Saturday, March 30, 2013

Navigating the World of Health Insurance

By Maryl Joop


In late June of 2012, the Supreme Court of the United States of America voted to maintain a controversial provision of the Affordable Care Act, commonly called Obamacare, which will require each individual in America to buy health insurance with the penalty of a fine if they fail to do so.

These complications when settling on an insurance plan are made even more difficult when an individual is deciding between health insurance policies. Health insurance is its own beast within the already puzzling insurance industry and choosing the right health insurance plan may be a difficult challenge for some people.

As you are shopping for supplemental insurance, you will find that there are many companies that have specialized in this type of insurance. There are many people that require some extra coverage when they are on Medicare and it is important that you know what you need.

excessive coverage that costs more in premiums than an individual can afford. This is because if a person buys an insurance plan with insufficient healthcare coverage it can lead to extensive out of pocket costs should a hospital visit or extended care treatment not be covered by the insurance policy.

HMO health care plans require that the subscriber use specific physicians and health care professionals that are within the plan's network. HMO costs are usually the cheapest plans, but will always come with the above restrictions in physicians.

Should you be looking for your primary health insurance coverage, do not be afraid to shop around. Many people feel that they have to stick with the insurance that is provided through their employer, but if you are not comfortable with that policy you can definitely shop around.

Like almost all other industries, healthcare insurance operates within its own language and a foundational understanding of that language will provide the shopper with knowledge and power when deciding what policy to purchase. Some of the basics include a deductible, or the amount of out of pocket expense you pay before the insurance plan contributes, and co-pay, which is a fixed amount of money the policy holder agrees to pay for some services like prescriptions or hospital visits.

All of the above types of policies offered by health insurance companies have their own advantages and disadvantages but the primary give and take comes from flexibility and cost. Typically, the less out of pocket costs are attributed to the subscriber the less flexible their options in available physicians will be.

Although health insurance can be a large added cost, it is important that you know that you will be covered should you need health care. Often times health care can have a crippling cost and you should understand what you can and cannot afford on your own.

New insurance buyers are not the only ones who should research and plan for additional healthcare coverage. For those who are on Medicare, supplemental insurance for Medicare should also be explored and considered as an option to cover all needed aspects of healthcare costs.

Medicare supplemental insurance is offered by private insurance companies but is designed to help a Medicare subscriber cover costs not included in Medicare coverage such as coinsurance and copay responsibilities. By being informed on what the main differences are between the general overlay of insurance plans, an individual who is deciding on a health insurance policy will be able to more effectively choose an option that is best suited for them.




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