Finding the Best Insurance Coverage - Some Tips by janet ashby

It is vital, if you wish to find the very best insurance coverage for yourself and your family, that you know what to look for and what questions to ask. There are a bewildering range of insurances and options available whether you are looking for commercial, personal or family insurance coverage. We’ve put together this guide to give you enough information to make the best decisions and to find the most appropriate insurance coverage for your needs.
Should you use an insurance agent or go directly to an insurance company?

What is the difference between using an agent or dealing with an insurance provider directly yourself? Agents can differ enormously in their proficiency and the way they go about selling you an insurance plan. Since they usually receive commission there may be a tendency to attempt to persuade you to buy a higher priced plan than you really need. Of course not all insurance agents will do this and there are many scrupulous, hardworking insurance agents that will try hard to make certain you purchase the best insurance coverage for you. Personal recommendation is a good means to guarantee you deal with an insurance agent who has your best interests at heart!

If you resolve to use an insurance agent to guide you through all the complexities, make certain you find out how long he has been in business. A long serving insurance agent will have lots of happy, repeat clients. Does he sell insurance for more than one company? This can be both good and bad. If he works for two or more companies he is able to pick the best policy for you from a wider range, but an agent that works for one company only may be more committed and better trained in the products sold by that company.

Does he have insurance cover for his errors and omissions? If he makes an error he must be covered so that you do not suffer financially. Is he aware of any constraints on the cover of any insurance policies he is promoting? Quiz the insurance agent carefully and be mistrustful if he is vague or less than knowledgeable on any of these points.

Dealing directly with an insurance company

If you are buying directly from a company research their history of paying out on claims and their financial rating. Big providers will typically have an excellent rating but smaller companies, with a lower rating, could be more accommodating as they are in a very cut-throat business. Find out how long the company has been in business and if there are any negative reports in relation to it. Find out if the company offers insurance plans that are for more than one year as you could save money if you pay in advance.

Conclusion

Finding the best insurance coverage, whether you are looking for personal, individual, commercial or family insurance coverage, may often be tricky and there are several decisions you must make before you buy an insurance plan. If you find an excellent agent who can will go out of his way to help you you will have a clear advantage over attempting to sort through all the alternatives by yourself. Nevertheless, whether you buy from an agent or buy directly from a company, you should ensure you do the necessary research first.

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Please visit us at Best Insurance Coverage or Family Insurance Coverage for more information on finding the most appropriate insurance coverage for you and your family.

Consumer-Directed Health Plans Gain : Greg Bordonaro by EasyToInsureME

As the recession and escalating costs of health care continue to plague businesses in Connecticut, enrollment in consumer-directed health plans is growing as state-based employers turn to less-costly coverage options.
At Aetna for example, about 60 percent of new business sales for small-group employers in Connecticut have been in consumer-directed health plans, according to Steve Logan, head of small and middle market business in the Northeast.

A consumer-directed health plan is an insurance coverage with a high deductible that is typically combined with a health-savings account, the tax-advantaged product that is either funded by the employer or by regular contributions from employees. Enrollees use the accounts to pay for qualified health expenses before they reach the deductible.

Logan said the Hartford-based insurer will sell coverage to about 15,000 small group members in Connecticut this year and over 10,000 will be in consumer-directed plans.

At the same time, two-thirds of middle-market employers, with 50 to 300 employees, are offering some form of consumer-directed health care as an option.

Farmington-based Connecticare is tracking similar numbers for small employers, said Terri Guidone, vice president of small group and individual sales and retention.

Nationally, the number of people with high-deductible health plan coverage rose to 8 million in January 2009, up from 3.2 million in 2006, according to an industry survey.

Premium Savings

Logan said more employers are adopting the plans because they represent a savings on premiums, precisely what most employers currently need.

“We have customers who said they would consider consumer-directed care down the road, but have suddenly adopted it now,” Logan said. “Employers are feeling squeezed and these plans represent a savings to them.”

“We believe the reason behind this [trend] is primarily cost savings in premiums,” added Guidone.

Logan said the most popular consumer- directed plan at Aetna is one with a $2,200 individual deductible and $4,400 family deductible.

Proponents of consumer-directed plans say they are one of the answers to reducing health care costs in the United States. Since consumers have a high deductible, it gives them the financial incentive to eliminate unnecessary care and seek lower-cost, higher-quality treatments.

