Individual Health Insurance Georgia http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com Compare Free Health Insurance Quotes Online Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:09:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Medical Marijuana http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/69/medical-marijuana/ http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/69/medical-marijuana/#comments Sat, 10 Apr 2010 00:06:55 +0000 admin The long haul debate over medical marijuana is a heated one, with both sides launching a hefty campaign for their side. 14 states have already legalized Marijuana for medical use. This week the Obama Administration issued a statement proclaiming that federal prosecutors will no longer pursue charges against Medical Marijuana users’ or their suppliers. At this point it seems like there is little room for debate. However, the general public has very little information with which to form an educated opinion. DARE classes and passe wives tales have convoluted the truth to some disturbing levels. In reality, Marijuana is a safe and effective drug that can deliver low-risk benefits to even the most terminal of patients.

First off, lets begin by debunking two of the major myths in regards to Marijuana use in general. For if these were myths were true, then Medical Marijuana would be little more than a sick joke. The big one being that it can kill you. Marijuana can not kill you. ProCon.org recently requested reports from the FDA in regards to Marijuana related deaths. The report that they produced from the data they received lists zero known deaths in which Marijuana was the vital suspect of death. Stephen Sidney, MD, Associate Director for Clinical Research at Kaiser Permanente, wrote the following in his Sep. 20, 2003 article titled “Comparing Cannabis with Tobacco — Again,” published in the British Medical Journal:

“No acute lethal overdoses of cannabis are known, in inequity to several of its illegal (for example, cocaine) and legal (for example, alcohol, aspirin, acetaminophen) counterparts…The current knowledge base does not support the assertion that it has any notable adverse public health impact in relation to mortality.”

Joycelyn Elders, MD, former US Surgeon General, wrote the following in her Mar. 26, 2004 editorial published in the Providence Journal:
“Unlike many of the drugs we prescribe every day, marijuana has never been
proven to cause a fatal overdose.”

Another famous myth of Marijuana use is that Marijuana is addictive. Well, this one’s a tough one, because it depends on who you ask. Ask any drug addiction treatment center, and they will tell you that even mild utilize causes helpless addiction that requires thousands of dollars in therapy to shake. According to the United States. Dept. of Health and Human Services DASIS Relate Series, “Differences in Marijuana Admissions Based on Source of Referral”,
“Marijuana does not cause physical dependence. If people experience withdrawal symptoms at all, they are remarkably mild.”
The definition of addiction is hazy. By FDA standards when withdrawal symptoms interfere with the functioning of daily life or exceed a period of more than 2 weeks they assume the substance in question addictive. According to the “National Survey Results on Drug Consume from the Monitoring the Future Study, 1975-1994, Volume II:” released by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 1996, withdrawal symptoms were only reported in 2% of heavy Marijuana users, and peaked at about 2-3 days. The most typical symptoms reported included restlessness, loss of appetite, inability to sleep and anxiety. None of the people who reported symptoms required treatment to alleviate the withdrawal effects.

Marijuana can not kill you all by itself, you can not overdose, and there is no evidence of chemical or any other form of long term dependency. Why is this valuable in regards to the medical marijuana debate? Because these are the very reasons that Doctors say Marijuana is a better prescription choice over other drugs currently conventional to treat a variety of conditions.

Among the Data procured from the FDA by procon.org, was the mortality statics of 17 other FDA approved prescription Drugs. In a span of eight years more than 11,000 deaths were directly attributed to the use of those 17 prescription drugs. What’s so special about these 17? These 17 are prescription drugs that could be replaced with cannabis.The main attraction to using Marijuana as a Medical Option is that it does not have the risk of side effects associated with harsher, legal prescription drugs.Philip Denney, MD, stated to the Arkansas legislature in support of the Medical Use
of Marijuana:
“I have found in my study of these patients that cannabis is really a qualified, effective and non-toxic alternative to many standard medications. There is no such thing as an overdose. We have seen very minimal problems with abuse or dependence, which at worst are equivalent to dependence on caffeine.”

When ruling on Docket #86-22, Francis Young (The DEA’s Administrative Law Judge)
stated that:
“In strict medical terms marijuana is far safer than many foods we commonly consume. For example, eating 10 raw potatoes can result in a toxic response. By comparison, it is physically impossible to eat enough marijuana to induce death. Marijuana in its natural form is one of the safest therapeutically active substances known to man. By any measure of rational analysis marijuana can be safely used within the supervised routine of medical care.”

In those states that allow it, doctors can prescribe Medical Marijuana to patients suffering from AIDS, anorexia, arthritis, asthma, cachexia, cancer, chronic pain, glaucoma, migraine, persistent muscle spasms, including spasms associated with multiple sclerosis, seizures, including seizures associated with epilepsy, severe nausea, as well as other chronic or persistent medical symptoms.

In 1999, the Institute of Medicine, in the most comprehensive view of medical marijuana’s efficacy to date, concluded, “Nausea, appetite loss, pain and anxiety . . . all can be mitigated by marijuana.”

The Aids Action Council has discussed and supported the legalization of medical Marijuana to AIDS patients. Donald Abrams, MD said in Aug of 03 in his report “Short-Term Effects of Cannabinoids in Patients with HIV-1 Infection,”
“Patients receiving cannabinoids [smoked marijuana and marijuana pills] had improved immune function compared with those receiving placebo. They also gained about 4 pounds more on average than those patients receiving placebo.”

One doctor found that 78% of 56 cancer patients with nausea who were resistant to standard drugs became symptom free through inhaling cannabis. Common Drugs old to ease the symptoms associated with chemotherapy treatments such as Marinol have little effect and often have troubling side effects. Cannabis can be used as an antiemetic, a drug which relieves nausea and allows patients to eat and live normally. It is safer, cheaper and often more effective. Marijuana also stimulates the appetite, helping patients hold a healthy weight and the strength to recover.

It may seem curious to think that smoking anything can terminate and Asthma attack, but in a study by the New England Journal Of Medicine, Donald P. Tashkin, MD found that :

“Marijuana smoke, unlike cigarette smoke, causes bronchodilatation [expansion of the air passages] rather than bronchoconstriction [narrowing of the air passages] and, unlike opiates, does not cause central respiratory depression.”

When subjects were induced into exercise related attacks, the subjects that received the placebo Marijuana took 20 min. to an hour to fully recover. The subjects that smoked a single dose of Marijuana saw instant relief.

In an age of tiny gadgets. younger and younger people are being faced with the pains of arthritis and carpel tunnel syndrome, characterized by an inflammation of the joints or the lining that protects them called synovium. Cannabis modulates the productions of proteins which reduce the inflammation and ease harm.

Organizations that have endorsed medical access to marijuana include: the Institute of Medicine, the American Academy of Family Physicians; American Bar Association; American Nurses Association; American Public Health Association;American Society of Addiction Medicine; AIDS Action Council; British Medical Association; California Academy of Family Physicians; California Legislative Council for Older Americans; California Medical Association; California Nurses Association; California Pharmacists Association; California Society of Addiction Medicine; California-Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church; Colorado Nurses Association; Consumer Reports Magazine; Kaiser Permanente; Lymphoma Foundation of America; Multiple Sclerosis California Action Network; National Association of Attorneys General; National Association of People with AIDS; National Nurses Society on Addictions; Fresh Mexico Nurses Association; New York State Nurses Association; New England Journal of Medicine; and Virginia Nurses Association.

With all this compelling evidence in more than 15 government studies alone, it’s hard to understand why there are quiet 36 that do not allow the use of Medical Marijuana. The chief (and practicably sole) argument of the opposition is the dangers related to the smoking of Marijuana. Smoking anything damages your lungs, though the level of carcinogens in a suggested dose of Marijuana is about the equivalent of a day out in the city. Ethan Russo, MD, in a letter to ProCon.org wrote:
“Smoking is a rapid and easily titrated form of cannabis delivery, but unique techniques such as vaporization, sublingual and nebulized cannabis-based medicine extracts offer other choices to the clinical cannabis patient without the risks
of smoking.”

