ysOmtNXilYE1l5OB7076cs7A6XUxyHN: December 2012

Sunday, December 2, 2012

How to Make Your Stay Comfortable in Spain As Expats

On the lookout for a better living and a secure future, individuals in large numbers are moving to different parts of the world. Doubtlessly, individuals who are looking forward to leave their native company have so many options open in front of them. However, it is always better to spend time to think which country would act as the best host.

In the past few years, the trend of relocating to other countries has increased significantly and this is the reason why various studies have been conducted in the same regards. In a survey, it has been found that Spain is one amongst the top countries where expats wish to relocate. Well, all those individuals who have been lucky enough to get a visa to immigrate to Spain should get themselves updated about the problems that can be faced during their stay.

Some of the most common problems encountered by expats in Spain are as follows:

The Language Barrier

Expats moving to Spain face great difficulty while communicating their thoughts and ideas as Spanish is the language spoken in most parts of the country. Thus, if you want to lead a comfortable life in Spain then it is essential to have a basic understanding of the language. Expats can also take help of translation software and/or dictionaries that would help in translating and understanding.

Healthcare Facilities

Another matter of concern for expats during their stay in Spain is healthcare facilities. A few years back, the entire health system was controlled and maintained by Central Government. However, today the scenario has changed radically and each region is held responsible for the medical facilities in its area. Since the medical facilities are controlled at a regional level, their quality and cost vary from one region to other. Thus, it is better for the expats to consult medical insurance companies offering insurance plans exclusively for expats. Also, many times it happens that expats are not able to avail high quality medical facilities in rural areas. To deal with such challenging situations one should always have a medical travel insurance that covers the expenditure spent in traveling of the diseased.

Employment Contracts

Another important area into which expats should look into is employment contracts. The employee should retain a copy of the contract which makes him or her eligible to work in Spain as an expat. Also, one should be aware of the legal formalities so that if anything goes wrong you know which way to go.

How to Shop for Adequate Health Insurance Life Insurance Advice and Tips You Must Know Health Insurance - 5 Costly Mistakes You Could Make When Buying A Policy Florida Health Insurance Bids Goodbye To COBRA Health Savings Account Plans Shift Money From Premiums To Savings

Hold Your Future With Health Insurance Plans

Most people take health insurance plans for granted. They always think they are young and healthy enough to have health guarantee or insurance plans. They believe it is better to get health assurance when they are going to be hospitalized. It is actually a misconception. It is always better to have your health insurance as early as possible. Health insurance is a process. Companies need to verify if your case is qualified to the coverage of their insurance. This is one of the reasons why health plans are highly recommended.

Today, companies and other employers provide health coverage or insurance as one of the benefits for their employees. Still, it is important to know what kind of insurance policy they are implementing. Is your family being covered by this particular health assurance or insurance? Do they also cover death and permanent disabilities?

Before applying for health insurance plans, here are some guidelines to help you.

- Coverage. The most important thing you can do is to verify with the agency the coverage of the insurance you are applying for. Do not hesitate to ask them anything about the insurance coverage they are offering.

- Details. Do not take anything for granted. Every document is important. Make sure you have the copies of their insurance policy and read everything before signing.

- Costs. Make a list of their packages and prices. Compare these prices to other insurance companies to have an idea about the insurance plans you are applying for.

- Credibility. In all aspects, it is always important to check the credibility of the company. Always settle for the best health coverage company to avoid discrepancies and lapses.

Why have health insurance plans?

Apart from protecting yourself and your family from unexpected costs of hospital bills, one incentive you can get from health assurance or insurance plans is the benefit of tax. Some health plans allow the beneficiary to deduct the income tax they have to pay to the government.

Basic services of health insurance plans:

- Emergency care

- Laboratory exams and results

- Hospital services

- Diagnostic services

- Vaccinations and checkups

- Rehabilitation therapies

Individual health insurance plans are made particularly for students. This is to ensure the educational quality and achievement of the students who need special health care. It is usually a formal written agreement between the school staff and the family of the students. It also requires a certification from the student's physician or health care providers to prove that the person must undergo proper medical care.

Functions of individual health insurance plans:

- Provide proper emergency management to students.

- Create more opportunities for the students.

- Make a special program among students, parents, and staff to see the performance of the students.

