Health Compare Insurance Services

The Top 3 Reasons For Starting Your Own Online Health Care Business

2012-03-09T03:07:00.000-08:00

Health care is a growing business and more and more people are using the internet for their health care needs. These are the top 3 reasons for starting your own online business.

1. The need for health care products. As we all know the economy is in real bad shape these days, and is not improving any time soon. With more and more people losing their jobs, and health benefits, people are using the internet for their health needs. Take a look online and search for health care you will find millions and millions of sites, this will show you how much in demand for this type of business is. Would you not like to jump in and share the profits. People take their health very seriously these days, and would it not be gratifying to help these people out and make money at the same time.

2. Total automation. Choose a business that is totally automated, this means that the web site is all set up for you. Inventory that is done for you, meaning you don't have to worry about the products they do all the shipping for you , this will save you lots of time and headaches. You don't have to have an automated business if you know how to do it yourself, but if you are new to this type of business, I would not recommend it.

3. Residual income. This is the best part. Once your business is in place, you can start advertising your site. Tell your family and friend, coworkers etc. Once people start buying you products chances are they will keep coming back for more, and they will tell their friends, and their friends will tell their friends and so on. The potential is endless.

I hope this article will get you excited about starting an online health care business, the demand is there. You can always start out part time and once you are more familiar and comfortable you can go at it full time. Many of these automated sites will charge a small start-up fee, but they do almost all the work for you, all you have to do is advertise it and get the word out. That to me is a pretty good deal. For more information on how to start your own health care business see link bellow.

For more information on how to start an online health care business go to: http://www.squidoo.com/healthbizinbox/

Thank you, Daniel Richard.

Dark Chocolate Health Benefits

2012-03-08T22:34:00.000-08:00

Dark chocolate health benefits are abundantly more than the average food. You might even say that dark chocolate is a super food. With raw, unprocessed Cocoa being the most antioxidant rich food on the planet. There is one thing to consider though, over 50% of that medicinal value is destroyed during processing. There is a manufacturer that is doing something different. The makers of Xocai Healthy Chocolate use a patented cold-press method. This process produces a high antioxidant healthy chocolate that has a medicinal value intact and not cooked out of it. A 12g piece of Xocai chocolate, for example has as much and maybe more antioxidants as 12 lbs. of Tomatoes, or more than 1.5 lbs of Spinach, or 2 lbs. of Raspberries.

It is recommended by the USDA for minimum intake of and antioxidants be 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC daily. When exposed to excessive toxins, or engaging in frequent exercise one needs even more.

Over and over again research is showing us that there is a direct correlation between our health and antioxidant intake.

Cocoa is high in the polyphenols, mostly these are flavonoids-flavan-3-ols, flavonols (epicatechin and catechin), and procyanidins. Cocoa comes from a plant called Theobromo cacoa. Fifty percent of the weight of the cocoa bean is cocoa butter, while the main fatty acids being stearic and palmitic (saturated fats), oleic (a monounsaturated fatty acid also in olive oil) and linoleic acid (polyunsaturated). Stearic acid fat does not elevate blood cholesterol like many other saturated fatty acids. In the cocoa bean both insoluble fiber and soluble fiber are found, which helps lower cholesterol levels. Fiber is extremely important in the lowering of colon cancer rates, preventing constipation, as well as improving sugar metabolism. Several useful minerals and vitamins are also found in the cocoa bean. One of these useful nutrients found in dark chocolate is magnesium, which is important for muscle relaxation, energy production, nerve conduction, as well as teeth and bone health and development. PMS (premenstrual syndrome) can be associated with magnesium deficiencies. Dark cocoa is a rich source of copper, which is involved in several of the chemical processes in the body. Dark cocoa is also has a high level of potassium, which is vital for cardiovascular health.

On a per-weight basis chocolate has the highest concentration of the flavonoids--flavan-3-ols, flavonols (epicatechin and catechin), and procyanidins of any food. Loaded with a variety of phytonutrients, makes chocolate very high in antioxidants. To measure the rates of antioxidants in foods, the scientific test called ORAC is used. ORAC stands for oxygen radical absorbance capacity. One of the highest on the ORAC scale is chocolate. Higher than green tea and red wine, dark chocolate has more effective antioxidants.

Cocoa helps reduce cardiovascular damage, by increasing the production of good cholesterol (HDL), which works to clean and mop up blood vessels from the harmful fats. Cocoa flavonoids decrease platelets from forming harmful clots that damage the heart muscle blood vessels. Helping the blood vessels dilate easier, flavonoids allow more blood flow to the heart (nitric oxide (NO) activation). This same is true for insulin-stimulated blood sugar uptake producing improved diabetic control. Cocoa also has anti-inflammatory properties, which stops the inflammatory process (cytokines) from damaging the body.

Dark chocolate has been shown to decrease blood pressure in many studies, which of course decreases the damage to heart vessels. Also cocoa is a rennin-angiotension enzyme inhibitor, which works the same as many blood pressure pills work on (ACE inhibitors).

Dark cocoa helps reduce dental cavities, prevent gum disease, and decrease the plaque on teeth according to other research.

Antioxidant principles can be applied to decreasing the progression of dementia. Vitamins like vitamin E and some B-vitamins have been used to also help with dementia. As mentioned before, cocoa has this same ability to decrease the free-radical damage, which in turn helps with improving memory and limiting dementia.

The body's ability to use insulin is improved by dark chocolate while stopping the resistance problem which can lead to diabetes. Cocoa helps increase nitric oxide levels which helps with insulin-stimulated uptake of blood sugars. This also improves the health of the blood vessels, decreasing the damage of diabetes on the small vessels.

Liver damage has been reduced with Cocoa while it can repair liver cells even after long-term alcohol exposure to.

Antioxidant properties of cocoa can also impact Cancer. By stopping oxidation of cells, antioxidants can hinder the development of cancer cells.

Some other things we find in chocolate are theobromine, a very small amount of caffeine, phenylethylamine (PEA-the "love-chemical"), and anandamide which increases mental awareness. Research tells of the antidepressant effects of chocolate showing that both serotonin and dopamine levels are increased. Chocolate also helps curb our appetite for fats and helps decrease our fat intake. Cocoa by itself can also decrease appetites. The carbohydrates in chocolate increase energy. The central nervous system is stimulated by the theobromine giving us additional energy. Theobromine, cousin to theophylline, helps open up lungs to improve breathing as it is also used in cough medicine. Low libidos in women could be improved with chocolate, studies have shown.

Patty-Jean is author to http://www.WorkFromHomeMamas.com and practices dark chocolate therapy daily and helps others do the same! [http://www.ChocolateRevelation.com]

Discovering Resveratrol Health Benefits

2012-03-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

Resveratrol is getting popular these days, as more people become aware of the benefits that this amazing chemical can bring to the body. There is so much buzz going on about this antioxidant, that it is somewhat difficult to determine the difference between fact and fiction.

What is Resveratrol?

Resveratrol is an antioxidant that is found mostly in the skin of grapes and in red wine. The Japanese knotweed plant, blueberries, peanuts, mulberry, cocoa powder and dark chocolate are also found to have significant levels of resveratrol.

People who have the habit of drinking a glass or two of red wine every day can enjoy resveratrol health benefits. Several resveratrol supplements can out in the market recently, making it even easier for more people to benefit from this antioxidant.

Research using resveratrol in laboratory animals have produced promising results, but research done on humans are still in their early stages. One of the most exciting potential of resveratrol is in delaying the aging process. Resveratrol is found to stimulate the SIRT1 gene, which is the gene responsible for minimizing fat storage in cell. This gene is also being studied for its potential to slow down aging. Some people are now taking resveratrol supplements in the hope of preventing the early onset of aging and all the body changes associated with it.

Other Resveratrol Health Benefits

Aside from its effect on the aging process, resveratrol can also boost one's energy level by increasing the body's metabolism. This would lead to faster burning of calories which will result to weight loss. Another resveratrol health benefits that people are getting excited about is its anti-cancer properties. Recent researches prove that resveratrol can actually help the body increase its immunity against certain types of cancer.

Resveratrol Side Effects

Despite the evidences pointing to the health benefits of resveratrol, there have also been questions raised as to what side effects it can cause. There are only a few resveratrol side effects recorded, which usually happens if it is taken in excess. Because resveratrol acts as a stimulant, taking excessive amounts of it can cause insomnia, increase in blood pressure and some dizziness in rare cases.

There are now resveratrol supplements available, and the good thing about this is they can even be purchased online. Resveratrol is now considered a miracle compound that can even stop the early signs of aging, promote better health and possibly prolong life.

For more information and to get your FREE BONUS visit: http://resveratrolhealthbenefitsreviewed.com

Health Benifits Of Drinking Water

2012-03-08T15:23:00.000-08:00

Water is the most common and important compound found on the Earth without which, the thought of survival of life is futile. H2O, commonly known as water, consist of two parts of hydrogen and one part of oxygen. Almost 70% of the human body is made up of water. If we study the physiology and anatomy of the human body, we'll find that water is responsible for almost all the vital processes occurring in the human body whether it's the digestive system, circulatory system or some other.

For years our ancestors have admonished us with the importance of water. Perhaps even more importantly, nutritionists and health experts confirm that the health benefits of water are numerous. The most common health malady that occurs in our body due to lack of proper amount of water in our systems is dehydration. This dilemma may provoke many other diseases. Heartburn, headache, back pain, pain in the legs, daytime fatigue, and rheumatoid pain are some of the adverse effects of dehydration. Dehydration generally occurs when the body starts squeezing water from its tissues, brain and skin. All these problems could be eliminated easily by adding proper amount of water in our daily diet. Additionally we can have shinny and healthy skin rather than ragged and dry skin due to dehydration. It's chronic cellular dehydration that kills the cell, but it has a simple solution and that is to drink half of your body weight of water everyday.

Water works as a lubricant for our joints and it flows as a river through our veins, arteries and capillaries. In short it fills nearly every space of our body and acts as a protective shock absorber for our body. It also helps to form the structure of protein and glycogen. Meaning that water is the source that carries nutrients to our cells in each part of our body and also help to transport the waste out of the body. It has been proved advantageous for the functioning of the kidneys, and drinking more of the precious yet abundant fluid could lower the risk of developing kidney stones and gallstones.

Water serves to regulate the internal temperature of the body and maintains a constant fluid balance. Thus it acts as a thermo regulator that is why we can adapt ourselves in any of the Earth's habitats. The electrical stimulation of nerves and contraction of muscles are the result of the exchange of electrolyte minerals dissolved in water. It reduces the risk of cancer as well as being a means of preventing diseases in general by not leaving the body's cells weakened gasping for the water they so desperately need.

Water is a universal solvent and thus plays an important role as a media to carry and distribute the metabolites, hormones and other material around the body and within the cell. Many solutes are also dissolved within it, so it's also essential for health, growth, stamina, building muscle and development. Energy reactions also take place in this medium.

It is good to substitute a cup of coffee in the morning with a glass of water as at this time the blood is most viscous and strokes particularly prevalent. During and after exercise it is also better to drink water to maintain the body's level of hydration. This will also reduce the chance of heart attack at this time of day. Water is the best source to regain the hydration loss due to certain beverages as coffee and tea.

Considering the importance of H2O, it is better to sip it at regular intervals throughout the day regardless and not waiting for thirst to encourage you to take a drink. That will keep you well hydrated. Although it is advisable to drink eight to twelve glasses of water a day, it depends upon various factors as gender, age, physical activity, temperature, physiological condition, etc. There is little to no doubt in the fact that a correct regimen regarding water will help the body to keep the cells, digestive track, joints, and skin hydrated and healthy.

Keeping all this in mind, not only does it make since to drink water and plenty of it, but to give your body the purest water free of pathogenic bacteria, cysts, parasites, trihalomethanes (abbreviated THM's), radiologicals, and heavy metals such as lead and mercury. You can find out more about the health benefits of drinking water [http://www.h2osopure.com/] and the home water purification systems offered by visiting us at [http://www.h2osopure.com/]

James Grover is the owner of [http://www.h2osopure.com/]

How to Enjoy the Health Benefits From Green Tea Without Caffeine

2012-03-08T11:13:00.000-08:00

Green tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant and has a lot health benefits but it contains caffeine. Many people are sensitive to that substance and so am I. It makes me having a hard time sleeping, it sometimes makes feel slightly dizzy and on rare occasions it even causes me to feel anxiety. Fortunately I have found nutrition supplements that have been decaffeinated so I can enjoy the benefits from green tea without having to worry about the substance that this so closely related to coffee.

It is said to have a helping effect on a lot of ailments. For example you can relieve a headache and calm an upset stomach. Learning ability can be improved and it can also contribute to weight loss. There are many studies showing that Camellia sinensis has an inhibiting effect on various types of cancer like colon cancer, which affects many older people. To reduce the risk of such a disease is really something that prolongs life.

This kind of tea is packed with antioxidants if it is manufactured properly. For the leaves not be oxidized and thus lose antioxidants they need to be heated immediately after harvest. Antioxidants are a substance that protects you against free radicals. Free radicals are something that eat and destroy our cells.

It is a fact that heart diseases are less prevalent in Asia. Why is that? What kind of secret do they have? It is definitely no secret and it is also possible for you to get the same result, a longer life. Along with the fact that they eat more omega-3 scientists believe it is because they drink a lot of green tea. It is in their culture, just like coffee is in our.

In a study in Japan, which lasted for 11 years and included over 40,000 people, researchers concluded that premature death certainly is prevented thanks to the drink that is made from Camellia sinensis leafs. The most favourable results were recorded among women. The number of women who got sick in heart disease, dropped dramatically.

It is not fully understood how the green type alleviates serious diseases like cancer, but researchers believe it is a substance called epigallocatechin gallate, which is believed to prevent the formation of new blood vessels in cancer tumours.

If you want to access the health benefits of green tea without the negative effect of plenty caffeine you should definitely use a nutrition supplement where the amount of caffeine is significantly reduced. I searched a long time to find the supplement that not only contains Camellia sinensis but also all vitamins and minerals plus a lot more.

If you want to learn more about how you get your hand on it too, please visit my website to learn more.

Pierre Soderman is passionate about health and writes about how to stay healthy on his home page [http://www.vitamin-nutrition-supplement.com/]

Green Tea Health Benefit Number One

2012-03-08T07:09:00.000-08:00

Losing weight and burning fat is the green tea health benefit that has garnered the most attention from people.

Scientific researchers have proven that this type of tea not only helps the body burn the existing fat; but also helps suppress the appetite. Needless to say, overeating is a key cause of people being overweight.

Catechins are natural polyphenols which are found in great concentrations in this special tea. Studies show these plant based elements seem to stimulate the body into burning fat.

One such study used a group of men of similar weight based on their Body Mass Index (BMI). For three months they eat identical meals at breakfast and dinner.

These subjects were also under strict instructions to control their fat and caloric intake in order to maintain near identical diets.

After just three months the men who were drinking green tea lost almost twice as much weight as the group drinking oolong tea.