Yet In spite of the established medical value of marijuana, doctors are presently permitted to prescribe cocaine and morphine – but not marijuana.

The American Government is no stranger to the medical Marijuana debate. In 1978 a court ruled that the Federal Government had to allow some patients to posses medical marijuana based on a “Medical Necessity”. To this day the Federal Government unexcited provides 7 surviving members of the Investigational New Drug compassionate access program with access to marijuana for medical purposes.

The continued station 1 area of Cannabis Sativa is a downright human injustice committed by the American Government against its people. The sick, disabled and dying are being forced into a moral dilemma. Weighing quality of life and effective medical treatment against their personal freedom. Marijuana is a safe and effective drug that can dispute low-risk benefits to even the most terminal of patients. Even with the support of the scientific community, Doctors and a slew of Health care associations the Federal Government still balks. The FDA still refuses to classify Marijuana has having medical benefits. There are many political roadblocks and social barriers standing against the Legalization of Medical Marijuana. However, the truth can not be denied forever, and one day at a time those that support Marijuana as a Medical option make headway in the fight for relief.


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]]> http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/69/medical-marijuana/feed/ 0 Life Insurance is All About Timing http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/67/life-insurance-is-all-about-timing/ http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/67/life-insurance-is-all-about-timing/#comments Thu, 01 Apr 2010 02:48:43 +0000 admin Prospective clients often have numerous questions about obtaining insurance coverage at obvious times in their planning process. Some, usually guided by an experienced agent, have everything in dwelling when the need occurs. Others enjoy the waiting game, trying to get something in status correct before the time of need. This is a uncertain game to play.

The most accepted question we hear is WHY? Why was I denied coverage? Why does it cost so much? Why was I rated up for the coverage I requested? More often than not, the client was approached at some point about proper planning, but either didn’t want to consider the possibilities, or simply thought it would never happen to them.

Three major areas we address when looking at long term planning are life insurance (used for income replacement, inheritance, or estate planning), long term care coverage ( in-home care, assisted-living facilities, adult daycare, nursing home care), and medigap (medicare supplement) protection to hide deductibles and coinsurance associated with medicare part A and B.

Underwriting, the process of determining if the client is healthy enough for coverage, varies with each product, and sometimes with each company. Applying after a life changing health event occurs will often result in a decline for coverage. Insurance is meant to be placed while still healthy enough for the coverage requested.

Life insurance is underwritten with the thought of what conditions are life threatening, because death triggers this benefit. If you have a condition that the risk is early or potential death, then the coverage may be declined. The reverse is true with Long Tern Care coverage. Companies are not looking so closely at death risk, as much as they are what condition would prolong life, while needing outside care for the individual. Heart conditions are often a decline for life insurance, but Long Term Care policies can often be written as soon as six months after surgery. Severe arthritis is a decline for Long Term Care coverage, where life insurance views it more favorably. Smoking increases the cost of life insurance tremendously, where it does nothing for the pricing of Long Term Care insurance. Each product has different requirements.

The only product that enjoys a health free underwriting process is the medicare supplement. The government feels that this is such an important product, that by law, there is an open enrollment period six months before and six months after your 65th birthday. Health is not an issue during those time frames, and the client is guaranteed insurability. If the client goes outside of this window, then they will be required to go through health underwriting. There are special enrollment times when health is not reviewed, but they depend upon different scenarios.

Education is the key to proper planning in our world, and I would encourage everyone to take some time out of their busy schedule, sit down with a professional and do some long term planning for their retirement years. Waiting until the last moment often has disastrous results.


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]]> http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/67/life-insurance-is-all-about-timing/feed/ 0 An Overview of TRICARE Retiree Dental Coverage http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/66/an-overview-of-tricare-retiree-dental-coverage/ http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/66/an-overview-of-tricare-retiree-dental-coverage/#comments Wed, 24 Mar 2010 01:01:45 +0000 admin http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/66/an-overview-of-tricare-retiree-dental-coverage/ TRICARE not only provides health care coverage for eligible beneficiaries; it also offers dental coverage as well for those who are looking for dental insurance. Here’s an overview of how it works.

TRICARE Retiree Dental Programme

There are many dental insurance plans out there to choose from that cover preventative, cosmetic as well as emergency dental treatment. One of the dental insurance plans available for military retirees and their eligible family members is the TRICARE Retiree Dental Programme (TRDP), a dental insurance administered by Delta Dental Understanding of California (also known as Delta Dental).

Who Can Apply?

TRDP is commence to retired service members and their eligible family members, as well as to retired National Guard and Reserve members and their eligible family members, some surviving family members of deceased active duty personnel, Medal of Honour recipients and their close family members.

Coverage Areas

TRDP offers dental coverage to patients in all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, Guam, the US Virgin Islands, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands as well as Canada. The cost of dental premiums vary depending on where you live.

Help in Choosing a Dentist

Although you are always free to visit a dentist of your choice, you are likely to receive a more affordable dental service if you choose to be seen by a dentist who participates in the TRDP network. The TRICARE Retiree Dental Programme Web residence recommends looking for a licensed dentist who participates in the Delta Dental Preferred Option USA (PPO) or Delta Dental Choose USA networks. Dentists who are members of the Delta Dental Preferred Option USA (PPO) or Delta Dental Select USA networks have agreed to offer discounted services to military retirees and family members registered in TRDP. Remember that if you peruse an out-of-network dentist, you will face higher dental bills and pay more out-of-pocket expenses. Some out-of-network dentists insist on upfront payment for their services, which will mean having to pay for services rendered and then submitting a claim to Delta Dental for reimbursement.

Choosing TRDP can lessen the worry of shopping around for dental insurance once you retire. But if you do opt for TRDP, examine for a licensed dentist who participates in the Delta Dental Preferred Option USA (PPO) or Delta Dental Select USA network.

Source:

http://www.trdp.org/

]]> http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/66/an-overview-of-tricare-retiree-dental-coverage/feed/ 0 Dental and Health Insurance http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/62/dental-and-health-insurance/ http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/62/dental-and-health-insurance/#comments Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:38:12 +0000 admin http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/62/dental-and-health-insurance/ Everyone is aware of the problems with health insurance – so many are uninsured and underinsured.   Everyone also knows that, in today’s world, you have to have insurance coverage fair to find by. Otherwise, what are you going to do when something goes bad?   And, something always seems to go atrocious.

Getting the Dental and Health Insurance You Need

You know you need it…now what?   A lot of people glean insurance through their places of employment.   Some people, however, do not net insurance through work or do not score enough insurance through work.  In this case, there is no option but to pay for your insurance coverage out of pocket.  As scary as paying for insurance out of pocket might sound, it’s a lot more expensive to pay for costly dental and medical bills out of pocket.  If you cannot accept the benefits that you need through work, you have to catch another contrivance to procure those benefits.  Going without is not an option – it costs too considerable in the long bustle.

Getting the dental and health insurance that you need isn’t as easy as finding a mammoth policy and snapping your fingers, or even writing a check.  Some things, like preexisting conditions, won’t be covered by your unusual policy.  Preexisting conditions can mean almost anything – did you have a cavity before you got your dental policy?   If so, the current filling you acquire won’t be covered.  Nothing cosmetic (like teeth whitening) is ever covered by any dental insurance policy.   Any condition or ailment that you had prior to getting current insurance is not going to be covered by your unique policy.  Any illness or problems that produce after you lift out your policy will be covered, though not all insurance companies covered everything 100%.  What they mask, and for how mighty, varies by company.  You’ll derive a plump explanation of benefits before you mark up to any policy – so be obvious to understand and behold what those benefits are, and how grand your insurance company is going to conceal. 

To acquire a fresh dental and health insurance policy, you will be asked lots of questions about your life and health.  Whether or not you smoke, drink, or have any family history of medical problems (diabetes, cancer, etc.) will all be a share of the initial questions you have to retort before obtaining your policy.  This is the insurance company’s diagram of calculating the “risk” of insuring you.  They will insure you, but if you are considered to be high risk you may have to pay a larger premium on your policy.   You should not need a physical before obtaining dental and health insurance – most companies do not require it and you can find insurance that will not need you to undergo a physical. 

