This new development gives individuals the
ability to help pay for routine medical expenditures, or
emergency medical bills, with money that is tax free.

Health savings accounts are not completely new ideas, but law
changes over the past few years have made this an option that is
now available to just about anybody, while before it was much
more limited. This is the way that a health savings account
works: Everyday medical expenses may be paid for by a low-cost,
high deductible health insurance policy.

The amount that is not used to pay bills will accumulate and
continue to collect interest in the savings account. This amount
keeps growing in the account, year after year. If you are
fortunate enough to live a long and healthy life, then the
account can actually be used as a supplement to social security
after retirement.

The principle idea to open a health savings account is to
substitute a conventional health policy. These plans are more
flexible and allow people to select their own doctors while
still receiving some of the protection that comes from higher
costing insurance plans. This type of plan is also good for
individuals with good health, since the balance in the account
continues to accrue interest.

If you go a long period of time without any minor medical
expenses, then you end up even more secure since part of the
money you pay goes into an account instead of having an
insurance company collect all of it.

In this plan the individual is responsible for payment of every
day medical expenses such as prescription drugs, physicals, or
basic check ups, while the insurance covers you for most major
medical problems such as operations, or car accidents. For some
people this is a good trade off, while others might be made
nervous.

If you are prone to illness or tend to have a lot of small
medical bills through out the year, then a health savings
account may not be the best option for you. However, if you tend
to be healthy, but just want coverage for the "just in case"
scenario, then having a health savings account can be an
excellent way to provide protection for yourself.

Always do your homework, and do the math. Health savings
accounts sound like great ideas, and for some people they are,
but are they the right choice for you? Only some homework can
determine that, but it is an option that shouldn't be pushed off
the table too quickly, because it might be just the compromise
you've been looking for.

About the author:
For more information on health insurance, visit
http://www.healthinsurancedecision.com - a website that provides
health insurance related tips, advice and resources to include
information on <a
href="http://www.healthinsurancedecision.com/healthsavingsaccount
.html">health savings accounts.</a>

Benefits Of A Health Savings Account

2008-10-30T05:05:00.001-05:00

Author: M. Xavier

Article:
The health savings account is a relatively new tax-savings
vehicle, but it's one that makes a whole lot of sense. Learning
to navigate this new option and understanding its benefits
really can help people save a ton of money when unexpected
medical expenses arrive.

Health savings account plans tend to come in two basic forms -
employer sponsored and self-purchased. Since the rules for
employer-sponsored plans might differ from business to business,
we'll focus in on ones people who buy their own individual
health insurance policies might benefit from.

In a nutshell, these savings plans allow people to save money on
a tax-free basis for qualified medial expenses and future
retirement medical expenses. To qualify, people must be on High
Deductible Health Plans, which means they pay at least $1,000 in
deductible for self-only coverage. Most insurance companies will
now let customers know when a plan they choose makes this option
available to them.

The benefits of the health savings account are many. They
include:

* Money in a health savings account is owned by the person who
opens it. How to spend that money is entirely up to the person,
but if it goes on non-qualified medical expenses, the tax
benefit will be lost.

* The money "rolls over." Whereas some employer-sponsored and
supported health savings account set ups don't allow for roll
over from year to year, a self-opened account does. The money
put into the account is income tax-free unless it is used for
ineligible expenses.

* Helps people save up for expenses faster. Since income tax
won't come into play with these accounts, the money saved can
help add up to a better accumulation of cash if and when it's
really needed.

* Easy to open. Most banks, credit unions, insurance companies
with high deductible plans and so on will help people set up
their own health savings account plans. The only requirement is
the right kind of medical insurance policy. It should cost
nothing to open one of these plans.

* Easy to use. Most HSAs come with a debit type card that can be
used to pay for qualified medical expenses.

These plans are a little tricky to understand as far as all the
minute details of what is an allowable expense and what isn't.
The federal government offers highly detailed information on
qualified expenses, but there are some generalizations that can
be made. The types of things typically included in the qualified
list are:

* Insurance premiums. This is allowed for the payment of COBRA
insurance and for those who are unemployed.

* Co-payments. Some times co-payment amounts can be charged to
the health savings account.

* Prescription medications. These are generally considered
eligible expenses as are over-the-counter medications and
medical supplies.

* Dental and vision care. In most cases, expenses associated
with non-cosmetic dental and vision care are considered fair
game.

A health savings account can be a great way to bank up money to
pay for medical expenses without having to feel the bite of
income tax. As long as the money used in these accounts is spent
on qualified medical expenses, the savings extends after use, as
well.

About the author:
For more information on health insurance, try visiting
http://www.healthinsurancedecision.com - a website that provides
health insurance related tips, and resources to include
information on <a
href="http://www.healthinsurancedecision.com/healthsavingsaccount
.html">health savings accounts.</a>

What Are Health Savings Accounts?

2008-10-29T05:05:00.001-05:00

Author: Barry Waxler

Article:
A very popular Health insurance plan for healthy young people is
the High Deductible Health Plan. Its only problem is high
deductibles and that is where the Health Savings Accounts come
into play.

A Health Savings Account, or HSA, is a tax advantaged savings
plan that is designed to set aside money for the payment of
certain medical expenses including deductibles and coinsurance
payments. In order to enroll in a Health Savings Account, you
must be first enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan.

A High Deductible Health Plan, or HDHP, is what is called a
consumer driven health plan. It features very low premiums which
makes it very affordable, but also has very high deductibles.
What does this combination mean? What it means is that the
Insurance is designed for catastrophic medical conditions.
Routine medical conditions will be paid by the insured because
of the high deductibles.

The Health Savings Account can provide money to use to pay the
high deductibles. The accounts can be set up by individuals or
by an employer. Employers who offer Health Savings Accounts as
part of their benefit package can usually arrange to have the
contributions to the plan made on a pre-tax basis. When this is
not possible, the contributions are considered as deductible
income when taxes are filed.

