Scott P. Brown’s win yesterday may be a harbinger of things to come for Obama’s health care reform plan; the idea of universal health insurance first touted in Obama’s platform for change seems to be on the verge of severe change itself. One question Republicans will likely concentrate on at present is whether mandatory private insurance violates the constitution or not.

The shock of a Republican winner in Massachusetts, a traditionally very, blue, very Democratic state is just beginning to be felt. One thing, however, is sure – voters are angry. The Obama administration’s focus on passing health care reform to make affordable health insurance more accessible to masses seems to have caused ire in his constituency. With the effects of the recession still on everyone’s mind, the concentration on health care has hampered Obama’s plans. Now Republicans have the power to impede those exact plans.

Republicans have plenty to discuss. Many Republicans have seen the health care plan from the get-go as a travesty to local governments. It would put a tax burden on small businesses, the rich, as well as unions. The cost of these new taxes may be more of a hindrance than a blessing. Furthermore, Republicans fear it would put Big Brother at the helm.

The big question remains: is mandatory private health insurance constitutional? Democrats cite the case of Social Security, which was approved by the Supreme Court in 1937 as a tax and spending program to provide insurance for the retired. No doubt, Social Security is not the most perfect plan, but has thus far worked.

The only problem with the Social Security argument is that Social Security remains a federal insurance, whereas the proposed Obama insurance is a private affair. American citizens, would essentially, be forced to buy their own private health insurance.

Republicans fear large government interference in the private lives of its citizens. Too much regulation takes away the freedoms of Americans as stated in the Constitution itself. Democrats would argue that it counts as economic activity, which can be regulated by Congress. Others find that argument to be rather flimsy. Where exactly does the Federal government have the authority to force its citizens to buy private insurance? What will the Supreme Court have to say? States already regulate car insurance, but that is on a state-to-state basis.

This is, by no means, a new issue. In November, Republican Senator Tom Coburn of Oregon and Representative John Shadegg of Arizona began a push to force Congress to have to consider the authority of any legislation put forth. The legislation entitled “The Enumerated Powers Act”, has brought with it a large amount of discussion, however not much action.

Senator Obama has many challenges ahead. The Republican win last night indicates that people want a change. The question of the constitutionality of mandatory private health insurance looms. Republicans are expected to press the issue. However, many liberals and progressives have also questioned it. This may prove difficult for any health care reform – at least as it exists now – to succeed. Health care talks in the Senate are expected to come to a close soon.

Most Americans who have health insurance are covered through an employer’s plan. However, some employers do not offer health insurance coverage. If you work for one of these companies, you will need to purchase private individual health insurance.
There are certain advantages to purchasing health coverage in the private market. Instead of choosing from plans pre-selected by an employer, you decide which plan features you want, and pick a plan accordingly. For example, by choosing a plan with a higher deductible, or one that doesn’t cover certain services, you may realize a substantial premium savings each month.
Instead of having your coverage tied to a place of employment, coverage through a private health plan is yours to keep no matter where you work. A health insurer can’t drop you as long as you pay your premiums on time.
But along with these advantages come some potential disadvantages—

• Employer plans provide considerably more coverage than individual plans, even when you are paying the same premium rate. That’s because with an individual policy, a larger percentage of the premium goes to pay for such operational costs as marketing and paying claims.
• A group plan generally must insure all employees and family members, while individual plans can reject applicants who aren’t in perfect health. They can also offer plans that exclude coverage for certain pre-existing conditions.
• In most states, private health insurance plan premiums increase as you age. Initially, you can avoid these rate increases by periodically changing plans, because new rates tend to be lower than renewals. However, as you get older, it will become more difficult to find a company to insure you and individual policies will get more expensive.
If you do need to shop in the private health insurance market, you first need to find a competent insurance agent.  Determining what kind of insurance you need and how much coverage to buy are complex issues. A good agent will help you assess your situation, and work with you to find the right coverage for your specific needs. The key to a successful working relationship with aninsurance agent is trust. You should be able to trust your agent’s knowledge, experience and professional judgment, and you should always feel secure that your agent is acting in your best interest. But keep in mind that trust is a two-way street: Your agent also needs to trust you to provide information that is truthful and complete.
If you are comparing several plans, you need to know what to look for before making a decision. When choosing a health plan ask your health insurance agent the following questions:

·   Will the plan cover me for the specific doctor or hospital I would like to use?
·   How does the referral system work?
·   What pre-existing conditions would affect coverage?
·   How will the plan handle care if I (or a family member) am away from home?
·   What is the plan’s monthly premium, and what deductible and coinsurance am I required to pay?
·   Are there other fees, such as copayments and any additional charges if I use providers that are out-of-network?
·   Is there a maximum amount the plan will pay over a year or a lifetime?
·   What types of benefits are specific to this plan?
The purchase of individual health insurance in the private market can seem confusing. Approach its purchase like you would that of any important item—research your options and compare prices, and get the best advice and assistance you can, in this case, the services of a qualifiedinsurance agent.

You should note that health insurance differs significantly, but in essence it denotes a type of insurance plan that pays a pre-arranged percentage of an insurance possessor’s enclosed medical treatments. Whether or not your require health insurance depends entirely on your circumstances. However, it is always advisable to obtain insurance for health, keeping in mind the uncertainties that encompass modern way of life and also its associated health implications.

Health insurance comes in various forms like dental insurance, vision insurance, student health insurance, business health insurance, international health insurance amongst others. These different forms of health insurance is to cater to your specific requirement. Health insurance usually covers medical expenses such as:

– Hospitalization;

– Doctors visit;

– Prescription drug;

– Annual check up;

– Emergency room visits; etc.

You must have heard a lot about various health insurance companies offering insurance products with lucrative tags of even returning certain % in fixed yearly dividends. But it is up to you which one to go for. If you are thinking of obtaining a health insurance policy, internet can provide you with an easy route. Are you confused about what kind of health insurance to go for? A simple way to strike upon the desired insurance is to chalk out the expectation you may have from it, how well it suits to your situation amid other factors. Most online health insurance companies can give you a chance to compare and evaluate health insurance that befits your pocket. Online application procedure for health insurance can expedite your path to ensure the most significant part of your existence that is your health.

Before you choose a health insurance plan, it is advisable to be thorough with the terms and conditions of the health insurance providers. This approach would not only keep you at pace with procedures of procurement and functioning of insurance but also save you from confusion later on down the line.

You must realize the importance of you and your loved ones’s well-being with health insurance. It can be the single ray of home in a sea of dark health issues.

The issue of finding affordable health insurance has been long discussed. There are a lot of people who cannot afford to pay for health insurance and are in desperate search of convenient insurance plans. The Internet is one of the most valuable resources to locate affordable health insurance.

Most people compare health insurance websites and plans before taking a final decision. That is the smart thing to do as it is easier to see available possibilities, types of coverage, certain requirements and qualifications. There are many things to take into consideration when it comes to affordable health insurance and using the Internet can only help in that matter.

It is useful to compare health insurance plans and try to understand the advantages and disadvantages of every plan. The majority of these plans for affordable health insurance include as deciding factors the person’s age, health problems and the need for constant medical care.

Other factors to consider are prescription drugs, preexisting conditions and the person’s lifestyle. All these things are mentioned in every health insurance plan. Still, if you take some time to compare health insurance policies using certain websites you will discover that there are different terms explained and diverse requirements.

Some insurance companies allow only a limited amount of money for certain medications and decide not to compensate for several at all. In case of preexisting conditions, persons with neoplastic diseases or cardiac history are likely to face difficulties in discovering an affordable health insurance policy.

The mistake a lot of people make is caring more for their budget than for the possibilities offered by a carefully devised health insurance plan. They do not understand that being healthy is above all other things in this world and it may sometimes require some sacrifices. People working in the insurance business are trying to raise awareness when it comes to affordable health insurance plans. They offer all kinds of advantages and especially lower rates for healthy people.

It may take some time to compare health insurance policies presented online. The most important thing is to pay attention to every detail and make notes for every policy. Understanding the concept of insurance premium is essential and one must never forget that the cost of health insurance depends mainly on one’s health condition.