Paying For Your Dental and Health Insurance

The qualified thing about insurance is that you can occupy up all the dental and health insurance you need from any insurance company.  You don’t have to be rich and you don’t have to be an employer to glean the dental and medical benefits that you’re looking for.  Insurance can be very costly, but in many cases you might pay less for your insurance out of pocket than you pay with the company that you work for.  This is because many insurance companies offer cheaper plans for individuals and families, plans worthy more affordable than the group plans that stout companies consume.   Don’t be troubled of the cost until you do a exiguous research first. 

Finding Individual and Family Dental and Health Insurance

The first rule of finding the best insurance policy for you and your family is to shop around.  You shop around for the best deals on groceries, so why not shop around for dental and health insurance?   Most companies will offer dental, health, and even vision insurance in one complete package.  This is usually cheaper than buying individual policies, and a lot less confusing.  Going with one company for all your dental and health insurance needs is going to be your best bet.  A simple Internet search will provide you with web sites where you can compare quotes online, side-by-side.  This makes comparison shopping a bolt.  All the major insurance companies are gay to work with individuals and families on insurance policies, and many offer huge deals.  Only you know what the best insurance policy is for you, so do your homework and do a runt shopping around.  Unless you comparison shop for your dental and health insurance, you won’t fetch the best deal.

Better Qualified Than Sorry

Sometimes, it seems ridiculous to pay for insurance.  Every month you must shell out money on a bill, “just in case” something happens.  If nothing ever happens, do you leer that money ever again?   No, of course not.  But what effect can you attach on your personal safety?   You need insurance because something will eventually happen.  If you derive a toothache or obtain sick and you don’t have insurance, the only thing you can do is suffer in silence or pay expensive rates out of your bear pocket for office visits and treatment.  With insurance, you can glean the treatment you need and continue to pay for your policy on a monthly basis.  It’s distinguished cheaper to pay for insurance now than to pay for costly medical and dental treatment later.

Everyone is aware of the problems with health insurance – so many are uninsured and underinsured.   Everyone also knows that, in today’s world, you have to have insurance coverage impartial to catch by. Otherwise, what are you going to do when something goes noxious?   And, something always seems to go faulty.

Getting the Dental and Health Insurance You Need

You know you need it…now what?   A lot of people obtain insurance through their places of employment.   Some people, however, do not find insurance through work or do not score enough insurance through work.  In this case, there is no option but to pay for your insurance coverage out of pocket.  As scary as paying for insurance out of pocket might sound, it’s a lot more expensive to pay for costly dental and medical bills out of pocket.  If you cannot salvage the benefits that you need through work, you have to gather another procedure to secure those benefits.  Going without is not an option – it costs too remarkable in the long bustle.

Getting the dental and health insurance that you need isn’t as easy as finding a huge policy and snapping your fingers, or even writing a check.  Some things, like preexisting conditions, won’t be covered by your current policy.  Preexisting conditions can mean almost anything – did you have a cavity before you got your dental policy?   If so, the unique filling you gather won’t be covered.  Nothing cosmetic (like teeth whitening) is ever covered by any dental insurance policy.   Any condition or ailment that you had prior to getting current insurance is not going to be covered by your unusual policy.  Any illness or problems that create after you remove out your policy will be covered, though not all insurance companies covered everything 100%.  What they hide, and for how remarkable, varies by company.  You’ll glean a stout explanation of benefits before you heed up to any policy – so be positive to understand and spy what those benefits are, and how grand your insurance company is going to camouflage. 

To catch a original dental and health insurance policy, you will be asked lots of questions about your life and health.  Whether or not you smoke, drink, or have any family history of medical problems (diabetes, cancer, etc.) will all be a piece of the initial questions you have to respond before obtaining your policy.  This is the insurance company’s device of calculating the “risk” of insuring you.  They will insure you, but if you are considered to be high risk you may have to pay a larger premium on your policy.   You should not need a physical before obtaining dental and health insurance – most companies do not require it and you can accept insurance that will not need you to undergo a physical. 

Paying For Your Dental and Health Insurance

The obedient thing about insurance is that you can assume up all the dental and health insurance you need from any insurance company.  You don’t have to be rich and you don’t have to be an employer to gain the dental and medical benefits that you’re looking for.  Insurance can be very costly, but in many cases you might pay less for your insurance out of pocket than you pay with the company that you work for.  This is because many insurance companies offer cheaper plans for individuals and families, plans great more affordable than the group plans that ample companies employ.   Don’t be timorous of the cost until you do a microscopic research first. 

Finding Individual and Family Dental and Health Insurance

The first rule of finding the best insurance policy for you and your family is to shop around.  You shop around for the best deals on groceries, so why not shop around for dental and health insurance?   Most companies will offer dental, health, and even vision insurance in one complete package.  This is usually cheaper than buying individual policies, and a lot less confusing.  Going with one company for all your dental and health insurance needs is going to be your best bet.  A simple Internet search will provide you with web sites where you can compare quotes online, side-by-side.  This makes comparison shopping a run.  All the major insurance companies are overjoyed to work with individuals and families on insurance policies, and many offer broad deals.  Only you know what the best insurance policy is for you, so do your homework and do a runt shopping around.  Unless you comparison shop for your dental and health insurance, you won’t accumulate the best deal.

Better Advantageous Than Sorry

Sometimes, it seems ridiculous to pay for insurance.  Every month you must shell out money on a bill, “just in case” something happens.  If nothing ever happens, do you behold that money ever again?   No, of course not.  But what mark can you effect on your personal safety?   You need insurance because something will eventually happen.  If you salvage a toothache or obtain sick and you don’t have insurance, the only thing you can do is suffer in silence or pay expensive rates out of your contain pocket for office visits and treatment.  With insurance, you can score the treatment you need and continue to pay for your policy on a monthly basis.  It’s noteworthy cheaper to pay for insurance now than to pay for costly medical and dental treatment later.

]]> http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/62/dental-and-health-insurance/feed/ 0 Health Insurance Terminology http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/61/health-insurance-terminology/ http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/61/health-insurance-terminology/#comments Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:19:37 +0000 admin http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/61/health-insurance-terminology/ If you’re presenting an overview of your company’s insurance policy, selecting a policy for your company or a newly licensed agent marketing group insurance, you need to know health insurance terminology. The best practice for health insurance terminology is to review the definitions and link the name to it’s meaning. Many of the insurance terms sound a lot alike so it’s somewhat difficult.

Shiny the terms doesn’t guarantee you’ll understand everything. I was in the industry for terminate to thirty years and don’t pretend I understand every policy, at least not immediately. The funniest experience I ever had with health insurance occurred the day our company’s fresh insurance idea outline was issued. There sat a group of agents whose combined experience numbered over 100 years and the only words you could hear was, “What the heck does that mean? ” Sometimes even shining the terms is not enough.

Deductible:

The deductible is the amount the insurance company doesn’t pay up front. Once the insured pays that out of pocket, then the insurance company splits the cost of care in the co-insurance fragment. Remember, the insurance company deducts this amount from their payment to the insured. Co-insurance is the division of the bill in percentage between the insurance company and the insured. The company contract states the percentage of the bill the company pays, the rest is on the shoulders of the insured. These point to as ratios, such as 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40 or 50/50. The first number is the coverage percentage the insurance company pays.

Out of Pocket Maximum:

When dealing with deductibles and co-insurance the insurance company normal limits the amount the insured has to pay until the company pays 100 percent of the allowable claim. This is the out of pocket maximum.

Co-Payment:

Don’t confuse a co-payment with co-insurance. A co-payment is a shrimp amount the insured pays each time he uses a specific service or portion of the idea. For example, the co-payment for generic drugs is $10. Every time the insured gets a prescription, he pays $10 of the cost. If the drug only costs $9, then that’s all he pays. If the prescription calls for a drug that’s not generic, the conception might require a co-payment of $15 dollars. Normally a co-pay covers prescription drugs, doctor’s office visits and frequently emergency room visits.

