Health Insurance Medical Resources & Information

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This digital document is an article from International Advances in Economic Research, published by Thomson Gale on August 1, 2006. The length of the article is 4602 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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Title: A furthe… More >>

A further analysis of determinants of health insurance coverage.: An article from: International Advances in Economic Research

Auto insurance can be confusing. Most policies look like they were written in a foreign language. Here are simple explanations for the five basic types of auto insurance coverage so you can decide for yourself what you need and what you don’t.

Collision Coverage – This pays for repairs made to your car no matter who was at fault. If you purchase or lease a car your dealer will require you to carry this coverage.

I recommend getting the highest deductible you can afford. Increasing your deductible from $100 to $500 will save you 10% to 20% on your insurance.

Comprehensive Coverage – This coverage pays for damages to your car from fire, theft, and vandalism. It also pays for damage from natural disasters like hailstorms and hurricanes.

You should carry comprehensive coverage, but again, get the highest deductible you can afford.

Liability Coverage – This coverage pays for your legal fees and any claims made against you if your car kills or injures someone, or damages someone else’s property.

If you don’t have a lot of assets you can go with the minimum your state requires. However, if you do have a lot of assets you should get the highest amount you feel will protect you from lawsuits.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage – This coverage pays for damages done to you, your passengers, and your car that are caused by uninsured or underinsured drivers and hit-and-run drivers.

With more than 15% of the population driving without insurance, and hit-and-run accidents on the rise, this is good coverage to have, especially if you live in states that have a high number of uninsured drivers like Mississippi (26%), Alabama (25%), California (25%), New Mexico (24%), and Arizona (22%).

Medical Coverage – This coverage, also known as personal injury protection, pays your medical expenses and your passenger’s medical expenses if you’re involved in an automobile accident.

Consider eliminating this coverage if you already have medical insurance that covers you.

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com or click on the following link to get auto insurance coverage quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more car insurance tips by checking out their “Articles” section.

Major medical insurance cover is the name given to one particular form of what is commonly referred to today as indemnity or fee-for-service health insurance.

Escalating medical costs these days mean that we are progressively moving away from traditional types of medical insurance and the original fee-for-service medical insurance plan is rapidly being replaced by a number of other plans including HMO (health maintenance organization) plans, PPO (preferred provider organization) plans and POS (point of service) plans.

Basically fee-for-service medical insurance plans are designed to cover unforeseen medical expenses due to illness or injury and give plan holders significant freedom in picking where treatment is taken and by whom such treatment is given. Fee-for-service plan holders are also usually responsible for paying for treatment and for then reclaiming the cost from their insurer.

Newer plans by contrast focus much more on routine medical care with the intention of avoiding unnecessary costs by keeping plan holders well and identifying problems at a very early stage when they are hopefully simple to treat. These newer plans simplify administration for plan holders but also take away much of the freedom to decide where and from whom treatment is to be received.

Most people today are covered by the newer types of medical insurance instead of by traditional fee-for-service plans primarily not only because of their reduced cost but also because there is a lot less administration when it comes to making claims against your plan. In addition, a rising number of employers who offer group health insurance plans for their employees are also opting for these newer types of plan. All the same, there is still a large number of people who want the freedom of choice which a fee-for-service plan gives them and it is here that you may want to look at major medical insurance coverage.

Fee-for-service plans provide three forms of coverage; basic health insurance, major medical insurance and comprehensive insurance.

Basic health insurance plans vary from one insurer to the next but will usually cover hospital treatment (plus the cost of room and board), some hospital services (like x-rays and medicine), surgery (whether done in hospital or another recognized surgery center) and some doctors visits.

By contrast major medical insurance plans are designed to cover the treatment of long-term and high cost illnesses and injuries and both in and out-patient expenses associated with such illnesses and injuries.

Finally, comprehensive insurance cover is merely a plan which encompasses both basic and major medical coverage.

Perhaps not surprisingly major medical insurance is a popular choice as many people are only too happy to pay the day to day cost of medical care but are worried about how they would cope in the event of a major illness or accident which might involve large medical expense which could drag on for weeks, months or even years.

Sadly, the security and choice that is provided by major medical insurance is reflected in the cost of fee-for-service plans generally and thus it is increasingly becoming an option which a lot of people would like to select but one which is simple becoming too expensive.

Many small business owners make the mistake of purchasing a group health plan without utilizing the services of experienced insurance agents to help choose the most viable and affordable plan for their company.

In most cases, the insurance agent’s commission is already included in the cost of the health care plan, so companies don’t pay any more to take advantage of the valuable experience a reputable insurance agency can offer.  When choosing between the many health plan options available, employers can actually save time and money by consulting with an established insurance agency before investing in medical coverage plans that best suit their employee’s needs and the company’s budget.

Studies have shown that one of the benefits of providing group health insurance for employees is the increased retention rate for a quality workforce. In these days of high gas prices and increased costs, offering health insurance at the workplace is a big incentive for many who cannot afford individual health insurance coverage. Investing in your company’s future healthcare can increase loyalty, and overall employee satisfaction, productivity, security, and of course, employee health and fitness. The cost and options of these plans vary according to group size and the state in which your insurance company, or provider is located.

Group health insurance plans start with at least two full time employees and because of healthcare reforms, every state is required to offer this coverage in the workforce. These insurance coverage plans vary greatly and business owners have many options available to suit their budget; from basic coverage, to plans that cover preventive care and dental coverage. The many options offered in managed care plans, or HMO’s, and fee-for-service plans can be very confusing.

Employers must decide how much they can invest and what type of medical services they can afford for their employees. HMO’s are designed to offer reduced rates by using a select group of doctors, hospitals, and other healthcare providers. Employees must stay within that network when getting medical care. Fee-for-service or indemnity group health plans allows your employees to choose their providers. They in turn have control over their choices of doctors and specialists and many options in who they want to visit for their medical services.

The majority of people insured today have insurance plans through their employers. This allows health plan providers to offer many small and large group health coverage plans. For companies with 2-100 employees, and large companies with 100 plus employees, there are several factors which affect the cost of the insurance premiums.  The advantage with large companies is their size which gives them a bargaining chip when it comes to reduced monthly premiums for basic health care coverage plans. Some health plans have higher co-pays for the employees and only cover medical care within the managed network of healthcare providers. Many plans charge higher premiums, but cover more medical services for the company’s employees.

Investing in group health insurance for your employees is a major decision that needs professional advice and planning. A healthy and productive workforce can increase company profits and worker productivity. With an experienced and reputable insurance agent, your company can have the help and expertise to consider all the insurance options available based on your budget, the medical needs of your employees and the costs of medical services in your state. This is an invaluable service for employers who want to consider all options in comprehensive health care coverage of their employees.