- Set different goals such as school social activities, sports, and other educational trips.

- Maintain a medical program and monitor the health status of the students.

Generally, individual health insurance plans are offered to students with disorders or any kind of sickness like the following:

- Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, ADD

- Physical disabilities

- Serious allergies

- Chronic conditions

You may think that applying for health plans is too soon for you. You will never know what might happen. Bear in mind that the future of your family is in your hands. It is always better to come prepared.

The Right Medical Billing Company Is the Key to Your Practice's Financial Success!

The good news is that consumers are demanding the right to choose their own healthcare practices, practitioners and financing. The bad news is that this means that consumers must also be the sole decision-makers when problems arise. They are often on their own. However, a simple set of steps will help any consumer or small business to face up to a challenge and overcome it. Within the same paradigm of this model, providers operating as medical practices are increasingly finding it difficult to operate under decreased revenue and increased cost. Added to this, is the ever changing and dynamic coding and billing requirements. Practices find it easier to have a professional company handle the complexities of billing. The right billing company can make the billing process smooth, easy and a financial rewarding experience for health providers.

1.The following are some of the key reasons why practices need to consider hiring medical billing companies 2.Increasing complexity of reimbursement calls for specialized skills of coding 3.Reduced rate of reimbursement requires a professional to negotiate your contract. 4.Passing of benefits coverage to patient calls for additional steps in collecting patient balances. 5.Negotiating payer contract rates requires knowledge of the coding and billing process and reimbursements rates in the vicinity that is generally available with a professional billing company. 6. Staff turnover and absenteeism generally leads to disruption of cash 7.OIG requirements on medical billing practices calls for a professional billing and coding professional to oversee billing. 8. Ensure there are established policies and procedures for filing, follow-up etc which is generally difficult to accomplish in a small practice environment.

Needless to mention, these values can be only derived from professional and qualified Medical billing companies.Practices often fall prey to inexperienced medical billing companies resulting in revenue loss and cash flow disruption. Practices should check for proper references from reliable sources to ensure that the responsibility of the critically important revenue cycle management of the practice is bestowed in the hands of the right medical billing company.

Some clearly measurable benefits of using medical billing companies are:

1. No downtime due to staff turnover or staff absenteeism 2. No training and re-training, absenteeism 3. No employee benefits 4. No delay in cash flows during absenteeism 5. No computer hardware / software headaches or expense (i.e. upgrades, trouble shooting...) 6. Increased, more predictable cash-flow 7. Increased incentives (we work on a percentage of collections) 8. Most current coding & reimbursement techniques 9. Increase accountability 10.Full-time, professional attention to your cash flow 11.No office distraction 12.Increased office morale 13.Detailed management & negotiating reports 14.Pre-sorted mailing for quicker delivery (Claims & Statements) 15.Daily electronic filing 16.Increased patient satisfaction (due to prompt, accurate and professional filing - and their calls being answered within two rings!) 17.Free your office to do what you do best...Care for your patients!

Practices' feel they lose control over revenue, AR, write-offs and financials by engaging a billing company. Being in control of financials is an important of a business; this can be accomplished by engaging billing companies that use web-based software that is tightly integrated with their practices scheduling, electronic health record and reporting. Practices should be able to run real-time reports with key performance inductors that depict key financial matrixes. The alternative could also be asking billing companies to use their in-house software for billing purposes. The in-house software should be secure and web-enabled through pure web technology such as java, or asp; such that the productivity of the remote billing company is not affected due to application speed. Applications using Citrix, Microsoft remote desktop sharing, gotomypc etc are often found to be counterproductive accessing remotely due to speed issue.

To sum up, the value derived from a medical billing company can be tremendous, particularly for small and solo practices. These benefits can be reaped only through an effective collaborative partnership with the right medical billing service company.

To learn more about the PT billing software and PT documentation SOAP software, please follow this link http://www.practicesuite.com/Physical-Therapy-billing-software.html

No Exam Life Insurance

Nowadays, the possibility of obtaining life insurance (either term insurance or permanent insurance) seems readily available and affordable to everyone. In fact, even though life policies should be guaranteed to everyone, many companies still refuse to take into consideration people with serious health conditions (cancer, diabetes, heart diseases) or those involved in high risk professions. This is because these categories represent a financial risk to the company and thus they are usually rejected after the thorough medical examination required in the application process. Fortunately, there are other ways in which those listed above can qualify for insurance. They too can insure the financial security of their dependents without the strain of medical examinations.