Managed Care:

Managed care policies have a network of hospitals, doctors and other professionals called preferred providers. HMOs, health maintenance organizations, don’t hide you if you don’t exercise the network. PPO, preferred provider organizations, and POS, point of service, plans help you to utilize them by including higher co pays, co insurance and deductibles if you don’t. Stale plans are fee for service plans where you determine any doctor or service facility.

Pre-existing Conditions:

A pre-existing condition is a medical condition the insured had before he purchased a opinion or signed up for group insurance. Insurance companies don’t pay claims for these conditions if they exclude them or accumulate them undisclosed excludable information later. Group insurance is more forgiving than individual policies and the pre-existing medical condition receives coverage after a year or 6 months if there’s no treatment or recommended treatment.

Reasonable and Conventional Fees:

Even though the insured may not have a co-pay or met all the deductibles and co-insurance requirements, they tranquil have to pay any excess that the doctor or the hospital charges that is more than what the insurance company finds standard for their place and treatment. Any charge above the reasonable and dilapidated amount isn’t fraction of the out of pocket maximum or deductible. Frequently companies negotiate with the doctor to lower the fee to the amount they pay.

If you’re presenting an overview of your company’s insurance policy, selecting a policy for your company or a newly licensed agent marketing group insurance, you need to know health insurance terminology. The best practice for health insurance terminology is to review the definitions and link the name to it’s meaning. Many of the insurance terms sound a lot alike so it’s somewhat difficult.

Shimmering the terms doesn’t guarantee you’ll understand everything. I was in the industry for conclude to thirty years and don’t pretend I understand every policy, at least not immediately. The funniest experience I ever had with health insurance occurred the day our company’s fresh insurance opinion outline was issued. There sat a group of agents whose combined experience numbered over 100 years and the only words you could hear was, “What the heck does that mean? ” Sometimes even smart the terms is not enough.

Deductible:

The deductible is the amount the insurance company doesn’t pay up front. Once the insured pays that out of pocket, then the insurance company splits the cost of care in the co-insurance part. Remember, the insurance company deducts this amount from their payment to the insured. Co-insurance is the division of the bill in percentage between the insurance company and the insured. The company contract states the percentage of the bill the company pays, the rest is on the shoulders of the insured. These display as ratios, such as 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40 or 50/50. The first number is the coverage percentage the insurance company pays.

Out of Pocket Maximum:

When dealing with deductibles and co-insurance the insurance company normal limits the amount the insured has to pay until the company pays 100 percent of the allowable claim. This is the out of pocket maximum.

Co-Payment:

Don’t confuse a co-payment with co-insurance. A co-payment is a slight amount the insured pays each time he uses a specific service or section of the notion. For example, the co-payment for generic drugs is $10. Every time the insured gets a prescription, he pays $10 of the cost. If the drug only costs $9, then that’s all he pays. If the prescription calls for a drug that’s not generic, the idea might require a co-payment of $15 dollars. Normally a co-pay covers prescription drugs, doctor’s office visits and frequently emergency room visits.

Managed Care:

Managed care policies have a network of hospitals, doctors and other professionals called preferred providers. HMOs, health maintenance organizations, don’t conceal you if you don’t spend the network. PPO, preferred provider organizations, and POS, point of service, plans succor you to utilize them by including higher co pays, co insurance and deductibles if you don’t. Aged plans are fee for service plans where you determine any doctor or service facility.

Pre-existing Conditions:

A pre-existing condition is a medical condition the insured had before he purchased a opinion or signed up for group insurance. Insurance companies don’t pay claims for these conditions if they exclude them or earn them undisclosed excludable information later. Group insurance is more forgiving than individual policies and the pre-existing medical condition receives coverage after a year or 6 months if there’s no treatment or recommended treatment.

Reasonable and Obsolete Fees:

Even though the insured may not have a co-pay or met all the deductibles and co-insurance requirements, they quiet have to pay any excess that the doctor or the hospital charges that is more than what the insurance company finds standard for their status and treatment. Any charge above the reasonable and weak amount isn’t fraction of the out of pocket maximum or deductible. Frequently companies negotiate with the doctor to lower the fee to the amount they pay.

]]> http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/61/health-insurance-terminology/feed/ 0 The Ins and Outs of Group Health Insurance http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/60/the-ins-and-outs-of-group-health-insurance-2/ http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/60/the-ins-and-outs-of-group-health-insurance-2/#comments Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:13:44 +0000 admin http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/60/the-ins-and-outs-of-group-health-insurance-2/ You’re one of those, go-getting, micro-business entrepreneurs or an outmoded fashioned itsy-bitsy business owner … and that means its up to and you alone to choose whether or not you can provide a group healthcare idea to your close-knit workforce. These days, business owners in your region need more than objective health insurance for themselves, the availability of group health has become an famous recruiting selling point. Besides, it’s frankly in your best interest to be on a group thought rather than an individual thought. Group health plans often have richer benefits and lower premiums overall because of their shared risk/shared cost structure.

Once you’ve made the decision to offer a group medical notion, you should be aware of the types of health plans available and the many features and benefits they provide. There are many types of group insurance programs. However, I’ll only focus on plans specifically designed to be comprehensive workforce oriented healthcare solutions rather than those focused on specific medical issues.

This is all simpler than its sounds. You search for, most health insurance plans can be broken down into four major categories: Comprehensive Major Medical, HMOs, PPOs and Self Funded Plans.

First Up, the Comprehensive Major Medical Plan

This type of group health policy will provide benefits for expenses incurred by an employee for most medical treatments. This includes benefits for treatments in a hospital, for physician services in or out of a hospital, for treatments needed for the care of accidental injuries, for treatments incurred during pregnancy, and most other medical costs incurred from a “medically notable treatment.

Here are the four riders that can traditionally be attached to comprehensive major medical plans:

Prescription Drug Card – allows for itsy-bitsy co-payment by employee when purchasing prescription drugs.

Supplemental Accident Benefits - provides first dollar coverage with no deductible for treatment of accidental injuries.

Dental/Vision Benefits – provides insurance for the specific cost of dental and optical treatments.

Skilled Nursing Care/Home Health Care – provides coverage for the cost of ongoing care in a skilled nursing facility or in the home.

Comprehensive major medical coverage is the popular option of most petite business owners and micro-business entrepreneurs. However, due to the enriched benefits provided by major medical plans, it can be a fairly costly choice. Secondly, The Health Maintenance Organization (Group HMO)

The sometimes infamous: Health Maintenance Organization (aka HMO) is in reality detached mannered Bruce Banner (sorry, impartial kidding) HMO’s are managed health care platforms. They apply built-in cost containment features to attend nick the risk of loss to the underwriting insurance company, thereby reducing the cost to business owners such as, well … you. Here’s an example: Many Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans have HMO options that provide succor plans for employees who settle physicians from a popular / participating roster of health care providers.

Typically HMOs are organized in great the same device. The incompatibility centers on the plan the physician “panel is structured. You peer, prepaid group practice HMOs include practitioners that are located together in an office/complex and are hired by the opinion and paid a salary. Individual practice association HMOs include participating physicians who practice individually and are contracted by the HMO. In both cases, the HMO is receiving a prepaid premium from the concept participant.

Next Up, The Preferred Provider Organization (Group PPO)

The not so spoiled at as all that Preferred Provider Organization is very similar to the HMO, at least in terms of ghastly opinion. Group PPOs are unprejudiced groups of physicians and hospitals that contract with employers, insurance companies, or third party administrators to provide health care services at reduced fees. Like HMOs, PPOs may be structured as group or individual practices.

The significant differences between Group HMOs and Group PPOs play out as follows:

PPOs do not provide benefits on a prepaid basis but on a fee-for-service basis as services are rendered.

Fees are usually subject to a schedule venerable by all PPO participants.

Idea participants do not have to expend the PPO physicians or facilities. They can build a choice each time health care is principal. However, PPOs usually have lower deductibles and lower co-payments.