One of the researchers Tomonon Nago stated, "These results suggest that Catechins contribute to the prevention of and improvement in various lifestyle-related diseases, particularly obesity,"

Still another extensive study done which involved 1,003 subjects showed that those who drank green tea at least once a week for ten years were almost 20% slimmer than the non-tea drinkers.

Keep in mind, that's with only drinking this type of tea once a week!

Once a week is far less than daily use which both Dr. Oz (Oprah's favorite guest Doctor) and Dr. Perricone (the anti-aging specialist) recommend for drinking this beverage. It's fair to say this benefit would be substantially greater with daily use.

Current research also points to another green tea health benefit which is the suppression of appetite by reducing Leptin levels - which is a protein generated by fats. Leptin plays a key role in how our bodies manage fat storage via brain signals.

Many people know that this tea is packed with a natural substance called EGCG. Rats that were injected with EGCG were found to have major reductions in their Leptin levels according to the March issue of the medical journal Endocrinology. These effects were noticed after just several days of the injections.

The human body was designed to absorb as much food energy as possible whenever it was available. That's because man was around a long time before refrigerators, supermarkets, and restaurants being open 24/7. For thousands of years people ate their food immediately when they could find it.

As a survival mechanism - the human body stores whatever food energy isn't needed at that immediate moment. That way the body had a 'reserve' on hand in case food got scarce. Today we call that reserve fat - and since most of us have plenty of 'new' food available we never get around to burning our fat reserves...

The green tea health benefit which can have an amazing impact on dieters is it is packed with the antioxidant EGCG which happens to do a wonderful job of depressing Leptin which in turn decreases our appetite.

Scientists form the Tang Center for Herbal Medicine at the University of Chicago also confirmed a strong connection between the EGCG found in this tea with a significant reduction in the appetites of their test subjects.

Still another green tea health benefit was highlighted in a study which showed that a significant increases were seen in metabolism (our bodies energy expenditure), and beyond the effects of limited caffeine found in green tea.

Obviously, the green tea health benefit of helping people both lose extra weight as well as helping them avoid overeating could have a wonderful impact on the millions of American looking for a answer to being overweight.

J.T. Kelly is an ardent Green Tea drinker & enthusiast. After experiencing its health benefits first hand J.T. was compelled to get involved and help others discover the amazing medicinal properties of green tea as well. You can access other articles covering a wide range of research and green tea health benefits by visiting http://japanesegreenteapowder.com/most-popular-green-tea-health-benefit/

Health Insurance Buyer's Guide

2012-01-05T00:49:00.000-08:00

Buying Shopping for health insurance can leave many people confused. Knowing which insurance company to choose or which insurance plan is the best may seem daunting impossible. But once you know the basics of health insurance, choosing the right health insurance plan is simple easy.

This article will provide some of the most basic and helpful tools and explanations for health insurance shoppers. First, it is important to learn about helps to understand the different types of health insurance plans and their benefits and drawbacks. Plans differ in the amount you pay out-of-pocket, which doctors you can visit, and how the your insurance bills are paid. Besides just helping you choose the most efficient and cost-effective plan, we'll teach you about another way you can save on health insurance: a Health Savings Account. Additionally, it is important to learn about dental insurance as well. Many health insurance plans do not include dental insurance under their benefits, so we'll go over how to shop for and obtain separate dental coverage. Then it is important to learn about ways you can save on health insurance. There are several ways you can save including Health Savings Accounts and Discount Cards. LastlyAnd finally, don't forget to compare plans before you make your decisionwe'll explain why it's so important to put your new knowledge to good use by comparing health insurance plans.

Types of Health Insurance Plans

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Plans

Generally, HMOs have low or even no deductible and the co-payments will be relatively comparatively low as well. You pay a monthly premium that gives you access to coverage for doctor appointments, hospital stays, emergency care, tests, x-rays and therapy. You will have to choose a primary care physician (PCP) within your insurance provider's network of physicians, and in order to see a specialist you need to receive a referral from your PCP. Under an HMO plan, only visits to doctors and hospitals with the insurance company's network of providers are covered; you'll have to pay for visits if you go to an out-of-network doctors or hospitals your insurance will not cover the costs.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)

Plans Under a PPO plan, you will use the insurance company's network of doctors and hospitals for any services or supplies you need. These healthcare providers have been contracted by the insurance company to provide services at a discounted rate. Generally, you will be able to choose doctors and specialists within this network without having to choose a primary care physician or get a referral. Before the insurance company will start paying for your medical bills you will usually need to pay an annual deductible. Also, you may have a co-payment for some services or be required to cover a percentage of the total medical bill.

Point of Service (POS) Plans

A POS plan is a combination of the features offered by HMO and PPO plans. You are required to choose a primary care physician, whose services are not usually subject to a deductible, but your PCP can refer you to out-of-network specialists whose services will be partially covered by your insurance company. Additionally, POS plans usually offer coverage for preventive healthcare, which includes regular checkups. Your PCP will be able to give you referrals for any specialists. If these specialists are out-of-network you will need to pay out-of-pocket and then apply for reimbursement from the insurance company. With a POS plan you will benefit from some of the savings of an HMO and will have greater flexibility in choosing healthcare providers, similar to PPO.

Dental Insurance

It is important to get a dental insurance plan along with your health insurance plan. In order to keep your teeth and gums health you need regular visits to the dentist. Without dental insurance, the cost of dentist appointments will be much higher making it difficult to keep up with the payments. Dental insurance is similar to health insurance in that each month you pay a premium, which entitles you to certain dental benefits. Benefits include checkups, cleanings, x-rays, and other dental services. There are plans that may cover dental implants, oral surgery and orthodontia, but they will be more expensive. Like health insurance, plans are categorized into indemnity and managed-care plans. If you choose an indemnity plan you will have a broader choice of dental care providers to choose from. You won't have to choose one primary dentist and generally, you won't need to acquire referrals. In order for the insurance company to cover your dental expenses you will need to send them a claim before they reimburse you for covered services. As a result, you will have to pay more out-of-pocket with an indemnity plan, but you will have more flexibility in choosing which dentists you visit. On the other hand, managed-care plans will provide you with a dental provider network and you will need to visit dentists within this network in order to get coverage for these services. With a dental care network, the insurance company has arranged pre-negotiated rates that you will receive when you visit these dentists. With a managed-care plan, the dentists will submit the claim for you, lowering your out-of-pocket expenses.

Save on Health Insurance

Health Savings Account

Health Savings Accounts (HSA) are tax-free savings accounts designed to help consumers pay for healthcare services while limiting premium expenses for unwanted benefits. The plans have lower premiums and higher deductibles than other insurance plans because they offer fewer benefits and require you to use the money in your HSA to pay for certain qualified medical services. However, if you don't need to visit the doctor frequently and don't anticipate requiring regular medical attention, HSA plans are a cost-effective method of insuring against the worst without paying for coverage you won't use. In order to open an HSA, you'll need to have an HSA-compatible health insurance plan. You may only use the funds in your HSA to pay for qualified medical expenses. Usually, your HSA plan will have a deductible that, once met, requires your insurance company to pay for any additional qualified medical expenses for the rest of the year.

Dental Insurance

Health insurance typically does not cover dental services, but in order to keep your teeth and gums healthy, you need regular visits to the dentist. Without dental insurance, regular dentist appointments can prohibitively expensive. Make sure your mouth is covered by shopping for both health and dental insurance. Dental insurance is similar to health insurance in that each month you pay a premium, which entitles you to certain dental benefits. Benefits include checkups, cleanings, x-rays, and other dental services. There are plans that may cover dental implants, oral surgery and orthodontia, but they will be more expensive. Like health insurance, plans are categorized into indemnity and managed-care plans. If you choose an indemnity plan you will have a broader choice of dental care providers to choose from. You won't have to choose one primary dentist and generally, you won't need to acquire referrals for special services. In order for the insurance company to cover your dental expenses you will need to send them a claim for reimbursement. You'll end up paying more out-of-pocket with an indemnity plan, but you will have more flexibility in choosing which dentists you visit. By contrast, managed-care plans limit you to the doctors and services within a dental services network, and you will need to visit doctors within this network in order to get coverage for their services. Within the dental care network, your insurance company has arranged pre-negotiated rates that you will receive when you visit dentists in the network. Your dentist will submit your insurance claim for you, keeping your out-of-pocket expenses lower than with an indemnity plan.

Compare the Plans

Comparing insurance plans is an important step in buying health insurance. It will save you money in the long run if you take the time to compare premium prices, out-of-pocket costs, plan benefits, the network of physicians available with different plans, and the quality of insurance providers. If you have a favorite physician, make sure your health insurance covers visits to him or her. If you don't need to see the doctor very often, don't pay a high premium for low office visit copayments. Health insurance plans are designed to address specific healthcare needs, and you'll save money and get the most effective coverage by comparing plans to find the health insurance plan that best fits your budget and lifestyle.

For more information on Health Insurance Plans and Dental plans, or to get advice on whether this type of health insurance plan is right for you, visit http://www.enetinsurance.com and talk to one of our licensed health insurance agents.

Easy Ways to Find Affordable Health Insurance in Tampa

2012-01-04T21:44:00.000-08:00

Are you a Tampa resident who is looking to find affordable health insurance? Tampa residents, possibly just like you, who need to buy their own insurance policies often are. While it is nice to have as much health insurance coverage as possible, cost also needs to be taken into consideration. There is good news though. There are a number of different ways that you can go about finding affordable health insurance. Tampa residents, who have already bought their own insurance policies, have used these methods to save themselves money for years now.

Since cost is plays such an important role in finding affordable health insurance, you may want to think about focusing on costs first. You can do this by requesting free health insurance quotes. To get a health insurance quote, you will need to fill out a health insurance quote form. The answers to your form questions will be used to give you an estimated cost of insurance. Since almost all health insurance companies offer free health insurance quotes, they are a nice, simply way to find affordable health insurance. Tampa residents looking for affordable health insurance, just like you, should rely heavily on health insurance quotes.

Speaking of health insurance quotes, when it comes to getting them, you will find that you have a number of different options. For starters, you can contact a Florida health insurance company. Many Florida health insurance companies allow you to request health insurance quotes online or over the phone. In addition to contacting numerous Florida health insurance companies, you can also use online websites which are sometimes referred to as online health insurance quote websites. These websites are designed to pair you with information, as well as insurance quotes, about numerous Florida health insurance plans; plans offered by different companies.

Once you have obtained a collection of health insurance quotes, now matter how you got them, you will then want to try and find affordable health insurance. Tampa residents often have success by taking all of the insurance quotes that they get and comparing them. This gives you a good idea as to what the average cost of health insurance in Florida is. If you are looking for affordable health insurance, particularly the cheapest around, you will want to go with the Florida health insurance quote that is the lowest. This is affordable health insurance. Tampa residents, just like you, are often surprised how easy it is to find affordable health insurance.

Although it is important that you find health insurance that you can afford, you will also want to make sure that you are adequately covered. For that reason, you need closely examine all affordable health insurance plans that you come across. You can do this by reviewing the information given to you; the information that may come along with your insurance quotes. Finding affordable, yet adequate insurance is the best type of insurance to have.

As a reminder, when it comes to buying your own Florida health insurance, you are advised to not automatically assume it is so expensive. Despite what you may believe it is possible to find affordable health insurance; Tampa residents have been doing so for years now.

Gabi Sumner is a writer for Florida Health Insurance Corp . com where you can find accurate information about Affordable Health Insurance Tampa [http://www.floridahealthinsurancecorp.com/affordable-health-insurance-tampa.html] and other related information.

Health Savings Accounts - An American Innovation in Health Insurance

2012-01-04T18:10:00.000-08:00

INTRODUCTON - The term "health insurance" is commonly used in the United States to describe any program that helps pay for medical expenses, whether through privately purchased insurance, social insurance or a non-insurance social welfare program funded by the government. Synonyms for this usage include "health coverage," "health care coverage" and "health benefits" and "medical insurance." In a more technical sense, the term is used to describe any form of insurance that provides protection against injury or illness.

In America, the health insurance industry has changed rapidly during the last few decades. In the 1970's most people who had health insurance had indemnity insurance. Indemnity insurance is often called fee-forservice. It is the traditional health insurance in which the medical provider (usually a doctor or hospital) is paid a fee for each service provided to the patient covered under the policy. An important category associated with the indemnity plans is that of consumer driven health care (CDHC). Consumer-directed health plans allow individuals and families to have greater control over their health care, including when and how they access care, what types of care they receive and how much they spend on health care services.

These plans are however associated with higher deductibles that the insured have to pay from their pocket before they can claim insurance money. Consumer driven health care plans include Health Reimbursement Plans (HRAs), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), high deductible health plans (HDHps), Archer Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). Of these, the Health Savings Accounts are the most recent and they have witnessed rapid growth during the last decade.

WHAT IS A HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNT?

A Health Savings Account (HSA) is a tax-advantaged medical savings account available to taxpayers in the United States. The funds contributed to the account are not subject to federal income tax at the time of deposit. These may be used to pay for qualified medical expenses at any time without federal tax liability.

Another feature is that the funds contributed to Health Savings Account roll over and accumulate year over year if not spent. These can be withdrawn by the employees at the time of retirement without any tax liabilities. Withdrawals for qualified expenses and interest earned are also not subject to federal income taxes. According to the U.S. Treasury Office, 'A Health Savings Account is an alternative to traditional health insurance; it is a savings product that offers a different way for consumers to pay for their health care.

HSA's enable you to pay for current health expenses and save for future qualified medical and retiree health expenses on a tax-free basis.' Thus the Health Savings Account is an effort to increase the efficiency of the American health care system and to encourage people to be more responsible and prudent towards their health care needs. It falls in the category of consumer driven health care plans.

Origin of Health Savings Account

The Health Savings Account was established under the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act passed by the U.S. Congress in June 2003, by the Senate in July 2003 and signed by President Bush on December 8, 2003.

Eligibility -

The following individuals are eligible to open a Health Savings Account -

- Those who are covered by a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP).

- Those not covered by other health insurance plans.

- Those not enrolled in Medicare4.

Also there are no income limits on who may contribute to an HAS and there is no requirement of having earned income to contribute to an HAS. However HAS's can't be set up by those who are dependent on someone else's tax return. Also HSA's cannot be set up independently by children.

What is a High Deductible Health plan (HDHP)?

Enrollment in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) is a necessary qualification for anyone wishing to open a Health Savings Account. In fact the HDHPs got a boost by the Medicare Modernization Act which introduced the HSAs. A High Deductible Health Plan is a health insurance plan which has a certain deductible threshold. This limit must be crossed before the insured person can claim insurance money. It does not cover first dollar medical expenses. So an individual has to himself pay the initial expenses that are called out-of-pocket costs.