As the name suggests, no exam life policies require no medical inquiry whatsoever, sometimes not even questions about health during the application process. Unlike the types of insurances that require medical underwriting, these are also faster to obtain. It can be a matter of a few weeks between the application process and the time the insurance is issued. The three basic types of no exam life policies are the simplified issue life insurance, the guaranteed issue life insurance and the graded benefit life insurance. While simplified issue insurances still require some health questions, the good news is that guaranteed issue insurances do not, this meaning that no client can be turned down. In some cases, guaranteed issue policies can even build cash value in time. Graded benefit policies are usually taken by those who are beyond middle age. These flexible conditions are especially suitable for those with life-threatening health conditions who want to insure the coverage of burial expenses or unpaid debts in due time.

Naturally though, for every advantage no exam insurances have to offer, there has to be a counterbalance, more specifically the higher price. Since a company embarks on a potentially risky affair, the cost of the insurance compensates the financially challenging undertaking. Because normally the price of a life insurance depends on the policyholder's life expectancy, in this case the lack of medical examination does not allow assumptions and thus the need for security imposes more expensive premiums. However, some specialists say that no exam life insurances might be a trap for those with really serious health conditions, as they could resort to private medical insurances, which might me more appropriate to their needs. If you want to be spared the hassle of medical examination, this may be the right choice for you. Even though no exam insurances entail an effortless process, you should first analyze the advantages offered by each type of insurance before deciding on this one.

Save Up to 60% on Life insurance Policy

5 Things to Understand Before Buying Individual Health Insurance Coverage

Before you just go out and get coverage for your health you need to understand a few things. Buying individual health insurance coverage will be different for everybody. It is mostly used for those without a regular type of job or that work for a company that does not provide any type of health benefits. Here are five things you should know before you make your purchase.

1. Cost

The cost of the insurance you are going to get will vary quite a bit from one person to the next. If you are male you will pay less than a female of the same age because men cannot get pregnant. A younger person will also pay less than someone that is older and a non-smoker will pay less than a smoker. These are all standard things and if you are a very healthy individual it will not cost you as much as someone with health issues.

2. Fine Print

Health insurance policies come with quite a bit of fine print. Before buying individual health insurance coverage you want to make sure you read this and understand it quite well. The fine print can make the difference between choosing one provider over another. Make sure you read it and if you don't understand what the fine print says ask the provider to explain it to you.

3. Different Plans

There are many different plans ranging from a health savings account to a full coverage plan. You will need to figure out what you need the most and get that built into your plan. Nearly every health plan comes with optional dental and vision coverage you may want to consider as well.

4. Companies

You will also have to choose between many different companies that can provide you with the insurance you need. It is very important for you to be comfortable with the company you are choosing and to get one with a good reputation. Compare a few different choices before you get the one that is going to be right for you.

5. Overall Package

Remember when shopping for anything that is important, like health insurance, you need to look at the overall package. Just because one company can give you a very similar plan for a cheaper price does not mean they are the right choice for you. Look at customer service, reputation, years in business, and the overall package of the company and the insurance before you make your final decision.

If you take the time to go through the five things above you will have a better chance of buying individual health insurance coverage that actually fits your needs. This can help you in many ways and it can protect you when an emergency happens. The last thing you want is to be stuck with a bill you cannot afford and having insurance will help protect you from this.

3 Tips to Help With Finding Health Insurance for Individuals

When you need to cover yourself in case of a health emergency and you cannot get insurance through your employer you need to know all about finding health insurance for individuals. This is important if you are self-employed, a freelancer, work as an independent contractor, or you simply cannot get insurance through your employer.

There are many companies that can provide you with the health coverage you need and this is a great way to make sure you are not slapped with a huge bill when something happens. You just need to know where you can find this insurance and how to get the best insurance for your needs. Here are three tips to help with this decision.

1. Look Online

You will save a large amount of time by looking online for your insurance. There are many providers that can give you a quote in just a few minutes. They can also show you the difference between one plan and another allowing you to see what is right for you and how much it will cost you on a monthly basis.

