09.01
I've always been an insurance broker for over a decade and I every day more and more "horror" stories, health insurance is on the Internet in relation to companies that pay does not claim that the refusal to cover specific diseases and medical reimbursement for medical services. Unfortunately, companies are driven by non-profit insurance companies, people (even if they need people to make profits). If the insurance you can find a legal reasonnot to pay the debt, is likely to find it, and the consumer suffers. But what many people do not realize that there are very few "gaps" in insurance, the insurance company to give an unfair advantage over consumers. In reality, businesses, insurance companies do everything they can to detail the terms of their range by the contractor 10 days (10 free watch) days to review their policies. Unfortunately, most laytheir insurance cards in their wallet and place of their policy in a drawer or filing cabinet during their day off, looks 10 and is not usually read them, a "rejection" letter from the insurance company that the policy take they are really through them.
Most people buy their own health insurance, rely heavily on the insurance agent selling the policy to explain the plan benefits and coverage. Since this is the case, manyPeople who buy their own health insurance deductible, you can say very little about their plan, other than paying the premiums and how much to pay to get to meet theirs.
For many consumers, for the purchase of health insurance itself can be a huge undertaking. Purchase of health insurance is not like a car buy in, the buyer knows that the engine and gearbox are standard, and power windows areoptional. Health insurance is much less clear, and is often very difficult for consumers to determine which type of coverage is standard and what other benefits are optional. In my opinion this is the main reason that most policyholders do not realize that the coverage for a particular medical treatment refused to none, until they received a high hospital bill, that the benefits were. " "
Sure, we all complain about insuranceCompanies, but we know that are a "necessary evil". And while the purchase of health insurance can be a frustrating and daunting task in terms of time, there are certain things you can do a consumer to ensure that you are buying the type of insurance you really need to be a price fair.
Dealing with small businesses and self-market, I had people come to understand that it is extremely difficultthe need to distinguish between the type of health insurance that "want" and the benefits really. " Recently I have several comments on various blogs for assistance programs that offer 100% coverage (no deductible and no-coinsurance) and read, although I stress that these types of floors of a large "containment of the complaint to 'consensus' I can tell you from personal experience that these plans are not for everyone. Do 100% health insurance policies they have more peace in mind? Probably.But it is a 100% health insurance something that consumers really? Probably not! In my professional opinion, if you intend to buy health insurance, you must strike a balance between four important variables, desires, needs, risks and prices. How would you do if you are buying options for a new car, you have to weigh all these variables before you spend your money. If you are healthy, take no medications and rarely go to the doctor, you really need100% with a floor of $ 5 co-payments for prescription drugs if it costs you $ 300 dollars more a month?
Worth $ 200 a month plus have to pay a $ 250 deductible and a $ 20 brand / $ 10 generic Rx co-operation, compared to a 80/20 plan with $ 2,500 deductible, also offers a $ 20 brand / $ 10generic co-pay after you pay once a year $ 100 Rx deductible? Not the 80/20 plan still offer adequate coverage? Do not think it would be better to put that extra $ 200 ($ 2,400 per year) in your bankAccount, where you may need to pay the deductible or $ 2.500 to buy a $ 12 Amoxicillin prescription? Is not it wiser to keep your hard earned money to pay, instead of higher premiums to an insurance company?
Yes, there are many ways you can take a month plus bonuses of money you normally give an insurance company in the form of higher education. For example, the federal government, consumers HSA (Health Savings Account) qualified HDHP's acquisition(High Deductible Health Plans) so that they have spent more control over their healthcare dollars. Consumer, the qualified HDHP HSA deposit account to buy an extra money aside each year, not in an e-bearing, so you can use that money to pay out-pocket medical expenses. Even processes that are not normally covered by orthodontic insurance, such as Lasik eye surgery, and alternative medicines are 100% tax deductible. If there are no claims this yearthe money was deposited, which referred the HSA tax on the interest rate next year an even greater potential gain can be rolled. If there are no significant indications for several years (as is often the case) provided the building is a land important to consider that the tax benefits similar to a traditional IRA Most HSA administrators offer has thousands of hours no load funds mutual funds in your HSA transfer so you can potentially get a higher interest rate.