In a number of HDHPs costs of immunization and preventive health care are excluded from the deductible which means that the individual is reimbursed for them. HDHPs can be taken both by individuals (self employed as well as employed) and employers. In 2008, HDHPs are being offered by insurance companies in America with deductibles ranging from a minimum of $1,100 for Self and $2,200 for Self and Family coverage. The maximum amount out-of-pocket limits for HDHPs is $5,600 for self and $11,200 for Self and Family enrollment. These deductible limits are called IRS limits as they are set by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). In HDHPs the relation between the deductibles and the premium paid by the insured is inversely propotional i.e. higher the deductible, lower the premium and vice versa. The major purported advantages of HDHPs are that they will a) lower health care costs by causing patients to be more cost-conscious, and b) make insurance premiums more affordable for the uninsured. The logic is that when the patients are fully covered (i.e. have health plans with low deductibles), they tend to be less health conscious and also less cost conscious when going for treatment.

Opening a Health Savings Account

An individual can sign up for HSAs with banks, credit unions, insurance companies and other approved companies. However not all insurance companies offer HSAqualified health insurance plans so it is important to use an insurance company that offers this type of qualified insurance plan. The employer may also set up a plan for the employees. However, the account is always owned by the individual. Direct online enrollment in HSA-qualified health insurance is available in all states except Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.

Contributions to the Health Savings Account

Contributions to HSAs can be made by an individual who owns the account, by an employer or by any other person. When made by the employer, the contribution is not included in the income of the employee. When made by an employee, it is treated as exempted from federal tax. For 2008, the maximum amount that can be contributed (and deducted) to an HSA from all sources is:

$2,900 (self-only coverage)

$5,800 (family coverage)

These limits are set by the U.S. Congress through statutes and they are indexed annually for inflation. For individuals above 55 years of age, there is a special catch up provision that allows them to deposit additional $800 for 2008 and $900 for 2009. The actual maximum amount an individual can contribute also depends on the number of months he is covered by an HDHP (pro-rated basis) as of the first day of a month. For eg If you have family HDHP coverage from January 1,2008 until June 30, 2008, then cease having HDHP coverage, you are allowed an HSA contribution of 6/12 of $5,800, or $2,900 for 2008. If you have family HDHP coverage from January 1,2008 until June 30, 2008, and have self-only HDHP coverage from July 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008, you are allowed an HSA contribution of 6/12 x $5,800 plus 6/12 of $2,900, or $4,350 for 2008. If an individual opens an HDHP on the first day of a month, then he can contribute to HSA on the first day itself. However, if he/she opens an account on any other day than the first, then he can contribute to the HSA from the next month onwards. Contributions can be made as late as April 15 of the following year. Contributions to the HSA in excess of the contribution limits must be withdrawn by the individual or be subject to an excise tax. The individual must pay income tax on the excess withdrawn amount.

Contributions by the Employer

The employer can make contributions to the employee's HAS account under a salary reduction plan known as Section 125 plan. It is also called a cafeteria plan. The contributions made under the cafeteria plan are made on a pre-tax basis i.e. they are excluded from the employee's income. The employer must make the contribution on a comparable basis. Comparable contributions are contributions to all HSAs of an employer which are 1) the same amount or 2) the same percentage of the annual deductible. However, part time employees who work for less than 30 hours a week can be treated separately. The employer can also categorize employees into those who opt for self coverage only and those who opt for a family coverage. The employer can automatically make contributions to the HSAs on the behalf of the employee unless the employee specifically chooses not to have such contributions by the employer.

Withdrawals from the HSAs

The HSA is owned by the employee and he/she can make qualified expenses from it whenever required. He/She also decides how much to contribute to it, how much to withdraw for qualified expenses, which company will hold the account and what type of investments will be made to grow the account. Another feature is that the funds remain in the account and role over from year to year. There are no use it or lose it rules. The HSA participants do not have to obtain advance approval from their HSA trustee or their medical insurer to withdraw funds, and the funds are not subject to income taxation if made for 'qualified medical expenses'. Qualified medical expenses include costs for services and items covered by the health plan but subject to cost sharing such as a deductible and coinsurance, or co-payments, as well as many other expenses not covered under medical plans, such as dental, vision and chiropractic care; durable medical equipment such as eyeglasses and hearing aids; and transportation expenses related to medical care. Nonprescription, over-the-counter medications are also eligible. However, qualified medical expense must be incurred on or after the HSA was established.

Tax free distributions can be taken from the HSA for the qualified medical expenses of the person covered by the HDHP, the spouse (even if not covered) of the individual and any dependent (even if not covered) of the individual.12 The HSA account can also be used to pay previous year's qualified expenses subject to the condition that those expenses were incurred after the HSA was set up. The individual must preserve the receipts for expenses met from the HSA as they may be needed to prove that the withdrawals from the HSA were made for qualified medical expenses and not otherwise used. Also the individual may have to produce the receipts before the insurance company to prove that the deductible limit was met. If a withdrawal is made for unqualified medical expenses, then the amount withdrawn is considered taxable (it is added to the individuals income) and is also subject to an additional 10 percent penalty. Normally the money also cannot be used for paying medical insurance premiums. However, in certain circumstances, exceptions are allowed.

These are -

1) to pay for any health plan coverage while receiving federal or state unemployment benefits.

2) COBRA continuation coverage after leaving employment with a company that offers health insurance coverage.

3) Qualified long-term care insurance.

4) Medicare premiums and out-of-pocket expenses, including deductibles, co-pays, and coinsurance for: Part A (hospital and inpatient services), Part B (physician and outpatient services), Part C (Medicare HMO and PPO plans) and Part D (prescription drugs).

However, if an individual dies, becomes disabled or reaches the age of 65, then withdrawals from the Health Savings Account are considered exempted from income tax and additional 10 percent penalty irrespective of the purpose for which those withdrawals are made. There are different methods through which funds can be withdrawn from the HSAs. Some HSAs provide account holders with debit cards, some with cheques and some have options for a reimbursement process similar to medical insurance.

Growth of HSAs

Ever since the Health Savings Accounts came into being in January 2004, there has been a phenomenal growth in their numbers. From around 1 million enrollees in March 2005, the number has grown to 6.1 million enrollees in January 2008.14 This represents an increase of 1.6 million since January 2007, 2.9 million since January 2006 and 5.1 million since March 2005. This growth has been visible across all segments. However, the growth in large groups and small groups has been much higher than in the individual category. According to the projections made by the U.S. Treasury Department, the number of HSA policy holders will increase to 14 million by 2010. These 14 million policies will provide cover to 25 to 30 million U.S. citizens.

In the Individual Market, 1.5 million people were covered by HSA/HDHPs purchased as on January 2008. Based on the number of covered lives, 27 percent of newly purchased individual policies (defined as those purchased during the most recent full month or quarter) were enrolled in HSA/HDHP coverage. In the small group market, enrollment stood at 1.8 million as of January 2008. In this group 31 percent of all new enrollments were in the HSA/HDHP category. The large group category had the largest enrollment with 2.8 million enrollees as of January 2008. In this category, six percent of all new enrollments were in the HSA/HDHP category.

Benefits of HSAs

The proponents of HSAs envisage a number of benefits from them. First and foremost it is believed that as they have a high deductible threshold, the insured will be more health conscious. Also they will be more cost conscious. The high deductibles will encourage people to be more careful about their health and health care expenses and will make them shop for bargains and be more vigilant against excesses in the health care industry. This, it is believed, will reduce the growing cost of health care and increase the efficiency of the health care system in the United States. HSA-eligible plans typically provide enrollee decision support tools that include, to some extent, information on the cost of health care services and the quality of health care providers. Experts suggest that reliable information about the cost of particular health care services and the quality of specific health care providers would help enrollees become more actively engaged in making health care purchasing decisions. These tools may be provided by health insurance carriers to all health insurance plan enrollees, but are likely to be more important to enrollees of HSA-eligible plans who have a greater financial incentive to make informed decisions about the quality and costs of health care providers and services.

It is believed that lower premiums associated with HSAs/HDHPs will enable more people to enroll for medical insurance. This will mean that lower income groups who do not have access to medicare will be able to open HSAs. No doubt higher deductibles are associated with HSA eligible HDHPs, but it is estimated that tax savings under HSAs and lower premiums will make them less expensive than other insurance plans. The funds put in the HSA can be rolled over from year to year. There are no use it or lose it rules. This leads to a growth in savings of the account holder. The funds can be accumulated tax free for future medical expenses if the holder so desires. Also the savings in the HSA can be grown through investments.

The nature of such investments is decided by the insured. The earnings on savings in the HSA are also exempt from income tax. The holder can withdraw his savings in the HSA after turning 65 years old without paying any taxes or penalties. The account holder has complete control over his/her account. He/She is the owner of the account right from its inception. A person can withdraw money as and when required without any gatekeeper. Also the owner decides how much to put in his/her account, how much to spend and how much to save for the future. The HSAs are portable in nature. This means that if the holder changes his/her job, becomes unemployed or moves to another location, he/she can still retain the account.

Also if the account holder so desires he can transfer his Health Saving Account from one managing agency to another. Thus portability is an advantage of HSAs. Another advantage is that most HSA plans provide first-dollar coverage for preventive care. This is true of virtually all HSA plans offered by large employers and over 95% of the plans offered by small employers. It was also true of over half (59%) of the plans which were purchased by individuals.

All of the plans offering first-dollar preventive care benefits included annual physicals, immunizations, well-baby and wellchild care, mammograms and Pap tests; 90% included prostate cancer screenings and 80% included colon cancer screenings. Some analysts believe that HSAs are more beneficial for the young and healthy as they do not have to pay frequent out of pocket costs. On the other hand, they have to pay lower premiums for HDHPs which help them meet unforeseen contingencies.

Health Savings Accounts are also advantageous for the employers. The benefits of choosing a health Savings Account over a traditional health insurance plan can directly affect the bottom line of an employer's benefit budget. For instance Health Savings Accounts are dependent on a high deductible insurance policy, which lowers the premiums of the employee's plan. Also all contributions to the Health Savings Account are pre-tax, thus lowering the gross payroll and reducing the amount of taxes the employer must pay.

Criticism of HSAs

The opponents of Health Savings Accounts contend that they would do more harm than good to America's health insurance system. Some consumer organizations, such as Consumers Union, and many medical organizations, such as the American Public Health Association, have rejected HSAs because, in their opinion, they benefit only healthy, younger people and make the health care system more expensive for everyone else. According to Stanford economist Victor Fuchs, "The main effect of putting more of it on the consumer is to reduce the social redistributive element of insurance.

Some others believe that HSAs remove healthy people from the insurance pool and it makes premiums rise for everyone left. HSAs encourage people to look out for themselves more and spread the risk around less. Another concern is that the money people save in HSAs will be inadequate. Some people believe that HSAs do not allow for enough savings to cover costs. Even the person who contributes the maximum and never takes any money out would not be able to cover health care costs in retirement if inflation continues in the health care industry.

Opponents of HSAs, also include distinguished figures like state Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, who called them a "dangerous prescription" that will destabilize the health insurance marketplace and make things even worse for the uninsured. Another criticism is that they benefit the rich more than the poor. Those who earn more will be able to get bigger tax breaks than those who earn less. Critics point out that higher deductibles along with insurance premiums will take away a large share of the earnings of the low income groups. Also lower income groups will not benefit substantially from tax breaks as they are already paying little or no taxes. On the other hand tax breaks on savings in HSAs and on further income from those HSA savings will cost billions of dollars of tax money to the exchequer.

The Treasury Department has estimated HSAs would cost the government $156 billion over a decade. Critics say that this could rise substantially. Several surveys have been conducted regarding the efficacy of the HSAs and some have found that the account holders are not particularly satisfied with the HSA scheme and many are even ignorant about the working of the HSAs. One such survey conducted in 2007 of American employees by the human resources consulting firm Towers Perrin showed satisfaction with account based health plans (ABHPs) was low. People were not happy with them in general compared with people with more traditional health care. Respondants said they were not comfortable with the risk and did not understand how it works.

According to the Commonwealth Fund, early experience with HAS eligible high-deductible health plans reveals low satisfaction, high out of- pocket costs, and cost-related access problems. Another survey conducted with the Employee Benefits Research Institute found that people enrolled in HSA-eligible high-deductible health plans were much less satisfied with many aspects of their health care than adults in more comprehensive plans People in these plans allocate substantial amounts of income to their health care, especially those who have poorer health or lower incomes. The survey also found that adults in high-deductible health plans are far more likely to delay or avoid getting needed care, or to skip medications, because of the cost. Problems are particularly pronounced among those with poorer health or lower incomes.

Political leaders have also been vocal about their criticism of the HSAs. Congressman John Conyers, Jr. issued the following statement criticizing the HSAs "The President's health care plan is not about covering the uninsured, making health insurance affordable, or even driving down the cost of health care. Its real purpose is to make it easier for businesses to dump their health insurance burden onto workers, give tax breaks to the wealthy, and boost the profits of banks and financial brokers. The health care policies concocted at the behest of special interests do nothing to help the average American. In many cases, they can make health care even more inaccessible." In fact a report of the U.S. governments Accountability office, published on April 1, 2008 says that the rate of enrollment in the HSAs is greater for higher income individuals than for lower income ones.

A study titled "Health Savings Accounts and High Deductible Health Plans: Are They an Option for Low-Income Families? By Catherine Hoffman and Jennifer Tolbert which was sponsored by the Kaiser Family Foundation reported the following key findings regarding the HSAs:

a) Premiums for HSA-qualified health plans may be lower than for traditional insurance, but these plans shift more of the financial risk to individuals and families through higher deductibles.

b) Premiums and out-of-pocket costs for HSA-qualified health plans would consume a substantial portion of a low-income family's budget.

c) Most low-income individuals and families do not face high enough tax liability to benefit in a significant way from tax deductions associated with HSAs.

d) People with chronic conditions, disabilities, and others with high cost medical needs may face even greater out-of-pocket costs under HSA-qualified health plans.

e) Cost-sharing reduces the use of health care, especially primary and preventive services, and low-income individuals and those who are sicker are particularly sensitive to cost-sharing increases.

f) Health savings accounts and high deductible plans are unlikely to substantially increase health insurance coverage among the uninsured.

Choosing a Health Plan

Despite the advantages offered by the HSA, it may not be suitable for everyone. While choosing an insurance plan, an individual must consider the following factors:

1. The premiums to be paid.

2. Coverage/benefits available under the scheme.

3. Various exclusions and limitations.

4. Portability.

5. Out-of-pocket costs like coinsurance, co-pays, and deductibles.

6. Access to doctors, hospitals, and other providers.

7. How much and sometimes how one pays for care.

8. Any existing health issue or physical disability.

9. Type of tax savings available.

The plan you choose should according to your requirements and financial ability.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1 Questions and Answers about Health Insurance- A Consumer Guide' published jointly by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)and America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP)

2 http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_savings_account

3 2002 AHIP Survey of Health Insurance Plans

4 "How High Is Too High? Implications of High-Deductible Health Plans" Davis, Karen; Michelle Doty and Alice Ho. The Commonwealth Fund, April 2005

5 http://www.fdhc.state.fl.us/schs/pdf/hsa_tri-fold_brochure.pdf

6 HSA/HDHP CENSUS 2008 by Hannah Yoo, Center for Policy and Research, America's Health Insurance Plans

7"HEALTH SAVINGS ACCOUNTS Early Enrollee Experiences with Accounts and Eligible Health Plans" John E. Dicken Director, Health Care.