To help them make financially and medically sound decisions, Logan said insurers provide online tools to members that allow them to compare prices for prescription drugs or get estimated costs for treatment options.

“We feel all members should have the tools to measure quality and cost of care,” Logan said.

Critics, who include some consumer groups, say such plans may cause patients to avoid treatments altogether, which would lead to higher costs down the road.

According to a recently released study of health care claims for members in Aetna’s HealthFund consumer-directed plan, employers who offered health savings or reimbursement plans saved $21 million per 10,000 members over a five-year period.

Employers who offered the plans as an option experienced savings of $7 million per 10,000 members over the five-year period, according to the company’s survey.

Meanwhile, Cigna says consumer-driven health plans reduced medical costs for its customers by 13 percent compared to more traditional plans.

Kurt Weimer, head of Cigna’s small group division, said the survey indicates consumer- directed plan enrollees are seeking increased levels of preventive care, using generic drugs more often and accessing online tools and information at higher rates than members in typical HMO-style plans.

“This is about having people take more accountability,” Weimer said.

Slower Adoption In NE

Logan said employers in the Northeast have been slower to adopt consumer-directed plans because they have traditionally offered richer benefits than other parts of the country.

“Employers might not want to have been the first company in the area to make the switch because of competition concerns,” said Logan, who added that the current downturn is leaving some employers with no other choice.

Matthew Katz, executive vice president of the Connecticut State Medical Society, agrees that consumer-directed plans could lead to future health care savings, but he says they are also still a work in progress. One of the problems, Katz said, is that consumer-directed plans are causing doctors to wait longer for payments since co-pays and deductibles aren’t collected at the time of service.

“The problem is that there is no real-time adjudication of the claims,” he said. “That was supposed to be one of the attractions for doctors to these types of health plans. The idea was that patients would have something similar to a debit card that could be swiped at the time of service. But no insurer that we know of allows for real-time payment yet.”

Katz said claims still have to go to the insurer first, and then doctors need to bill patients, who then may be asked to write a check months after they received their care.

Katz also said there is still a lack of understanding on how those plans work. “Consumer-directed plans are not bad in any respect, but there needs to be a lot more education for the consumer,” said Katz, noting that insurers need to invest in the necessary technology.

EasyToInsureME.com offers clients the easiest way to buy individual health insurance. Free services include instant online health insurance quotes, custom proposals for each client, free phone consultation, and 10-minute application by phone. Our services are free because we are paid by the health insurance company not by our clients.

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Quoting and Saving on your health insurance has never been easier…EasyToInsureME

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End to hidden tax is priority in health reform by EasyToInsureME

President Barack Obama and doctors attending the American Medical Association convention didn’t exactly hit it off during the president’s address a week ago. Despite cheering for Obama’s call for reform that brings care to all Americans, the physicians offered visible disapproval of the president’s stated unwillingness to seek broader protection for doctors from medical malpractice suits.
Washington pledges to move quickly with health reform, but there are many miles to go and mountains to cross.

Obama’s goal of providing health care insurance to all is a top priority, but how to achieve the objective will be the subject of an intense battle. Privately insured individuals have a lot at stake.

Sue Berkowitz is the director of the S.C. Appleseed Legal Justice Center (www.scjustice.org). Frank Knapp Jr. is the president and CEO of the S.C. Small Business Chamber of Commerce (www.scsbc.org). In a recent submission, they note the consumer health organization Families USA released a report that reveals that privately insured residents of South Carolina and other states pay a “hidden health tax” every year averaging $1,017 for family and $368 for individual health insurance to subsidize health care for the uninsured.

This happens because health-care providers must increase their costs to cover those with insurance in order to pay for the uncompensated care to the uninsured. The insurance companies then pass on these higher costs to their policyholders in the form of higher premiums.

This hidden health tax actually would be a lot higher, but the uninsured do struggle to pay for some of their care (37 percent), and charity and other programs pay about 26 percent of their care, Berkowitz and Knapp write.

“Nationwide this hidden health tax was approximately $42.7 billion dollars in 2008. So are individuals and businesses that pay this extra premium every year getting their money’s worth in helping the uninsured? Not hardly.”