When you start looking for insurance online you will want to get more than one quote from more than one company. Not all health insurance is the same and you really need to have the right choice for your need. Some companies are considered to be better than others and you may want to read a few reviews before making your final decision.

2. Check with Current Insurance Companies

If you already have auto or home insurance you may want to check with the provider to see if they can help you with health insurance. You can save money by carrying all of your insurance policies with one company including health, auto, home, renters, and even life insurance. This is probably the first place you should start, but always compare the potential savings to the other companies that specialize in health insurance only.

3. Review the Policy Completely

Sometimes you may be looking at a policy that is not what you really need. This happens when customers don't read the policy and understand it completely. The last thing you want to go through is an injury that is not covered because of the plan you chose. It can make your life hectic and very stressful. Make sure you read the fine print and the regular print before committing to a company and a policy.

If you use these three tips and you also take your time to find the right company, plan, and coverage, then you will be better off. It is never fun when you are shopping for insurance, but finding health insurance for individuals that will fit you is not all that hard if you know where to look. Use the resources you have at your disposal and check with your current insurance company first.

Three Different Individual Health Insurance Guidelines To Be Aware Of

Insurance is something we all need to have for our vehicles, our home, our life, and most importantly our health. It is not something that is fun to shop for, but it needs to be done. The one big issue most consumers run into is understanding what they need and what they are getting. Here are a few individual health insurance guidelines to help you understand what you may be looking for.

Co-Pay

The co-pay is how much has to come out of your actual pocket when you get a prescription filled, see a doctor, or end up in the emergency room. This is a bit like a deductible and you may actually have a co-pay and a deductible depending on your policy. If you have both the co-pay is usually for doctor's visits and prescriptions and the deductible will be for emergency room and hospital visits.

Your co-pay can range from $0 to about $100 depending on your plan. The lower your co-pay the better it may be for you because you will pay less out of your pocket. This is simply the amount of money the individual contributes for the services provided and it will most likely be different for prescriptions compared to doctor's visits and other services.

Medicare

Medicare can help save you a large amount of money and it is one of the more important of the individual health insurance guidelines. If you are over 65 years old and have some type of disability you may qualify to use Medicare. However, you need to understand it will not cover prescription drugs and you will want to become a member of a discount program or get coverage specifically for your prescriptions.

HSA Accounts

Healthcare savings accounts can be very beneficial depending on your situation. These are tax exempt and you can have the money taken right out of your paycheck. Basically it is an account you can use to pay for any type of medical services or supplies that you need from an approved provider. It will not cover everything, but it can cover many things you need.

If you are a healthy person and you don't see the doctor all that often having an HSA account can help if there is an emergency. It can also help cover things you are not covered for in your regular policy like contact lenses, glasses, and dental work.

There are many other things you should understand about the different individual health insurance guidelines, but the above will help you to understand some of the more common things you will run into. Whenever choosing a policy for your insurance you should take your time, compare more than one quote, and make sure you are getting the coverage you need for a price you can afford.

Group Health Insurance Plans Now Made More Affordable

If your Business has ever considered the ability to offer your Company (spouses & children optional) Employer Group Medical Insurance, now is a great time to look into this new affordable availability. With the new Patient Protection Health Care Reform Act, all Companies small to large are being given a sizable Business Income Tax Credit for providing Group Medical Insurance to their Company Staff.

This is not just a company Tax Deductible Business Write-Off Expense but an additional Tax Credit!

As you may know, all applicants with in your employer group may not be turned away for plan acceptance due to a pre-existing health or medical condition if anyone within your Company is having trouble obtaining Major Medical Health Coverage at this time. They are Independent Health Brokers specializing in Employer Groups who hold Carrier Appointments with Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield, HealthNet, CIGNA, & Kaiser Health to offer you the most in plans choices.

In order to qualify for these PPO or HMO Group Health Insurance Plans, a simple majority of the working members in your Company must be reside in the State your Company is domiciled. Next, at least 75% of the eligible employees, working over 20 hours per week, must either accept the Group Insurance Plan of choice or have an alternative Major Medical Health Plan in place, say though their spouse's group insurance plan for example. Finally, in order to qualify the Company employer must contribute a minimum of 50% for the payment of the Group Health Plan total premium. Which again will generate a sizable business tax credit.