Medical expenses can severely affect the budget and it is crucial to choose a suitable health insurance policy. The Internet can provide a wealth of information on this topic and can really one help reach a good conclusion. A comparative analysis of what is out there on the insurance market is cost-effective and requires very little time. Discussing all possibilities with friends or family can also help one in taking a decision for proper health insurance coverage.

We cannot say that having a health insurance plan is the most important thing in the world. But the truth is that everyone should purchase a health insurance policy and benefit from suitable medical care. They include medications, vitamins and other supplements for active healthy people and expensive treatments for people with chronic illnesses. As a golden rule, everyone should respect his/her health above all other matters.

Insurance is a kind of protection, a safety net against unforeseeable losses. No one knows what the future holds, and insurance is a good way of preparing for what may come. Health insurance is a protection against medical costs. The insurer pays the cost of the insured person if the latter falls ill – due to accident maybe, or any of the covered causes. Magnify the health insurance more than ten times over and you get the Group Health Insurance.

Group Health Insurance is a health coverage based on a group of people under a company or an organization. The cost of the insurance is allotted among the members of this group. The group enjoys a wide range of benefits of Group Health Insurance. A master contract or policy is issued to their employer or to any of the group’s affiliations.

Health insurance is one of the most important benefits offered to an employee through their employers. Not only does an employee feel secure with this insurance, he also feels assured of the care of his employers. Companies spend billions annually for health insurance, and group health insurance make up the bulk of the revenues earned by health insurance companies.

Group health insurance can be availed by any company with two or more employees. Requirements vary around the world, though one constant requirement is the proof of legitimacy of the company’s operation. The number of employees to be insured under the group plan determines the type of coverage available to the employer. A company with more than a thousand employees will have customized health plans, and these may include additional benefits.

With the rising costs of prescription drugs and health care in recent years, companies have experienced a drastic increase in the cost of providing health care benefits to their employees. Many companies are forced to cut back on the benefits of the health plan, and some even require their employees to pay a higher share of the monthly premium of the insurance, even to the point of requiring them to pay the 100% of the dependent premium! Decreases in the health insurance benefits cause some employees to pay medical expenses themselves when they require medical treatment or prescription drugs. Businesses offering full premium payment for employees and their dependents are fast decreasing.

First in state of California the health insurance companies you should be looking at are; Aetna, Assurant, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, HealthNet, Kaiser, Nationwide, PacifiCare, Celtic and new company that is going to be available in state of California is Golden Rule. These are the largest carriers that are available in the State of California. If you are looking at any other company that was not mentioned previously, use caution. With all the health insurance premiums going up there are companies that prey on people with low premiums and coverage that does not cover anything. They are just out there to make a quick buck buy collection as much premiums as they can before you cancel your coverage. Stay away from companies that you never heard of, not matter what they tell you. If you hear something like, “affordable health insurance for self-employed”, run.

Second what you have to understand that the actual cost of insurance no matter what company you go with is about the same. So how do insurance companies have so many different plans with different premiums? If it is a large insurance company and the company ran efficiently that is how you get great premium with great coverage. What creates variety of prices for coverage is the creative aspect of the insurance company designing their plans. The way they do it is by deductibles, co-pays, co-insurance, drug coverage deductibles, whether the plan covers brand name drugs or generic drugs only, maternity coverage, maximum out of pocket, deductible and co-pays for all kind of different services.

The name we all know is Blue Cross Blue Shield. Blue Cross has been around since the recession of 1929, and it used to cost only 1 cent a day. The times have changes since then, but the Blue Cross name is still around. Blue Cross has been over the years the most stable largest health insurance provider in the United States. Their strategy is to keep rates stable and have stable rate increases. While most other plans might lower their rates to get more people on their coverage and then keep increasing their rates. There fore as some plans might be more attractive in premiums at the moment over time eventually they have to catch up with the actual market health insurance rates. Sometime the company has to charge people more for health insurance in the future so they can give more affordable rates today. Blue Cross will give the one of the largest varieties of plans to choose from and you can always downgrade a plan without going through underwriting is the monthly premiums because to expensive.

