Posts Tagged ‘cobra’

Pre-Existing Conditions And Can’t Afford COBRA – How I Finally Got Health Insurance

Sunday, August 29th, 2010

This is a story about health insurance. Actually, it’s a real life account of the difficult time that my wife and I had trying to get health insurance for our family. A few months ago, we found ourselves needing health insurance. After my employer filled for Bankruptcy, I decided to become self-employed. The health insurance that I had at the time (through my employer) only lasted through the end of that last month and then I was presented with the option of either letting our policy lapse, or going on COBRA. Problem was, the COBRA premiums were about 3 times more expensive than the original insurance payments. We were basically forced into having our policy lapse because we couldn’t afford the COBRA payments.

I got some quotes and applied for coverage with a local insurance agent. That agent had a website that I had to go on to fill out the online application. It was easy enough.

The agent eventually told me that we were declined coverage because of a “pre-existing condition.” I had some minor back issues throughout my life and the insurance company declined us as a result.

I found a website ran by a local Blue Cross agent. After filling out the application on this new site I was contacted by the agent who ran the site. He told me that if I could qualify as a “group” the pre-existing conditions wouldn’t apply and that I would not be declined coverage. I had an LLC that I had filled a few years prior. My wife and I use it to run a few different business. Anyway, we submitted the application as a group according to that agent’s advice.

We went through the process of applying online and had to show proof that the LLC was active and that my wife and I were members of the company. After about a week, Blue Cross issued our policy! My wife and I (and all of our kids) finally had coverage and we were very happy with the way things turned out. We opted for a PPO and it was the type of coverage that paid our medical bills at 100% as soon as the annual deductable was met. Because my fourth child was born and my wife had to have a C-Section, our deductable was met almost immediately and all of our medical bills for the rest of that year were covered at 100% by Blue Cross! That policy saves us something like $40,000 that year because as it turned out, I needed to have another back surgery after all!

I like that I was able to complete the application process online as opposed to turning in a hand-written application. It was also very important to me to have access to a knowledgeable insurance agent who could answer our questions and guide us though this process.

Learn more about California Health Insurance. Stop by Eric Sachs’ site where you can find out all about Blue Cross Health Insurance and what it can do for you.

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Finding Health Insurance In Middle Age

Wednesday, May 19th, 2010

Lots of people have trouble finding major medical insurance with premiums that fit into a budget. But people who are over fifty, but not yet sixty-five, can be particularly hard hit. At 65, most Americans qualify for Medicare and Medicare health plans. Younger people tend to be healthier because they have not started to get some of the health problems that hit us in middle age. Because the insurers figure that middle aged people will be more expensive to cover, they tend to charge more if they offer coverage to individuals.

But, we Baby Boomers are a smart group and where there is a will, there is a way. So let’s look at some of the options:

Group health plans, through employers, are one good option for many people. Your company, or your spouse’s employer, may have a group health benefit which will allow you to get coverage. Most employers pay part of the premiums too. Besides, federal rules protect employees from being declined because of health risks. This is one option if you, or your spouse, have this benefit at work.

The next option (if you currently have a job which provides health insurance) is COBRA or Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act. COBRA lets former employees and their dependents continue their employer’s group coverage for up to 18 months. The best thing about COBRA is it is guaranteed. Your former employer’s insurer can’t turn you down even if you have a chronic medical condition. The worst thing about COBRA is the cost. Your employer generally covers 70% or more of your health insurance premium. With COBRA you have to pay the whole premium plus administrative costs. Industry surveys indicate based on an average premium (for 2007), a former employee would have to pay more than $373 a month for individual coverage and more than $1,008 a month for family coverage.

If you are not currently employed by a company who provides health insurance there are still choices for you. If you have pre-existing conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure you can receive coverage through a state high-risk health program designed to help those with medical conditions that prevent them from getting insurance. Again though like COBRA the premiums can be quite high.

Some people get their coverage through a professional alliance. These plans may use their buying power to get higher benefits or lower prices than an individual could bargain for. If you are a member or any organization, check out this option.

Finally, there is the individual health insurance option. There has been some progress in terms of offerings of policies for the 50-65 year age group market mainly because insurers see this age group as a potential growth market. Many Baby Boomers are in good health and have higher income than younger people. Also insurance companies hope that retirees will still purchase their products, such as supplemental insurance, even after they’re eligible for Medicare. Some of policies currently offered may have premiums as low as $200 per month for people who are in good health and willing to pay a high deductible. Many insurance advice columnists recommend combining a high deductible individual health insurance policy with a health savings account. HSA contributions are made with pretax dollars, and any money left over in the account at the end of the year is rolled over for future use. Withdrawals are not taxed if used for qualified medical expenses.

To help you decide which one is best, , you can also compare health insurance .

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Finding Cheap Medical Insurance – Is It Even Worth The Money?

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

Healthcare costs have skyrocketed over the past decade. Even school children hear about the healthcare crisis facing the nation. Employers are being forced to turn over all the costs of company sponsored plans to the employees who, in turn, can’t afford to pay for it and drop it. Because of certain demographic mixes, some states are so expensive that the large majority of the residents are uninsured. When a population consists largely of the old, the poor and the government assisted, someone needs to pick up the slack, and it’s the remaining residents who have coverage.

Even though the Obamma administration is trying to put through some serious health care reform, these reforms are not due to take effect for another five years or so. And, even with these reforms in place, no one can agree on how affordable these options might be.

Consumers know you get what you pay for. Period. No matter what you buy, there’s a value for your dollar. And cheap is rarely the best value for your money. Even a child knows that a cheap toy breaks right away. As consumers, it is up to us to make certain we know what we get for our hard earned money.