The problem is particularly acute in places such as The T&D Region, where a higher-than-average number of people live at or below the poverty line.

Berkowitz and Knapp explain: “The uninsured delay seeking medical care because they don’t have coverage and don’t have extra money from their paychecks to pay to see a doctor. So by the time they finally do seek medical care, they are much sicker. That’s why uninsured adults are more likely to be diagnosed with a disease in an advanced stage, which costs more to treat. The health care received by the uninsured is thus untimely, often inadequate and doesn’t include essential preventative care.”

More than 1 million South Carolinians were uninsured over the past year. All of them are receiving poor-quality health care partially subsidized through the hidden health tax that drives up the premiums of the privately insured. And with rising costs, fewer and fewer businesses are able to offer the benefit of health insurance. The problem is growing and will continue to grow without a change in the way the system works.

Berkowitz and Knapp say “it is time for every individual and business owner paying for health insurance to demand that we fix this costly, inefficient health-care system. Of course, every uninsured individual and business unable to afford health insurance for employees should also demand change.

At the White House, in Congress and in the offices of physicians, there is realization that the present system is broken.

Coming together to fix it will involve compromise and even sacrifice. But the end result should be as the two writers state: “All Americans and businesses deserve an affordable health-care system that controls costs, requires all to share the costs fairly, is accessible and delivers high-quality health care.”

EasyToInsureME.com offers clients the easiest way to buy individual health insurance. Free services include instant online health insurance quotes, custom proposals for each client, free phone consultation, and 10-minute application by phone. Our services are free because we are paid by the health insurance company not by our clients.

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Quoting and Saving on your health insurance has never been easier…EasyToInsureME

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Pennsylvania health insurance : Rendell takes action by EasyToInsureMe

With the four strokes of his pen, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell took action on four health care reforms in the state, including the expansion of COBRA health and increasing the age limit for a dependent coverered under a parent’s health plan.
Three of the four bills Rendell signed June 10 were part of his “Prescription for Pennsylvania” series of reforms and another, the expansion of the COBRA program, was originally proposed as a part of a package of health care bills by Senate Republicans.

Rendell praised the work of the legislature in “working together to pass these bills which will help provide health care coverage for thousands of uninsured Pennsylvanians, reduce the cost of health care and will improve health care quality for all Pennsylvanians,” he said in a statement.

Over the last few years, Rendell and the Senate Republicans have battled over his desire to expand health coverage in the state.

SB 189 allows uninsured single, adult children up to age 30 to be covered by their parents’ health insurance plan. Parents must pay the premiums and coverage hinges on an employer’s willingness to offer the benefit to employees with children.

The bill takes effect in six months and coverage will be on a rolling basis after that as contracts are renewed, according to the governor’s office.

The expansion comes amidst research last year that 40% of the state’s total uninsured population, or 383,298 residents, are between the ages of 19 and 29. The new legislation will help reduce that number, Rendell said.

“[This bill] will be the answer to the prayers of parents whose kids will be graduating from college and will be kicked off their health insurance policies because they’ve reached the maximum age,” the governor said. “Parents and kids are stressed because the kids are now uninsured and are having trouble finding jobs, with health insurance, due to the current economic situation.”

HB 109 expands federal COBRA law to Pennsylvania businesses with fewer than 20 employees through a “mini-COBRA” program. The bill allows these employees to continue receiving health insurance at the business’ expense for up to nine months.

Legislators piggybacked on the federal stimulus plan, which permits employees who lose their jobs and qualify for COBRA to receive a government subsidy of 65% for their care. In Pennsylvania, small business employees who lost their jobs between July 10 and Jan. 1, 2010, will be eligible for the subsidy.

Rendell said this bill will help “relieve the worry” of small business employees about to lose their job and now have the opportunity to keep health coverage while searching for new employment.

The other bills signed by Rendell were HB 84, prohibiting health care providers from seeking reimbursements for a serious, preventable medical error, or “never events,” and SB 89, reauthorizing the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (PHC4), which the governor called “the nation’s premier health care data collection and reporting agency.”

The Pennsylvania Association of Health Underwriters, a trade group representing many Pennsylvania health insurance agents and brokers, had lobbied in support of three of the bills signed by the governor. They were the bills prohibiting providers from filing insurance claims for adverse foreseeable events, the COBRA expansion and the reauthorization of the PHC4, according to its contract lobbyist, Vince Phillips.