In myThe experience, I believe that people who "buy their health or on the basis of the plan and does not want to mislead, the majority must feel torn" from their insurance companies and / or insurance company. In fact, I heard almost identical comments from almost all the entrepreneurs that I speak. Comments like: "I have my business, I have no time to be sick!" I think I did doctor twice in the last five years "and" My insurance company keepsPrices have risen and I will not even use my insurance! "As an entrepreneur, I can understand their frustration. There is a simple formula that anyone can follow to purchase health insurance easier? Yes Being an informed consumer.
Every time I contact a potential customer or call my clients, referrals, ask a handful of specific questions that directly to politicians, in particular individual currently in their storage closet orDrawers. You know who bought the policy to protect them from having to file bankruptcy due to medical debt. This policy, which they bought to cover the $ 500,000 life-saving organ transplant or those 40 chemotherapy treatments that must go through if they can be diagnosed with cancer.
So what do you think happens almost 100% of the time when I ask these individuals "BASIC" questions about their health insurance? You do not know the answers! TheBelow is a list of 10 questions I often ask a client perspective of health insurance. Let's see how many you can not look at your policy to respond.
What First Insurance Company are insured and what is the name of your health insurance? (For example, Blue Cross Blue Shield, "Basic Blue")
According to What is your calendar year deductible and would have to pay a separate deductible for each family member, if everyone in your family was sicksame time? (For example, most insurance companies have an annual deductible per person, for example, $ 250, $ 500, $ 1,000 or $ 2,500. However, some plans you only need a 2 person maximum deductible payment every year, including if everyone in your family needs complete medical treatment.)
Third What is your coinsurance percentage and what dollar amount (stop loss) is based on? (For example, a good plan with 80/20 coverage means you pay 20% of a certain dollar amount. This amount is also known asloss of sleep and, depending on the type of policy you purchase will vary. Stop-loss is a minimum of $ 5,000 or $ 10,000 or up to $ 20,000 or there are some marketing strategies has no stop loss dollar amount).
What is your highest quarter of pocket costs each year? (For example, excesses All rates plus all coinsurance percentages plus all applicable taxes or other access)
What is the fifth full advantage of life insurance and pay when you become seriously illYour plan is an "illness" or maximum ceilings for? (For example, some projects may have a maximum lifetime of $ 5,000,000, but can have a maximum benefit of $ 100,000 for the disease. This means that many diseases would be separate and independent life-threatening costs $ 100,000 or less developed, to $ 5,000,000 of lifetime coverage to qualify.)
Sixth Their plan is to plan a schedule that it pays only a certain amount for a specific list of procedures? (Eg Mega Life & Health & Midwestnational life, was approved by the National Association of self-employed, is known for having supported plans NOSE calendar) 7 Your medical plan are co-payments and are on a number of co-medical visits per year ? (For example, many plans have a limit to how many times you go to the doctor every year to pay for cooperation, and often the limit is 2-4 visits.)
The eighth floor of your offer prescription drug coverage and if so, it pays to the collaboration rules to be observed or toto meet a separate drug deductible before any benefits and / or you have only a single prescription discount card? (For example, some plans offer prescription benefits paid immediately, others require plans to pay a separate drug deductible before you get prescription drugs for Cooperation. Today, many plans offer no CO-pay options and only you with a discount card that Recipe it gives you 10-20% discount on all prescription drugs).
Nono is your planno reduction in benefits for organ transplants and, if so, what is the maximum salary for the plan if you need an organ transplant? (For example, some plans only pay a maximum benefit of $ 100,000 for organ transplants for a procedure that actually cost $ 350 – $ 500K and this $ 100,000 maximum may also seek reimbursement for expensive anti-rejection drugs, which must be taken after a transplant. If this is the case, will often pay for all anti-rejection drugsPocket).
10th Do you have a separate access fee or deductible "pay" for each hospitalization or any emergency room? (For example, some projects, "like the Assurant Health plan" CoreMed have a separate $ 750 hospital admission fee that will for the first three days to be paid to the hospital. The fee will be added to your plan for relief. Moreover, many plans' benefit caps "or" access charges "for outpatient services such as physiotherapy, speech therapy, chemotherapy, radiationcould be therapy, etc. Benefit "caps", a minimum of $ 500 for each outpatient treatment, so that an invoice for the balance. access charges have to pay an additional fee for each treatment. For example, to be paid for each outpatient chemotherapy, you may need a $ 250 "access" to treatment. So for 40 chemotherapy treatments, you should pay 40 x $ 250 = $ 10,000. Again, these taxes would be deductible in your plan account).
