Getting the Right Coverage -Mass Health Insurance?

If you have a spouse or kids, you should even more closely at the coverage your policy offers because you don’t want to be left with a huge hospital bill due to a gap in coverage. Double check the deductible that comes with the health insurance policy. If have some savings set aside, you can raise the deductible and save on the premium. However, if you don’t have any savings, a high deductible is no help for you.

Sometimes you can get solid coverage at a reasonable price by checking out group plans. Ins addition to what they may offer at your job, see if any of your professional memberships qualify you for a group discount. I even found out that if you join your state’s farm bureau (for North Carolina membership is only $25/year), you can not get health insurance, but you can also get discounts on other insurance policies. It’s not only for farmers – just check to see what qualifications are for your individual state.

Finding Health Within Your Budget

Of course the hard part when shopping around for health insurance is finding within your own budget. If you have a lapse in your premium payment, your coverage is nonexistent. If you’re tight on money, but want to have health insurance, an option you may want to consider is short term insurance. It’s typically 6 months or less and it covers a portion of ER visits.

Another option if you’re still in college is looking at being a part of your parents’ health insurance policy. While it may costs a bit of money, there’s a good chance it’ll give you the most bang for your buck. Simply take the time to budget your portion of the premium into your spending plan. If your parents can cover the expense, that’s an even better deal. Do them a favor and stay healthy, keeping their health insurance expenses low.

Thoughts on Health Insurance and You

Take your time when searching for health insurance. You want to find the best value, not the cheapest policy. I hope this information can help you make the best choice. If you have any information, please share them in the comments.  How many of you have health insurance coverage right now? How were you able to find the best deal? We can all help each other out with this important expense.

Health Insurance can Protect your Finances

Getting the health insurance for yourself, whether you’re a college student or new graduate is important. Medical bills can have a huge effect on your finances and chances of filing bankruptcy. The good news is that you can find ways to get some kind of coverage, depending on your situation.

If possible, see if you can stay on your parents’ health insurance plan while you’re in school. Not only will you probably find a cheaper premium, you may also get better coverage under their plan.

Sometimes, though, you have to get your own health insurance plan. It’s not as daunting as you may think, it just takes some time to shop around.

Criteria for Choosing the Right Health Insurance Plan

There are three factors you should consider before purchasing a health insurance plan – premiums, deductibles, and copays/coinsurance.

You’ll probably notice how many numbers are floating around when looking at plans. I found it easier to compare insurance plans side by side on a spreadsheet to see what the yearly costs were.

Your Thoughts on Getting Health Insurance

Do you have health insurance currently? What tips do you have on finding a good deal?

Having health insurance can save you money on unexpected bills.

Home Remedies I Tried for My Swollen Eye

I wanted to see if it was something minor I could resolve at home before spending money for a doctor to check out. I tried very warm compresses on my left eye to see if that would help, but no real changes. I also wiped with a warm wash cloth with diluted shampoo. This morning, seeing it had not gotten better, I went ahead and decided to go see a doctor.

My regular optometrist was not available (he works part-time), so i went to Walmart to go to their walk in clinic. Unfortunately, they are closed Mondays, so I checked and found a Next Care office near my apartment.

Health Insurance and Office Visits

I went to the doctor’s office around 10:20am and was seen around 10:50am. They did the regular check up with my blood pressure (92/68), temperature, weight, etc. It all seemed well, with the exception of my eye of course. My copay for the office visit at next Care was $30 and my medicine (antibiotic) was $10 at Walgreens. My information sheet from the doctor’s office recommends that I drink plenty of fluids and avoid caffeine and alcohol since they can cause dehydration.

I’m grateful we have health insurance, but even with health insurance, it can be expensive.

Saving Money on Doctor Visits

• Let your doctor know up front that you’re on a budget. Don’t is still that a doctor will give you the best deal just because of the economy. If you need a prescription and he or she mentions a particular drug ask your doctor if there is a generic that is just as effective. Many pharmacy now have some generic medicines for $4/month.
• Join the Farm Bureau. After paying a annual membership fee, you can qualify for group health insurance. You don’t need to be a farmer to join.
  
• If there are no generics available, see if they can quickly check what your insurance expects you to pay for this medicine. If you’re uncomfortable asking them to do this, before you leave the doctor’s office call your local pharmacy to check the price yourself.
• If you don’t have dental insurance, try a local dental school to see if they have any openings for patients. Try and use this for your weekly checkups.
• For items like prescription eyeglasses or contact lens, shop around online to see if you can get a good deal.

If you’re looking for some more tips on saving on your health expenses like doctor visits and prescription medicine, check out a post I wrote on the topic.

Finding Health Insurance Coverage

If you don’t qualify or your job doesn’t offer health insurance, you should look for a health plan yourself. You may want to try these sites to find policies within your price range:

• Ehealthinsurance
  
• Insure
• VitalOne
• HealthPlans

Please compare health insurance policies carefully before signing up for a policy. When we moved out of state and didn’t have health insurance coverage, we found a policy to cover us in the short term.

Your Take

How do you keep health care costs down?

The National Coalition on Health Care has reported 46 million Americans do not have any kind of health insurance. Being a part of that statistic is dangerous for your health and your wallet. A single visit in the emergency room can be more than $1,200.