Like all other plans that allow tax breaks, the Health Savings
Accounts are rather strictly controlled by the Internal Revenue
Service. Employers are not allowed to discriminate in matched
contributions. If they offer them to one employee, they must
offer them to all other employees who are signed up in the High
Deductible plans. Currently, the maximum yearly contributions to
the Accounts are $2,700 yearly for a single person and $5,650
for a married couple.

The money inside the account may be invested in a manner similar
to an Individual Retirement Plan and the earnings are not
subject to taxation until they are withdrawn. There is no tax or
penalty paid on withdrawals that are made to pay medical
expenses. Early withdrawals for non-medical purposes are subject
to tax and a 10% penalty. When a person reaches the age of 65,
withdrawals may be made, free of tax or penalty, for any
purpose. The Health Savings Accounts are the subject of much
debate within the Insurance industry. Their detractors claim
they will cause overall health care costs to rise. Their
supporters say this in not true. In a time of rising Health
Insurance costs, they are certainly a boon to many individuals
who recognize the importance of Insurance in their overall
financial planning.

About the author:
Get Quotes on <a
href="http://www.ufcamerica.com/california-health-insurance-plans
-quotes">California health insurance plans</a> at
UFCAmerica.com.

Health Insurance Options For The Self-Employed

2008-10-28T05:05:00.001-05:00

Author: Judy Wellsworth

Article:
As increasingly more Americans are going to work for themselves,
starting small businesses or working as independent contractors,
the need for self-employed health insurance is on the rise.

Unfortunately, health insurance for the self-employed tends to
be more expensive than employee-offered group insurance plans.
This may be why well over half of all self-employed Americans
don't carry an insurance policy. While this saves them money in
the short-term, it can be financially disastrous when they find
they need to go see a doctor.

Getting Group Insurance

Group insurance is cheaper because everyone in the group
increases the group's purchasing power. Most people get group
insurance from their employers, but it's not the only way. Those
who are self-employed do have some group insurance options. You
can get group insurance plans from some trade or professional
groups, civic organizations and churches.

For those who are just becoming self-employed, you can keep your
group insurance plan for up to 18 months with a program called
COBRA. COBRA simply extends your employee-offered insurance
policy until you can get on your feet and find your own. It can
also help you make the transition to a new insurance plan. For
more information, and to see if you are eligible for COBRA, have
a look at their website at www.cobrainsurance.com.

One way to save money on your insurance is to use your working
spouse's group insurance plan. If you spouse works for a large
company whose insurance plan extends benefits for families and
spouses, you may be able to get on their insurance. This is a
good option for those who are just starting out with their own
business. It's not individually tailored to you, but it will
save you money that you can spend on your start-up costs.

Getting Your Own Individual Plan

While looking for a good individual health insurance plan,
remember that you are in control. Shop around and interview the
insurance agents. There are lots of options available to you,
and many companies to choose from, so don't go with the first
good one that comes along.

You also have to read the fine print and understand every detail
of the health plan they offer you. When you are looking at
different companies, check with your state's insurance
commission office to see if any complaints have been made
against the company. This is a good way for you to find out if a
certain insurance company is reputable or not.

Low Premiums, High Deductibles And Big Savings

Many self-employed people choose an insurance plan with low
premiums and high deductibles. This means that what you pay each
month is very low, but you end up having to pay more when you go
to the doctor. Most people are eligible to start a health
savings account. This is a tax free account that you can use
when you need medical attention.

By saving money on your premiums but instead putting that money
into a tax-free health savings account, you save money in the
long run on your <a
href="http://www.medicalhealthinsuranceguide.org/Affordable_Healt
h_Insurance/">health insurance</a>. When you have to pay those
big doctor's bills, you can roll over the money from you health
savings account.

Disability

You'll also have to make sure you get disability insurance. This
is in case you are injured on the job and unable to work.
Companies usually provide this, so self-employed workers have to
take out a plan for themselves.

These work pretty much the same as insurance plans. You can
choose between group and insurance plans. Usually, there are
trade or profession specific disability insurance programs,
where the risk of the entire profession is factored into the
rates. These usually offer the best deal to self-employed
workers.

When your business starts taking off and you hire employees to
work for you, you can take out a group insurance plan for them,
and cover yourself too. This is what small business owners
usually do, and it saves them money.

About the author:
You can also find more info on <a
href="http://www.medicalhealthinsuranceguide.org/Cheap_Health_Ins
urance/">Cheap Health Insurance</a> and <a
href="http://www.medicalhealthinsuranceguide.org/Health_Insurance
_Companies/">Health Insurance Companies</a>.
Medicalhealthinsuranceguide.org is a comprehensive resource to
get help about health insurance.

Smart Healthcare Consumers Turning to Health Savings Accounts

2008-10-27T05:06:00.001-05:00

Author: Wiley P. Long

Article:
"Consumer driven healthcare" is the name that has been given to
the change that is currently happening in the medical
marketplace. As millions of people get Health Savings Accounts,
medical providers are having to adapt to the new reality of
people spending their own money when purchasing healthcare. As
more companies compete for your business, the opportunities to
save money will continue to grow.

Since the advent of employer-sponsored health insurance during
World War II, the pricing and quality of medical services has
been shrouded in mystery. As the real price for computers,
organic food, big-screen TV's, and just about everything else
has continued to drop (including health services where there is
not a third party payer, such as laser eye surgery, contact
lenses, over the counter medication), the price of healthcare
has continued to rise. But that is finally beginning to change.
And you, fellow HSA-owners, are the reason.

To gain a competitive advantage, healthcare providers have
traditionally attempted to grow local market share in an attempt
to extract higher payments from insurance companies. But since
<a href="http://www.health--savings--accounts.com">Health
Savings Account</a> owners have the ability to accumulate
unspent funds and invest them tax-free, those of us with a
Health Savings Account have a strong incentive to avoid
unnecessary care, and to be more cost conscious when we seek
treatment.

There are now billions of dollars in Health Savings Accounts,
and healthcare providers want access to that money. And since
you control it (instead of the insurance company), the only way
for the provider or retailer to get that money is to offer you
high quality care at a price you are willing to pay. And dozens
of companies are doing just that.