These Group Benefit Plans can also be supplemented by newer Group Health Plan options with Health Nation offering 24/7 telephone or internet webcam access to a licensed medical physician capable of prescribing medicine for you to pick up at your local pharmacy to go along with an enhanced Prescription RX discount card with the Plan. In addition these plans can now be supplemented with Washington National Insurance offering Hospital only benefits to help reduce the individual plan deductible for group members allowing for greater combined group affordability as possibly desired.

Also they can provide your Company with great Group Dental Plans that will work with no waiting periods so you can see the Dentist on the Plan right away. In addition new Group Retail Benefits are now being offered at virtually no cost to the Employer. These Retail Group Benefits provide needed additional group benefits in the form of cash back for your Employer Group members when shopping online with over 5,500 name brand merchants offering over 300,000,000 products and services.

Do You Have Enough Health Insurance?

Most people consider health insurance to be something that pays the doctor or hospital if you get sick. People think that if you do not have a co payment for doctor visits and prescription drugs that you do not have good health insurance. Another common myth is that if you do not have insurance, you do not have health care. While some of these ideas are accurate, you may be able to get the coverage you need and lower your monthly cost if you understand the way it was designed to work.

When the concept of medical insurance first began, the idea was that someone with an illness such as cancer would not be able to pay for the treatment they needed because it was too expensive. They needed the treatment to live, but they would have to go deep into debt just to get the life saving treatment. Every insurance plan covered every illness. There were no co payments for anything. Everything was covered subject to a deductible and co insurance. At that time and into the late 80's, the deductibles were $100 or $250, but they still had to pay the deductible before the insurance would begin to pay.

Now deductibles of $1000 up to $5000 are common for policies that I sell. But the reason the deductible is so high is because the price for the insurance has gone up. These deductibles are fine with my clients because they know that if they go to the doctor they will not have to pay for the deducible if they have a co payment. The higher the deductible for hospitalization and surgery, the lower the price each month. So they can keep the same co payments and lower their monthly cost.

The new Affordable Care Act that was passed in 2010 mandated that every policy offer a preventive care doctor visit for free with no co payment and no deductible every year. This means if you only go to the doctor for an annual physical because you are healthy, you would not have to pay a co payment at all. Many young and healthy individuals are opting to get rid of their co payments to lower their monthly premium. Some people realize that they can pay for the doctor visit if it is 200-300 dollars, but they could not pay for a major medical expense if they were hospitalized.

Many people are over insured and that causes prices to go up. While it is nice to have a co payment for a doctor visit, the added cost to the policy each month may not be worth it. Consider getting a major medical plan without a co payment for a year. If you only go to the doctor one or two times other than your regular physical check up (which is free), you will probably save money in the premium each month. Check out prices regularly to make sure that the plan you have meets your needs. The new laws change constantly and as a result the best plan probably changes too. It's easy to get quotes and compare plans with local agents or online. There are many ways to save hundreds of dollars and still get the coverage that you need.

Does Tennessee Health Insurance Add To Your Stress?

When a person experiences stress, the body normally releases adrenaline and cortisol to help cope with the situation. However, when the body is continuously flooded with these hormones, that causes cell damage and eventually cell death, which can lead to various illnesses.

Recently, Gallup-Healthways conducted a survey that revealed that stress is an extensive problem for Tennesseans. It turns out that Tennessee has a high stress rate with 40.3 percent of its population constantly reporting high stress levels. Tennessee is ranked 14th among all states for high stress reports this year. That tends to drive up both the need for health care and the cost of health insurance for Tennessee.

According to Dr. Angela Willis, a family medicine doctor in Nashville Medical Group Cool Springs, stress is a huge health problem. Nationwide, from 75 to 90 percent of doctor visits are for problems related to stress, which manifest in numerous ways from diarrhea to hives. She added that stress-related illnesses have increased due to the emotional toll of economic problems and the flood that Tennessee experienced last year.

How Is Health Insurance For Tennessee Affected By Stress?

Stress is a common triggering factor for mild to severe kinds of illness. A person in constant stress can experience anything from minor problems, such as headaches and body pains, to major health issues, such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, stroke and even cardiac arrest.