8 Thomas Wilder and Hannah Yoo, "A Survey of Preventive Benefits in Health Savings Account (HSA)Plans, July 2007," America's Health Insurance Plans, November 2007

9 Gladwell, Malcolm, "The Moral Hazard Myth", The New Yorker (29-08-2005)

10 2008 Benchmark Survey HAS Bank

11. Employer Health Benefits 2007 Annual Survey, Kaiser Family Foundation

12. Health Savings Accounts and High Deductible Health Plans: Are They An Option for Low-Income Families?Catherine Hoffman and Jennifer Tolbert for Kaiser Family Foundation, October 2006

13. Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003

I am an ardent reader who also loves to write as well. I am an MBA with specialization in finance.

Health Insurance Fraud: What You Should Know

2012-01-04T13:34:00.000-08:00

Health insurance fraud represents one of America's largest taxpayer rip-offs ever, costing Americans literally billions of dollars every year.

Due to rampant deception, scams and abuse in the health care system, consumers are forced to pay the price--literally--through escalating medical costs and rising health insurance premiums.

And government programs like Medicare and Medicaid, designed to help the low-income and elderly, represent two of the biggest losers of all.

Health Insurance Scams

According to the Insurance Information Institute, health providers and facilities such as doctors, hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic labs and attorneys routinely attempt to defraud the health insurance system...with devastating results.

How do they do it? In a number of ways, including:

Billing health insurance companies for expensive treatments, tests or equipment patients never had or never received
Double- or triple-billing health insurers for the same treatments
Giving health care recipients unnecessary, dangerous, or life-threatening treatments
Selling low-cost health insurance coverage from fake insurance companies
Stealing medical information and using it to bill health insurance companies for phantom treatments

If health insurance fraud knocks on your door, these types of scams may leave you with medical debts, damaged credit ratings, falsified health records, a high level of stress and overpriced health insurance premiums...or the inability to get any health insurance at all.

So what can you do about it?

Report it; then fight back!

What to Watch For

The first step to fighting health insurance fraud is keeping your eyes and ears open for abuse.

Be especially watchful for providers who:

Charge your health insurance company for services you never received or medical procedures you don't need
Give you prescriptions for controlled substances for no justified medical reason
Bill your health insurance company for brand-name drugs when you actually get generics
Misrepresent cosmetic or other health care procedures not usually covered by health insurance plans as covered

If you notice a health care provider doing any of these things, keep all supporting paperwork handy for reference, and then contact your health insurance company to let them know.

Then, if you're a Medicare or Medicaid recipient, call the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services and report the abuse.

Finally, contact your state department of insurance or the local police.

Fighting Health Insurance Fraud

To keep yourself from falling victim to health insurance fraud, take the following steps to fight back:

* Check with your state insurance department to make sure your health insurance company is licensed in your state.

* Check out your health insurance company for consumer complaints, fraud convictions and bankruptcies through your state department of insurance.

* Keep detailed medical records.

* Carefully review your billing statements.

* Never sign blank insurance claim forms.

* Avoid salespeople offering free health services or advice.

* Protect your medical records and information.

* Make sure you know what your health insurance policy covers--and what it doesn't.

* Never pay your health insurance premiums in cash.

* Be wary if you're asked to pay a full year's premium up front.

* Be on guard against medical providers claiming to be connected with federal programs or the government.

* Beware of health insurance companies offering you coverage at an unreasonably low price.

* Ask your health insurance provider about anything you don't understand regarding your bills.

Making a Difference

Protect your right to health insurance, lower your premiums and keep your medical information safe. All it takes is a little education, a watchful eye, and the willingness to make a difference!

About InsureMe Penny Hagerman is a copywriter and insurance information expert with InsureMe in Englewood, Colorado. InsureMe links agents nationwide with consumers shopping for insurance quotes. Specializing in auto, home, life, long-term care and health insurance quotes, the InsureMe network provides thousands of agents with insurance leads every year. For more information, visit InsureMe.com.

Florida Self Employed Health Insurance

2012-01-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

Florida residents that are self employed and looking for health insurance have a number of options available to them. Be aware that depending upon your health, your age, and other factors unique to your particular situation there is no hard and fast rule as to which option is best for you. However, there are some general guidelines that will help you make the best Florida self employed health insurance decision.

The first Florida health insurance option available to the self employed is to simply apply for an individual health insurance policy. The benefit to applying for an individual health insurance policy is that individual health insurance rates in Florida are very competitive.

The downside to attempting to purchase an individual health insurance policy in the state of Florida is that you must be healthy. According to FL law, a health insurance company can decline your application for an individual health insurance policy based on prior medical history (pre-existing conditions), height and weight restrictions, and other health related criteria.

That means if you have cancer, diabetes, weight problems, or a host of other physical ailments then you will be denied coverage with a Florida individual health insurance policy. (Any unscrupulous agent that tries to tell you other wise is misrepresenting whatever product he or she is trying to sell you as health insurance when in fact it is probably a discount health plan or a health insurance indemnity plan with very limited coverage).

The second Florida health insurance option available to the self employed is to apply for a Florida group health insurance plan. In Florida, any group of 2 employer/employees or more is considered eligible for a Florida small group health insurance. (If it is just you: 1 self employed person functioning as a sole proprietor in the state of Florida then you have a different option open to you - see option 3 below). The benefit to applying for a Florida small group health insurance policy is that that certain health issues that can signal an automatic decline on the individual health insurance side will not signal an automatic decline on the group health insurance side.

The downside to attempting to purchase a group health insurance policy in the state of Florida is that it can be very expensive. Think of it in terms of: the more potentially unhealthy people that the insurance company has to give health insurance to (group health insurance) the higher the premiums will be as opposed to where the insurance company can pick and choose who they will accept for health insurance (individual health insurance).

The third Florida health insurance option available to the self employed is for those that are functioning as a sole proprietor. Florida self employed sole proprietors can apply for a Florida guaranteed issue small group health plan. The Florida guaranteed issue small group health plans has an open enrollment period only during the month of August.

Florida self employed health insurance can be a somewhat tricky area to navigate without the help of a licensed independent Florida health insurance agent. There are also many different ways to save money in taxes - one of which being the ability to deduct your health insurance premiums paid on Schedule C of your tax return against and up to your Schedule C income (Meaning that even if you don't itemize [Schedule A] you can still deduct your health insurance premiums paid all the way up to your Schedule C income!).

Get free health insurance quotes by comparing all of the top health insurance plans in your zip code - in less time than it takes to brush your teeth!

Comparison shop multiple insurance companies instantly and in real time by viewing free Florida health insurance quotes: Aetna, Humana, United Healthcare and more.

Request help from the Florida self employed health insurance experts (CPA, Certified Financial Planner, and licensed Florida independent insurance agents) by visiting Real time Health Quotes.

Colorado Health Insurance: Helpful Information

2012-01-04T07:10:00.000-08:00

The Colorado health insurance marketplace can be difficult to navigate. If you're looking for health insurance on your own, you may be wondering, "Where can I find the right health plan for me? Where can I turn if I am denied health coverage? What are my rights as a consumer in Colorado?"

To help answer those questions, we have researched and compiled important information regarding Colorado health insurance. By taking the following tips into consideration, you'll be able make a more educated health insurance purchase.

Things to Remember When Shopping for Health Insurance

Colorado health insurance consumers should follow the following recommendations when purchasing health insurance:

Read the insurance policy and contact the insurance company or insurance agent if you have any questions.
Make sure you review the section of your health insurance policy entitled "exclusions and limitations."
Find out how rates will increase as you age, and how often an insurance company can increase rates.
If you are looking for a managed-care plan, check the provider's directory to make sure there are suitable doctors, hospitals and other health care providers available.
Find out if there are any "health plan report cards" available that assess consumer satisfaction/quality of care with various health insurance plans.
Call the insurer's customer service number to see how quickly you are able to get help.
If you have special needs or preexisting conditions, make sure you contact a doctor or support organization for health insurance recommendations.

Colorado Health Insurance Subscriber's Rights

Colorado health insurance consumers have certain rights through Colorado state law. Regardless of the type of health insurance coverage you hold, you have a right to:

Insurance coverage for certain mandated benefits
Know what your health insurance plan does and does not cover
Contact your insurer to complain or appeal any decisions with which you disagree
Receive a standard form outlining health insurance benefits for comparison between companies and health plans
A written explanation of why an insurance company denies your health insurance application, or excludes a health condition from insurance coverage
Coverage of emergency room care, if you believe you are facing a life- or limb-threatening injury (even if it turns out you were not)
Prompt payment of claims

What to Do If You Are Denied Health Insurance Coverage

If you have been denied health insurance coverage in the state of Colorado due to preexisting medical conditions, you may qualify for the Colorado Uninsurable Health Insurance Plan (CUHIP). CUHIP gives uninsurable Colorado residents the ability to be insured through the state-subsidized CUHIP program. However, due to the higher risk levels of CUHIP patients, CUHIP subscribers pay about 30 percent more for health insurance than most healthy people. If you are uninsurable due to a preexisting health condition, you may contact the CUHIP administrator at 1-800-672-8477 for more information.

Remember to Shop Around

Health insurance plans can vary widely in both price and coverage. Make sure you take the time to shop around, ask questions and learn as much as you can about potential health insurance policies.

About InsureMe

If you?d like to compare multiple Colorado health insurance quotes, try InsureMe.com?s free referral service?you?ll receive up to five free insurance quotes from insurance agents who compete for your business.

James Omdahl is and employee of InsureMe, an Englewood, Colorado-based company, that links agents nationwide with consumers shopping for insurance. Specializing in auto, home, life, long-term care and health insurance quotes, the InsureMe network provides thousands of agents with insurance leads every year.

Health Insurance Basics - Common Definitions and Tips For First Time Buyers

2012-01-04T03:01:00.000-08:00

Choosing a health insurance plan that is right for your family can be a bit daunting...but it doesn't have to be. Becoming familiar with the different health insurance plans that are available both for individuals and families will help you navigate the health care insurance field and make an better informed decision concerning health insurance. Read on to learn some of the health insurance basics.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST INSURANCE PLAN FOR YOUR NEEDS

First, determine if short term or long term health insurance is what you need. If you are unemployed, yet hope to be hired in a few months with a company that offers group insurance, than perhaps short term health insurance is for you. Also some companies require a new employee to work for three to six months before they are eligible for health benefits. Short term could offer the temporary coverage you need. Next, decide if basic health-care coverage or comprehensive health care coverage will better meet your needs.

BASIC HEALTH CARE COVERAGE

This plans covers inpatient hospitalization and out-patient surgery in case of a major accident or illness. The monthly health premiums are lower and are generally the choice for those who are primarily interested in coverage in case of severe accident or illness.

COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE COVERAGE

This plan covers preventative care, Dr's visits, prescriptions, along with hospitalizations and out-patient surgery. Comprehensive health care coverage has a higher monthly premium, and it generally has a low co-pay at the time of a Dr's appointment. This plan may be the better choice appropriate for those who have reoccurring medical expenses.

AVAILABLE INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILY INSURANCE PLANS

Health care plans usually fall into two categories, indemnity or managed-care plans. They differ in regard to how bills are paid, ability to choose health care providers and out-of pocket expenses. Generally, you'll have a broader choice of health care providers with indemnity health-care plans and less out-of -pocket expenses and less paperwork with a managed-care health insurance plan.

MANAGED CARE PLANS

HMO's (Health Maintenance Organizations), PPO's

(Preferred Provider Organizations), and POS's (Point of Service Plans) are all managed health-care insurance plans.

INDEMNITY PLANS

Under this plan, insurance companies pay their share of the cost for services after they receive a bill. This may mean that you will have to pay your bill for medical care at the time of service and then seek reimbursement from your health insurance company.

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF AN HMO PLAN?

- Lower out of the pocket expenses

- Fewer choices in regard to physicians and hospitals than other health insurance plans

- A PCP (Primary Care Physician) is required and will meet most of your health-care needs

- A referral is needed from your PCP before seeing a specialist

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF A PPO PLAN?

- Health insurance companies offer a network of preferred doctors and hospitals

- These health care providers offer the members services at discounted rates

- Usually an annual individual or family deductible must be paid before the health insurance companies begins to pay out money for medical bills.

WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF A POS?

- Combines features of both the HMO and PPO plans

- Members are usually required to choose a Primary Care Physician (PCP)

- PCP services are not usually subject to a deductible

- Preventative care visits are generally covered

HEALTH INSURANCE TERMS

As with any genre, health care insurance is filled with jargon exclusive to its field. The following is a list of terms and their meanings that will hopefully give you good grasp of health insurance terms.

COINSURANCE

The percentage of medical costs you have to paying after meeting the deductible amount that is attached to your plan.

CO-PAYMENT

This occurs under an HMO plan and requires a specified dollar amount be paid to the health insurance provider on each visit.

COVERED BENEFITS

A covered benefit must always be a medical necessity. The determination of whether something is a medical necessity or not is made by the health insurance company.

DEDUCTIBLE

The amount you must pay in medical expenses before your insurance company will begin to cover your medical bills.

DEPENDENT

A dependent is someone other than yourself who is covered under your health insurance plan. This could include a spouse, child, unmarried partner. For children there are age limits at which they are no longer covered under a parent's health policy.

DISABILITY

In the event that you are unable to work for an extended period of time due to an injury or a medical condition, disability insurance provides funds to cover your living expenses in a specified amount.

GATEKEEPER

Another title for your Primary Care Provider (PCP)

GROUP INSURANCE

Employers often offer group insurance plans. Under group insurance an employee can generally obtain a much more affordable plan.

IN NETWORK/OUT OF NETWORK

In network refers to those physicians who have been contracted under a health care plan to provide services to their members. Staying in network allows lower charges and a smaller percentage of out of pocket expenses. Conversely, going out of network generally means charges are higher and you will have to pay a greater percentage of out of pocket expenses.

GRACE PERIOD

This is a specified period past the due date of a premium during which coverage may not be canceled. This prevents health insurance companies from canceling your policy if payment should arrive a few days late.

OPEN-ENROLLMENT PERIOD

Generally, this is a once-a-year period of time that allows you to make changes to your existing health insurance coverage. (A change in marriage status or the birth of a child also allows you to modify your health insurance plan.

PRE-CERTIFICATION(Pre-authorization)

Before surgery or hospitalization, the insurance company must be contacted to get approval for a medical service to take place. Failure to do so typically means the insurance company will NOT pay for the service. This does not apply in an emergency situation, although the insurance company should be contacted as soon as possible.