The most competitive health insurance coverage you will be able to get in California today is through Aetna and once Golden Rule plans come out by United Health Care then Golden Rule plans are going to be the most completive plan. Every time most of the large insurance company enters a new state with a new plan they make that plan more combative just to capture the percentage of that market eventually the company will have to raise their rates to the market level. Aetna plans in California are the most competitive. This is where you can get the most coverage for your money. Keep in mind that the Aetna Individual plans in the state of California do not cover Maternity.

Assurant Health Plans is provided through Fortis Insurance Company which is the 26th largest company in the world and Fortis Insurance Company has been around since 1892. Assurant Health Plans are the most widely accepted and flexible plans that are available on the market today. Assurant Health Plans utilizes dozens of provider networks Nationwide to give you the worlds largest selections of doctors in United States and worldwide. Assurant Health Plans are the only plans that will cover you world wide as they will cover you in the United States. There is a big difference when insurance company says that you are covered for emergencies worldwide. Insurance company can make a final decision on whether that was true emergency or not. Assurant Health Plans have no such restrictions. Assurant is the only company that will allow you to move to different state without going through underwriting process all over again. That meant that with most companies even if it is a same company if you move from one state to another you have to cancel you policy in the current state and re-apply in the state that you are moving to. The down side with Assurant in some states is that they are not the most competitive and harder to get approved for. If you considering HSA plan Assurant is the best options available to individuals and families.

Blue Shield of California is great coverage especially if it is young family looking for a plan with maternity coverage and for a family where one of the adults on the plans is significantly younger than the other. Blue Shield bases their monthly premiums on the youngest primary policy holder. This can be any adult in the family. Blue Shield plans have low maximum out of pocket and wide acceptance with doctors. A lot of doctors in state of California prefer Blue Shield plans because Blue Shield reimburses them faster than most other insurance companies. Keep in mind that in some states Blue Cross and Blue Shield are the same company in state of California they are two different insurance companies competing for your business.

HealthNet of California is the insurance company available in western states. HealthNet family plans are affordable, have some of the lowest maximum out of pocket and designed for healthy individuals and families. The new line of plans form HealthNet are their popular no deductible PPO plans. Which are not the greatest plans for families. No deductible plans are not designed for families since they have extremely high maximum out of pocket witch might be a great fit for single healthy individuals. HealthNet of California also offers some of the best HMO plans available on the market.

HealthNet simple design and affordable plans are perfect match for healthy families. The way their family plans work is that once you meet your deductible HealthNet will pay 100% for all of your medical expenses after that. The down side is that their family plans do not cover regular sick doctor visits. The money that you are going to save monthly is going to be way worth no having doctor visits covered until the deductible is met. All you will get is negotiated rates that HealthNet has with doctors and hospitals. Your doctor office visits are going to cost you anywhere from $65 to $65 per visit.

Nationwide Health Plans have some of the great unique options that other plans just don’t offer. The only way you can get Nationwide health plans is by being a member of California Farm Bureau. Anyone can become a member of California Farm Bureau also know as Farmers Association. Because it is a group plans it has some options available that most individual plans do not have. You still have to qualify medically to get health insurance through Nationwide. Nationwide offers some of the most comprehensive health plans available on the market today. Nationwide health plans offer low maximum out of pocket. Some plans that they offer work similar to the way HealthNet’s plans work. Once you meet your deductible nationwide covers everything at 100% and Nationwide plans cover doctor visit before you meet your deductible and Nationwide is the only health insurance company that has no prescription drug deductible on most of their plans. If you are looking for the most competitive HSA plans, Nationwide will be your choice.

PacifiCare is company that has been available to Californians for a long time until recently they were bought by United Health Care. PacificaCare will be replaced by Golden Rule health plans. If you have PacifiCare you might want to find out if you will have to re-qualify medically for new health insurance once they take the company of the market. Golden Rule owned by United Health Care witch known as the quality company and recommended everywhere. If you are considering PacifiCare I would wait for Golden Rule or get something else.