Sure, we can find and buy “cheap” medical insurance. But this cheap insurance is cheap for a few reasons – you get virtually nothing in return for your premium. Your deductibles will be very high, what the plan covers will be drastically reduced, and even something as simple as using an emergency room will require prior authorization – ludicrous.

One of the first drawbacks to this type of cheap insurance is that there aren’t many doctors who will take what the company wants to pay. Any doctor who is willing to accept these very low unrealistic payments should be held as suspect. Why would a good doctor willingly work with a company who pays him less than all the other insurance companies?

If you do get involved with one of these plans, do some research on the doctors before committing to anything. This is public information available on each state’s licensing website. Type in the doctor’s name and you can find out his education and any complaints about him.

They also are able to keep their premiums lower than most because they take your money for months before insuring you. Sometimes it could be nine months before you can submit a claim and expect to be paid. Usually these costs don’t even apply toward your annual deductible!

And still another way for insurance companies to reduce premiums is by paying you, not your doctor. Doctors like this arrangement because they know they will be paid immediately. Unfortunately, this means you need to be able to pay for your expenses on your own, submit your claim, and hope you get reimbursed for the entire amount. It could take a few months to even get a check. Key here is to know that insurance companies, especially like these, are in the business to make a profit. Their goal is to pay out as little as possible. Keep this in mind when researching cheap insurance.

Members of HMOs have variety of locations where they can choose to select their care from. Car Insurance Companies Each plan is specifically designed to suit the person’s financial and previous health conditions. This report looks at the additional costs you may encounter beyond what you pay monthly or annually to be covered.

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Temporary Health Insurance Plans -Versatile Solution To Jobloss

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

If you are suddenly handed the pink slip, you might have enough saved for your day-to-day expenses. However, with your job, employer-sponsored health insurance goes too, which might be a bigger worry for you. Short term health insurance may provide you with just the coverage you need during this tough time.

Short term medical insurance is ideal for those who are recent graduates, in between jobs, waiting for employer insurance to kick in, and part-time employees. Early retirees can also purchase COBRA insurance alternatives to tide over the period before Medicare benefits can be availed.

Usually, when one loses his/her job, COBRA insurance is offered as an option. COBRA insurance offers health insurance with long term health benefits, but at a higher rate than employer-sponsored insurance and sometimes, temporary health insurance as well. That makes temporary health insurance a very desirable option.

Unlike long term health insurance, signing up for a temporary health insurance plan is quick and easy, and coverage can even begin within 24 hours. Being temporary coverage, health insurance for unemployed plans do not cover previously existing conditions.

Short term insurance covers most sudden medical illnesses and accidents. Plans usually include coverage for outpatient care, hospitalization, diagnostic tests, surgery, and ambulance charges. Doctor visits are also covered by most plans, subject to the applicable deductible and co-pay.

As with any temporary plan, short term health insurance does not cover pre-existing conditions, pregnancy, cosmetic surgery, and eye and dental care.

Short term insurance plans come in many flavors, and each plan usually features many deductibles and co-pays to choose from. Plan premiums also depend on the maximum coverage chosen, so that different folks can choose different plans that work for them.

When you purchase temporary health insurance, you might be tempted to continue on it for a long time. However, it is designed for short periods, and you must ideally not exceed a year or so in short term coverage. If your insurance situation is uncertain, you can renew the plan monthly, for the maximum period specified in the plan.

Dan Miller enjoys writing about temporary health insurance

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Health Insurance Quotes – Getting The Best Deals

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Getting quotes for anything can be confusing and time consuming. Getting health insurance quotes can be downright frustrating. It takes time and it takes patience. Doing all this online will usually save time but it’s always recommend to talk to “humans” whenever possible.

Make sure you are looking at identical line items when you are comparing the same components. Many insurance quotes differ because they don’t all provide you with the exact same information. Don’t make up your mind by pricing alone.

There are many factors to take into consideration when getting quotes. Getting a quote is only a small portion of what you need to take into consideration as you try to find and decide on a company to do business with. Things like their insurance rating and years in business are very important to know. The rating will tell you how well equipped they are to handle numerous claims at once – one major catastrophe such as a flu pandemic can put an insurance company out of business, long before they get around to paying your particular claim.

Another important area to look into is the doctors you can choose from. Would you be willing to change doctors if you had to? Or reversely, are you looking at another insurance company because you want to follow your doctor to a new plan? If you will be forced into finding a new doctor, do enough research on each doctor to make sure you know enough about his background before making a decision. It’s also important to know how frequently doctors come and go. How many doctors leave once their contract is up? Why? Are they replaced, or is the insurance company running low on doctors? You might even run into a situation where your own doctor decides to leave the company and you now have to find a new doctor, all over again.

It’s also important to know how your past and present health will affect your rates. Not all insurance companies use the same actuarial tables. “Obese” at one company might mean something very different than at another company.

Now, how do they figure out what a pre-existing condition is? It’s a myth to think that you’re only “penalized” for going to doctors and undergoing procedures that are paid for by insurance. For anyone who has paid out of pocket to keep something quiet, it doesn’t work. It still gets reported to medical boards so that future insurance companies know what they are dealing with when issuing you a policy.

Understand the copays and how deductibles are treated. Is it per person or per family? The higher your deductible, the lower the premium – just like car insurance. However, something to consider is your overall health. If you never get sick you might want to find a reasonably priced policy with a high deductible.

Just be sure that when you have all your quotes, you actually take the time to talk to representatives at each company that interests you. They will be able to give you a better idea of that particular policy will fit your needs.

Instead, a membership card of sorts is simply presented at the location of treatment. Health Insurence What’s more, some health insurers may increase your premium costs should they believe to be overweight. There are treatments that PPO plans may not cover as standard.

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