Now that you have read throughThe list of questions I ask a client perspective, health insurance, one wonders how it could answer many questions. If you answer all the questions out of ten could not be discouraged. This does not mean you're a smart consumer. It can only mean that this agent "insurance poor." So how can you say, if the agent "insurance poor" Why "great" insurance agent would be a really had time to reachInsurance benefits. 'Great' agent spends some time asking you questions, he / she can understand your insurance. A "great" agent recommends health plans based on all four variables, requests, demands, risks and prices. There is "great agent enough information to evaluate all the options so you can make an informed decision to purchase. And finally," great staff "seeks your interest and not in the best interest of the insurance company.
To learn howIf you have a "great agent? Simple, if you could answer 10 questions each insurance policy without looking at his health is" great "agent. If you are in a position most of the questions answered, you can have a" good "agents. However, if you have any question to answer, chances are you have a" bad "officers. Insurance agencies are no different than any other professional. There are some insurance agents who are actually the customers for whom workwith, and there are other substances to avoid responding to questions of price and duck client phone calls when a message is sent on unpaid insurance claims or the stars.
Remember, your purchase health insurance is as important as buying a house or car, if not more, important. So do not be afraid to ask your insurance agent a lot of questions to make sure you understand what your health plan to cover and what not. If you are not comfortablewith the kind of coverage that your agent suggests or if the price is too high, ask your agent to believe that a similar plan in order to carry out a parallel review, purchase before you can select. And most importantly, read all the small print in your health plan brochure and when you receive your policy, take the time to read your policy during the 10 days free-look.
If you do not understand or are not quite sure what the asterisk (*) next toBenefit description really means in terms of your coverage, call your agent or contact the insurance company to ask for further clarification.
Also, take time for your due diligence conducted. For example, if you research MEGA Life and Health or the Midwest National Life Insurance Company) and endorsed by the National Association for the self-employed (NASE, you will find that there were 14 complaints filed since 1995, class action against these companies . Thisask: "Is a company I would trust to pay my health insurance claims?
Also, find out if your agent is a "captive agent" or insurance "broker." 'Captive "agents can only offer insurance products from a company file." Independent "agents or insurance" brokers "offer a variety of different insurance plans from many different insurance companies." Captive Agent "may recommend one, a health plan that does not exactlyTheir needs, because this is the only plan he or sell them. An "independent agent" or insurance "broker" can usually offer a variety of different insurance products from many quality carriers and can often individual plan to meet your specific needs, budget and insurance.
Over the years I have developed, trusting relationships with my clients by my insurance know-how and the level of personal service I provide strong. This is one ofThe main reasons that I recommend purchasing insurance on the Internet. In my opinion there are many variables that buyers of insurance are too often not considered in designing the Internet. I firmly believe that the purchase of health insurance offered to the level of expertise and personal attention that an insurance professional as possible. And given that does not cost a penny more, purchase insurance through an agent or broker myCouncil would be to use Ebay and Amazon for purchases less important, and purchases for a competent, independent and ethical reputation agent or broker for one of the largest ever done …. your insurance policy.
Finally, if you have doubts about an insurance company, contact your state department of insurance before buying your policy. Your state Department of Insurance can you tell if the insureris registered in your state and I can also say if there were no complaints against the company, which are filed by policyholders. If you suspect that your agent will try to sell you a fraudulent insurance (for example, must cover a member of the benefit of a) or is not honest with you, your state insurance department may also read the review if your agent is licensed and if there were ever any disciplinary actionpreviously taken against the agency.
Finally, I hope I have given enough information so consumers can make informed insurance. However, I am convinced that the following words of wisdom still go on: "If it seems too good to be be true, it probably is!" and "If you buy only on price, you get what you pay for!"
© 2007 Small Business Insurance Services, Inc. http://www.smallbusinessinsuranceservices.com
line