The Market Responds

One obvious response to the consumer-driven healthcare movement
is the proliferation of quick-service medical clinics. These
clinics, which require no appointment and typically charge less
than $50, offer a low-cost way to diagnose and treat strep
throat, bronchitis, pink eye, and other common ailments.
MinuteClinic operates dozens of locations in Target, Cub Foods,
and CVS Pharmacy stores. Wal-mart, which currently has 75
in-store clinics in 12 states, is forecasting more than 6,600
in-store medical clinics will be open in retail stores within 5
years.

Diagnostic labs, which have traditionally sold their services to
physician's offices, are now offering tests directly to the
public at prices often 70% less than you would pay at a doctor's
office. With most you can order the test online, go give blood,
and get your results in a couple days.

Companies are even providing self-testing services and devices
which can enable you to avoid going to the doctor when minor
medical events occur. One of the most common reasons kids see a
doctor is because of a possible ear infection. For about $50 you
can buy an EarCheck Middle Ear Monitor. This uses sonar to test
for fluid behind the eardrum, which may indicate an infection.
"The QuickVue Strep Test" which costs less than $4 per test in a
pack of 25, can quickly help you determine if your child has a
strep infection, which would require a doctor's visit, from a
common viral infection, which would not.

Demand Price Transparency

<a href="http://www.health--savings--accounts.com">Health
Savings Accounts</a> reward personal responsibility in three
ways: 1) they reward you with tax-breaks for putting money aside
to cover future medical expenses; 2) they reward you for taking
care of your health by enabling you to grow your account; and 3)
they reward you for being a cost-conscious and discerning
consumer.

So be a discerning consumer, and spend your money wisely.
Remember that the doctors and healthcare providers you see work
for you. If you don't get the quality of service or a fair
price, take your business elsewhere. Here are some common sense
suggestions to make sure you do get a good price:

1. Ask how much it will cost, before you buy. There is nothing
else that you buy without knowing the price up front, so don't
feel intimidated to ask your doctor the same.

2. Review your bill before paying it. You might be shocked how
often extra charges are "accidentally" tacked on to hospital
bills.

3. Ask for a cash discount. To avoid the hassles of filing for
insurance and trying to collect past-due charges, most
physicians will gladly offer a cash discount if you ask.

4. Explain that you will be paying out of your own pocket. When
a doctor is prescribing tests or writing prescriptions, he or
she is rarely taking cost into consideration. The American
Journal of Preventive Medicine recently reported that up to $63
billion in medically unnecessary tests are ordered every year.

5. Vow never to pay list fees. Doctors and hospitals routinely
discount their services to insurance companies and PPO
organizations. As a cash-paying customer, you should get the
best price available.

For many years, a small group of health economists and other
policy-makers pushed for a more market-based approach to
healthcare. They correctly argued that healthcare was like any
other market and that if you put a true price on health care
services and let the market function, costs could be controlled.
We are now beginning to see this happen.

Our healthcare system is the best in the world. It is a dynamic
and complex work in progress, which can only get better as the
consumer gets involved. So be savvy about how you spend your
healthcare dollar. And watch those unspent funds in your Health
Savings Account continue to grow.

The Medicare Trust Fund will soon be out of money, and there
will be no practical way for the government to continue to
provide the level of benefits that current Medicare recipients
receive. The result will be serious rations, waiting periods,
and a reduction in benefits. If you wish to maintain your
medical freedom, and have access to a high level of medical
service, you must be prepared to pay for it yourself. The best
strategy is to take good care of your health, and to build up
your medical retirement fund as large as possible by using a
Health Savings Account.

About the author:
By Wiley Long - President, HSA for America (<a
href="http://www.health--savings--accounts.com">http://www.health
--savings--accounts.com</a>) - The nation's leading independent
health insurance firm specializing in individual and family
coverage that works with a <a
href="http://www.health--savings--accounts.com">Health Savings
Account</a>.

College Grads May Lose Health Insurance

2008-10-26T05:06:00.001-05:00

Author: Jaime L. Smith

Article:
They walk across the stage to receive their college diploma and
walk off with degree in hand, totally unaware that as of this
moment, they are without health insurance. Many of this
spring's college graduates will be shocked to find out they are
all on their own and are automatically off their parents' health
insurance plan once commencement ceremonies are over.

"Some graduates may remain on their parents health plan until
age 23, 24 or 25, while others drop off immediately upon
graduation, it all depends on the wording of the parents health
insurance policy," said Perry Braun, vice president of Sales for
Medical Mutual of Ohio. "So, you can see why it is crucial that
parents check the eligibility provisions in their health
insurance plan to make sure their graduate is still covered." If
not, the increasingly popular personalized health plan is one
way graduates can safeguard themselves from the possibility of
unforeseen health and financial risk. Personal plans are the
fastest growing segment in the health insurance market, offering
affordable and dependable quality health coverage.

As an example, a healthy 22-year-old non-smoking male could pay
less than $100 a month for coverage with a $500 deductible using
SuperMed One, a Medical Mutual Ohio individual health insurance
product.

With a personal plan for uninsured health insurance coverage,
graduating college students can also customize the benefits to
meet their needs. Individual health plans may also include
benefits for emergency care and prescription medications.
Individuals may also select dental and vision care, short-term
medical coverage for six months, and life insurance and critical
illness coverage in order to design a plan to fit their needs.

"Going without health insurance is a natural mistake young
people often make," said Braun. "They don't think they'll get
sick or get hurt and what they don't realize is they're putting
their physical and financial health at great risk."

Medical Mutual's Web site, www.SuperMedOne.com, features a
personal premium estimator to give the college graduate and his
or her parents an idea of how much a SuperMed One plan would
cost, and includes Ohio individual health insurance plans,
individual dental insurance plans, or personal vision insurance.
Users can submit an application and coverage may begin within
one week. Customers may also purchase SuperMed One by contacting
an independent insurance broker or by calling 1-800-722-7331.