When you get a health insurance policy you’re doing business with a company that hopes to take in more money than it pays out. It’s not wrong it’s just a basic business point; it’s a matter of assessing risk. You can benefit from this if you’re healthy person.

The company is planning on on having your health bills and expenses being less than the income they get with your premiums in the long run. If you’re healthy person, they expect to pay less out-of-pocket, so you have the benefit of lower premiums.

Comparing Health Insurances to Find the Best Deal

Check first with your company’s Human Resource Department to see if you qualify for health insurance through them. Sometimes your health insurance premiums are lower when you go through your job’s plan.

If you don’t qualify or your job doesn’t offer health insurance, you should look for a health plan yourself. Usually these sites to find policies within your price range:

• Ehealthinsurance
  
• Insure
• VitalOne
• HealthPlans

Carefully compare health insurance policies before signing up. I have used Ehealthinsurance to compare different policies. I found it easy to see what I was looking for.

Some questions to ask yourself with each health insurance policy:

• How much can I pay for my premiums? Since everyone is on a general budget, try to figure out what you can and can’t afford before you start shopping. Health insurance costs vary, so double check your options.
• What is my deductible? The deductible is what you pay before the health insurance company will pay the rest your bill. The lower deductible the higher your monthly premiums.
• What is my coinsurance? Coinsurance is your portion of the bill that you pay after the deductible has been met.

For example: if you had a $2000 bill and your deductible was a $500 and your coinsurance with 50%, then your portion of the bill is $1250. How?

$2,000 – $500 (deductible) = $1500

$1500 * 50% (your coinsurance) = $750

$500 + $750 =$1250

That’s why its support and to check your coinsurance and deductible before you sign up for a policy.

What if I’m a recent college graduate looking for a job or I have a job and don’t get qualified for my company’s health insurance and I had very little income? Should I still get health insurance?

If you are very short on cash, do not think that skipping out on health insurance is a good deal. Hospital bills are very expensive and you only need one visit to set you back financially in a major way.

You can check for rates on short-term or catastrophe health insurance plans. Short-term plans can cover you one to six months which may be able to get you covered until you can get enough income to cover an individual health insurance plan.

Catastrophe health insurance typically only pays for major medical bills if you get injured or get sick. A policy covers any percentage of your care. Try looking for one with no less than 80% coverage and double check the maximum benefit. Since hospital stays can be so expensive you want to have a reasonable amount of coverage.

Saving Money on Doctor Visits

• Let your doctor know up front that you’re on a budget. Don’t is still that a doctor will give you the best deal just because of the economy. If you need a prescription and he or she mentions a particular drug ask your doctor if there is a generic that is just as effective. Many pharmacy now have some generic medicines for $4/month.
• Join the Farm Bureau. After paying a annual membership fee, you can qualify for group health insurance. You don’t need to be a farmer to join.
  
• If there are no generics available, see if they can quickly check what your insurance expects you to pay for this medicine. If you’re uncomfortable asking them to do this, before you leave the doctor’s office call your local pharmacy to check the price yourself.
• If you don’t have dental insurance, try a local dental school to see if they have any openings for patients. Try and use this for your weekly checkups.
• For items like prescription eyeglasses or contact lens, shop around online to see if you can get a good deal.

Saving money on prescription medicine

• If you’re still in college, check with your universities health clinic and see if you can get cheaper prices on some of your medicines. I had a prescription that was $30 a month but through the university health clinic I could get three month supply for $40.
• Ask your doctor if they have any samples and you can also see if they have something like a rebate coupon. My brother was able to get a 14 day supply for free using the rebate form and redeemed it at the pharmacy.
• If you’re extremely limited on funds and need medication, go ahead and Google “name of the prescription medicine” and patient assistance. You should be able to find a drug manufacturers patient assistance program. See if you meet the requirements to get prescription meds free and then apply.
• See if you can get a discount prescription medicine program. Mrs Micah was able to get her medicine $20 less a month through Rx.com.

If you can save money while having health insurance, not only are you protecting yourself physically, but also financially.

Do you have any stories or tips on saving money on health insurance, doctors’ visits, and/or prescription medicines?

Photo Credits:  Subconsci Productions andTrevor Manternach

Reviewing Health Insurance Premiums

My 90 day performance review is coming up in a few weeks and I’ll qualify for some benefits, including health insurance. The Human Resources manager gave me a packet with the health care premiums to review. I’m supposed to turn it in two weeks completed if I want to have health insurance coverage starting July 1. I’m taking this as a sign that they still want me around.

We reviewed the policies and started looking at the price differences between all of them. If my husband and I have both health insurance and dental, it would be $320 each month. We’re both in 20s and in excellent health. I was surprised at how pricey the plan was at this job. My husband’s previous job had a much cheaper option.

After running the numbers, we saw there’s no way we can afford the plan at my new job if we put both of us on the plan. We make too much to qualify for state health insurance, but $320/month is a bit much for oubudget right now.

The Temporary Plan for Our Health Insurance Premiums

We’re going to have to go with separate plans. If I go with my job and he goes with the temp agency’s plan, it would be $160/month. The benefits look comparable at half the price. Once my husband finishes his contract and (hopefully!) is hired, then we may switch to his company’s plan if it is a better deal.

Have you had to have different plans for health insurance if you’re married? Which companies have the best customer service according to your personal experience?

Photo Credit: Subconsci Productions