Discount Plans Offer Viable Alternative to Traditional Health Insurance

In light of recent events with the economy, consumers are searching for more affordable ways to save on the increasing costs of healthcare and health insurance. The average cost of a family insurance policy has topped $12,000 a year. While most families are fortunate enough to be part of group plans and therefore are only paying a portion of that premium, the premiums continue to rise resulting in a larger amount workers have deducted to pay for health coverage. For those not covered by their employers, these premiums must be paid completely out of pocket, not to mention the co-pays and deductibles associated with insurance plans. For the unfortunate 47 million Americans without any type of health coverage and another 100 million without dental coverage, the costs of healthcare for themselves and their families can be astronomical.

Consumer driven healthcare plans are an increasingly popular option in the healthcare industry. The basic concept behind consumer driven healthcare is that although deductibles will be higher, monthly premiums will be significantly less, therefore substantially reducing healthcare costs over the long run. Discount health and dental plans fall into this category. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars in monthly premiums, the cost of discount plans are a fraction of the cost. When members go to a provider (doctor, dentist, chiropractor, etc) instead of paying full price, as they would without any type of coverage, the consumer pays at discounted rates.

The various benefits of discount plans over traditional insurance are many. For example, there is typically no waiting period, no limit on the number of services or visits, no age restrictions or physicals, no paperwork or claims, and ongoing medical conditions are accepted. In many cases, especially with dental insurance, consumers could pay less for services received with discount plans than with conventional insurance due to plan limitations, deductibles and caps.

For those who cannot afford insurance, those who cannot obtain traditional plans because of pre-existing conditions or those in need of supplemental benefits, discount health and dental plans might be a viable alternative. The discounts will vary from company to company and therefore it is important to research the various discount plans available.

For more information about health and dental discount programs, visit http://www.ameriplanusa.com or call 847-590-0192.

Christine Andersen,
Benefits Specialist
CAndersen@ameriplan.net

Medical Care Options For Uninsured Americans

These days, with the economy, job loss, and numerous other financial problems, the problem of no health insurance is on the minds of many Americans. This is not a new problem, but with so many people facing this question, it's come to the forefront once again.

So what are the options for people who don't have health insurance? What happens when they get sick, have an injury, or just need a regular check up? The price of healthcare is not going down, but the need for healthcare hasn't diminished either. A mother with a sick child can't very well dismiss the need to see a doctor because she has no health insurance, so what does she do? An elderly man may have Medicare, but that is not always sufficient for all his needs.

This healthcare crisis is very real in our country and unfortunately it doesn't look like it is going to get any better. One of the two presidential candidates promises to deregulate healthcare and give individuals and families with employment health insurance the option of buying their own insurance on the open market.

Employers will be required to pay taxes on the insurance they purchase on behalf of their employees. This proposed measure is sure prompt employers to stop providing health insurance. The result will be millions of people without health insurance who are forced to seek insurance on the open market. Insurance cost, due to deregulation is sure to increase, forcing many Americans to go without insurance.

How do the uninsured get medical care? In very creative ways if you take the time to search for them. There are three sources of medical care that the uninsured can tap into. These sources are not widely known but they are a blessing to millions of Americans who are desperate for medical attention. Colleges and Universities, Community/Public Health Clinics, and Medical Study Participation are the three sources of medical care that individuals and families without health insurance can use for their healthcare needs.

Colleges and Universities

Most college and university campuses that have a medical and/or dental program have a clinic. Students in these programs must have practical experience so the school establishes a lab. This lab is the place for students to practice what they have learned for the last few months or years of study. The students must have patients to work on so this is where you come in. the process is simple for the most part and requires a standard application, appointment time and small fee.

A search through the phone book or website will give you the contact information you need. Call or email the clinic on campus for information and an appointment. If the clinic has a page on the school's website you should be able to gather the majority of the information you need from there.

Some clinics will have either an online application or a downloadable application that you can submit ahead of time or bring for your appointment. Appointment times may be easy to obtain or difficult depending on the popularity of the clinic. Sometimes the next appointment available may be weeks or months away, but don't let that discourage you. Make an appointment anyway and call periodically to see if there is a cancellation.

The fees are usually quite low and affordable for the average person. Depending on the services you may pay a fee of $25 up to $125. The clinic nearest you can give you exact amounts. Some clinics may have a sliding scale system where the fee is based on your income.