Founded in 1934, Medical Mutual of Ohio is one of the oldest
health insurance companies in America. Based in Cleveland,
Medical Mutual serves its customers through high-quality,
flexible, and affordable group and personal health insurance
plans, and third-party administrative services to self-insured
group customers. Medical Mutual offers a full-line of products,
including Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Health Savings
Account (Ohio HSA Health Plans), personal vision insurance, and
individual dental insurance. SuperMed One, Medical Mutual's
personal health insurance product has a variety of deductibles,
coinsurance, and co-pays to meet the needs of any individual or
family. For more information about Medical Mutual visit
www.medmutual.com. For more information about SuperMed One or to
obtain a personal health insurance quote, visit
www.supermedone.com.

About the author:
Jaime Smith is an organic SEO Analyst with Brulant, Inc. Jaime
has formal training in journalism and proven experience in
marketing copywriting that make her perfectly suited for her
role in organic search engine optimization. Jaime produces
quality content - a critical component of effective search
engine optimization, and is a competitive differentiator for
Brulant.

Online Health Insurance Quotes and Cheap Health Insurance

2008-10-25T05:05:00.000-05:00

Author: Groshan Fabiola

Your health is probably your most precious asset. Unfortunately, most people fail to realize this, and they only understand the importance of a good health state when they get ill. The good news is that the medical world has experienced considerable progress over recent years and research is being performed all over the world as we speak. Due to technological advancement, scientists have been able to discover all sorts of improved treatments and cures for various diseases. However, you still have to make sure that you will have access to such treatment and services when or if you find yourself in the situation where you need medical assistance. This is where health insurance plans come into place. It is in everyone's best interest to have health insurance, as unfortunate events such as illnesses and injuries can't always be prevented or anticipated.

In some cases health insurance plans are available from employers, in which case all you have to consider is the possibility of adding a little extra to what your job-based insurance already covers. But in case you are self employed or your employer doesn't offer any type of health insurance plan, you have to consider your options very carefully, as the importance of being insured goes without saying.

Before you choose a health insurance plan, be it individual or otherwise, you have to weigh your options carefully. The first step towards making a choice is to get several health insurance quotes.

The best and most convenient way of getting these health insurance quotes is over the Internet. First of all, it saves a lot of your time, as you don't have to go from one insurance company to the next, and waste a lot of time while trying to decide which is the most affordable or best health insurance plan for you. Second of all, the Internet provides you with a lot of options, as many health insurance companies are also web-based in order to reach a wider target.

You probably realize that choosing a health insurance plan for you and your family is an important decision, as it has to meet both your budget and your needs. If your budget does not allow you to opt for a plan with wide coverage, you will have to look for cheap health insurance, and the Internet is once again the place to go. All you have to do is look for the websites of health insurance companies, fill out online forms and get health insurance quotes. You will then be able to compare and opt for cheap health insurance, if this is what you want or afford. However, you have to keep in mind that cheap health insurance covers rather limited services. Still, with the cost of medical assistance increasing every day, cheap health insurance is in high demand. Furthermore, a cheap health insurance plan comes with affordable rates and offers adequate coverage for medical services.

As had been said before, you can find cheap health insurance plans on the Internet. After filling out online forms and receiving health insurance quotes, you will also be able to discuss your options with an insurance agent, who will provide you with all the information you need before making a choice.

About the author: For more resources about Health insurance quotes or even about cheap health insurance please review this webpage

Finding Affordable Dental Care Providers and Insurance

2008-10-24T05:05:00.001-05:00

Author: Luvi Marie

The problem of finding affordable dental care providers and insurance is nothing new to a lot of people as this has been a problem for a long time and will more in likely continue to be a problem as it seem that the health care provided by employers is lessening in quality and to purchase insurance on your own is becoming too expensive. But with dental care being so important this is something that needs to change soon even though no one is really sure how to make that happen.

When looking at researching affordable dental care providers and insurance you need to make sure to consider a few things. First, even though you are going to have insurance coverage, your insurance may not cover everything and you could be stuck with out of pocket payments due. So, the cheaper your dentist is in the first place, the cheaper your out of pocket expenses are going to be. This is something that not a lot of people take into consideration when looking for affordable dental care providers and insurance.

Where To Look

First thing first, determine what options your employer is giving you if any such as choices on which type of affordable dental care providers and insurance plan to take. If they offer you a few different choices, do not just make a selection because of how much is going to come out of your paycheck but by how much it will cost you out of pocket overall. Make sure you take your time with your selections because with most employers, health insurance changes can only be made once a year or with a significant life status change such as marriage or the birth of a child.

If you were able to select an insurance plan that gives you a wide range of dentists to pick from, you want to make sure that you are being very picky about who you decide upon. A lot of times, people do not consider the dentist's rates because they figure they have insurance and they really do not care how much the insurance company is charged. But actually, everyone should be worried about that and there are two very good reasons. First off, you will begin to see that when looking for affordable dental care providers and insurance companies that the cost is going up and up and the insurance premiums are through the roof. That is because of the cost of the dentists selected. Also, if you have an out of pocket, the more your dentist charges, the more your out of pocket will be.

About the author: For more information and guides you may visit the following websites : Making Money | Financial Advise | Finance Tips

Choose the Most Affordable Health Insurance Plan

2008-10-23T05:05:00.001-05:00

Author: Groshan Fabiola

We all know that it's better to be safe than sorry, and this the main reason why people opt for health insurance. No one likes to think of the possibility that they might get sick or injured, but when such unfortunate events occur, you have to be covered. The health insurance guarantees that all your medical expenses will be paid for by the insurer in case of illness or injury. Of course, everyone hopes for good health. However, if you should happen to need medical assistance, it's a lot better to have access to the best treatment possible without having to pay for everything out of your own pocket.

There are many types of health insurance plans that the insured can choose from. Some of these include the government health plans, workers' compensation, group health insurance, and, of course, individual health insurance.