Lastly, The Self-Funded Group Medical Plan

The Self-Funded Concept involves an plot whereby the employer assumes all the responsibilities and liabilities that an insurance company would normally prefer. Basically, the employer is responsible for payment of all claims. However, can problems arise if your workforce incurs mammoth claims. Therefore, most self-funded group medical plans will be less economically feasible for diminutive business groups but will work quite effectively for firms with medium-sized groups due to the reduced risk.

There are various partially self-funded group health plans that are more feasible for minute groups. An insurance company would underwrite this type of idea. The employer would be responsible for the co-insurance allotment of the major medical idea, while the employee is responsible for the appropriate deductible. Traditionally, the co-insurance share of a major medical conception is 80% of the $5,000 of medical costs that exceed the deductible. The insurance company is then responsible for all amounts exceeding the deductible and co-insurance.

The total annual aggregate out-of-pocket expenses for the employer work out to be what the average annual cost of a full-blown major medical view would be for the same group. Therefore, if a company has a fairly first-rate health history, it may put some money with a partially self-funded idea.

Remember, two or more of the group-oriented health insurance plans above can be musty in concert with a variety of tax saving strategies.

Before You Go, Here’s a Effect About Group Cafeteria Plans

Cafeteria Plans are available to business owners and their employees for the purpose of funding employee benefits with pre-tax dollars. The essence of a cafeteria opinion, as described in IRC Fragment 125, is that it allows each participating employee to decide among two or more benefits. In particular, the employee may “prefer nontaxable benefits by foregoing taxable cash compensation. Benefits under a cafeteria idea are microscopic to cash and obvious statutory benefits, including medical, disability and other accidental or health understanding coverages, group term life insurance, dependent care, group upright services, and 401(k) plans.

There are many different methods of initializing cafeteria plans for shrimp businesses. Every diminutive business is different, and cafeteria plans should be approached with that understanding in mind.

The choice of what type of group health insurance idea will best fit the needs of your workforce isn’t easy one. However, having a basic knowledge of what is available can design the decision a runt easier. The bottom line is a more primary quiz. “Do you want a view with quality features and benefits? ” or “Do you want to do money? ” In most cases, you will glean it difficult to have both.

You’re one of those, go-getting, micro-business entrepreneurs or an aged fashioned little business owner … and that means its up to and you alone to determine whether or not you can provide a group healthcare belief to your close-knit workforce. These days, business owners in your location need more than honest health insurance for themselves, the availability of group health has become an vital recruiting selling point. Besides, it’s frankly in your best interest to be on a group opinion rather than an individual understanding. Group health plans often have richer benefits and lower premiums overall because of their shared risk/shared cost structure.

Once you’ve made the decision to offer a group medical concept, you should be aware of the types of health plans available and the many features and benefits they provide. There are many types of group insurance programs. However, I’ll only focus on plans specifically designed to be comprehensive workforce oriented healthcare solutions rather than those focused on specific medical issues.

This is all simpler than its sounds. You witness, most health insurance plans can be broken down into four major categories: Comprehensive Major Medical, HMOs, PPOs and Self Funded Plans.

First Up, the Comprehensive Major Medical Plan

This type of group health policy will provide benefits for expenses incurred by an employee for most medical treatments. This includes benefits for treatments in a hospital, for physician services in or out of a hospital, for treatments needed for the care of accidental injuries, for treatments incurred during pregnancy, and most other medical costs incurred from a “medically important treatment.

Here are the four riders that can traditionally be attached to comprehensive major medical plans:

Prescription Drug Card – allows for shrimp co-payment by employee when purchasing prescription drugs.

Supplemental Accident Benefits - provides first dollar coverage with no deductible for treatment of accidental injuries.

Dental/Vision Benefits – provides insurance for the specific cost of dental and optical treatments.

Skilled Nursing Care/Home Health Care – provides coverage for the cost of ongoing care in a skilled nursing facility or in the home.

Comprehensive major medical coverage is the celebrated option of most shrimp business owners and micro-business entrepreneurs. However, due to the enriched benefits provided by major medical plans, it can be a fairly costly choice. Secondly, The Health Maintenance Organization (Group HMO)

The sometimes infamous: Health Maintenance Organization (aka HMO) is in reality composed mannered Bruce Banner (sorry, impartial kidding) HMO’s are managed health care platforms. They apply built-in cost containment features to assist chop the risk of loss to the underwriting insurance company, thereby reducing the cost to business owners such as, well … you. Here’s an example: Many Blue Cross/Blue Shield plans have HMO options that provide attend plans for employees who resolve physicians from a favorite / participating roster of health care providers.

Typically HMOs are organized in great the same intention. The disagreement centers on the arrangement the physician “panel is structured. You look, prepaid group practice HMOs include practitioners that are located together in an office/complex and are hired by the understanding and paid a salary. Individual practice association HMOs include participating physicians who practice individually and are contracted by the HMO. In both cases, the HMO is receiving a prepaid premium from the opinion participant.

Next Up, The Preferred Provider Organization (Group PPO)

The not so wrong at as all that Preferred Provider Organization is very similar to the HMO, at least in terms of bad idea. Group PPOs are objective groups of physicians and hospitals that contract with employers, insurance companies, or third party administrators to provide health care services at reduced fees. Like HMOs, PPOs may be structured as group or individual practices.

The distinguished differences between Group HMOs and Group PPOs play out as follows:

PPOs do not provide benefits on a prepaid basis but on a fee-for-service basis as services are rendered.

Fees are usually subject to a schedule traditional by all PPO participants.

Concept participants do not have to exhaust the PPO physicians or facilities. They can gain a choice each time health care is famous. However, PPOs usually have lower deductibles and lower co-payments.

Lastly, The Self-Funded Group Medical Plan

The Self-Funded Belief involves an way whereby the employer assumes all the responsibilities and liabilities that an insurance company would normally hold. Basically, the employer is responsible for payment of all claims. However, can problems arise if your workforce incurs tall claims. Therefore, most self-funded group medical plans will be less economically feasible for tiny business groups but will work quite effectively for firms with medium-sized groups due to the reduced risk.

There are various partially self-funded group health plans that are more feasible for dinky groups. An insurance company would underwrite this type of concept. The employer would be responsible for the co-insurance part of the major medical concept, while the employee is responsible for the appropriate deductible. Traditionally, the co-insurance piece of a major medical thought is 80% of the $5,000 of medical costs that exceed the deductible. The insurance company is then responsible for all amounts exceeding the deductible and co-insurance.

The total annual aggregate out-of-pocket expenses for the employer work out to be what the average annual cost of a full-blown major medical concept would be for the same group. Therefore, if a company has a fairly well-behaved health history, it may keep some money with a partially self-funded thought.

Remember, two or more of the group-oriented health insurance plans above can be veteran in concert with a variety of tax saving strategies.

Before You Go, Here’s a Tag About Group Cafeteria Plans

Cafeteria Plans are available to business owners and their employees for the purpose of funding employee benefits with pre-tax dollars. The essence of a cafeteria concept, as described in IRC Allotment 125, is that it allows each participating employee to determine among two or more benefits. In particular, the employee may “lift nontaxable benefits by foregoing taxable cash compensation. Benefits under a cafeteria opinion are slight to cash and distinct statutory benefits, including medical, disability and other accidental or health concept coverages, group term life insurance, dependent care, group just services, and 401(k) plans.

There are many different methods of initializing cafeteria plans for microscopic businesses. Every tiny business is different, and cafeteria plans should be approached with that view in mind.

The choice of what type of group health insurance conception will best fit the needs of your workforce isn’t easy one. However, having a basic knowledge of what is available can originate the decision a puny easier. The bottom line is a more notable interrogate. “Do you want a concept with quality features and benefits? ” or “Do you want to set money? ” In most cases, you will derive it difficult to have both.

]]> http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/60/the-ins-and-outs-of-group-health-insurance-2/feed/ 0 How to Get Health Insurance Coverage http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/59/how-to-get-health-insurance-coverage/ http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/59/how-to-get-health-insurance-coverage/#comments Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:15:37 +0000 admin http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/59/how-to-get-health-insurance-coverage/ My daughter rolled off our insurance in June of this year. About a month prior to this she had received a letter from the health insurance company stating this. In this letter they had given her the amount of $770 for her monthly premium to have insurance of her possess with this health insurance company.

