| The statistics are startling when it
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| | you would by home or auto insurance.
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| comes to the outrageous uninsured
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| | These plans work similar to what an
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| Americans and the numbers keep getting
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| | employer would offer their employees but
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| bigger. But what do you do when you don't
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| | would be more expensive since you don't
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| have a job and can't get individual or
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| | get the cheaper group rate and you would
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| family health insurance from an employer?
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| | not have an employer contributing to some
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| Or, what about all the families that have
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| | of the costs.
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| jobs but still cannot afford the health
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| | Another drawback of individual and family
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| insurance offered by their employers and
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| | health insurance plans is that there is
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| can't find an option for cheap health
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| | usually a pre-existing conditions clause
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| insurance?
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| | (they may not cover pre-existing
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| There are low cost health insurance
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| | conditions or may not cover them until
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| options out there that, in fact, many
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| | after a certain period of time) and a
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| Americans have already implemented and
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| | medical exam. If you do want to choose an
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| are beating the rising battle against
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| | individual or family health insurance
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| being uninsured. In addition, more
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| | policy, remember the higher the
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| individual and family health insurance
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| | deductible you choose the lower your
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| options are being brought into the market
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| | premium will be, but the more you will
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| as the rising number of uninsured
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| | pay out of pocket when you go to the
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| Americans increases. This is great news
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| | doctor or hospital. Getting a high
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| for people who just don't know what to do
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| | deductible "emergency" policy is a better
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| when it comes to obtaining low cost and
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| | way to maintain a low cost health
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| cheap health insurance.
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| | insurance plan and keeping a Health
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| Below are the top 10 ways Americans are
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| | Savings Account for smaller health issues
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| getting the individual and family health
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| | will probably save you money in the long
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| insurance coverage they need.
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| | run.
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| 1. COBRA: First, it is best to start with
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| | 7. Short Term Health Insurance Coverage:
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| the Consolidated Omnibus Budget
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| | This is a great low cost health insurance
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| Reconciliation Act (COBRA). If you are
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| | option for someone in-between jobs or who
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| not employed you may be eligible to
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| | knows they will be starting a job soon.
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| continue your previous employers' health
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| | Short-term health insurance coverage
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| insurance through COBRA. This also
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| | works the same as an individual health
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| applies to children going off to
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| | insurance policy (see #6 above), but you
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| college... you also may be able to
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| | will only be covered for a specific
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| continue on your parent's health
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| | amount of time which would keep your
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| insurance coverage through COBRA. This is
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| | premiums down. This is also a good option
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| a very good option for people who may
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| | for someone who needs time to examine
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| have lost their job and are still
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| | their individual and family health
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| undergoing medical treatments. If you
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| | insurance choices but still would like to
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| were to switch to another insurance plan,
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| | be covered quickly to avoid any coverage
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| your current medical treatments may not
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| | gaps.
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| qualify under the new health insurance
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| | 8. Group Insurance from Organization
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| plan. But.. WARNING! This will not be a
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| | Memberships: This is often an overlooked
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| cheap health insurance option. The
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| | source of cheap or low cost health
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| premiums will be much higher and you may
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| | insurance. Some people are members of
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| be able to better afford one of the below
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| | specific organizations that offer health
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| options first. It is best to gather all
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| | insurance coverage. For example, people
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| your available health insurance options
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| | who are members of The Sacramento State
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| and pick the best health insurance plan
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| | Alumni Association can obtain a variety
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| for you.
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| | of insurance choices. Although these
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| 2. Workers' Compensation: Many people
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| | organizations often do not help pay the
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| don't realize that they may be covered
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| | health insurance premiums like an
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| under their state's Workers' Compensation
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| | employer would, the rates would be lower
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| program. If you are being treated for any
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| | because of the group discount. So, figure
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| work related injury, your employer must
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| | out what organizations you are a member
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| offer you treatment under their Workers'
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| | of and see if they offer group health
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| Compensation program.
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| | insurance. You could also research
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| 3. Medicaid: Don't automatically think
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| | organizations that provide group health
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| that since you have a job you won't
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| | insurance and join those groups, or even
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| qualify for Medicaid. Medicaid will pay
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| | ask current organizations you are a
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| health care expenses for low-income
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| | member with to offer group health
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| families and individuals. Each state sets
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| | insurance. They may just not realize they
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| the eligibility requirements so
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| | could offer a plan to their members.
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| qualifying for the program is state
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| | 9. Group Health Expenses Sharing Plan:
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| specific. If you are working and still
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| | This is not insurance but works similar
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| don't have enough to buy health
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| | to it. This is when a group of people
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| insurance, it doesn't cost you a penny to
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| | pool their money together and pay each
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| see if you or your children qualify for
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| | others' health expenses... they pretty
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| Medicaid so it is always best to check
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| | much become their own insurance company.
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| Medicaid first before moving on to the
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| | The contributions are pooled together and
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| next options. And, there is good news
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| | usually invested in order to accrue
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| about Medicaid... more and more states
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| | interest on the pooled funds. It works
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| are adding health care benefits for
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| | well when there are a lot of people who
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| low-income families so if you don't
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| | contribute and everyone is only using the
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| qualify now, keep informed of your
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| | money for major medical expenses. There
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| state's Medicaid and health insurance
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| | are religious groups that use this model
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| laws because you may qualify in the
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| | successfully. Medi-Share is a popular
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| future.
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| | health expense sharing plan and has been
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| 4. Medicare: Most people know if they
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| | around since 1993. If you are interested
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| qualify for Medicare or not, but I need
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| | in this option make sure you choose a
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| to add it to the list just to make sure
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| | group that has been around for a long
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| it is not overlooked. Medicare is
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| | time and has a good track record.
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| provided by the government and
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| | 10. Health Insurance Discount Cards:
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| administered by the Social Security
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| | Again, this is also not an insurance plan
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| Administration. If you are sixty-five
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| | but can be a good source for getting low
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| years old or older you would qualify for
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| | cost health services. There are many
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| Medicare. You may also qualify if you are
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| | companies who offer health insurance
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| getting Social Security disability
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| | discount cards and they work like this:
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| benefits.
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| | You pay a small monthly fee for a
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| 5. State High Risk Health Insurance Pool:
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| | membership card and when you go to the
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| If you are turned down by individual
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| | doctor or hospital you will get a
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| health insurance companies because of
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| | discounted rate on your services. These
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| pre-existing conditions, your state may
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| | are not for everyone and one thing you
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| have a high risk health insurance pool
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| | have to remember is that if you had a
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| you can obtain health insurance from. It
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| | catastrophic health crisis the discount
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| may not be a cheap health insurance
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| | on these cards is not a lot, so you would
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| choice, but it may be the only individual
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| | still have an enormous amount of bills
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| or family health insurance option
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| | left to pay. But, on the other hand, some
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| available to you that will pay for your
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| | people do choose to go this route and at
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| pre-existing conditions if you don't
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| | least are able to get a discount on their
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| qualify for COBRA (see #1 of this list).
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| | doctor bills. These cards should not be
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| 6. Individual and Family Health
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| | used in place of insurance and if you
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| Insurance: This is where you just go to
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| | choose this option you should still be
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| an insurance company and buy individual
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| | working towards getting health insurance
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| or family health insurance the same way
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| | in the future.
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