The individual health insurance plan is the best option for those who are self-employed or whose employer does not provide them with health coverage. The individual health insurance plan can provide coverage for either the insured alone or for the insured and his or her family.

The process of choosing a health insurance plan can be rather complicated and time-consuming. You are presented with a lot of options, starting from the different types of health insurance all the way to the various options that each health insurance plan offers. It's understandable why most people look for affordable health insurance. It's common sense to realize and accept the fact that at one time or another you are going to need medical assistance, in which case you should have health insurance. However, you have to consider advantages and disadvantages. If you are looking for a cheap health insurance plan, your options are quite varied; however, you have to keep in mind that such an insurance plan will not cover too many medical services. Therefore, it's best that you consider an affordable health insurance plan, which may not be the cheapest there is, but which will provide you with coverage for a larger number of medical services.

Your medical history is a good indicator of the type of individual health insurance plan that you should opt for. If you have had health problems that required medical attention or if you or anyone in your family is more likely to need medical assistance in the future, you should weigh your options carefully. There are affordable health insurance plans that can provide coverage for your needs.

Unless you know someone who can refer you to an insurance company and guarantee that they will be able to provide you with the best individual health insurance, the best place to look for affordable health insurance is the Internet. You realize that you have to make an informed choice in order to be completely satisfied with the results, especially given the diversity of health insurance plans available on the market today. Looking for information on the Internet is the most convenient way, as it saves a lot of time. A simple search on one of the most popular search engines will provide you with many websites of health insurance companies. What you need to do next is fill out a form and get your health insurance quote. From this point on, it is up to you to choose the best and most affordable health insurance.

About the author: For more resources about Individual health insurance or even about affordable health insurance please review this webpage

Cheap Health Insurance

2008-10-22T05:05:00.000-05:00

Author: Dennis Alexander

Is there such thing as cheap health insurance available to families and individuals? With health insurance costs are rising to the all time high and the pressure from the media. Insurance companies are scrambling for ways to make health insurance affordable for everyone. With so much media attention and the uncertainty for the future of the health insurance industry and with talk about socialized health insurance. Insurance companies are stepping up to offer more "cheaper" health insurance options for the consumers. If you live in California there are numerous options that are available to you that will definitely help out your pocket book.

Two of the largest health insurance providers in the state, Blue Cross and Blue Shield have been recently introducing new significantly cheaper health insurance plans. One thing we have to understand is that insurance companies want your business and they are finally listening to consumers. Insurance companies understand that they have to be competitive or they are just going to go out of business. Lets get in to your options and what is available to you in the state of California.

One thing you have to understand is that every state is different in the types of health plans that are offered. Even if the insurance company is the same the health plans will still vary based on your state laws. California Blue Cross and Blue Shield has been listening and have come out with some great plans that are "cheap" compared to what was available before. When you are looking at Blue Cross consider new SmartSense plans that are extremely competitive. SmartSense plans offer you all the features of a rich health insurance plans with some limitations on the prescriptions drug coverage and no maternity.

If you have no need for brand name drug coverage and not need for maternity, you will be surprised by how low your monthly premiums are going to be. SmartSense Plans are most popular plans that Blue Cross is currently offering. If you are looking for health plans that cover maternity and still offer low monthly premium then take a look at new Lumenos plans that Blue Cross offers. Not all Lumenos plans offer maternity coverage so make sure you check that the plan you are looking at offers maternity coverage.

With Blue Shield you also have some new great plan options with their new Balance Plans and Essential Plans. Balance Plans are great plans for the families who are looking for very affordable monthly premiums and a benefit rich plan. The way Blue Shield is able to offer low monthly premiums is by excluding maternity coverage. The other options you have, especially if you are single individual, is Blue Shield Essential Plans. Essential plans offer all the benefits of benefit rich plan with the exceptions of no maternity coverage and no brand name drug coverage. Essential plans also have much lower maximum out of pocket costs. If you are healthy and are looking for "cheap" benefit rich plan, Essential Plans are definitely right for you.

One thing that we have to understand is that insurance companies are consistently competing for your business. If you stay proactive and shop for health insurance options you are always going to find "cheap" health insurance plans for your self or your family. Feel free to visit out site (see below) to get instant health insurance quotes on the plans mentions in this article and many other "cheap" health insurance plans.

About the author: Dennis Alexander - leading consultant for employer group and individual/family health insurance. For any additional information and assistance with all of your health insurance needs visit our websites Blue Cross Health Insurance and Cheap Health Insurance

Health Care Portability

2008-10-21T05:05:00.001-05:00

During the summer of 1996, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996. This legislation made it easier for people with existing health insurance to change jobs, and still maintain health insurance coverage. The legislation does nothing to cover those who are currently uninsured, nor does it address the cost of individually owned health policies. Among other points, the Act:

• Restricts exclusions for pre-existing conditions.

• Requires special open enrollment periods.

• Prohibits plans from dropping or denying coverage for employees with medical conditions.

• Guarantees the availability of health insurance to small employers and individuals losing group health coverage, and guarantees renewability for all groups.

Pre-Existing Conditions

The legislation provides that group health plans must reduce any pre-existing conditions exclusion period by the length of time a person had prior coverage. Such prior coverage does not count if there has been a break in coverage longer than 62 days, not counting waiting periods. For example, if someone who had already satisfied a pre-existing condition exclusion, lost his or her group health coverage on June 30, and got a new job September 1, they would not have to satisfy a new pre-existing condition exclusion.

Certain individuals may qualify under federal law to elect COBRA continuation coverage during a special second election period. For these individuals, any days between the initial loss of group health coverage and the first day of the special second election period will not count as a break in coverage.

In order to allow individuals to present evidence of prior creditable coverage, the law requires group health plans to issue a certificate describing the previous coverage, which can include short-term coverage. Employers or insurers must provide this certificate when an individual loses coverage under the plan, or upon request at any time within the following two years.