There are others who are paying far more a month than this for their health insurance out of pocket. What we did was check into what it would cost for her to pay to quit on the insurance idea my husband has at his job. We found that the cost per month would be unbiased over $170. We had her hold out the get his boss sent home with him and mailed it befriend in. This is far cheaper than the amount this same insurance company quoted to her. This option only allows her to retain it for three years, but it beats no insurance at all.

Since she has a history of seizures, she has to go to the doctors office twice a year for routine checkups. She has to have a blood work up done each time she goes into the doctor so they can withhold track of her kidney function due to the medication she is on.

The doctors office visit would cost about $80 each time and around $100 for the blood work-up without insurance. Then every three years she has to have a sleep deprivation test. That test costs between $800 and $1000. I don’t remember the valid amount that I saw on the sheet we secure from the insurance company.

Then there are those who consume residence funded insurance through their local SRS. The medical coverage for those people is impartial as poor sometimes than the elderly who are on medicare solely. They have to visit clear doctors and go to clear hospitals and file paper work that takes forever to win processed in some cases.

This medical coverage doesn’t mask all that worthy either. At one point in my life, I did have to employ this type of insurance and it was almost as terrible as not having any at all when my daughter was a toddler. This status is another fragment that can be improved upon rather than starting another type of medical insurance for those who are unemployed due to layoffs and business closings.

If you or your child is unable to pay the coverage to maintain them on the same notion you have, check with your local SRS office. They may have a more affordable option for health coverage for your teen or young adult. It may hold some time to rep in to the office for an appointment, it is worth it.

My daughter rolled off our insurance in June of this year. About a month prior to this she had received a letter from the health insurance company stating this. In this letter they had given her the amount of $770 for her monthly premium to have insurance of her hold with this health insurance company.

There are others who are paying far more a month than this for their health insurance out of pocket. What we did was check into what it would cost for her to pay to conclude on the insurance idea my husband has at his job. We found that the cost per month would be impartial over $170. We had her beget out the originate his boss sent home with him and mailed it encourage in. This is far cheaper than the amount this same insurance company quoted to her. This option only allows her to sustain it for three years, but it beats no insurance at all.

Since she has a history of seizures, she has to go to the doctors office twice a year for routine checkups. She has to have a blood work up done each time she goes into the doctor so they can support track of her kidney function due to the medication she is on.

The doctors office visit would cost about $80 each time and around $100 for the blood work-up without insurance. Then every three years she has to have a sleep deprivation test. That test costs between $800 and $1000. I don’t remember the accurate amount that I saw on the sheet we earn from the insurance company.

Then there are those who exercise position funded insurance through their local SRS. The medical coverage for those people is honest as unpleasant sometimes than the elderly who are on medicare solely. They have to visit distinct doctors and go to definite hospitals and file paper work that takes forever to win processed in some cases.

This medical coverage doesn’t screen all that noteworthy either. At one point in my life, I did have to exhaust this type of insurance and it was almost as unpleasant as not having any at all when my daughter was a toddler. This state is another part that can be improved upon rather than starting another type of medical insurance for those who are unemployed due to layoffs and business closings.

If you or your child is unable to pay the coverage to support them on the same thought you have, check with your local SRS office. They may have a more affordable option for health coverage for your teen or young adult. It may hold some time to accumulate in to the office for an appointment, it is worth it.

]]> http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/59/how-to-get-health-insurance-coverage/feed/ 0 Catastrophic Health Insurance Plans http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/58/catastrophic-health-insurance-plans/ http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/58/catastrophic-health-insurance-plans/#comments Thu, 28 Jan 2010 04:27:39 +0000 admin http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/58/catastrophic-health-insurance-plans/ Catastrophic health insurance plans offer a unusual and effective solution to rising health insurance costs. Here is how a catastrophic health insurance conception can assist you or your family place money and pause protected.

Affordable Premiums

Because most catastrophic health insurance plans offer coverage with a high deductible and very few “bells and whistles”, the notice for these plans is very affordable. In fact, many individuals establish hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, per year.

The understanding is, that the insurance company covers the immense stuff, and you are responsible for the everyday expenses. This is fine because if you don’t consume your health understanding throughout the year, you retain the money you would have otherwise spent on comprehensive health coverage, not your insurance company.

Excellent Major Medical Coverage

Although these plans don’t screen everyday expenses, some do hide preventive care and/or minor accidents before the deductible. Some also allow you to add a supplemental cancer encourage.

There are many plans that screen 70% or 80% of your medical expenses after you have met the deductible. However, you should be able to procure a conception that covers 100% once the deductible has been met. Because these plans were designed to cloak major medical expenses, it’s accepted that they conceal between $1,000,000 and $25,000,000 in expenses over a persons lifetime.

Tax Advantages (an added bonus)

If you recall a “qualified high deductible health plan” you are eligible to launch a health savings chronicle (HSA.) An HSA is a checking anecdote that allows you to deposit money pre-tax. Once you have a balance, you can exercise the money in your HSA to pay for medical, dental, vision, and other expenses you have throughout the year. Most banks or credit unions will provide you with a debit card to simplify payments and record-keeping. There are many other expenses you can pay for, pre-tax, out of your health savings yarn.

Best of all, the money comes out of the record tax free. It’s the only financial tale available that’s not taxed on the device in, or the method out. It’s a tall financial bonus on top of having a extreme health insurance premium, especially if you are in a medium or high tax bracket.

The Bottom Line

A catastrophic health insurance notion is a broad arrangement to set aside money on your health premiums and hold advantage of tax savings for the medical expenses you incur during the year. Pick advantage of this modern solution and contact an agent in your area for a quote.

Catastrophic health insurance plans offer a original and effective solution to rising health insurance costs. Here is how a catastrophic health insurance conception can encourage you or your family establish money and halt protected.

Affordable Premiums

Because most catastrophic health insurance plans offer coverage with a high deductible and very few “bells and whistles”, the label for these plans is very affordable. In fact, many individuals assign hundreds, if not thousands of dollars, per year.

The belief is, that the insurance company covers the broad stuff, and you are responsible for the everyday expenses. This is expedient because if you don’t expend your health view throughout the year, you support the money you would have otherwise spent on comprehensive health coverage, not your insurance company.

Excellent Major Medical Coverage

Although these plans don’t shroud everyday expenses, some do conceal preventive care and/or minor accidents before the deductible. Some also allow you to add a supplemental cancer encourage.

There are many plans that shroud 70% or 80% of your medical expenses after you have met the deductible. However, you should be able to win a view that covers 100% once the deductible has been met. Because these plans were designed to camouflage major medical expenses, it’s favorite that they cloak between $1,000,000 and $25,000,000 in expenses over a persons lifetime.

Tax Advantages (an added bonus)

If you buy a “qualified high deductible health plan” you are eligible to initiate a health savings tale (HSA.) An HSA is a checking record that allows you to deposit money pre-tax. Once you have a balance, you can consume the money in your HSA to pay for medical, dental, vision, and other expenses you have throughout the year. Most banks or credit unions will provide you with a debit card to simplify payments and record-keeping. There are many other expenses you can pay for, pre-tax, out of your health savings epic.

Best of all, the money comes out of the chronicle tax free. It’s the only financial story available that’s not taxed on the procedure in, or the method out. It’s a large financial bonus on top of having a indecent health insurance premium, especially if you are in a medium or high tax bracket.

The Bottom Line

A catastrophic health insurance thought is a stout draw to establish money on your health premiums and hold advantage of tax savings for the medical expenses you incur during the year. Grasp advantage of this modern solution and contact an agent in your area for a quote.

]]> http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/58/catastrophic-health-insurance-plans/feed/ 0 Time for a Health Care Tax Revolt http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/57/time-for-a-health-care-tax-revolt/ http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/57/time-for-a-health-care-tax-revolt/#comments Sun, 24 Jan 2010 06:42:50 +0000 admin http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/57/time-for-a-health-care-tax-revolt/ It is time to resurrect the ample American tradition of the tax revolt. Why? Because our biomedical industry is stealing from the terrible and giving to the rich.