PRE-EXISTING CONDITION

A medical condition that existed before an insurance policy became effective. Most insurance companies require a three month to one year waiting period before a pre-existing condition can be covered under their plan.

PREMIUMS

Monthly payments for insurance coverage. Monthly payments can easily reach $100 for singles and two to three times that amount for a family.

REFERRAL

A written form from your Primary Care Provider to another Dr. (usually a specialist) giving consent for you to go to them for medical services.

SECOND SURGERY OPINION

On occasion an insurance company will ask you to be seen by a second Dr. to determine if the recommended procedure is necessary or if an alternate method could accomplish the same result.

URC (Usual, reasonable, and customary)

URC refers to the dollar amount an insurer will usually pay for a service or procedure based on what is customary for the area in which you live. An insurance company will not pay $800 for a procedure that costs only $300.

HEALTH INSURANCE QUOTES

Be sure that you shop around to find the best health insurance plan. Compare quotes from at least 3-5 different insurance companies before you decide to purchase.

Get started comparing health insurance quotes today!

Online Health Insurance Leads

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-08:00

Health insurance lead generation systems provide a stead stream of potential clients for health insurance brokers. Health insurance leads are considered to be people who may need health coverage to supplement the health coverage provided by their employer. A health insurance lead can also be someone who is self-employed and needs to obtain coverage for themselves or their entire family. Health insurance brokers rely on health insurance leads systems to supply them with enough potential clients to keep their business going. There are a large number of people who either need additional coverage or are in business for themselves and need an individual or family health insurance plan.

Health insurance lead services are available at a reasonable cost to health insurance brokers. Typically, health insurance leads companies will charge an annual or monthly fee for the leads and account maintenance. When considering a health insurance lead system, it is best to look for one that offers an unlimited amount of leads for one low monthly fee. Some companies that provide health insurance leads charge a per-lead fee. Make sure the leads are guaranteed for you money back or at least a guarantee that the company will replace them free of additional charges.

The way it works is through referral systems. The qualified health insurance lead fills out a form on the health insurance leads provider's website. Upon receipt of the form, the lead service emails the health insurance agent the information submitted by the health insurance lead. The health insurance agent then contacts the health insurance lead via email or phone and provides them with a quote on the type of health insurance coverage they are looking for. In order to obtain the most qualified health insurance leads, health insurance brokers can give the leads service company specific information about the types of coverage offered.

Many health insurance lead generation systems come with automated email follow-ups. It is important for the insurance agent to contact the health insurance leads as soon as possible. Some of the health insurance leads are provided to more than one insurance agent. With the cost of health care constantly rising, the health insurance industry is very competitive and timing could make the difference between success and failure. With a consistent health insurance lead generation system and quick follow-ups, a steady stream of high quality leads will continue to come in. This could give you a huge advantage over the competition.

For more information, visit:
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Small Business Health Insurance - The Best Policy Is A Great Agent

2012-01-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

I have been a health insurance broker for over a decade and every day I read more and more "horror" stories that are posted on the Internet regarding health insurance companies not paying claims, refusing to cover specific illnesses and physicians not getting reimbursed for medical services. Unfortunately, insurance companies are driven by profits, not people (albeit they need people to make profits). If the insurance company can find a legal reason not to pay a claim, chances are they will find it, and you the consumer will suffer. However, what most people fail to realize is that there are very few "loopholes" in an insurance policy that give the insurance company an unfair advantage over the consumer. In fact, insurance companies go to great lengths to detail the limitations of their coverage by giving the policy holders 10-days (a 10-day free look period) to review their policy. Unfortunately, most people put their insurance cards in their wallet and place their policy in a drawer or filing cabinet during their 10-day free look and it usually isn't until they receive a "denial" letter from the insurance company that they take their policy out to really read through it.

The majority of people, who buy their own health insurance, rely heavily on the insurance agent selling the policy to explain the plan's coverage and benefits. This being the case, many individuals who purchase their own health insurance plan can tell you very little about their plan, other than, what they pay in premiums and how much they have to pay to satisfy their deductible.

For many consumers, purchasing a health insurance policy on their own can be an enormous undertaking. Purchasing a health insurance policy is not like buying a car, in that, the buyer knows that the engine and transmission are standard, and that power windows are optional. A health insurance plan is much more ambiguous, and it is often very difficult for the consumer to determine what type of coverage is standard and what other benefits are optional. In my opinion, this is the primary reason that most policy holders don't realize that they do not have coverage for a specific medical treatment until they receive a large bill from the hospital stating that "benefits were denied."

Sure, we all complain about insurance companies, but we do know that they serve a "necessary evil." And, even though purchasing health insurance may be a frustrating, daunting and time consuming task, there are certain things that you can do as a consumer to ensure that you are purchasing the type of health insurance coverage you really need at a fair price.

Dealing with small business owners and the self-employed market, I have come to the realization that it is extremely difficult for people to distinguish between the type of health insurance coverage that they "want" and the benefits they really "need." Recently, I have read various comments on different Blogs advocating health plans that offer 100% coverage (no deductible and no-coinsurance) and, although I agree that those types of plans have a great "curb appeal," I can tell you from personal experience that these plans are not for everyone. Do 100% health plans offer the policy holder greater peace of mind? Probably. But is a 100% health insurance plan something that most consumers really need? Probably not! In my professional opinion, when you purchase a health insurance plan, you must achieve a balance between four important variables; wants, needs, risk and price. Just like you would do if you were purchasing 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, do you really need a 100% plan with a $5 co-payment for prescription drugs if it costs you $300 dollars more a month?

Is it worth $200 more a month to have a $250 deductible and a $20 brand name/$10 generic Rx co-pay versus an 80/20 plan with a $2,500 deductible that also offers a $20 brand name/$10generic co-pay after you pay a once a year $100 Rx deductible? Wouldn't the 80/20 plan still offer you adequate coverage? Don't you think it would be better to put that extra $200 ($2,400 per year) in your bank account, just in case you may have to pay your $2,500 deductible or buy a $12 Amoxicillin prescription? Isn't it wiser to keep your hard-earned money rather than pay higher premiums to an insurance company?

Yes, there are many ways you can keep more of the money that you would normally give to an insurance company in the form of higher monthly premiums. For example, the federal government encourages consumers to purchase H.S.A. (Health Savings Account) qualified H.D.H.P.'s (High Deductible Health Plans) so they have more control over how their health care dollars are spent. Consumers who purchase an HSA Qualified H.D.H.P. can put extra money aside each year in an interest bearing account so they can use that money to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses. Even procedures that are not normally covered by insurance companies, like Lasik eye surgery, orthodontics, and alternative medicines become 100% tax deductible. If there are no claims that year the money that was deposited into the tax deferred H.S.A can be rolled over to the next year earning an even higher rate of interest. If there are no significant claims for several years (as is often the case) the insured ends up building a sizeable account that enjoys similar tax benefits as a traditional I.R.A. Most H.S.A. administrators now offer thousands of no load mutual funds to transfer your H.S.A. funds into so you can potentially earn an even higher rate of interest.

In my experience, I believe that individuals who purchase their health plan based on wants rather than needs feel the most defrauded or "ripped-off" by their insurance company and/or insurance agent. In fact, I hear almost identical comments from almost every business owner that I speak to. Comments, such as, "I have to run my business, I don't have time to be sick! "I think I have gone to the doctor 2 times in the last 5 years" and "My insurance company keeps raising my rates and I don't even use my insurance!" As a business owner myself, I can understand their frustration. So, is there a simple formula that everyone can follow to make health insurance buying easier? Yes! Become an INFORMED consumer.

Every time I contact a prospective client or call one of my client referrals, I ask a handful of specific questions that directly relate to the policy that particular individual currently has in their filing cabinet or dresser drawer. You know the policy that they bought to protect them from having to file bankruptcy due to medical debt. That policy they purchased to cover that $500,000 life-saving organ transplant or those 40 chemotherapy treatments that they may have to undergo if they are 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 policy? They do not know the answers! The following is a list of 10 questions that I frequently ask a prospective health insurance client. Let's see how many YOU can answer without looking at your policy.

1. What Insurance Company are you insured with and what is the name of your health insurance plan? (e.g. Blue Cross Blue Shield-"Basic Blue")

2. What is your calendar year deductible and would you have to pay a separate deductible for each family member if everyone in your family became ill at the same time? (e.g. The majority of health plans have a per person yearly deductible, for example, $250, $500, $1,000, or $2,500. However, some plans will only require you to pay a 2 person maximum deductible each year, even if everyone in your family needed extensive medical care.)

3. What is your coinsurance percentage and what dollar amount (stop loss) it is based on? (e.g. A good plan with 80/20 coverage means you pay 20% of some dollar amount. This dollar amount is also known as a stop loss and can vary based on the type of policy you purchase. Stop losses can be as little as $5,000 or $10,000 or as much as $20,000 or there are some policies on the market that have NO stop loss dollar amount.)

4. What is your maximum out of pocket expense per year? (e.g. All deductibles plus all coinsurance percentages plus all applicable access fees or other fees)

5. What is the Lifetime maximum benefit the insurance company will pay if you become seriously ill and does your plan have any "per illness" maximums or caps? (e.g. Some plans may have a $5 million lifetime maximum, but may have a maximum benefit cap of $100,000 per illness. This means that you would have to develop many separate and unrelated life-threatening illnesses costing $100,000 or less to qualify for $5 million of lifetime coverage.)

6. Is your plan a schedule plan, in that it only pays a certain amount for a specific list of procedures? (e.g., Mega Life & Health & Midwest National Life, endorsed by the National Association of the Self-Employed, N.A.S.E. is known for endorsing schedule plans) 7. Does your plan have doctor co-pays and are you limited to a certain number of doctor co-pay visits per year? (e.g. Many plans have a limit of how many times you go to the doctor per year for a co-pay and, quite often the limit is 2-4 visits.)

8. Does your plan offer prescription drug coverage and if it does, do you pay a co-pay for your prescriptions or do you have to meet a separate drug deductible before you receive any benefits and/or do you just have a discount prescription card only? (e.g. Some plans offer you prescription benefits right away, other plans require that you pay a separate drug deductible before you can receive prescription medication for a co-pay. Today, many plans offer no co-pay options and only provide you with a discount prescription card that gives you a 10-20% discount on all prescription medications).

9. Does your plan have any reduction in benefits for organ transplants and if so, what is the maximum your plan will pay if you need an organ transplant? (e.g. Some plans only pay a $100,000 maximum benefit for organ transplants for a procedure that actually costs $350-$500K and this $100,000 maximum may also include reimbursement for expensive anti-rejection medications that must be taken after a transplant. If this is the case, you will often have to pay for all anti-rejection medications out of pocket).

10. Do you have to pay a separate deductible or "access fee" for each hospital admission or for each emergency room visit? (e.g. Some plans, like the Assurant Health's "CoreMed" plan have a separate $750 hospital admission fee that you pay for the first 3 days you are in the hospital. This fee is in addition to your plan deductible. Also, many plans have benefit "caps" or "access fees" for out-patient services, such as, physical therapy, speech therapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, etc. Benefit "caps" could be as little as $500 for each out-patient treatment, leaving you a bill for the remaining balance. Access fees are additional fees that you pay per treatment. For example, for each outpatient chemotherapy treatment, you may be required to pay a $250 "access fee" per treatment. So for 40 chemotherapy treatments, you would have to pay 40 x $250 = $10,000. Again, these fees would be charged in addition to your plan deductible).

Now that you've read through the list of questions that I ask a prospective health insurance client, ask yourself how many questions you were able to answer. If you couldn't answer all ten questions don't be discouraged. That doesn't mean that you are not a smart consumer. It may just mean that you dealt with a "bad" insurance agent. So how could you tell if you dealt with a "bad" insurance agent? Because a "great" insurance agent would have taken the time to help you really understand your insurance benefits. A "great" agent spends time asking YOU questions so s/he can understand your insurance needs. A "great" agent recommends health plans based on all four variables; wants, needs, risk and price. A "great" agent gives you enough information to weigh all of your options so you can make an informed purchasing decision. And lastly, a "great" agent looks out for YOUR best interest and NOT the best interest of the insurance company.

So how do you know if you have a "great" agent? Easy, if you were able to answer all 10 questions without looking at your health insurance policy, you have a "great" agent. If you were able to answer the majority of questions, you may have a "good" agent. However, if you were only able to answer a few questions, chances are you have a "bad" agent. Insurance agents are no different than any other professional. There are some insurance agents that really care about the clients they work with, and there are other agents that avoid answering questions and duck client phone calls when a message is left about unpaid claims or skyrocketing health insurance rates.

Remember, your health insurance purchase is just as important as purchasing a house or a car, if not more important. So don't be afraid to ask your insurance agent a lot of questions to make sure that you understand what your health plan does and does not cover. If you don't feel comfortable with the type of coverage that your agent suggests or if you think the price is too high, ask your agent if s/he can select a comparable plan so you can make a side by side comparison before you purchase. And, most importantly, read all of the "fine print" in your health plan brochure and when you receive your policy, take the time to read through your policy during your 10-day free look period.

If you can't understand something, or aren't quite sure what the asterisk (*) next to the benefit description really means in terms of your coverage, call your agent or contact the insurance company to ask for further clarification.

Furthermore, take the time to perform your own due diligence. For example, if you research MEGA Life and Health or the Midwest National Life insurance company, endorsed by the National Association for the Self Employed (NASE), you will find that there have been 14 class action lawsuits brought against these companies since 1995. So ask yourself, "Is this a company that I would trust to pay my health insurance claims?

Additionally, find out if your agent is a "captive" agent or an insurance "broker." "Captive" agents can only offer ONE insurance company's products." Independent" agents or insurance "brokers" can offer you a variety of different insurance plans from many different insurance companies. A "captive" agent may recommend a health plan that doesn't exactly meet your needs because that is the only plan s/he can sell. An "independent" agent or insurance "broker" can usually offer you a variety of different insurance products from many quality carriers and can often customize a plan to meet your specific insurance needs and budget.

Over the years, I have developed strong, trusting relationships with my clients because of my insurance expertise and the level of personal service that I provide. This is one of the primary reasons that I do not recommend buying health insurance on the Internet. In my opinion, there are too many variables that Internet insurance buyers do not often take into consideration. I am a firm believer that a health insurance purchase requires the level of expertise and personal attention that only an insurance professional can provide. And, since it does not cost a penny more to purchase your health insurance through an agent or broker, my advice would be to use Ebay and Amazon for your less important purchases and to use a knowledgeable, ethical and reputable independent agent or broker for one of the most important purchases you will ever make....your health insurance policy.

Lastly, if you have any concerns about an insurance company, contact your state's Department of Insurance BEFORE you buy your policy. Your state's Department of Insurance can tell you if the insurance company is registered in your state and can also tell you if there have been any complaints against that company that have been filed by policy holders. If you suspect that your agent is trying to sell you a fraudulent insurance policy, (e.g. you have to become a member of a union to qualify for coverage) or isn't being honest with you, your state's Department of Insurance can also check to see if your agent is licensed and whether or not there has ever been any disciplinary action previously taken against that agent.