You buy health insurance for the same reason you buy other kinds of insurance: to protect yourself financially. With health insurance, you protect yourself and your family in case you need medical care that could be very expensive.

You cannot predict what your medical bills will be. In a good year, your costs may be low. But if you become ill, your bills could be very high. If you have health insurance, many of your costs are covered by a third-party payer, not by you. A third-party payer can be an insurance company or, in some cases, it can be your employer.

Many people in the United States are enrolled in some sort of managed care health insurance plan. This is an organized way of both providing services and paying for them. Different types of managed care plans work differently and include preferred provider organizations (PPOs), health maintenance organizations (HMOs), point-of-service (POS) plans and fee-for-service plans.

Individuals enrolled in health care plans pay a monthly or quarterly fee as insurance for the time when they will need medical attention. At the time when a service is provided, the health insurance organization pays part or all of the fee, minimizing the amount you have to pay at the time you receive the service.

The information presented here will help you choose a health insurance plan that is right for you. If you are married or single, have children or no children, this information will help you to find out how to choose a health insurance plan that best meets your needs and your financial circumstances. Definitions of the health insurance terms used are included in the section called Understanding Health Insurance Terms.

Understanding Health Insurance Terms

Coinsurance

The amount you are required to pay for medical care in a fee-for-service plan after you have met your deductible. The coinsurance rate is usually expressed as a percentage. For example, if the health insurance company pays 80 percent of the claim, you pay 20 percent.

Coordination of Benefits
A system to eliminate duplication of benefits when you are covered under more than one group plan. Benefits under the two plans usually are limited to no more than 100 percent of the claim.

Co-payment

Another way of sharing medical costs. You pay a flat fee every time you receive a medical service (for example, $5 for every visit to the doctor). The health insurance company pays the rest.

Covered Expenses
Most health insurance plans, whether they are fee-for-service, HMOs, or PPOs, do not pay for all services. Some may not pay for prescription drugs. Others may not pay for mental health care. Covered services are those medical procedures the insurer agrees to pay for. They are listed in the health insurance policy.

Customary Fee
Most health insurance plans will pay only what they call a reasonable and customary fee for a particular service. If your doctor charges $1,000 for a hernia repair while most doctors in your area charge only $600, you will be billed for the $400 difference. This is in addition to the deductible and coinsurance you would be expected to pay. To avoid this additional cost, ask your doctor to accept your health insurance company’s payment as full payment. Or shop around to find a doctor who will. Otherwise you will have to pay the rest yourself.

Deductible
The amount of money you must pay each year to cover your medical care expenses before your health insurance policy starts paying.

Exclusions
Specific conditions or circumstances for which the policy will not provide benefits.

HMO (Health Maintenance Organization)
Prepaid health plans. You pay a monthly premium and the HMO covers your doctors’ visits, hospital stays, emergency care, surgery, checkups, lab tests, x-rays, and therapy. You must use the doctors and hospitals designated by the HMO.

Managed Care

Ways to manage costs, use, and quality of the health care system. All HMOs and PPOs, and many fee-for-service plans, have managed care.

Maximum Out-of-Pocket Expenses
The most money you will be required pay a year for deductibles and coinsurance. It is a stated dollar amount set by the health insurance company, in addition to regular premiums.

Non-cancellable Policy
A policy that guarantees you can receive health insurance, as long as you pay the premium. It is also called a guaranteed renewable policy.

PPO (Preferred Provider Organization)
A combination of traditional fee-for-service and an HMO. When you use the doctors and hospitals that are part of the PPO, you can have a larger part of your medical bills covered. You can use other doctors, but at a higher cost.

Pre-existing Condition
A health problem that existed before the date your health insurance became effective.