The students providing the services are upper level and provide care under the supervision of an experienced instructor. They are extra careful and take their time because their grade depends on the quality of service. You may spend a little longer than usual in the clinic because the thoroughness of the care takes priority over the swiftness you may be accustomed to.

Read about the other two ways to get healthcare if you don't have insurance here.

(c) 2008 Samantha Gregory

If you would like an article like this for your website or newsletter contact Samantha Gregory. Samantha is a freelance copywriter with 12 years of proven writing experience. She's written for NASA, Fortune 500 companies, and is waiting to add your company to the list. Visit http://www.samanthagregory.com to learn how Samantha can help you get your message across to the masses or your target audience.

Importance of Group Health Insurance

Term group plan means that all the employees must compulsorily accept the coverage despite of physical condition. Usually the employee has to pay the first premium within 30 days of employment or he will be forfeited from the right to automatic coverage. Group health plans include employer sponsored ERISA plans - both insured and self insured and non- ERISA plans such as church plans. Group insurance is generally the least expensive kind. Some organizations offer only one health insurance plan and others offer a variety of plans like indemnity plan, health maintenance organization (HMO), or a preferred provider organization (PPO). This type of group health insurance is famous in California.

Indemnity health insurance plans gives you the benefit of choosing a licensed doctor of your choice and then pay him for the services at the time of the visit. To receive payment for medical expenses you have to fill a form and send them to insurer. Sometimes your doctor may do this for you. You also have to keep receipts for prescription drugs. If you want this type of insurance you have to keep track of all your medical expenses. This type of plan is mostly found in rural areas. Certain features include your choice of deductibles, coinsurance levels, maximums and benefit levels.

In health maintenance organization (HMO) you have to pay a monthly fee called a premium. But you can't choose a licensed doctor of your choice in this type of health insurance. The health insurance company has a huge number of physician networks who provide a wide variety of medical benefits. From this network, you choose a primary care physician who will take care of your health related problems. The choice of doctors and hospitals are limited those within the network since they have agreements with the HMO to provide your health care. The health care services generally require you to make a co-payment. If the HMO is efficient and keeps its members healthy, it will make a profit. But if there are too many members who need care its profits are smaller or it may lose money.

Preferred provider organizations are made up of physicians, hospitals, or other providers which provide health care services at a reduced fee. PPOs offer more flexibility by allowing members to meet a licensed doctor who are out of network at a greater expense to the policy holder. But if visits are made within the network it requires only a small fee. There is often a deductible for out of network expenses and a higher co-payment.

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Free Health Insurance Leads - Exclusively For Your State

Everywhere I look on the internet I see that when it comes to looking for health insurance leads, that typically you will have to pay anywhere from $5 a lead all the way up to $20 or more if they are exclusive health insurance leads.

The lower end priced leads are lower for a reason because they are shared. A typical shared lead is resold about 3 - 5 times and then in some cases I have found these leads to be resold up to 10 times which not only puts a bunch of stress on the health insurance agent, but also on the consumer because they were definitely not expecting that many phone calls to their house.

The higher end priced leads are typically exclusive meaning that if you were to purchase these leads it will cost you anywhere from $15 up to about $25. The companies claim that you will have a higher percentage of closing this type of lead simply because you are supposed to be the only person that gets it. In most cases this is true, but every once-in-awhile you will find that still the person fills out more then just 1 form and so you could be back in the same situation as with a shared lead.

Now what if I were to tell you that you could have the best of both worlds and even for free? You probably would think that this would be some type of trial period or the first "X" amount of leads are free, but then it's "X" amount per lead afterwords. I totally understand your skepticism as not only you, but I have experienced disappointment after disappointment for trying to get good leads at a good price.

Now let me share with you how you can obtain these free health insurance leads. I have put together a site that will allow everyone to win. This site will no doubt be able to do what I claim as long as we work together. I really don't need your money, but I will need something else from you.

To see how you can obtain exclusive rights for health insurance leads in your state I want you to visit my site and click on "agents" and then contact me if your state is still available because no one else is doing what I'm doing.

I look forward to hearing from you and working with you!

Steve Blanchard

http://mymedquote.net

Where to Get Cheap International Travel Health Insurance

Whether you're taking a once-in-a-lifetime vacation or just another business trip away from your family, if you're traveling to a foreign country you need to buy international travel health insurance.