In closing, I hope I have given you enough information so you can become an INFORMED insurance consumer. However, I remain convinced that the following words of wisdom still go along way: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" and "If you only buy on price, you get what you pay for!"

Mr. Tucker's blog can be read at http://www.smallbusinessinsuranceservices.vox.com

If you have general questions regarding health insurance, or you are in the market to purchase a health insurance plan, you can contact Mr. Tucker through his web site at http://www.smallbusinessinsuranceservices.com,

via Email at smallbusinssvcs@aol.com or by plone, toll-free at 1-866-SBIS123 (724-7123)

Health Insurance Money Saving Strategies - How Combining Health Insurance Saves Money

2012-01-03T14:39:00.000-08:00

How does anyone get the best value with health insurance? Answer: Combine Health Insurance Plans. To explore the principles at work, many people should understand how combining health insurance is a sound solution to a serious problem. It may appear obvious that combining insurance improves coverage, but few people truly understand how combining plans leads to thousands of dollars in potential savings over time. With so many health insurance plans available and over 1 million insurance agents actively licensed today, it leads one to question why no one knows how combining plans saves money.

Today, too many people are learning the hard way that they are under-insured when it comes to health insurance. This happens because competitive health insurance agents bid lower and lower amounts in an inflated market, leading to more gaps in coverage that less experienced agents often fail to comprehend well enough to explain. There is a simple truth to understand about the rising costs of health care.

Health Care Costs Will Continue to Rise When No Regulation is in Place

Hospitalvictims.org conducted research on hospital charges nationwide. These charges were compared to those of Johns Hopkins Hospitals, one of the most respected health care institutions in the nation. What were the results?

The vast majority of hospital charges average between 300% and 400% above the institutions' costs for treatment. Johns Hopkins Hospital's average charges are 117% above its costs. For every $1 charged, Johns Hopkins pays $0.85, or earns a profit of $0.25 for every dollar charged.

The average U.S. hospital pays $0.27 for every dollar it charges. The average hospital is paying $25 Million in costs while charging $95 Million to patients. The average profit margin is around $70 Million annually. The greatest of these charges are credited to surgical supplies and the administration of anesthesia.

In an ever-inflating health care industry, a solution does exist. While politicians continue making promises to solve the health care crisis, individuals and families continue to expect more than the insurance market can bear. But many self-employed individuals and families can find comfort in knowing they can do something to secure assets by simply doing the legwork and becoming informed about health insurance.

The solution is based on a very simple principle of insurance. Insurance is an Agreement to Share the Financial Risk of Loss Between Individuals and Companies

This basic concept is more important for individuals to understand now than ever. Health insurance companies, like individuals, cannot afford the rising costs of health care on their own today. Many health insurance companies have developed their focus to specific areas where they can offer more competitive coverage at very affordable prices. This is where people can save significant amounts of money by adjusting to this trend. It is no longer the case that a single health plan can offer full, comprehensive coverage at a competitive price because health care costs are out of control.

Today it takes multiple health plans from multiple health insurance companies to have the best coverage at the lowest price. This follows the trends associated with investing in the economy. One creates greater risk for their financial performance in the market by investing all funds in one stock or trade. The safest, most secure investment is a diversified portfolio. Health insurance is no different today.

Why You Do Not Know

Is it surprising to learn that many insurance professionals have no idea how to give individuals and families the best coverage and the greatest savings on health insurance? The majority of health insurance agents today are captive to one company. This means that most insurance agents are only trained to present the products of the health insurance company they represent.

Independent agents are less restricted to one plan, but a large number of these professionals still have limited access to the competitive plans available to individuals and families. While this explanation is complicated, the simple answer is that most agencies earn the majority of their profits from the volume of product sales per company, not the volume of sales overall. Some general agency contracts offer higher incentives to the agency, which can influence what products agencies offer.

So, it comes down to the individual shopping for health insurance to find the policies that create the greatest coverage and savings.

A Well-Structured Health Insurance Portfolio is the Key to Having the Best Coverage for the Lowest Price

Combining health insurance plans is the best way to improve coverage save money on health insurance long term. Health Insurance Money Saving Strategies is a 10-week campaign to spread the word to self-employed individuals and their families looking for private health insurance. A well-structured Health Insurance Portfolio is the best way for people to protect their assets and be comfortable knowing their insurance adequately protects them from the worst medical situations. The benefit is knowing that this type of approach to health insurance saves people money.

Understanding the importance of combining health plans is essential to being a responsible business owner, and more free information is available at [http://www.edgeoninsurance.com] Find protection from the rising costs of health care that lead to financial ruin. Take action now and begin building that portfolio today.

Shaun Salem is a licensed insurance agent and contributing staff member to [http://www.edgeoninsurance.com] providing free information about health insurance for individuals, families, and the self-employed. Here you can learn about the different types of health insurance plans available, from major medical and HMO plans to surgical expense and supplemental health insurance.

Find out how to combine private health plans to improve coverage and save money every month on health insurance! Edgeoninsurance.com has the latest secrets and strategies for making private health insurance affordable!

Group Health Insurance Plan For Your Business

2012-01-03T11:27:00.000-08:00

What is the cover offered on group health Insurance policy?

Group health Insurance plans can be defined as an insurance coverage through an employer or other entity that covers all individuals in the group.

Group health insurance is something that everyone wishes they had since groups get better rates than individuals when it comes to health care (insurance in general). Many people who are self employed or want the best rates incorporate to give the insurance company the look of a larger corporation and they try to obtain cheaper health insurance rates. Group insurance is discounted when compared to individual health insurance so getting on a group plan is a plus. Keep in mind that group insurance is just part of the equation. Deductibles, co pays, and other variables go into the rate you get, so individual health insurance or family health insurance may be just as affordable in the long run.

A group health Insurance policy is an Insurance cover which is arranged by an employer for his employees. This type of Insurance cover enables the employer to pay only part of the premium for the Insurance policy covering his employees.

Essentially Group health Insurance plan is an Insurance policy applied for by the employer to cover his employee's medical expenses. Formerly an employer was expected to 100% employee benefits but now an employer only has to contribute just a part of the employee's insurance premium.

With the new law passed by Congress, the employee's net expenses for the group health insurance policy have been greatly reduced.

How can businesses benefit from this policy?

It is a well known truth that group health insurance plans are greatly valued by employees, most employees even place group health insurance policy second after monetary compensation. Organizations who have in place such policies have confirmed that group health insurance policies have enabled them employ and retain the best hands in their business. Employers are not left out from enjoying the benefits of group health insurance plans; most employers have not yet purchased health for themselves. They stand to get a better and cheaper insurance plan if they purchase Insurance via a company than if they were to purchase an individual health insurance policy.

A group medical insurance policy offers an additional special bonanza in the form of tax incentives for the employer and employees. For instance, as an employer you stand in a position to reduce your payroll taxes, but providing your employees with group health Insurance as part of a whole payment compensation package, thereby deducting 100% of the premium that you would have had to pay on a qualifying group health insurance plan. Also your employees would be able to pay their part of their monthly premium using pre-tax funds.

Although an employer is required to pay some percentage of an employee's individual premium, which ranges from 25% to 50%, depending on the state's laws and the insurance company. Also, if the employee wants to extend coverage to a spouse or dependant, the employer may choose to pay a percentage of that cost, but is not required to do so. Without ant question group health insurance is the most affordable health insurance available today, so if as an employee you're given that option, you should really consider it, Often, spouses and children can be included under such a plan.

What are the factors you need to watch for a good group health insurance policy?

Employers may choose to offer free-service insurance plans, preferred service supplier or a health maintenance plan. Available on the Internet are group health insurance instant quotes, most health insurance organizations also provide group health insurance quotes via their network of agents in addition of making it available for visitors to their offices.

One of the factors an organization need to watch out for in a group health insurance policy is the bottom line. It is no more or less than simply this: group health insurance is less expensive than a couple of individual policies. This is the truth. But, it still is not cheap, in fact no health care program in America is.

Employers may use the guidelines below to select a health insurance plan that meets your needs:

Study the websites and brochures of the health insurance companies you have short listed to engage.
Make a comparison of their services, costs and what they pay.
Find out if there are services or illnesses that are excluded from the policy.
Take notes of the starting and ending dates of the insurance policy.
Check to confirm when the cover starts as some health insurance companies only cover you from your third payment.
Stay away from policies that limit your choice as to whether you can choose a period to stay with them.
And finally stay away from any group health insurance policy that only covers limited diseases.

Employers are encouraged to choose Group health insurance plans that suits their needs, whether it is the preferred service supplier, traditional insurance cover or the health maintenance plan.

Kingsley Duru has an BSc (Banking & finance). Insuranceavenue.info offers our visitors the best of Insurance articles, review and endeavors to find the best possible deals for our customers. To find travel insurance [http://www.insuranceavenue.info], long term care insurance, business insurance visit Insurance Avenue [http://www.insuranceavenue.info].

Need Health Insurance Coverage? Learn how to Choose your Health Insurance with Confidence and Ease

2012-01-03T07:23:00.000-08:00

Four Steps to Help You Get the Most from Your Health insurance Coverage Finding, buying, and understanding health insurance coverage options aren't always easy tasks. Here are some easy tips to follow on how to start your journey through all of the online healthcare madness.

Step One - Make a list of your current health conditions, medications, and any other current health related issues. You'll also want to make a note of your primary concerns and questions about choosing adequate health insurance.

Step Two - Get information from several health insurance providers. Not all health care plans are the same. It's well worth the time and effort to review more than once health insurance policy. It can save you time, money, and improve the quality of your healthcare in the future.

Some of the big names in Health insurance may be a great place to start your comparisons such as: Golden Rule Insurance, Celtic Insurance, American Medical Security Insurance, Time Insurance, UNICARE Insurance, Humana Insurance and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Insurance just to name a few.

Those of you looking for Michigan Medicaid and Medicare help must first meet the requirements for qualifications. Each county may have different requirements such as income and more. Check with your local health department for more information.

Step Three - Review each health insurance plan making notes of benefits provided for these basic coverage sections: physical exams, specialists' care, hospitalization, prescription drugs, dental care, vision care, emergency care Ob-Gyn care, preventative care, and alternative care coverage. Remember to evaluate using the notes you made in step one.

Pay careful attention to co-pays, spending limits, and deductible amounts in each section for each health insurance plan you're reviewing. The goal is to do what's called "comparison shopping." As you go through this process, most likely one or two health care policies will seem to meet your needs better than the others.

Step Four - Once you've picked out two or three possible health insurance plans, make notes of questions and concerns about each. Now it's time to get your questions answered and make your decision.

It's important to make sure you're speaking with a qualified, licensed health insurance agent. Don't hesitate to continue to ask questions until you feel you have all the information you need to make a good choice.

Other Helpful Information

Compare Health insurance Plans Online and Save Time

Take your time to find what you need at a price you can afford. What is great about looking for Health insurance options online is you can compare plans and benefits first on your own, without talking to different representatives. Most Health insurance companies offer FREE online services and FREE online instant rate quotes. All that is required is for you to quickly fill out a secured application. In the matter of minutes you should have your results in front of you. Just in case you have questions these companies have licensed Health insurance professionals waiting for your call.

Keep it Going! Who Can Benefit From Temporary Health insurance?

Temporary health insurance or short-term medical insurance is also available in Michigan and will allow you to have coverage for a temporary amount of time. This type of insurance isn't right for everyone. Inquiries of this form of health care usually comes from those who are between jobs, seasonal employees, laid-off and can even benefit young adults recently coming off of their parents' health plan. Plans tend to last somewhere between six months but some have been known to go twelve months.

Temporary Health insurance forms are much more simple than permanent insurance. Coverage on a short-term plan can begin as quickly as twenty-four hours. This insurance caters to unseen accidents and illness. Because it is temporary, they do not typically cover preventive care, vision, dental or pre-existing conditions. For pre-existing conditions you may want to check your COBRA benefits. There Are Other Ways to Keep Your Health insurance after Losing Your Job

Don't let recent un-employment keep you from the care that you need! For instance if a loved one is expecting, the last thing you want is to lose your maternity insurance. There is another alternative called consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act or COBRA. This type of insurance normally last longer than temporary or short-term insurance but it is still a type of temporary insurance. Normally COBRA policies can last for approximately eighteen months. For more detailed information on COBRA's extended policy plans talk to your employer about their specific Health insurance carrier's plan. Many people don't know about temporary Health insurance coverage. In fact, people take chances between coverage all the time because of lack of knowledge. The advantage of temporary Health insurance coverage is to fill a gap in coverage. Although this is temporary coverage is great to have, it does not replace permanent coverage. Michigan HIPAA Laws and How They Could Effect You

If you currently have pre-existing conditions and are looking into short-term Health insurance coverage WAIT! You may be buying health coverage that will not cover you and then make you ineligible for the care that you need. HIPAA stands for Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. HIPAA plans are mainly for those who have pre-existing conditions and may have trouble getting health insurance. These plans can be extremely expensive. The HIPAA Federal law gives a person immediate access to comparable coverage when leaving employment that provided coverage.

Get familiar with your rights and consult your benefits advisor to discuss the best options for you. You can take back your health with Health insurance companies where there is a plan to fit everyone's need. Reading up and doing your homework on plans that pertain to your needs can help eliminate useless information and help you find the right Health insurance plan much faster.

Lisa Ip is president of Uniforce Insurance, which she founded in 1994, in Madison Heights, Michigan. For more information regarding health insurance in Michigan, visit http://www.uniforceinsurance.com or call 888-302-RATE

Don't Fall Victim To A Health Insurance Scam - 10 "Red Flags" You Should Look For

2012-01-03T03:54:00.000-08:00

In today's fast paced world, business owners don't often have the time to thoroughly check out the companies they rely on to provide goods and services. In many cases, a determination of product/service quality can be made at the time goods are delivered or services are rendered. If goods or services do not meet expectations, there is often an immediate remedy available. For example, poor quality goods can be shipped back to the supplier and/or payment for services can be withheld until services are satisfactorily rendered.

Unfortunately, business owners do not always purchase items that are tangible items, in the sense that they can immediately determine the quality of the goods and/or services at the time of purchase. One example of such a purchase is health insurance. Since health insurance is not usually used immediately after purchase, the quality of care or the legitimacy of the policy may not even come into play until the business owner, or a family member, actually needs to have medical treatment. This is one of the primary reasons that many companies, often appearing legitimate, can get away with selling bogus health insurance coverage to unsuspecting business owners.

In most cases, fraudulent health insurance policies are sold to business owners by telemarketers or "agents" through bogus Associations and Unions. In that, the buyer must join a professional and/or trade association or become a union member to qualify for health insurance. In fact, in a study published by the U.S. General Accountability Office (GAO) in 2004, the GAO found that association schemes ranked at the top of the marketing methods followed by bogus health insurers. According to the report, "Employers and Individuals Are Vulnerable to Unauthorized or Bogus Entities Selling Coverage, between 2000 and 2002, the U.S. Department of Labor and state insurance regulators identified 144 unauthorized entities selling health insurance unlawfully. These entities defrauded 15,000 employers and more than 200,000 policyholders out of $252 million."