Reflect the following analogy. Imagine you are stranded on a remote island with a group of fellow survivors of a shipwreck. After a few weeks of lying around eating coconuts, you determine to do something. You organize a simple government. It starts democratically. Everyone shares the tasks as well as the benefits of various civic projects: a sanitation pit, a garden, a cooking fire, and so on.

At some point, the island government decides by well-liked vote to construct a ship. Everyone is assessed taxes in the produce of labor. Each individual contributes the skills he or she has to offer– cutting trees, carpentry, nautical manufacture, or miscellaneous manual labor. The government of your island, like the government of the United States, has evolved from providing basic necessities to funding tall public works.

Now imagine that the island council decrees that only those with a definite minimum amount of wealth in bank accounts help home will be allowed on board the ship when it sails for civilization. Furthermore, there will be small hope of rescue for those who remain tedious.

Those left tedious on the island are analogous to those Americans who work and pay taxes but cannot afford health insurance. These working abominable (and those who are denied coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions) are being denied the benefits of biomedical research, even though a important allotment of their taxes is obsolete to fund biomedical research. The National Institute of Health (NIH) is benefiting from a expedient Congress– even the Republicans want to give it more money. The NIH budget has increased from unbiased under $11 billion in 1993 to almost $16 billion in 1999. Meanwhile 44 million Americans lack health insurance. This means that about half the nation’s low-wage workers are without coverage. Fair like the dreadful castaways on our socially stratified island, a mountainous number of Americans are paying for something that benefits a group from which they are excluded.

The uninsured should attend health care reform by resorting to a time-honored American tradition and starting a tax revolt, refusing to pay for biomedical research that does not help them. Deducting money from their income taxes, they could do a nonprofit organization that would lobby for health care reform. They could deduct from their taxes an amount that is equivalent to the percentage of the tax revenues spent by the federal government on biomedical research, and place this money in escrow. The IRS would object, but this would only give the campaign more publicity.

My acquire mother, who lives in northern Minnesota (a spot known for its ample health benefits), is one of the potential tax rebels (despite her placid temperament). In 1980 she contracted hepatitis-c from a blood transfusion during an operation. The government did not yet mask the blood supply for the virus, and thousands of people were infected. She survived the infection, but the virus level-headed resides in her liver. Nobody will insure her for anything less than an exorbitant premium. She is a small-business owner and contributes a handsome amount of tax money to the federal government. Even though the NIH spends increasing amounts of her tax money on research projects– some of them are directly related to hepatitis-c– my mother cannot afford treatments that might befriend ward off a life-threatening illness. But if she stopped paying her piece of the NIH pie and set that money in a high-yield money market memoir, she’d have a produce of self-insurance when she needs it.

To region it simply, uninsured unpleasant are dying because they can’t afford medical care. One must query the ethical principles of a wealthy society that does not care for the health of a whole class of its people. The society becomes even more unethical by forcing the uninsured class to fund the research leading to the next round of cures for the insured class.

Yes, everyone pays for things they don’t befriend from. That’s how taxes work (and in fact a major conservative complaint is that the tax system redistributes wealth). But our new system of medical insurance redistributes wealth from those who cannot afford a visit to the doctor to those who already can. This is a regressive redistribution; it goes against the American ideal of fairness.

Deem about it this intention. Even if I don’t drive a car, I’m forced to fund the building and maintenance of roads and highways- but at least I serve from the distribution of goods that this infrastructure allows. The uninsured cannot resolve to become insured by a simple act of will. They’re tied to their unmarketable bodies and are thus sever off from the potential benefits of biomedical research. If you have a pre-existing condition, you can be fairly determined that the insurance companies are sharing your medical records and effectively forming a cartel of non-access. Thus, taxing the uninsured to further medical research takes from their already little ability to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.

Henry David Thoreau once went on a six-year tax revolt, in vow of the war against Mexico, which he believed to be unjust. His arrest and one-night pause in jail led to the writing of the essay “Civil Disobedience.” It may be that our war on disease in research labs at every major university is also an unjust war; not unjust because of who the victims are (germs and microbes), but because of who does not benefit– mainly children and women living in poverty who lack basic medical care. The working terrible need state-subsidized insurance, not the limited solace of reading about the latest genetic manipulations of sheep funded by their tax dollars. Nor will the health of the bad be improved by unusual treatments for the diseases of those who, because of lives lived with continual access to medical care, are fortunate enough to live so long.

Of course, forcing health insurance companies and HMOs to disregard a person’s medical history, however well-intentioned, may not always be an unmitigated good; it amounts to a redistribution of wealth from the healthy to the sick. We should therefore be forthright about our desire to care for the sick and the bad by instituting a system of subsidized health insurance for those who need it. The ship’s hull needs to be enlarged so that all the inhabitants of the republic can state flit toward well-behaved health. Then the debate over the details can launch.

It is time to resurrect the gargantuan American tradition of the tax revolt. Why? Because our biomedical industry is stealing from the abominable and giving to the rich.

Assume the following analogy. Imagine you are stranded on a remote island with a group of fellow survivors of a shipwreck. After a few weeks of lying around eating coconuts, you determine to do something. You organize a simple government. It starts democratically. Everyone shares the tasks as well as the benefits of various civic projects: a sanitation pit, a garden, a cooking fire, and so on.

At some point, the island government decides by favorite vote to develop a ship. Everyone is assessed taxes in the manufacture of labor. Each individual contributes the skills he or she has to offer– cutting trees, carpentry, nautical compose, or miscellaneous manual labor. The government of your island, like the government of the United States, has evolved from providing basic necessities to funding gargantuan public works.

Now imagine that the island council decrees that only those with a distinct minimum amount of wealth in bank accounts befriend home will be allowed on board the ship when it sails for civilization. Furthermore, there will be small hope of rescue for those who remain tedious.

Those left tedious on the island are analogous to those Americans who work and pay taxes but cannot afford health insurance. These working dreadful (and those who are denied coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions) are being denied the benefits of biomedical research, even though a indispensable share of their taxes is conventional to fund biomedical research. The National Institute of Health (NIH) is benefiting from a well-behaved Congress– even the Republicans want to give it more money. The NIH budget has increased from impartial under $11 billion in 1993 to almost $16 billion in 1999. Meanwhile 44 million Americans lack health insurance. This means that about half the nation’s low-wage workers are without coverage. Impartial like the bad castaways on our socially stratified island, a immense number of Americans are paying for something that benefits a group from which they are excluded.

The uninsured should serve health care reform by resorting to a time-honored American tradition and starting a tax revolt, refusing to pay for biomedical research that does not wait on them. Deducting money from their income taxes, they could compose a nonprofit organization that would lobby for health care reform. They could deduct from their taxes an amount that is equivalent to the percentage of the tax revenues spent by the federal government on biomedical research, and achieve this money in escrow. The IRS would object, but this would only give the campaign more publicity.

My fill mother, who lives in northern Minnesota (a position known for its trustworthy health benefits), is one of the potential tax rebels (despite her placid temperament). In 1980 she contracted hepatitis-c from a blood transfusion during an operation. The government did not yet cloak the blood supply for the virus, and thousands of people were infected. She survived the infection, but the virus peaceful resides in her liver. Nobody will insure her for anything less than an exorbitant premium. She is a small-business owner and contributes a resplendent amount of tax money to the federal government. Even though the NIH spends increasing amounts of her tax money on research projects– some of them are directly related to hepatitis-c– my mother cannot afford treatments that might aid ward off a life-threatening illness. But if she stopped paying her section of the NIH pie and set that money in a high-yield money market sage, she’d have a execute of self-insurance when she needs it.

To site it simply, uninsured bad are dying because they can’t afford medical care. One must quiz the ethical principles of a wealthy society that does not care for the health of a whole class of its people. The society becomes even more unethical by forcing the uninsured class to fund the research leading to the next round of cures for the insured class.

Yes, everyone pays for things they don’t support from. That’s how taxes work (and in fact a major conservative complaint is that the tax system redistributes wealth). But our fresh system of medical insurance redistributes wealth from those who cannot afford a visit to the doctor to those who already can. This is a regressive redistribution; it goes against the American ideal of fairness.