Premium
The amount you or your employer pays in exchange for health insurance coverage. Primary Care Doctor
Usually your first contact for health care. This is often a family physician or internist, but some women use their gynecologist. A primary care doctor monitors your health and diagnoses and treats minor health problems, and refers you to specialists if another level of care is needed. In many health insurance plans, care by specialists is only paid for if your are referred by your primary care doctor. An HMO or a POS plan will provide you with a list of doctors from which you will choose your primary care doctor (usually a family physician, internists, obstetrician-gynecologist, or pedicatrician). This could mean you might have to choose a new primary care doctor if your current one does not belong to the plan. PPOs allow members to use primary care doctors outside the PPO network (at a higher cost). Indemnity plans allow any doctor to be used. Provider
Any person (doctor, nurse, dentist) or institution (hospital or clinic) that provides medical care.

Third-Party Payer
Any payer for health care services other than you. This can be an insurance company, an HMO, a PPO, or the Federal Government

Health Insurance has gained high importance in the present scenario, since it safeguards health of you and your dependents against financial crisis arising on account of medical emergency. Basically, it covers the overall risk and emergencies of healthcare expenses and develops a regularized structure of finance such as a monthly premium or annual tax to the insurance company. This process ensures that money is available to pay for the healthcare benefits specified in the insurance agreement. It also includes insurance covering disability or long-term nursing or custodial healthcare needs. Therefore, having your health insured on a plan helps you to get timely coverage and better medical care while uninsured people tend to face delays in the times of urgency and receive inadequate health care.

Basic benefits covered in Health Insurance:

• Health Insurance is also known as Mediclaim or Medical Insurance. Some of the best Health Insurance companies cover the material consequences of a disease. The chief benefits paid by the Health Insurance companies include sickness coverage, hospital allowance and additional facilities that may differ per plan.

• In cases of severe accidents and surgeries, health insurers not only pay for the medical expenses but also take care of the hospitalization costs.

• Hospital charges consist of costs arising from the treatments taken in the particular hospital, which requires at least one night’s stay in the respective hospital.

• At times, even those expenses are covered by the Insurance Company if by accident the concerned physician, doctor or a medical practitioner has given a wrong or incomplete treatment, therapy.

Guidelines to choose the best Health Insurance:

• The major concern while selecting a health insurance plan is the factor of the ability to afford.

• Health care plans that are reasonable yet provide maximum benefits become the utmost priority. Preferably, the plans that cover cashless hospitalization at numerous hospitals and healthcare centers provide quick options to buy or renew the plans online at your convenience and avail you with better services like tax benefits compared to other plans should be the topmost priority.

• It is true that people buy insurance for different reasons but some of the best health plans that comprehend the additional needs are of much significance. For instance, you may get free coupons that help you to save your money when you go for a health check-up.

• Also, there are certain benefits of expanding the coverage by renewing the plans. There is a belief that Medicare is easily accessible but it has certain barriers. Safety-net care from hospitals and clinics provides facilities to have such an access but cannot be a substitute for Health Insurance.

• Therefore, with health insurance you can be at peace since it provides you valuable coverage in cases of normal or extreme emergencies. At ICICI Lombard General insurance, our aim is to provide best health insurance and thus, we offer variety of plans such as Health Advantage Plus Insurance, Family Floater Plan and Personal Accident Insurance Plan that secure health of you and your family.

Even at the outset, it must be made clear that only businesses with 2-50 employees are eligible for small business health insurance. If you are self-employed and no one else works for you, then you should look into health insurance schemes meant for self-employed individuals.

If you own or a part of a business organization having 2 to 50 employees you will qualify for and benefit from a group health insurance plan. Small business health insurance holds a lot of benefits. Besides providing medical care for business owner and the employees, a small business health insurance plan is designed in a way that the financial risk is spread among all the members resulting in lower premiums and more extensive coverage for everyone in the company.

Further, small business health insurance has certain unique tax benefits. Employer contributions to a small business health insurance plans are 100% exempted from tax and employees will also save on their payroll taxes. As per law, no insurance company in any state can refuse to sell the small business health insurance as long as you meet the state’s minimum requirements concerning the type of organization you are insuring and the number of employees getting covered.

To get a precise quote on a small business health insurance policy, you will have to furnish the right information about the type of coverage you want and the relevant particulars of all the employees who have to be insured, including the number of dependents each one has.