However, it is important to mention that many individual and group health insurance products are endorsed by reputable Associations, such as the ARRP and the American Bar Association and, many reputable Unions, such as the AFLCIO and the Teamsters. These organizations have long been recognized for bringing a common class of professionals or citizens together for other purposes that have very little to do with health insurance. Membership commonly includes a wide range of other benefits in addition to discounted health insurance. Typically, the organizations have a governing organization, a constitution and bylaws, a set of officers, voting rights, regular membership meetings and a professional code of conduct.

Unfortunately, most individuals do not find out that they were making hefty monthly payments or premiums to fraudulent Associations or Unions until they have a severe condition that requires medical treatment. Usually, it isn't until after they receive treatment that they receive notice from their medical provider that the claim that was submitted to the insurance company was denied and that all the medical charges that were incurred are now their responsibility.

Often, the scheme starts when business owners are contacted by telephone or approached by someone who claims to represent a certain, official sounding, Association or Union. The business owner is then informed that if s/he becomes a member of the Association or joins the Union, s/he could qualify for a low cost group or individual health insurance plan. Typically the Association or Union is promoted to represent self-employed individuals and small business owners. The low cost health insurance is usually presented as one of the many "perks" that the business owner can qualify for, in addition to many other "member" benefits, like discounts on other services, such as dental, eyeglasses, office supplies, hotels, rental cars, etc.

In many instances, these bogus companies involve licensed health insurance agents to sell their fraudulent health insurance products. Sometimes the "agents" know the products are fraudulent, other times, the "agent" also falls prey to the scheme. Often, the schemes prey upon consumers who have been previously declined insurance coverage or suffer from a pre-existing condition. Since these consumers have very limited options to purchase private health insurance coverage, the benefits of an Association or Union membership that offers health insurance coverage for a "membership fee" or "union due" is enticing. To the unsuspecting consumer that has a pre-existing medical condition or is paying high premiums for coverage, the "membership fee" or "union due" is a small price to pay for what they believe will be a quality health plan that provides "guaranteed" coverage with no "pre-existing condition exclusions" and no "waiting periods."

In many circumstances, the print materials that are left with the consumer are very well designed, however, the majority of the time, the language in the "health plan brochure," if there is one, is very unclear. The literature may name the entity that is authorized to act as the health plan administrator of the plan, but neglect to name the actual insurance company that is providing the health insurance coverage. Unfortunately, it is often difficult for the consumer to separate the illegitimate companies selling official sounding health plans from the legitimate ones. Typically fraudulent health plans have many commonalities.

Here are 10 "Red Flags" that may indicate health insurance fraud:

1. The "agent" is not a licensed insurance agent but an "enrollment" or "membership" coordinator.

2. The term "discount plan" is written in the product literature, but the term health plan, health insurance or policy is frequently used by the plan promoter. Discount plans often provide nothing more than a discount for medical services, such as prescription medications, eyeglasses, dental, etc. These plans are not designed to offer major medical health insurance coverage.

3. The official sounding "Association or Union" is one that you have never heard of before.

4. The plan is referred to as an ERISA plan. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) is a federal law that allows employers to set up employee benefit plans for employees and their dependents. ERISA plans are not subject to state regulation and are not regulated by the state insurance commissioner. ERISA plans are normally not sold as health insurance, but are instead, established by employers, unions or groups acting on behalf of employers. Therefore, unsuspecting buyers believe these plans actually offer health insurance coverage, when if fact, they do not.

5. The buyer is told that the "membership fee or union dues" includes the health insurance premium, but there is no mention of the word "premium" in any of the plan literature.

6. The plan offers "guaranteed" insurance coverage with no exclusions for "pre-existing conditions" and no "waiting periods."

7. The plan is significantly cheaper in price than other health insurance plans.

8. The term "reinsured" is used in regards to the plan. Reinsurance is something insurance companies buy to protect themselves against their own risks. It is insurance for insurance companies. Licensed insurers rarely have their agents mention any of their reinsurance arrangements during a sales presentation.

9. If the Association or Union is comprised of members from all walks of life and/or requires its members to state that they belong to a certain trade, class or group of professionals that they have no affiliation with, for example, the Association or Union is said to be comprised of "Food and Beverage" workers, but "Florists" and "Machinists" are allowed to enroll as members.

10. If the Association or Union is said to have a special arrangement with a health insurance company, a plan administrator or another third party that has designed the plan using a legal "loophole" that allows members to purchase health insurance at a discounted rate or to purchase a individual or group health insurance policy.

So how can you protect yourself from falling victim to a fraudulent insurance scam? Make sure you contact your state's department of Insurance to determine if the health insurance company and the third-party administrator are licensed to do business in your state and make sure that the "agent" selling the plan is a "licensed health insurance agent." Additionally, make sure that the health insurance company has been approved to sell the particular policy that is being offered. Since it may be difficult to tell if fraud is involved, always put off buying your insurance policy until you have had the opportunity to perform your own due diligence.

C. Steven Tucker, is the President of Small Business Insurance Services, Inc. and has been a Licensed Mult-State Insurance Broker serving the small business and self-employed market for over a decade. Mr. Tucker believes an informed insurance consumer makes the best health insurance purchasing decisions. Mr. Tucker has written several articles that focus on small business health insurance, which can be read on a number of web sites. Mr. Tucker's blog can be read at http://www.smallbusinessinsuranceservices.vox.com. If you have general questions regarding health insurance, or you are in the market to purchase a health insurance plan, you can contact Mr. Tucker through his web site at http://www.smallbusinessinsuranceservices.com, via Email at smallbusinssvcs@aol.com or by plone, toll-free at 1-866-SBIS123 (724-7123)

Health Insurance - General Information on Health Insurance

2012-01-02T22:56:00.000-08:00

Health insurance is a big investment and you should carefully consider all of the options before making a decision. Little success can be achieved if you are physically unwell. Therefore, health insurance may be important to you.

Health Insurance Policy

Health is the biggest and most crucial asset of every living being. A health insurance policy is meant to financially assist you in case there occurs a setback to your health.

The insurer may be a private organization or a government agency. In a health policy, coinsurance refers to the percentage of the medical bills that the insured individual will have to pay after the deductible is met.

There are different types of health insurance but mainly all the health insurance pays a fixed percentage of the expenses for the policy holders bill.

Group Health Insurance

Group Health Insurance is a benefit that some companies offer their employees enabling them to receive private medical treatment quickly and at no cost should they need it. As an employee benefit, group health insurance has many rewards.

Labor and trade unions also may offer group health insurance for their members. Spouses and children can often be added to most employee health plans, though the rate will be higher.

Individual Health Insurance

Individual insurance policies are distinct from group policies in the nature of evidence of insurability. You can purchase a policy by answering a health questionnaire and undergoing a medical examination to provide evidence of insurability to the insurance company.

Individual policies can be customized for your specific needs.

Family Health Insurance

Health insurance companies offer health insurance plans as a vital part of your full planning picture. Without it your safety and the safety of your family is jeopardized.

Most qualified heath care providers will not treat you without health insurance. I think you will sleep a lot better knowing that if something happens you or your family will be protected.

Health Insurance Cover

Health Insurance is an annual contract. So when it comes to renewal, your insurer is at liberty to review not only your premium but also change the conditions on which your cover is provided.

Health Insurance Quotes

Purchasing an insurance policy should take time and a little research in order to arrive at a wise buying decision. Individual health insurance quotes are available from various health insurance companies.

When you shop around for a health insurance plan, health insurance quotes can help narrow down your options and identify the best plan that fits your medical requirements and budget. This may help you to make informed decisions about the exact kind of health insurance plans into which you want to enter.

The best way to find the right insurance quote is with the help of a search engine. Some insurance companies and agents provide different kinds of quote options, such as the instant quote and the custom quote. The instant quote is the fastest kind of application, that provides general information about the eligible plans and their benefits.

Health Insurance Premium

The way for companies to calculate your monthly or yearly premium is to look at many factors. The premium is the amount you will pay for the benefits covered under your health insurance plan.

Health Insurance and Emergencies

It's easy to ignore family health insurance until a family member falls ill and hospital bills and medical expenses pile up. An emergency can occur at any time.

Health Insurance and the Hospital

If you are self-employed, look for a company that offers an extensive health insurance coverage, and at the same time would not make a big dent in your pocket. Remember that spending a day or two in the hospital can be very costly. You should make sure that you have ample coverage.

In the end, the major purpose of health insurance is to cover medical expenses and any lost income while you are not well and unable to function normally. That is why health insurance may be vitally important to you.

Copyright 2007 - Dan Theron. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, give author name credit and follow all of the EzineArticles terms of service for Publishers.

Florida Health Insurance - Take Advantage of the Internet's Price Transparency

2012-01-02T18:32:00.000-08:00

Florida health insurance companies are now feeling the effects of the increased price transparency that the Internet brings. Now longer is it a process of days or even weeks to obtain multiple health insurance quotes from top Florida health insurance companies. The simplest and most efficient way to obtain health insurance in Florida is simply to make the top health insurance companies in the state (Golden Rule/United Healthcare, Aetna, and Humana) compete for your business!

If you cringe at the thought of a United Healthcare agent, an Aetna agent, and a Humana agent all clustering around you amongst a swarm of other Florida health insurance agents and trying to push their company's policy upon you then read on; for health insurance shopping on the Internet has simplified everything. There are numerous Florida health insurance websites that offer Florida health insurance quotes but there are quite a few very important distinctions between the different types.

There are two main types of websites that offer Florida health insurance quotes to Florida health insurance shoppers: Marketing Organizations and Insurance Agencies.

Marketing Organizations do not sell insurance, are not regulated by any insurance department, and generally have no knowledge whatsoever concerning Florida health insurance. However, they can offer consumers a somewhat appealing service. How can they assist in purchasing health insurance?

They act as a middleman between Florida health insurance shoppers and Florida health insurance agents. When Mrs. Smith in Tampa, FL requests a health insurance quote then the marketing company sells her information as a lead to 5 or more Florida insurance agents.

Ignoring the privacy issues and the issue of the qualifications of the health insurance agents that will be purchasing your information there is the larger and more practical issue of do you really want to have 5+ insurance agents aggressively seeking your business?

Imagine that each health insurance agent is taught in their sales training to call you at least 5 times and email you at least 3 times before "giving up" on you as an insurance prospect: that means that you have received 25 phone calls and 15 emails from various insurance agents!

The second type of website that offers Florida health insurance quotes is the website that is run by an insurance agency (note that it is very important to find only an independent Florida insurance agency - meaning an agency that is not tied to working with only one health insurance company but can show you health insurance quotes from all of the top Florida health insurance companies. This is also why we will ignore the quasi third group of websites that offer Florida health insurance quotes: the health insurance carrier websites themselves. These can be a good service but very time consuming. There is a better way to shop for Florida health insurance. Read on-).

Most independent insurance agency websites offer a feature that will allow you to request Florida health insurance quotes. However, there is a much better way to shop for Florida health insurance! Rather than waiting for your request for health insurance quotes to be filled; look for a website that offers instant and LIVE Florida health insurance quotes from top Florida health insurance companies.

With instant LIVE Florida health insurance quotes you have the best of both worlds: you receive the benefits of competitive pricing by viewing the top Florida health insurance companies quotes side by side (the strong point of the marketing organization website model) as well as personal, expert help (the strong point of the insurance agency website model). Not to mention the added benefit of viewing the health insurance quotes from the different health insurance companies in the same format - enabling easy side by side comparisons of benefits. This allows for a true "apples to apples" comparison.

View up to 20 LIVE Florida health insurance quotes from top Florida health insurance companies like Aetna, Humana and Golden Rule/United Healthcare all in less than 20 seconds! View LIVE Florida health insurance quotes now and take advantage of the Internet's price transparency!

Get free health insurance quotes by comparing all of the top health insurance plans in your zip code - in less time than it takes to brush your teeth!

Comparison shop multiple insurance companies instantly and in real time by viewing free Florida health insurance quotes: Aetna, Humana, United Healthcare and more.

Options for Cheap Health Insurance

2012-01-02T15:05:00.000-08:00

There are many people who are looking for cheap health insurance for their family. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have health insurance cover provided by their employer and cheap health insurance is the only realistic option. This would provide the most basic cover but would at least make some provisions in the event of a medical emergency.

Cheap health insurance tends to cover a very limited amount of services but it is worth shopping around as you may find the options vary greatly between health insurance providers. If you are, or have been, a smoker I am afraid you are less likely to be able to find the really cheap health insurance policies as you are considered to be in a high risk category. Don't be tempted to hide the fact that you smoke simply to qualify for a cheap health insurance policy as your cover may be refused should you have a smoking related illness. It is best to disclose everything and to fill in the policy application form honestly and completely.

If you indulge in so-called dangerous sports then you are also less likely to be able to find cheap health insurance easily. These sports include motor sports, snow sports and some water sports. Again, it is vital that you state your participation in any of these sports to ensure that your health insurance is valid.

On the positive side, you can narrow down the options that you require to help find a family health insurance [http://www.gateinsurance.com/family-medical-insurance.html] policy for your family. If you're not concerned about which healthcare professionals you're able to have treatment from then you'll find that you have a greater choice of cheap health insurance policies. Try to be as flexible as possible and not expect too much choice and you will be surprised by just how inexpensive the cheap health insurance policies that you will be offered are.

Another area of coverage that you may not want to have is for pregnancy and childbirth. If you think that your family will not need this included in your policy you will again find that some of the insurance companies will offer you cheap health insurance without this provision. This is only one such example but it highlights the need for you to analyse all of the potentially cheap health insurance providers to determine whether you can have lower priced coverage if you remove some of the specialty areas.

The best place to start your search for cheap health insurance providers is undoubtedly the internet. However, don't be tempted to simply perform a search for 'cheap health insurance' as there is a high probability that almost all health insurance providers have this statement somewhere in their site's text. Try using some of the insurance brokers who offer free services to find you a list of cheap health insurance providers for you to compare and pursue those that you feel are appropriate and genuinely lower priced.

Mike Spencer has been helping people protect their health for many years. To find out how you can help protect your family with affordable health insurance visit Mike's Insurance Reviews [http://www.gateinsurance.com], or read the full article about find cheap health insurance [http://www.gateinsurance.com/low-cost-family-health-insurance-quote.html] here. You can also keep up to date with the latest news at Mike's Health Blog [http://www.articlegold.org] here.

Auto Insurance Principles Should Apply to Health Insurance

2012-01-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

Many Americans rely on their automobiles to get to work. No automobile means no job, no rent or mortgage money, no food. A single parent, struggling to make ends meet in the suburbs with 100,000 miles on the odometer, would presumably welcome the guaranteed opportunity for low-priced insurance that would take care of every possible repair on her auto until the day that it reaches 200,000 miles or falls apart, whichever comes first. Especially if the insurance is valid regardless of whether she even changes the oil in the interim.