When a person experiences stress, the body normally releases adrenaline and cortisol to help cope with the situation, but the fight-or-flight response was only supposed to last for a brief period. When the body is continuously flooded with these hormones, that causes cell damage and eventually cell death, which can lead to various illnesses.

Stress not only causes health problems that can leave you with major medical bills, but it also drives up the cost of getting health insurance for Tennessee. Your medical history, or "pre-existing" health conditions, can keep you from getting coverage.

TN health insurance companies are still permitted to decline to cover people with bad health. If they do accept an application for someone with a pre-existing condition, the rate will be higher than the normal premium for people with no health issues.

When TN health insurance companies that do agree to accept an application for someone who potentially needs a lot of medical care, they may simply limit coverage. They typically place an exclusion of the type of care a person is most likely to need. Exclusions are often in effect for six months after an application is submitted.

Save On Tennessee Health Insurance With Simple De-stressing Techniques

You may not be able to change the stress around you, but you still have options to change how your body manages stress. Meditation and yoga are possibly the most well-known ways to fight stress, but anything that relaxes you helps. From listening to music to going for a walk, a few minutes of carefree relaxation can change what your body is going through and how well you feel.

Not only will you get more enjoyment out of life, but you'll spend less on health care and health insurance. Then, use your savings to take a relaxing vacation.

Obama Care Was A Historic Accomplishment

Many democratic Presidents have tried and failed in their attempts to reform our health care system and in March 2010 President Obama signed what is now called Obama care which overhauls the nations' health care system and allows for or guarantees access to medical insurance for millions of Americans. The Presidents' program will cover an additional thirty million people which is accomplished by providing federal subsidies and the expansion of Medicaid. Additionally, insurance exchanges will be created which will allow individuals to purchase policies which can not be denied by insurance carriers for preexisting conditions. Obama care will provide for an expert panel which will recommend the elimination of unnecessary procedures and duplicate services..Unfortunately, the law has been extremely unpopular with the Republicans. Not one Republican voted for this plan and there are currently many law suits throughout the country attempting to declare the law unconstitutional. Although some federal judges have upheld the law and some have declared it unconstitutional, the case will most probably end up in the Supreme Court. These law suits, not withstanding, the regulators have begun moving forward to prepare for the majority of changes which will take place in 2014.Already, insurers are no longer allowed to drop sick customers and they are required to offer coverage for children under the age of 26 on their parents policy.

Although not discussed much lately as the jobs crisis has taken center stage, this accomplishment by Mr. Obama will have a profound effect upon our health care system and will allow millions of American access to a system which was previously unavailable to them. There will be almost 20 million additional people enrolled in medicaid and the plan will subsidize medial coverage for the low and middle income Americans.Also, denial for preexisting conditions will not be allowed. President Obama will be credited with one of the most substantial accomplishments of any President since Franklin Roosevelt if Obama care survives the courts and the Congress. The democrats have been pushing for universal health care for 75 years starting with Franklin Roosevelt and ending with Bill Clinton.

Only time will answers the question if we will actually have health care which is accessible for millions of Americans who were, otherwise, not able to access the system. This law must first pass the "muster" of the Supreme Court and perhaps an even more Republican controlled Congress. At any rate, the President could well have the most profound impact upon American life since President Roosevelt. Once the jobs bill and the deficit reduction program is dealt with by our Congress I believe there will be increased focus upon Obama care. Many of the measures are now being implemented and almost all of them will be instituted by 2014. No matter what your political affiliation is, this program will have a profound impact upon all of us and upon American life. Obama care is without doubt, in my view, an giant step toward universal health care and if Obama care survives the courts universal health care will most probably be in place over the next decade. We at lowcostmedicalinsurance.us provide health insurance with excellent coverage and we strive to educate our readers as to current events in the health care industry and Washington DC.

Can Obesity Change California Health Insurance Rates?

According to a report from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America's Health, almost 25 percent of adults in California are obese and another 37 percent are overweight to a lesser extent. Even at that, residents of California are far ahead of those in many other states.

Over the last 15 years, obesity rates have steadily climbed with almost 17 states seeing the rate of adult obesity double. It's almost unimaginable that just two decades ago, no state had adult obesity rates above 15 percent. So, what are we doing to fight this epidemic that drives up disease and death rates? Over the past four years, not a single state has seen a remarkable decline in adult obesity rates.