To get a precise online quote for a small business health insurance policy, you will have to furnish the right information about the type of coverage you want and the relevant particulars of all the employees who have to be insured, including the number of dependents each one has. Please bear in mind that the accuracy of the online quote you get will largely depend on the correctness of information you provide.

Before obtaining an online quote, it is advisable to visit eHealthInsurance, the web’s largest health insurance marketplace. For small businesses, eHealthInsurance will offer instant online quotes. As soon as you enter all the basic information about your company and your employees, online quotes — customized for your company — will be immediately generated for you. You will be able to know the amount each individual employee will be required to pay toward his or her health insurance coverage, as well as the company’s contribution to each employee’s coverage.

Several health care companies present their small business clients with a portfolio of options. Within the portfolio is an assortment of policy choices regarding how the employer contributes, and what plan options the employee will have. The employees decide what sort of plan they would like to have and what they can afford. The health plans range from a standard HMO to comprehensive PPO coverage.

Either reducing coverage or asking the employees to contribute more to the plan is the obvious step to reducing small business health insurance costs. But this attitude of the employer will prove unpopular with workers. Small business health insurance may take a huge chunk out of business revenue, but insurance benefits will attract better employees and also help retain talented and skilled workers. Satisfied, healthy employees are more likely to help your business grow.

Health insurance is a well spread out business, so seeking online quotes from different providers could reduce the small business health insurance costs. Start by searching the Internet and also ask other owners of small businesses what they pay for health insurance.

Do Not Read This Unless You are Making a lot of Money!:

If you would like to know how you can save up to 47% on your current Health Insurance Coverage read on… this is going to be one of the most informative messages you will ever read. After reading this message you will never going to have words; expensive and health insurance in the same sentence.

As you already know health insurance costs are at highest they have ever been and there is no sign of them slowing down. More and more Americans are forced to cancel their coverage simply just because they cannot afford it.

Who are the uninsured?

• Approximately 46 million Americans, or 15.7 percent of the population, were without health insurance in 2004 (the latest government data available).

• The number of uninsured rose 800,000 between 2003 and 2004 and has increased by 6 million since 2000.

• The increase in the number of uninsured in 2004 was focused among working age adults. The percentage of working adults (18 to 64) who had no health coverage climbed from 18.6 percent in 2003 to 19.0 percent in 2004. An increase of over 750,000 in 2004.

• Nearly 82 million people – about one-third of the population below the age of 65 spent a portion of either 2002 or 2003 without health coverage.

• The number of uninsured children in 2004 was 8.3 million – or 11.2 percent of all children in the U.S. (1).

You might say that I have great coverage that I am happy with… that’s totally fine.

For past sever years average rate increase for health insurance was 16.2% and what if it keeps on going? If you are right now paying $500 per month for your health insurance in three years from now you would expect to pay over $780 for the same plan. Wait… we all know that insurance companies consistently decrease their benefits and increase co-pays and deductible. Therefore you will pay more for less coverage. By the way if you keep same plan for over five years you will pay over $1000 a month just for your medical coverage. What if you use your Health Insurance?… Chances are if it is not for a regular doctor visits or a check ups it would be considered pre-existing condition. That means your chances of changing to a more affordable coverage in the future will be nearly impossible. That is one of the main reasons people cancel their health insurance because they were diagnosed with something or taking a prescription medication and the insurance company kept raising their rate until they could not qualify for any other coverage and could not afford the one they had.

Now you are saying I do not need coverage my spouse works for a company and I have group coverage… Great.

What would happen if your spouse left that job or the company stopped providing benefits? Probably the most obvious things that you can see how much that group coverage is really costing you. Next time check how much is deducted out of the paycheck for health coverage, especially for dependents. Group plans do cost more money because by law they are what are called “guaranteed issue”. That means you can have serious medical conditions and still get coverage. Insurance companies have to follow the law and they know they have to accept everyone who works for a large company, therefore they do charge more money for coverage. The biggest problem is not the cost of group health insurance it is what happens if some one, while on the group plan, is diagnosed with a condition or starts to take prescriptions medications. We get back to same issues as mentioned before, unable to qualify for health insurance in the future. There are people that want to leave their job but they cannot because they are going through treatment and cannot to pay for it on their own.

