Your ultimate insurance guide


 

Tips for health insurance

The statistics are startling when ityou would by home or auto insurance.
comes to the outrageous uninsuredThese plans work similar to what an
Americans and the numbers keep gettingemployer would offer their employees but
bigger. But what do you do when youwould be more expensive since you don't
don't have a job and can't getget the cheaper group rate and you would
individual or family health insurancenot have an employer contributing to
from an employer? Or, what about all thesome of the costs.
families that have jobs but still cannotAnother drawback of individual and
afford the health insurance offered byfamily health insurance plans is that
their employers and can't find an optionthere is usually a pre-existing
for cheap health insurance?conditions clause (they may not cover
There are low cost health insurancepre-existing conditions or may not cover
options out there that, in fact, manythem until after a certain period of
Americans have already implemented andtime) and a medical exam. If you do want
are beating the rising battle againstto choose an individual or family health
being uninsured. In addition, moreinsurance policy, remember the higher
individual and family health insurancethe deductible you choose the lower your
options are being brought into thepremium will be, but the more you will
market as the rising number of uninsuredpay out of pocket when you go to the
Americans increases. This is great newsdoctor or hospital. Getting a high
for people who just don't know what todeductible "emergency" policy is a
do when it comes to obtaining low costbetter way to maintain a low cost health
and cheap health insurance.insurance plan and keeping a Health
Below are the top 10 ways Americans areSavings Account for smaller health
getting the individual and family healthissues will probably save you money in
insurance coverage they need.the long run.
1. COBRA: First, it is best to start7. Short Term Health Insurance Coverage:
with the Consolidated Omnibus BudgetThis is a great low cost health
Reconciliation Act (COBRA). If you areinsurance option for someone in-between
not employed you may be eligible tojobs or who knows they will be starting
continue your previous employers' healtha job soon. Short-term health insurance
insurance through COBRA. This alsocoverage works the same as an individual
applies to children going off tohealth insurance policy (see #6 above),
college... you also may be able tobut you will only be covered for a
continue on your parent's healthspecific amount of time which would keep
insurance coverage through COBRA. Thisyour premiums down. This is also a good
is a very good option for people who mayoption for someone who needs time to
have lost their job and are stillexamine their individual and family
undergoing medical treatments. If youhealth insurance choices but still would
were to switch to another insurancelike to be covered quickly to avoid any
plan, your current medical treatmentscoverage gaps.
may not qualify under the new health8. Group Insurance from Organization
insurance plan. But.. WARNING! This willMemberships: This is often an overlooked
not be a cheap health insurance option.source of cheap or low cost health
The premiums will be much higher and youinsurance. Some people are members of
may be able to better afford one of thespecific organizations that offer health
below options first. It is best toinsurance coverage. For example, people
gather all your available healthwho are members of The Sacramento State
insurance options and pick the bestAlumni Association can obtain a variety
health insurance plan for you.of insurance choices. Although these
2. Workers' Compensation: Many peopleorganizations often do not help pay the
don't realize that they may be coveredhealth insurance premiums like an
under their state's Workers'employer would, the rates would be lower
Compensation program. If you are beingbecause of the group discount. So,
treated for any work related injury,figure out what organizations you are a
your employer must offer you treatmentmember of and see if they offer group
under their Workers' Compensationhealth insurance. You could also
program.research organizations that provide
3. Medicaid: Don't automatically thinkgroup health insurance and join those
that since you have a job you won'tgroups, or even ask current
qualify for Medicaid. Medicaid will payorganizations you are a member with to
health care expenses for low-incomeoffer group health insurance. They may
families and individuals. Each statejust not realize they could offer a plan
sets the eligibility requirements soto their members.
qualifying for the program is state9. Group Health Expenses Sharing Plan:
specific. If you are working and stillThis is not insurance but works similar
don't have enough to buy healthto it. This is when a group of people
insurance, it doesn't cost you a pennypool their money together and pay each
to see if you or your children qualifyothers' health expenses... they pretty
for Medicaid so it is always best tomuch become their own insurance company.
check Medicaid first before moving on toThe contributions are pooled together
the next options. And, there is goodand usually invested in order to accrue
news about Medicaid... more and moreinterest on the pooled funds. It works
states are adding health care benefitswell when there are a lot of people who
for low-income families so if you don'tcontribute and everyone is only using
qualify now, keep informed of yourthe money for major medical expenses.
state's Medicaid and health insuranceThere are religious groups that use this
laws because you may qualify in themodel successfully. Medi-Share is a
future.popular health expense sharing plan and
4. Medicare: Most people know if theyhas been around since 1993. If you are
qualify for Medicare or not, but I needinterested in this option make sure you
to add it to the list just to make surechoose a group that has been around for
it is not overlooked. Medicare isa long time and has a good track record.
provided by the government and
administered by the Social Security10. Health Insurance Discount Cards:
Administration. If you are sixty-fiveAgain, this is also not an insurance
years old or older you would qualify forplan but can be a good source for
Medicare. You may also qualify if yougetting low cost health services. There
are getting Social Security disabilityare many companies who offer health
benefits.insurance discount cards and they work
5. State High Risk Health Insurancelike this: You pay a small monthly fee
Pool: If you are turned down byfor a membership card and when you go to
individual health insurance companiesthe doctor or hospital you will get a
because of pre-existing conditions, yourdiscounted rate on your services. These
state may have a high risk healthare not for everyone and one thing you
insurance pool you can obtain healthhave to remember is that if you had a
insurance from. It may not be a cheapcatastrophic health crisis the discount
health insurance choice, but it may beon these cards is not a lot, so you
the only individual or family healthwould still have an enormous amount of
insurance option available to you thatbills left to pay. But, on the other
will pay for your pre-existinghand, some people do choose to go this
conditions if you don't qualify forroute and at least are able to get a
COBRA (see #1 of this list).discount on their doctor bills. These
6. Individual and Family Healthcards should not be used in place of
Insurance: This is where you just go toinsurance and if you choose this option
an insurance company and buy individualyou should still be working towards
or family health insurance the same waygetting health insurance in the future.



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