California Health Insurance Rates Follow Obesity Rates

This last report showed that California's adult obesity rates had only a slight increase to 24.8 percent up from 24.4 percent in 2010. While that doesn't sound bad, if you compare it to 15 years ago, the obesity rate has increased a whopping 78 percent. Not surprisingly, the rate of diabetes has nearly doubled. The only positive note is that when investigators looked at rates of physical activity, only California and Texas showed increased exercise levels.

Because obesity correlates with deteriorating health and more expensive health care, health insurance companies rate up plans for those who are overweight or obese. All insurance companies have medical underwriting policies they use to evaluate your medical history before deciding whether to provide you coverage or not. The more health care statistics indicate someone of a particular weight will cost them more in medical bills, the more they charge for monthly premiums, if they agree to approve the application at all.

Bringing Down Your California Health Insurance Premiums Is Possible

CA insurance providers are totally separate companies so they use different underwriting standards. Shopping plans from several different insurers always increases your odds of finding less expensive options. Until you get your weight under control, you may need to use one of the high-deductible policies that generally have lower premiums than co-payment plans.

Some people dread comparison shopping because insurance tends to confuse most folks, but there is a smart way to get started that can save you a lot of headaches. See what you spent on health care last year and use that as a guide to what you expect to need in the future. Factor in any new health problems that may increase your expenses. If you only had an annual physical and common screening tests for disease, like colonoscopies or mammograms, new health plans cover that without applying co-payments or a deductible.

That would make it less of a financial risk to try a plan with a high deductible in exchange for low premiums. The key to getting regular preventive health care covered is to use providers considered in-network and to watch out for billing errors. Many claims that should be covered are denied because someone used the wrong billing code.

If you are taking medication, you may be able to cut what that costs you, too. Compare prices at local pharmacies. If you have Internet access, you can use the Prescription Wizard to see which pharmacy has the best price in your vicinity. Then, look for discounts. Insurance agents provide prescription discount cards and you can download them online. Costco, CVS Pharmacy, Kmart, Kroger, Rite Aid, Target, Walgreens and Wal-Mart/Sam's Club have all started discount programs, which some independent pharmacies will match.

Supplemental Insurance Explained

What Is Medicare?

Medicare is the huge federal health insurance plan that covers millions of American senior citizens and disabled people. This benefit is very important to most of the people who qualify for it. It helps these people cover a variety of medical services.

However, Medicare does not cover all services. It does not always pay the full amount for services that it does cover. If you just have the original Part A and Part B, you may still have to pay deductibles, co-payments, and for uncovered services. Even people with red, white, and blue cards may still get bills!

There are a variety of ways to maximize Medicare benefits though. Some beneficiaries choose to purchase a Medicare supplement to help cover more medical costs. '

There is not one perfect choice for every person, but it helps to understand your choices.

What Are Medicare Supplements?

Supplements help cover the "gaps" in Medicare coverage. That is why they are called Medi-Gap policies sometimes. They are intended to work with the original plan in order to provide more coverage.

Here a couple of things to know about these private plans.

Supplements are sold by private insurance companies. They are not sold by the federal government. While supplements are marketed and managed by private insurers, they are closely regulated by the government. The actual plans are standardized. They have names like Plan F and Plan G. These should not be confused by Part A and Part B, which are the parts of the original Medicare. Different plans cover different things. Plans with more coverage will probably cost more. The plans are standardized, but different insurers charge different prices. Prices will also vary by your location, and may also vary by your age and other factors.

Many seniors are very happy with the health benefits provided by Medicare and a supplement. However, you can see it is important to shop around for the right plan and insurance company in your local area. Supplements do come at a cost, but they can help people control and manage their out of pocket health costs.

Supplements vs. Advantage vs. Part D

Note that supplements are different from Medicare Advantage (Part C) or Medicare prescription (Part D) plans. All of these plans are sold by private companies. In addition, you may be able to purchase prescription coverage with you supplement, but they are not the same thing!

If you are shopping for the best way to use your own Medicare benefits, it is important to understand your choices.

Healthcare Reform and The Future of Employee Benefit Plans

I am trying to figure out why we spend so many countless employer hours educating and becoming educated on health pans and employee benefits packages. I am talking about a serious amount of time that is spent away from production and instead is filled with broker and employer meetings regarding the renewal, mid- year claims review, the multiple employee education meetings, retaining a trained staff at the employer's office to handle plan and human resources administration and the list goes on and on.