Under certain circumstances, the law does permit a group health plan to impose a preexisting condition exclusion. An exclusion is allowed only if related to a condition for which the individual received medical care (or for which medical care was recommended) within the 6-month period ending on the enrollment date. This exclusion period cannot extend more than 12 months after the enrollment date (18 months for a late enrollee), and is reduced by any creditable prior coverage.

Waiting periods must run concurrently with any pre-existing conditions exclusion. Preexisting conditions exclusions cannot apply to newborn children or children placed for adoption if they are enrolled within 30 days of birth or placement. Pre-existing conditions exclusions cannot apply to pregnancies.

Special Enrollment Periods

The law requires special open enrollment periods for people who lose other coverage, subject to certain conditions. Group health plans offering dependent coverage must allow at least 30 days in which to enroll new dependents following marriage, birth, adoption, or placement for adoption. If the employee is eligible but not enrolled, he or she must also be allowed to enroll at the same time. Plans must now allow eligible spouses to enroll within 30 days of the birth or adoption of a child.

Medical Conditions

Group health plans cannot establish any rules for benefits, premiums, eligibility or continued eligibility based on health-related factors. Insurers can no longer require employees or dependents to complete medical questionnaires in order to prove insurability, although they can require questionnaires as part of the rate–setting process.

This new rule also means that groups cannot single out an individual, based on health status, for denial of a benefit otherwise provided. For example, the plan may not deny prescription drug coverage to a particular person if prescription coverage is available to similarly situated individuals. However, a plan could exclude prescription drug coverage for all beneficiaries. An entire group can be charged higher premiums based on health experience, but a plan cannot single out an individual for higher premiums.

Guaranteed Availability and Renewability

Insurers cannot refuse to cover small groups (2 to 50 employees) based on the health of group members. Larger groups are not guaranteed the availability of coverage, but once they have coverage they are guaranteed renewability. Renewability may be denied for groups that fail to pay premiums, commit fraud, or fail to meet participation or contribution requirements. Employees who lose group coverage can purchase individual
health insurance policies without providing evidence of insurability.

Caution

This law is filled with complexities and ambiguities. A complete understanding of the law's impact may require the assistance of a qualified group insurance representative.

Medicall Savings Accounts

2008-10-20T05:05:00.000-05:00

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 created a new type of savings account designed to help individual taxpayers meet unreimbursed medical expenses on a tax-favored basis. This saving account, called a medical savings account (MSA), was available only to employees of small businesses and self-employed individuals, and only in conjunction with a high deductible health insurance policy.

MSAs were initially available, on a test basis, for 1997 through 2000.1 The Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002 extended this trial period to December 31, 2003. The Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004 further extended the period to open an MSA account to December 31, 2005. The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 extended the period to open an MSA for a third time, to December 31, 2007.

Key Points

• Contributions: Employee contributions to an MSA are deductible from gross income in calculating adjusted gross income (AGI). Employer contributions to an MSA are not taxable to the employee but must be reported on the employee's W-2 form. Contributions may be made at any time, up to the due date of the return (not counting
filing extensions). Earnings on funds in an MSA are not currently taxable. MSAs cannot be part of an IRC Sec. 125 cafeteria plan, but a high-deductible policy can be.

• Limit on contributions: Contributions to an MSA are limited, based on the dollar amount of the health policy's deductible. For single coverage, the annual contribution limit is 65% of the deductible amount. For family coverage, the annual limit is 75% of the deductible amount. The Act sets limits for minimum and maximum deductibles, as well as the maximum out-of-pocket expense. These limits are indexed for inflation annually.2

• Distributions from an MSA: Funds distributed from an MSA to pay for qualified medical expenses (unreimbursed expenses that would otherwise qualify for the medical expense itemized deduction) are generally tax free. No itemized deduction is allowed for medical expenses paid from an MSA. Funds distributed for other purposes are taxed as ordinary income. A 15% penalty tax would also apply, unless a distribution is made because of death, disability or an MSA owner reaches age 65.

• Tax savings: The tax benefits of paying medical expenses through an MSA are significant. The ability to deduct contributions to an MSA above-the-line amounts to a dollar-for-dollar reduction in taxable income. Otherwise, unreimbursed medical expenses are deductible as an itemized deduction only to the extent that they exceed 7.5% of AGI, an amount that many taxpayers never reach.

(1) The Community Renewal Tax Relief Bill of 2000 (HR 5662) renamed MSAs as Archer MSAs.
(2) See Revenue Procedure 2007-66.

Health Reimbursement Arrangements

2008-10-19T05:05:00.000-05:00

A Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) is an arrangement in which an employer reimburses an employee for certain medical expenses. The employee first pays for the medical expense out of his or her own pocket and is then reimbursed by the employer. If IRS requirements1 are met, HRA payments are excluded from the employee's income (i.e. they are received income tax-free) and are a deductible business expense for the employer.

At the beginning of the year, the employer will specify the maximum amount that each employee can "spend" under the HRA. Unused HRA balances may be held over to increase the amount available for medical expenses in future years. An employee has no right to any "cash-out," nor is the arrangement portable, upon termination of employment.

In General

Sometimes known as "defined contribution health plans," HRAs can vary in their details, but are designed to provide a financial incentive for employees to make cost-conscious decisions regarding health care. Certain basic requirements apply to all HRAs:
• Funding: Only the employer may contribute to an HRA. No employee contributions are permitted, through a salary reduction plan or otherwise. An HRA is typically set up as an unfunded employee benefit program, with reimbursement payments being made from the employer's general assets as medical expenses are incurred.
• Use of funds: Generally, HRA funds may only be used to reimburse an employee for qualified, substantiated "medical expenses2," as that term is defined in IRC Sec. 213(d).
• Maximum amount: There is no IRS limit on the dollar amount that an employer may contribute to an HRA. The employer determines the maximum amount that will be reimbursed during the year.