EasyToInsureME.com offers clients the easiest way to buy individual health insurance. Free services include instant online health insurance quotes, custom proposals for each client, free phone consultation, and 10-minute application by phone. Our services are free because we are paid by the health insurance company not by our clients.

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Quoting and Saving on your health insurance has never been easier…EasyToInsureME

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Secrets to Lower Health Insurance Rates by Carlos Scarpero

Health insurance rates have gone up over the past ten years but you don’t have to pay more for your health coverage. There are certain “secrets” that can save you money and help you pay lower health insurance rates.
Number One The very first thing to know is that a well-informed consumer always pays less for everything! Yes, that’s right. Simply by digging around and getting as much information as possible, you can save hundreds of dollars per year on your health insurance or any item you might be thinking of purchasing.

Searching for the best prices on everything is so much simpler these days with the convenience of the Internet. It is easy and takes so little time to research health insurance rates on the World Wide Web. After you visit a few of the web sites which offer health insurance you’ll have a pretty good idea of the type of information which will be required on their questionnaire.

Health insurance companies want to know all the standard stuff about you and each member of your family that will be included on the policy. Things such as:

Name Address Age Social Security Number Drivers License Number General health questions Any pre-existing conditions

If this seems like a lot to you, then you might consider making your first application at one of the online sites which specializes in getting you multiples health insurance quotes by filling out only one questionnaire. Normally, the questionnaire will take about 15 minutes to complete and within 24 hours you can expect to receive at least half a dozen health insurance rates from a variety of companies.

This can be very helpful but it might not give you a full and complete view of the best rates out there. It might also be a good idea to stop in at a couple of local companies in your neighborhood to ask about their health insurance rates and plans.

Many times, health insurance is offered at lower rates by companies that you already do business with, such as Triple A, the largest motor club association in the United States. If you are already a member, you can call their toll free number or go to their web site and fill out a simple questionnaire to receive their health insurance rates. If you are not a member, then it’s a simply matter of joining and it could certainly save you money in the long run.

Another great way to save money on your health insurance rates is to get healthy and stay that way! Join a gym and work out 3 times per week. Cut back on your intake of fried and fatty foods and begin to live a more wholesome lifestyle. Smokers pay much higher health insurance rates. If you’re a smoker, then it’s worth your time and trouble to get into a “Stop-Smoking” program and kick the habit. This can save you hundreds of dollars per year on your health insurance not to mention the agony of possible future health problems.

Your health insurance rates don’t have to skyrocket! Take control and begin to save money today!

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Would you like to save money on your health insurance? Save big money on health insurance and get helpful money saving tips by going to www.free-health-insurance-quote.net

Coverage Must Be Considered While Buying Health Insurance Policy by Franchis Adam

A leading issue in almost each and every home in the present date is that health insurance is not given much concern. People do not think that the policy of health insurance is important for them and also for their family. And having a sufficient insurance of health so as to protect themselves and all those people they love is one of the worries almost each and every person living in this word faces today. A survey clearly shows that almost every second person in this world does not have a health insurance. So around fifty percent people in this world do not have a health insurance. And almost all the people who do not have the health insurance belong to a working family.
A very simple and also sad fact is that all those people who do not own a policy of health insurance are very much less likely to have physicians they see on a regular basis for check up and screenings for life saving. Health insurance is for sure a very much necessary part of the political agenda in the present date. But this issue cannot be left to the politicians only. Uninsured families and also uninsured individuals must also find out some methods to make having health insurance plans a top priority. Also each and every employer must also do this thing for his/her workers.

This is a very severe problem for all the uninsured people that if any thing happens to them, who will pay for them. A middle class man will be able to pay high expenses of medical procedure and also for other procedures. So instead of waiting for such a situation to come, one must go out and find a very good health insurance policy for him/her with the best possible coverage. Almost each and every person think that the policy of health insurance is very costly and he/she will not be able to afford it.

But this is not at all true, as there are present a very large number of health insurance companies, agencies and also providers that provide health insurance policies at cheap rates. One must carefully look at the coverage provided by each and every policy. The main reason behind this is that each and every health insurance policy is different in terms of coverage and also price. The price must never be given the chief importance while buying a health insurance policy.

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