What is the answer? The only answer that is fair and balanced is the introduction of insurance model based on individual needs that are determined outside of business hours. We purchase our auto and home insurance through local insurance agents but yet we are tied to employers to manage are healthcare. One business or municipality in a specific city may have a fantastic benefits package paying 100% of the employee rate and 50% of the dependent rate. And if I am lucky enough to be an employee there I can participate and have great access to healthcare at a rate that is significantly lower than the national average. My counterpart across the way may work at another company in town and they provide benefits but only pay 50% of the employee rate and the plan is catastrophic coverage at best. What happens if my employer changes the plan next year and all of a sudden I have to pay more in terms of premiums and cost sharing? There is no control, nor consistency in this approach. Nor any relationship to the health plan, other than an employer agreement. In this scenario, we are not connected to the cost of the premiums or to the decision making process.

Let's take back control and know more before we purchase. We need to consider an independent model, where citizens can purchase health insurance through local independent or captive agents Agents are able to offer a multitude of various carriers and plans. Under the current employer model we are bound by one plan, the one the employer has chosen for us. (And what if the employer made a foolish personal or business decision and the business goes belly up, then I've just lost the plan that my dependents and I were counting on and COBRA won't apply because there is no longer a plan in force) This is what I mean when I say we need to take back control and end the reliance on the employer based model.

No Connection to the Cost of Healthcare Services. Only at the dentist and at the doctor's office is when I pay for the services once I have "left the building". There is absolutely no connection between the cost of the services and utilization. Consumers need greater access to medical claims cost prior to the office visit instead of the standard "gotcha" billing approach that we are currently susceptible to. For example, when I buy other goods as a US consumer I know at purchasing time what the item will cost. {i.e. one gallon of milk ($3.79)} When I go to the doctor's office they send me and/or my insurance carrier a bill after the services are rendered. Why did I go to this specific doctor, well because this is one of the providers in the health plan that my employer offers. I would much rather prefer more access to consumer data like what will that lab work cost me, how much is the MRI at facility A vs. facility B? We need a re-education process on how to purchase health plans and after we purchase them we need to further educate ourselves and ask relevant questions regarding how much we will have to pay for services once they are rendered.

The Meaning of Health Insurance

In basic terms health insurance for individuals is mitigating the risk of incurring medical expenses by paying a premium to an insurer. Premiums can be paid monthly, quarterly or annually. The insurer which is the health insurance provider will analyze the application of an individual and provide a cost of premiums based on the answers provided to them. Generally the insurer will consider factors such as age, existing health and past history before providing a quote and a policy.

A policy will act as a contract between the insurer and the individual and all details on the cover and the costs should be included in the policy document. Generally most policies will include the following information

The premium: This is the amount the policy holder i.e. you the individual, will pay the insurer. It should also include the how often the premium is to be paid. Generally they are paid monthly however they can also be paid on a quarterly or annual basis.

The Co-payment: This is the amount of monies that the policy holder will need to pay prior to the insurer paying for a particular service. This could be a payment relating to a prescription for example. The payment will need to be paid every time the service is used.

Exclusions: Here the policy document will detail all the products or services that are not covered by the policy. Typically any information that is detailed here will need to be covered by the policy holder should a need arise. This will need to be read in detail to make sure you have the cover required. If information is included here which you are not sure of, contact your insurer immediately for clarification.

Explanation of Benefits: This is where all the detail will be contained and where important information is on what is covered by the policy. So should also be studied to ensure you have the adequate protection you requested.

Coinsurance: Detailed in this section of the policy is the amount that will need to be paid in the event of a claim. Generally it will be a percentage of the overall cost of the claim. For example the policy holder may have to pay 10% of the costs while the insurer pays the other 90%.

It is important to note that all policies should be read thoroughly to ensure that you have adequate protection when taking out health insurance for individuals. This will also avoid any costly miss-understandings in the future should a claim need to be made on the policy. Unfortunately it is not uncommon to hear that people have not been paid out by their insurers due to some miss-communication or failure to read the small print in the policy and people who thought they were insured were actually not.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

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