Other Key Points

In some instances, an HRA will be combined with an employer-provided health plan, often a high-deductible health plan. In others, HRA reimbursements allow an employee to pay the premiums for the health insurance plan of his or her choice.
• Eligible individuals: Include current employees3, their spouses and dependents, and the spouses and dependents of deceased employees. An HRA may reimburse the medical expenses of retired or terminated employees up to the amount of unused reimbursement left at the time the employee leaves the employer.
• Non-discrimination: An HRA may not discriminate in favor of highly compensated employees.
• COBRA and HIPAA: An HRA must comply with the requirements of both COBRA and HIPAA.

Transfers of HRA Funds to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)

The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 included a provision which allows for a onetime, direct transfer of certain amounts in an HRA to an HSA; a number of restrictions and conditions apply. The provision is effective for distributions on or after the date of enactment and before January 1, 2012.

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(1) The rules discussed here concern federal income tax law. State or local law may differ.
(2) Including premiums for health or long-term care insurance. See IRS Publication 502, "Medical and Dental Expenses" for a general guide as to what qualifies as a deductible medical expense. Some exceptions apply.
(3) Self-employed individuals, including partners in a partnership and more than 2% owners in a S corporation, may not participate in an HRA.

Medical Reimbursement Plans

2008-10-18T05:05:00.000-05:00

A plan set up by an employer to reimburse employees for their medical expenses that are not covered by their regular medical insurance is called a medical expense reimbursement plan. Reimbursable expenses might include dental expenses, expenses in excess of policy limits, etc.

Either reimbursement payments to the employee or insurance premiums paid to an insurance company (under an insured plan) are deductible by the corporation.

Payments are generally received by the employee free of income tax, unless he or she is a highly-compensated employee and the plan does not meet the nondiscrimination requirements.

Nondiscrimination Rules

Self-insured plans that discriminate in favor of highly compensated employees will cause the excess reimbursement benefit1 to be included in the highly-compensated employee's taxable income. To avoid being discriminatory as to who may participate, a plan must meet one of the following tests:
• Benefit 70% or more of all employees
• Cover 80% of eligible employees where 70% or more of them are eligible
• Cover a special classification of employees which the IRS determines not to be discriminatory

To avoid being discriminatory in actual operation, highly-compensated employees must not have greater benefits than the other employees. For example, benefits should not be a percentage of salary.

Highly-Compensated Employees

Those persons who would be classified as highly-compensated employees include:
• The five highest-paid officers
• Shareholders owning more than 10% of stock
• The highest paid 25% of all employees2

Uninsured or Insured

Payment from the general funds of the business to reimburse the employee for his or her medical expenses is called an uninsured or self-insured plan. When the corporation pays premiums to an insurance company and thereby shifts the risk to an unrelated third party, it is called an insured plan. The nondiscrimination rules do not apply to insured plans.

See Treasury Regs. 1.105-11(b)(1)(ii).
1 Reimbursement for benefits not available to other plan participants.
2 See IRC Sec. 105(h)(5).

Flexiiblle Spendiing Acounts

2008-10-17T05:06:00.000-05:00

Flexible spending accounts (FSA) are a type of cafeteria plan commonly used by many employers. In an FSA, participating employees generally elect to have their salary reduced each month. The employer then uses these funds to pay for certain benefits with pretax dollars. There are three types of FSAs.
1. Medical expenses not otherwise covered
2. Dependent care expenses for both children and parents
3. Adoption Expenses

Tax Benefits

The payment of the benefit is tax deductible for the employer and is not considered additional income to the employee. As these dollars are not considered to be wages, they are not subject to either FICA or FUTA tax.

Health Benefits

If an FSA provides health benefits (like medical or dental expenses) to participants, it must be ready to pay the full year's benefits to an employee who qualifies for the benefit.

For example, if the employee has contributed for only one or two months at the time of the claim, the employer must pay for the entire expense up to the amount projected for the full year of contributions by the employee.

If the employee then terminates employment before the amounts are deducted from his or her paycheck, the employer must suffer the loss.

"Use-Or-Lose" Rule

Any unused funds remaining in an FSA at the end of the year will be forfeited by the employee. At the beginning of the year, a careful estimate of future expenses is helpful in avoiding this "use it or lose it" problem. However, employers may (but are not required to) establish a grace period of 2 ½ months after the end of a plan year. During this grace period, any unused funds may be paid or reimbursed to the employee for qualified expenses incurred during the grace period.(1)

Transfers of FSA Funds to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)

The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 included a provision which allows for a onetime, direct transfer of certain amounts in a health FSA to an HSA; a number of restrictions and conditions apply. The provision is effective for distributions on or after the date of enactment and before January 1, 2012.

(1) See proposed regulation Sec. 1-125-1 (e)

Group Health Insurance

2008-10-16T05:05:00.000-05:00

Employer-paid premiums for employee medical insurance are deductible by the company whether the coverage is under a group policy or individual policies. See Reg. Sec. 1.162-10(a).

The employee need not report the amount paid by the employer as current income. See IRC Sec. 106.

When an employee pays the premium and is then reimbursed by the employer, the amount received is not included in the employee's gross income. See Reg. Sec. 1.106-1.

Benefits paid under the insurance plan, which reimburse the employee for payments made for hospital, surgical or other medical expenses, are not included in the employee's gross income.

Group medical plans are an attractive fringe benefit because personally paid medical insurance premiums and medical expenses are only deductible in excess of 7.5% of the taxpayer's adjusted gross income. See IRC Sec. 213.

Self-insured medical reimbursement plans which favor employees who are officers, shareholders or highly-paid employees may not qualify for the above tax benefits.

The Code sets certain eligibility requirements for self-insured plans, similar to those applied in qualified retirement plans, which are designed to discourage discrimination. See IRC Sec. 105(h).

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, signed into law on August 21, 1996, expanded the availability of coverage under group health plans.

Effective with plan years beginning after June 30, 1997, the Act:
• Limits exclusions for pre-existing conditions;
• Prohibits discrimination in eligibility or premiums solely on the basis of an individual's health situation;
• Guarantees renewability for those employers with group health plans; and
• Provides penalties for employers who do not comply with the law.