So why aren't the auto insurance companies writing such coverage, either directly or through used auto dealers? And given the importance of reliable transportation, why isn't the public demanding such coverage? The answer is that both auto insurers and the public know that such insurance can't be written for a premium the insured can afford, while still allowing the insurers to stay solvent and make a profit. As a society, we intuitively understand that the costs associated with taking care of every mechanical need of an old automobile, particularly in the absence of regular maintenance, aren't insurable. Yet we don't seem to have these same intuitions with respect to health insurance.

If we pull the emotions out of health insurance, which is admittedly hard to do even for this author, and look at health insurance from the economic perspective, there are several insights from auto insurance that can illuminate the design, risk selection, and rating of health insurance.

Auto insurance comes in two forms: the traditional insurance you buy from your agent or direct from an insurance company, and warranties that are purchased from auto manufacturers and dealers. Both are risk transfer and sharing devices and I'll generically refer to both as insurance. Because auto third-party liability insurance has no equivalent in health insurance, for traditional auto insurance, I'll examine only collision and comprehensive insurance -- insurance covering the vehicle -- and not third-party liability insurance.

Bumper to Bumper

The following are some commonly accepted principles from auto insurance:

* Bad maintenance voids certain insurance. If an automobile owner never changes the oil, the auto's power train warranty is void. In fact, not only does the oil need to be changed, the change needs to be performed by a certified mechanic and documented. Collision insurance doesn't cover cars purposefully driven over a cliff.

* The best insurance is offered for new models. Bumper-to-bumper warranties are offered only on new cars. As they roll off the assembly line, automobiles have a low and relatively consistent risk profile, satisfying the actuarial test for insurance pricing. Furthermore, auto manufacturers usually wrap at least some coverage into the price of the new auto in order to encourage an ongoing relationship with the owner.

* Limited insurance is offered for old model autos. Increasingly limited insurance is offered for old model autos. The bumper-to-bumper warranty expires, the power train warranty eventually expires, and the amount of collision and comprehensive insurance steadily decreases based on the market value of the auto.

* Certain older autos qualify for additional insurance. Certain older autos can qualify for additional coverage, either in terms of warranties for used autos or increased collision and comprehensive insurance for vintage autos. But such insurance is offered only after a careful inspection of the automobile itself.

* No insurance is offered for normal wear and tear. Wiper blades need replacement, brake pads wear out, and bumpers get dings. These aren't insurable events. To the extent that a new car dealer will sometimes cover some of these costs, we intuitively understand that we're "paying for it" in the cost of the automobile and that it's "not really" insurance.

* Accidents are the only insurable event for the oldest automobiles. Accidents are generally insurable events even for the oldest autos; with few exceptions service work isn't.

* Insurance doesn't restore all vehicles to pre-accident condition. Auto insurance is limited. If the damage to the auto at any age exceeds the value of the auto, the insurer then pays only the value of the auto. With the exception of vintage autos, the value assigned to the auto goes down over time. So whereas accidents are insurable at any vehicle age, the amount of the accident insurance is increasingly limited.

* Insurance is priced to the risk. Insurance is priced based on the risk profile of both the automobile and the driver. The auto insurer carefully examines both when setting rates.

* We pay for our own insurance. And with few exceptions, automobile insurance isn't tax deductible. As a result, the fear of increasing insurance rates due to traffic violations and/or accidents changes our driving behavior and we sometimes select our automobiles based on their insurability.

Each of the above principles is supported by solid actuarial theory. Although most Americans can't describe the underlying actuarial theories, most everyone understands the above principles of auto insurance at the intuitive level. For sure, as indispensable automobiles are to our lifestyles, there is no loud national movement, accompanied by moral outrage, to change these principles.

Unsustainable Market

In contrast, similar principles are routinely violated in health insurance. To demonstrate this, let's return to the same suburban mother from the opening paragraph. She's busy working, driving to and from work, and driving her kids to school and activities. She ends each day exhausted, sitting on the couch with fast food. She's obese, has a sedentary life, a bad diet, and hasn't taken the time to go to the doctor in years. After a simple injury doesn't heal for weeks, she turns up at the emergency room and learns she has type II diabetes. Although type II diabetes is controllable, changing diet and exercise habits and properly tracking her condition takes time and effort and she's never quite successful in implementing the necessary lifestyle changes.

So the initial emergency room visit is only the first of a long list of health care related to non-controlled diabetes and other problems associated with obesity. Whether she has individual or group insurance, her insurance pays for each episode of care, without singling her out for a premium increase, and without charging her any more cost sharing than is charged to the healthiest and most medically diligent insureds. Her coverage continues until she voluntarily changes insurance companies and/or employers or becomes eligible for Medicare. If she's covered under group insurance she may not even pay any premium. Her insurance continues unabated, even though the disease was caused by neglecting her body and she maintains her poor lifestyle even after the disease becomes known.

This just wouldn't happen in auto insurance. This scenario is the auto insurance equivalent of guaranteed access to low-priced auto insurance that takes care of every possible repair, including damage already done, until the day the car falls apart so completely it's unsalvageable (death) or reaches 200,000 miles (Medicare), regardless of whether she even changes the oil (takes care of herself) in the interim.

As a society, we don't expect this in private-market auto insurance, but we expect it in private-market health insurance. Furthermore, there's a chorus of national and state interests, which continuously pushes us further away from the auto insurance principles.

The current private health insurance market isn't sustainable. Prices have been consistently increasing faster than inflation for decades. Each year, insureds use more health care than ever before and more people have no insurance at all. Most actuaries and other people in the private health insurance market don't want national health insurance with its bureaucracy and one-size-fits-all benefits. Yet, we're trying to sustain a private insurance system, which violates the very principles we know are necessary for private insurance markets.

Yes, health insurance involves the sacredness of human life and is therefore different from auto insurance. But if we're to sustain a private-market solution to health insurance, actuaries need to explain to the larger society, in terms that society understands, the rationale for the following principles:

* As sacred as health care is, it's still an economic transaction that has to be balanced by individuals and societies, against other economic choices. It can't be unlimited. Sometimes it will be secondary to other choices. On a given day, for example, the mother in our scenario may value her car more than her health.

* Insurance premiums should be paid by the individual and tied to controllable risk factors. This will provide the best incentive for the control of risk factors.

* Although it's hard to draw the line between abuse, neglect and ignorance, self-abuse shouldn't be insured and we need to draw that line somewhere.

* The private market can't provide unlimited, self-directed health insurance.

* Routine care and ongoing treatments of chronic conditions can be pre-funded, can even be subsidized, but they don't constitute "insurable events."

* Insurance can't be expected to keep every human body in pristine condition. No amount of health care will prevent everyone's ultimate death.

* Comprehensive, unlimited, non-subsidized private-market coverage isn't possible for people with severely impaired health.

* The private health market can provide limited non-subsidized health insurance, such as protection from accidents, to even health-impaired individuals.

* Individuals who can afford to do so and who take good care of themselves should be able to "buy up" to better coverage. People have the option of buying up for everything else in life.

Discussion of these principles is lacking from most of the current health insurance debate. If society can intuitively understand how similar principles apply to health insurance, then they should be able understand the principles in the health insurance context. We need to initiate the debate.

This commentary is solely the opinion of its author. It does not express the official policy of the American Academy of Actuaries; nor does it necessarily reflect the opinions of the Academy's individual officers, members, or staff

Precedent puts a new spin on health insurance. Learn more at http://www.precedent.com. [http://www.precedent.com]

How to Get Cheap Health Insurance?

2012-01-02T05:16:00.000-08:00

Cheap health insurance may look like a bargain, but what happens if you have a major medical problem? You don't want to be caught off-guard if an unexpected major medical problem arises. Cheap health insurance means one thing to one person and something else to another. While the idea of getting cheap health insurance is very appealing, no one wants to deal with the repercussions of bad or inadequate health insurance. Cheap health insurance has become the issue of the moment in South Carolina and across the country. More small businesses are increasingly unable to provide cheap health insurance plans to their employees because of the rising cost and the lack of federal and state legislation that would allow small businesses to purchase cheap medical insurance in pools.

Cheap health insurance is your access to the best options in the market. This is because you no longer have to spend so much time searching for the product that will suit your health care needs. Cheap health insurance rates work so much better when you know what you are supposed to be looking for. Get some tips on what you should look for when dealing with a health insurance plan. Cheap health insurance quotes can help you to find the best and the most inexpensive coverage that is available. You will be covered, and relieved to know that if anything happened to you, you will not have that major financial stress of paying full price for your injuries or illnesses.

Medicare supplemental insurance offers senior coverage for health care costs that are not covered by a traditional Medicare plan. By having Medicare supplemental insurance, seniors can rely on consistent, constant and comprehensive coverage when they need it. Medicare supplemental insurance is designed for people on Medicare, who wish to have more comprehensive coverage. These supplemental plans may include Managed Care HMO plans or Medigap PPO plans that provide you with greater access to participating physicians. Medicare and Medicaid are both excellent programs for those individuals who qualify, but they are no substitute for a system which allows us all to access basic private medical insurance cover at a cost which we can afford.

Medical Insurance also known as health insurance is a protection to individuals and their families against unforeseen expenses. In the process, there are two parties namely the insurer and the insured. Medicaid is for people who come under the low income's bracket. Every person is eligible for it and having a job does not affect one's eligibility. Medical terms can be confusing, and before speaking with an insurance agent, you should make sure you understated his or her language. Make sure you read our overview of health insurance companies to get a better idea of each provider's identity.

Individual companies are free to evaluate the risks to insure you in whatever manner they see fit. Each health insurance company employs people (actuaries) that try to calculate the statistical risks involved in insuring you, and not surprisingly, has a slightly different view of the statistics. Individual health insurance works differently. It generally can't be terminated just because you use it, but you can be turned down in the first place if you do not pass health underwriting; you can be rated up if you have a history of illness or obesity; and your premiums can be and often are increased if you suddenly have a major illness. Individual health insurance covers different types of injuries as well. An active lifestyle increases the risk of accidental injuries and repairing broken bones can become very expensive.

Individual health insurance is State specific. Each state has slightly different laws and regulations governing the implementation of private individual health insurance.

Hospitalization, medicines, doctor fees can be very high and if the patient cannot get a suitable insurance cover, it is very difficult. Health insurance can be a tough battle for cancer patients. Hospitals have an extraordinary ability to save life and without health insurance you could be medically saved but financially ruined. Hospital cash plans are a form of medical insurance that takes care of everyday medical costs. Many will pay for dental or optical treatment up to a set limit every year; physiotherapy; specialist consultations etc.

Comparison of your options: To be able to find an affordable health insurance you must have an idea of all. What is available in the market? After you have shopped enough get hold of a broker who can help you in comparing the policies. Comparing health insurance is a case of finding the right health insurance provider to cover your particular circumstances as well as comparing the types of policy provided by each health insurer.

Comparing Medical Insurance isn't just a case of finding a handful of brand names and trusting they have everything covered in their policies. The cover varies wildly, as will your medical insurance quotes. Compare several plans from top rated medical insurance companies and apply online.

COBRA, short of Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, came into being in 1985, and it is also a low cost health insurance option for short-term coverage up to 18 months. It's great for transition periods such as school age children, widowed spouses, divorced couples, and other situations where you may have been covered by employee programs previously. COBRA has an 18 month limit, or 36 months if you're permanently disabled. Most people are under the impression that COBRA is expensive, or that it's better to stay with a plan they know.

Again, depending on where you live, requirements may be stringent. However, it wouldn't hurt to see if you or your family qualifies. Ask around to find out about the different agents and their policies. Many agents will work very hard to get you an affordable health insurance plan for your family at a cost you can live with. Ask if the agent will be available for phone calls and if he or she will make phone calls on your behalf if you have questions in the future. Ask your agent to be sure.

Ask for a quote from several sources, and see what kind of a deal, they can get for you. Make sure they are also licensed in your state, because it does no good getting insurance if they can't operate in your state. Ask about policy rates, terms, services, co-pays, and claim procedures. If the representative has a difficult time answering your questions, or you just don't think the company is legit, consider visiting your state's Department of Insurance website to read through reviews and financial information of the company.

Thank you for taking your time to read this article. Your comments on this article will be highly appreciated. To access Hundred of Gurmit's articles, please visit websites.

Information shared here does not constitute financial, legal, or other professional advice, and no advisor-client or confidential relationship is or should be formed by use of the site. This article is intended to provide general information only and does not give advice, which relates to your specific individual circumstances. Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Any link-listing or ad-listing on this site does not constitute any type of endorsement.

Gurmit loves traveling; he has been over 70 countries. He speaks fluent Cantonese, Polish, Hindi, Punjabi and English. Gurmit is an author, writer, insurance and mortgage expert. He frequently writes on various topics of interest to his readers. Gurmit Singh is a licensed mortgage expert with Dominion Lending Centres Mortgage Villa.

Gurmit Singh, MBA
Mortgage Expert (#M08009905)
Dominion Lending Centres Mortgage Villa (#11574)
Email:gurmit@gurmitsingh.ca

Gurmit Singh Toor
http://www.gurmitsingh.ca
http://www.gurmitstoor.com

Group Health Insurance

2012-01-02T01:05:00.000-08:00

Health insurance is a type of insurance policy in which the insurer provides for the cost of any or all of the health care services. Today, there are many types of health insurance such as fee-for-service, managed care, and more. Health insurance is offered to individuals as well as groups. Group health insurance is designed to meet the health care needs of employees of large as well as small companies. Group health insurance policy provides medical expense coverage for many people in a single policy. Under group health insurance, the cost of premium is spread out among the members of the group.

Group health insurance offers health care coverage for student organizations, religious organizations, employers, professional associations, and other groups. Most Americans get group health insurance from their employer. In most cases, employer pays all or part of the health care insurance premium.

Group health insurance benefits both employee as well as employer. Employees covered by group health insurance plan, get medical treatment quickly with little or no cost. Compared to individual health insurance, group health insurance is less expensive. Another advantage is that no medical exam is required to qualify for group health insurance.

A wide range of group health insurance plans are available to choose from. Fully insured employer group, small employer group, large employer group, health maintenance organization (HMO), self-funded ERISA, group managed care, and preferred provider organization are some types of group health insurance.

Getting group health insurance quote through websites is quite easy. In order to qualify for a group health insurance policy, employer must have at least 2 full time employees on the payroll. While purchasing a group health insurance, it is advisable to seek the assistance of group health insurance broker. Golden Rule Insurance Company, UniCare, Aetna Inc., Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Health Net of California, and Time Insurance Company are some of the leading health insurance companies that offer group health insurance.

Health Insurance provides detailed information on Health Insurance, Health Insurance Quotes, Affordable Health Insurance, Health Insurance Plans and more. Health Insurance is affiliated with Health Insurance Company Ratings.