There is another solution… Some might save, so what is the point of even having health insurance. Once you diagnosed with something and insurance company is going to keep raising rates to the point where I am going to have to cancel it anyway. Especially if something does happen and I have to use my coverage I might not be working and I might not have income. Is my insurance company is still going to keep raising my rates? YES.

Before you think about cancelling your coverage consider this. Here are some statistics

• A recent study by Harvard University researchers found that the average out-of-pocket medical debt for those who filed for bankruptcy was $12,000. In addition, the study found that 50 percent of all bankruptcy filings were partly the result of medical expenses. Every 30 seconds in the United States someone files for bankruptcy in the aftermath of a serious health problem.

• Illness and medical bills caused half of the 1,458,000 personal bankruptcies in 2001, according to a study published by the journal Health Affairs.

• Average day in the hospital is $7500 per day.

How can you save up to 47% on your health insurance? Simple… You probably already heard of Health Saving Accounts. They are becoming more and more popular everyday. With the way health insurance prices are moving today Health Saving Accounts are the only way to keep your coverage, save hundreds per month on your health insurance and still have a peace of mind.

To this day I was not able to hear a good definition that everyone can understand. I will do everything I can to make it simple to understand. The easiest way to understand Health Saving Accounts is to think of them as Roth IRA or your Company’s 401k plan. Instead of giving your money away to insurance company you get to keep it more of it for yourself. The way HSA plans work is there health insurance combined with savings account which works in a similar way to your retirement account. There tremendous benefits to have HSA qualified health plan. First all the money that you put in to your HSA account is 100% tax deductible and it is your money that rolls over year after year. At the age of 65 and up if you have not used up all of your HSA money you can roll it over in to your retirement account. Second your health insurance costs are going to be cut almost in half. For example if you had Health Insurance plan with $2500 deductible now and it is costing you $300 per month the same plans with HSA qualified plan, now will cost you only about $160 per month. The reason you save so much money with HSA qualified health plan is because HSA qualified plans do not cover anything until the deductible is met. There are exceptions depending on the Health Insurance Company. Some insurance companies will pay for your once a year physical before you meet your deductible.

Let take an example of how HSA qualified plan could benefit you. Let take some actual numbers from actual health insurance company. In this example I am going to use HSA plans from company called Assurant Health. Assurant Health is leader in Health Saving Accounts and they one of the first companies to implement them. The main reason is that Assurant Health is part of the world’s largest financial company that sets up retirement accounts. In this example I am going to use a family of four, husband 46, wife 42, kids are 12 and 16. On a regular family plan with $2500 deductible, maximum out of pocket of $5500, co-insurance of 80% and doctor visits covered with $35 co-pay, they are going to pay $676.40. Something to keep in mind that all of the regular PPO plans that are available on the market today have family deductible which is double of individual deductible. That means that if you have a plan with $2500 deductible and $5500 maximum out of pocket that means that your family deductible is $5000 and your family maximum out of pocket is $11,000. When we are comparing HSA qualified health plans there is only one deductible, once you meet it you are covered at 100% on the most plans. There are some companies and plans that you still might be responsible for the percent age of the bill until you reach your maximum out of pocket. Most HSA plans do not have maximum out of pocket that meant once you met your deductible you are covered at 100%, it’s that simple. The same plan with $5700 deductible for the entire family with HSA qualified health plans will only be $491.64 per month. For the total monthly savings of 184.76 per month. Also your maximum out of pocket will decrease from $11,000 on a regular plan to $5700 with HSA health plan. That’s yearly savings of $2,217.12 and additional savings of $5300 on the maximum out of pocket. (that’s if you have had to use the plan for emergencies) The main reason for starting HSA health insurance is for Saving Account and being able to put money in to account, at your discretion, tax free. You can put money in to HSA qualified account up to your deductible and you do not have to put any money in to that account if you do not want to. Health Saving Accounts are as flexible as you would want them to be. TO get more information on HSA accounts and get quotes for HSA qualified health coverage see my bio.