Health Insurance Issues

2008-10-15T05:06:00.000-05:00

The continuing escalation in health care costs makes a well-designed health insurance program essential to
your financial security. With semi-private room ratesaveraging over $500 per day, a few days in the hospital could equal thousands of dollars in expenses.

When reviewing your health insurance coverage, consider the following:
• Deductibles: How much of the initial costs must
you absorb in the way of a deductible? Is it charged only once in the calendar year? Is
there a limit of two or three deductibles per family or must each member satisfy it?
• Coinsurance: Beyond the deductible, what percentage of the expense must you pay,
10%, 20%? Most important - Is there a stop-loss provision that eliminates all
coinsurance and pays 100% of the charges after you reach $1,000 (or some specified
dollar amount) in out-of-pocket expense?
• Family benefit maximums: These should be unlimited or extremely high; e.g.,
$1,000,000, due to potential costs of a major surgery, hospitalization, a series of family
illnesses, etc.
• Inside limits: These limits, like $200 for X-rays, etc., should be avoided in favor of
comprehensive coverage; i.e., a flat percentage of the cost incurred.
• Child age limits: Determine age limits on child coverage. Full-time students may be
covered until 22 or 23.
• Outpatient benefits: These benefits should be examined carefully since many
procedures are now done on an outpatient basis; e.g., preadmission testing, diagnosis,
etc., due to the high costs of hospitalization.
• Preferred providers: Some medical plans call for the use of a preferred supplier and
provide a list of doctors or hospitals from which you must choose.
• Health maintenance organizations (HMOs): These medical plans offer a different
approach from traditional health insurance, in which you pick the doctor, pay as you go
and receive reimbursement from an insurance company. With an HMO, you or your
employer pay an annual fee, for which the plan's own doctors handle almost all of your
health needs.

HMOs typically cost less in that there are usually no deductibles and they cover a higher
percentage of costs than traditional plans. However, since you are limited to the
services of this organization, it is important to ask the following questions.
1. Where do I go if I require hospitalization?
2. What about emergency treatment out of the local area?
3. How substantial is the local staff and are all specialties represented?
4. How long must I wait to get an appointment?
5. Is the plan facility oversubscribed?

The Need for Healtth Insurance

2008-10-14T05:05:00.000-05:00

Most of us would agree that good health is an extremely valuable attribute. Those in poor
health generally have a lower quality of life as well as a reduced ability to work and earn
an income. Good health is frequently the result of biology (the genes you inherit), the life
style choices you make (exercise, diet, smoking), and appropriate medical care.

And even the healthiest among us need some medical care. Regular physician and dental
visits are a normal part of maintaining good health. Accidents, illness, and simply
growing older are other reasons medical care is necessary.

Paying For Medical Care

Medical care in the United States is, unquestionably, expensive. According to statistics
compiled by the federal government, over 20% of personal consumption expenditures are
directed to medical care.(1) For those needing medical care, there are three basic choices:
• Don't go: Not seeking medical care when it is needed can result in small, treatable
health problems becoming much bigger ones, with sometimes fatal consequences.
• Pay out-of-pocket: Paying for medical care from your own pocket can quickly exhaust
your assets. Huge medical bills are one reason cited as a cause of personal bankruptcy.
• Health insurance: Although the premiums can be expensive, for many individuals and
families, health insurance is the only practical way to provide needed medical care.

Sources of Health Insurance

There are three broad sources of health insurance in the United States today:
• Individually owned policies: The individual or family purchases a health policy
directly from an insurance company or health maintenance organization. Individual
health policies can be relatively expensive compared to group health insurance.
• Group health insurance: Group health insurance is typically provided through an
employer or another related group such as a professional association. The premiums for
group health policies tend to be less than those for individually owned policies.
• Government programs: For those age 65 and older, Medicare provides a base level of
health insurance. Medicaid provides health care for the impoverished. The federal
government has a number of programs to provide medical care to active duty and former
military service members. Some states have individual programs to provide health
insurance to low-income individuals and families.

The Choice Is Yours

While health insurance may be expensive, trying to pay medical costs out of your own
pocket, or not seeking medical help when needed, can be much more expensive.

(1) Source: Statistical Abstract of the United States:2007. Table No. 656 Personal Consumption expenditures in Current and Real (2000) Dollars, by Type: 1990 to 2004.

Sources of Disability Insurance

2008-10-13T05:05:00.000-05:00

Disability insurance is designed to replace a portion of the income you can lose if you are too sick or injured to work. There are two main sources of disability insurance: private disability insurance programs and government-sponsored disability insurance programs.

Private Disability Insurance Programs

There are two primary sources of private disability insurance: The individual purchases the policy directly from an insurance company. The terms and benefits of the policy can vary widely.

Group plans are typically purchased through your employer and generally offer a low-cost alternative to individual coverage. The terms and coverage will vary.

Government-Sponsored Disability Insurance Programs

At the federal level, there are a two primary programs offering disability insurance. Both are administered by the Social Security Administration.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) pays benefits to qualified individuals under the age of 65 regardless of current income. Benefits are based upon your Social Security earnings history.

Social Security Supplemental Security Income (SSI) pays benefits to qualified individuals who are either over 65, blind or disabled, and with limited income. Benefits are not related to the individual's record of Social Security earnings.

The Department of Defense and Veterans Administration offer military service members and veterans disability compensation for service-related health problems. In addition, federal employees covered under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) are eligible for benefits if they have at least 18 months of service, and are unable to perform their job because of injury or disease.

All states and the District of Columbia have workers' compensation laws that provide disability compensation to employed individuals who get sick, become injured, or who are killed on the job. Although most workers are covered, states laws vary dramatically as to who is excluded and to the amount of benefits paid.

A Word of Caution

Neither of the above programs offered through Social Security covers partial disability and both have a strict definition of what it means to be disabled. In fact, over 60% of initial claims for Social Security disability benefits are denied.(1)

(1) General Accounting Office, Social Security Administration: More Effort Needed to Assess Consistency of Disability Decisions (Washington, D.C.: GPO, 2004), 7.