Consider about it this arrangement. Even if I don’t drive a car, I’m forced to fund the building and maintenance of roads and highways- but at least I serve from the distribution of goods that this infrastructure allows. The uninsured cannot settle to become insured by a simple act of will. They’re tied to their unmarketable bodies and are thus slit off from the potential benefits of biomedical research. If you have a pre-existing condition, you can be fairly clear that the insurance companies are sharing your medical records and effectively forming a cartel of non-access. Thus, taxing the uninsured to further medical research takes from their already petite ability to pursue life, liberty, and happiness.

Henry David Thoreau once went on a six-year tax revolt, in command of the war against Mexico, which he believed to be unjust. His arrest and one-night halt in jail led to the writing of the essay “Civil Disobedience.” It may be that our war on disease in research labs at every major university is also an unjust war; not unjust because of who the victims are (germs and microbes), but because of who does not benefit– mainly children and women living in poverty who lack basic medical care. The working dreadful need state-subsidized insurance, not the slight solace of reading about the latest genetic manipulations of sheep funded by their tax dollars. Nor will the health of the unpleasant be improved by current treatments for the diseases of those who, because of lives lived with continual access to medical care, are fortunate enough to live so long.

Of course, forcing health insurance companies and HMOs to disregard a person’s medical history, however well-intentioned, may not always be an unmitigated good; it amounts to a redistribution of wealth from the healthy to the sick. We should therefore be forthright about our desire to care for the sick and the dreadful by instituting a system of subsidized health insurance for those who need it. The ship’s hull needs to be enlarged so that all the inhabitants of the republic can station wing toward top-notch health. Then the debate over the details can initiate.

]]> http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/57/time-for-a-health-care-tax-revolt/feed/ 0 Health Insurance Companies and the Cost of Healthcare http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/56/health-insurance-companies-and-the-cost-of-healthcare-2/ http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/56/health-insurance-companies-and-the-cost-of-healthcare-2/#comments Wed, 20 Jan 2010 04:58:52 +0000 admin http://individualhealthinsurancegeorgia.com/56/health-insurance-companies-and-the-cost-of-healthcare-2/ About a year ago, my doctor and I discussed a surgical intention that would alleviate some issues I have had over the past couple of years. Our discussion did not center on my well being as a patient, although that was the ultimate goal. Rather, it revolved around the cost associated with the surgery and whether or not health insurance would screen it. Unfortunately, this was not my first conversation with a health care provider regarding health insurance and probably won’t be my last. I have gone from having no health insurance coverage, while in college, to having a major HMO view when I worked for a gargantuan corporation, to being covered, sporadically, while being self-employed.

After being married a few years, my husband and I learned the incompatibility between insurance paid health costs and those costs paid, out-of-pocket. This happened when my doctor confirmed we would be having our first child. We were very angry even as we were directed to the doctor’s billing office to arrange payment. We were asked if we had health insurance. We did, indeed, have health insurance, but had learned that it did not shroud maternity costs. We were told our cost to the doctor, especially if paid up-front, would be grand less than if our insurance had covered it anyway. What we learned was that doctors and hospitals charge a worthy higher rate for those covered by insurance due to the extra costs they incur in having to deal with health insurance companies in the first state! We were timid by this, but were contented that our payment made that day was lower than it would have been had we actually had coverage. About a week later, we visited the hospital for a tour of the maternity unit, and paid them for their upcoming services too.

Approximately eight months later, our baby girl was born via emergency surgery. After returning home, I received a bill from the hospital for around ten thousand dollars. I also got an extra bill from my doctor as well. I was devastated. We had impartial brought home our newborn baby and what should have been a joyous time, became a very stressful one. However, we snappy paid the doctor for his additional services and I began making monthly payments to the hospital. I was told that since emergency surgery was performed, that our insurance may extinguish up paying piece of the bill. I contacted our insurance company and they said, no.

Six busy months with our daughter had expeditiously passed when I got a call from the hospital. The lady on the other waste of the phone said, “I scrutinize you have been making payments to us for a while.” Then she laughed and said, “With the rate you’re going, this bill will bewitch forever to pay off! We were unsuitable in billing you as noteworthy as we did. You really only owe fifteen hundred dollars. Would you like to set that on a credit card? ” She went on to content me that they had inadvertently billed me the hospital’s “insurance rate”. I was relieved that I didn’t owe the larger amount, but it made me realize fair how distinguished the cost of healthcare was inflated due to the involvement of health insurance companies.
Being self-employed now, we have tried individual health insurance plans and they simply do not work. What I have found is, the monthly premiums initiate out at a somewhat reasonable rate, but they eventually increase dramatically in trace after about a year. When we try to expend the coverage for nothing more than a doctor’s visit, we are billed the insurance rate. That rate can result in worthy more money owed than if we had simply paid out-of-pocket in the first site. My experience with health insurance companies is that they have added a vast amount of cost and complexity to something very personal. When a doctor and their patient have to be concerned with the heed of a draw, rather than the well-being of the patient, it’s evident that the insurance companies have taken the care out of healthcare.

About a year ago, my doctor and I discussed a surgical way that would alleviate some issues I have had over the past couple of years. Our discussion did not center on my well being as a patient, although that was the ultimate goal. Rather, it revolved around the cost associated with the surgery and whether or not health insurance would veil it. Unfortunately, this was not my first conversation with a health care provider regarding health insurance and probably won’t be my last. I have gone from having no health insurance coverage, while in college, to having a major HMO understanding when I worked for a expansive corporation, to being covered, sporadically, while being self-employed.

After being married a few years, my husband and I learned the inequity between insurance paid health costs and those costs paid, out-of-pocket. This happened when my doctor confirmed we would be having our first child. We were very mad even as we were directed to the doctor’s billing office to arrange payment. We were asked if we had health insurance. We did, indeed, have health insurance, but had learned that it did not veil maternity costs. We were told our cost to the doctor, especially if paid up-front, would be great less than if our insurance had covered it anyway. What we learned was that doctors and hospitals charge a worthy higher rate for those covered by insurance due to the extra costs they incur in having to deal with health insurance companies in the first state! We were terrorized by this, but were pleased that our payment made that day was lower than it would have been had we actually had coverage. About a week later, we visited the hospital for a tour of the maternity unit, and paid them for their upcoming services too.

Approximately eight months later, our baby girl was born via emergency surgery. After returning home, I received a bill from the hospital for around ten thousand dollars. I also got an extra bill from my doctor as well. I was devastated. We had impartial brought home our newborn baby and what should have been a joyous time, became a very stressful one. However, we snappy paid the doctor for his additional services and I began making monthly payments to the hospital. I was told that since emergency surgery was performed, that our insurance may extinguish up paying share of the bill. I contacted our insurance company and they said, no.

Six busy months with our daughter had hasty passed when I got a call from the hospital. The lady on the other destroy of the phone said, “I scrutinize you have been making payments to us for a while.” Then she laughed and said, “With the rate you’re going, this bill will engage forever to pay off! We were incorrect in billing you as worthy as we did. You really only owe fifteen hundred dollars. Would you like to effect that on a credit card? ” She went on to mumble me that they had inadvertently billed me the hospital’s “insurance rate”. I was relieved that I didn’t owe the larger amount, but it made me realize unbiased how remarkable the cost of healthcare was inflated due to the involvement of health insurance companies.
Being self-employed now, we have tried individual health insurance plans and they simply do not work. What I have found is, the monthly premiums open out at a somewhat reasonable rate, but they eventually increase dramatically in sign after about a year. When we try to employ the coverage for nothing more than a doctor’s visit, we are billed the insurance rate. That rate can result in considerable more money owed than if we had simply paid out-of-pocket in the first plot. My experience with health insurance companies is that they have added a gigantic amount of cost and complexity to something very personal. When a doctor and their patient have to be concerned with the mark of a contrivance, rather than the well-being of the patient, it’s evident that the insurance companies have taken the care out of healthcare.

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