Here's how you can find a cheap policy that will still provide the coverage you need.

But I Already Have Health Insurance!

According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, half of all U.S. citizens who travel to another country have some sort of health problem during their trip.

Think you'll be covered if you need medical assistance? Well, you may have a great health insurance policy at home, but few insurance companies provide coverage when you travel to another country. Of course, you can always check with your own insurance company before deciding to buy an extra policy.

What Does This Type of Policy Cover?

This type of policy will help cover your medical expenses in case of an accident or medical emergency. In addition, policies can also offer the following coverages:

* Trip cancellation and interruption

* Medical evacuation

* Lost or stolen luggage

Some policies also offer 24/7 travel assistance services should you have any problems during your trip.

Choosing a Policy

Travel health insurance policies are relatively inexpensive, usually just a few dollars a day for the duration of your trip. You need to make sure that the policy you choose covers the length of time you will be away: some policies require trips be at least 15 days while other policies cover trips as short as one day.

Where to Get an Inexpensive Policy

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to get international travel health insurance quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more tips and advice in their Articles section, and get answers to your questions from an insurance expert by using their online chat service.

The authors, Brian Stevens and Stacey Schifferdecker, have spent 30 years in the insurance and finance industries, and have written numerous articles on travel health insurance.

Cheapest Health Insurance Buying Tips For You Now

With ever increasing medical expenses and higher health insurance premiums, the American health care system is becoming harder to access. But the cheapest health insurance is a must have, because without health insurance we are vulnerable to bankruptcy causing medical bills. This article has some tips to help you to have the cheapest health insurance you need.

Do whatever you can to be healthier. Exercise, eat right and follow your doctors advice. This is because healthy people incur fewer medical expenses. Health insurance companies know this, and they will offer lower premiums to those who are healthier. The insurers know that healthy people submit fewer claims, and cost the insurer less money.

What are your top priorities in medical care? Find a plan that fits our own personal priorities. Do you have a doctor that you have been seeing for a while, and do you like him or her? Well, be sure to get a health insurance plan that lets you choose your own doctors. Are you more concerned about lower costs than freedom of choice? Then consider joining a plan that has lower premiums in exchange for coverage limited to members of a network.

Take the time to run the numbers and compare the different plans that are available to you. Compare insurance companies online to see what their rates and coverage are. Consider using an insurance broker, as they will likely have access to insurers and plans that you may not find on your own.

You may save money by opting for a short term plan rather than a major medical plan, but there are trade-offs. Preexisting conditions may not be covered by the short term plan. If you develop a health problem while on the short term plan and decide to switch to a major medical plan, you may need to wait for a period of time until your condition is covered.

Shopping for lower health insurance premiums is important and easy!

Visit http://www.healthinsurancetrends.info/heath_insurance.php for more valuable tips that can get you cheap health insurance quotes right now!

Affordable Family Health Insurance Saving Tips You Can Use

With ever increasing healthcare costs, we all need to aware of every opportunity to save money on our health care expenses. Even saving small amounts can add up over time to big savings. In addition to being healthy as a means of saving money, this article will present some helpful tips to save money on health care. Affordable family health insurance includes watching for ways to save.

Prescription drug costs keep increasing, but there are some things that you can do to help control the cost. If you happen to live near the Canadian border, you may know someone who crosses the border to get their prescriptions filled in Canada. Look into using a mail order pharmacy, as this can reduce your copay and give you a larger number of pills per refill. In many cases, you may be able to use a generic drug instead of a brand name, and this can really save you a lot. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about generic options.

If you just left a job that provided a health insurance benefit, you may be eligible for COBRA coverage. COBRA coverage allows you to maintain your health insurance through your previous employer for up to eighteen months, provided that you pay the employers portion of the premiums. In some cases you may benefit by shopping around for individual coverage or affordable family health insurance that may be cheaper than COBRA.

You may be inclined to believe that you are required to accept the prices that your doctor charges, but this may not be the case. You can negotiate with your doctor to reduce fees for certain procedures and services. Even elective surgery prices can be negotiated, such as laser surgery, botox injections or plastic surgery.

Shopping for lower health insurance premiums is important and easy!

Visit http://www.healthinsurancetrends.info/helath_insurance.php for more valuable tips that can get you cheap health insurance quotes right now!