Have you noticed all the different health insurance options floating around out there? PPO, HMO, and HSA, just to name a few. Have you ever wondered what they all do, how much you need, or better yet, what all the abbreviations stand for? Probably so! Well, here are some basic points to help you understand what types of insurance are best for you.

One great type of health insurance is the Health Savings Account (HSA). Some major points to know about HSAs are:

It is a major medical policy with a large deductible and a low premium. An excellent way to control your monthly premiums while saving for any future costs you may have. You can save up to about 70% on your premium as you are saving money that can be used tax-free on medical expenses. The amount saved in your HSA rolls over from year to year, allowing that savings to gain interest or investment earnings. You can take money out of this account tax- and penalty-free whenever needed for medical expenses. If it’s used for anything else, you pay taxes and a BIG penalty. This money must be used for medical, dental and vision care; however, dental and vision payments don’t count toward your deductible.
Source: Bankrate.com

By: Dave Ramsey

Insurance is a matter of choice but with so many insurance corporations providing the best insurance plans, it is difficult to find out which insurance corporation is the best. To understand the technicalities of insurance, one needs to have a fair idea of the types of insurance plans available in the market. One such type of insurance is Short Term Health Insurance. In this article, we shall learn its need and coverage limitations. 

Understanding Short Term Health Insurance:

As the name suggests, a short term health insurance, also known as temporary health insurance, is a health insurance policy that provides insurance for a short period of time. The time period may be as short as a month and can also go up to 6 – 12 months. As far as working is concerned, short term health insurance works in a similar way as a long term health insurance. The only difference between the two is the coverage each policy provides. If you buy one short term health policy, you shall receive a health insurance card that will possess limits and deductible on the services of the policy. 

The Need of Short Term Health Insurance

Short term health insurance proves to be very suitable to a section of the society such as students, temporary workers, etc. These people find a short term plan more economical and suitable since their stay in foreign land is not long. Buying a long term insurance policy can be very expensive considering the duration of their stay. These policies are also suitable for people who sport good health and do not wish to spend more on long term insurance policies. The short term insurance policy in essence provides one with an insurance against accidents and illnesses for a limited period of time, say not more than a year.  

Coverage Limitations of Short Term Health Insurance

The difference between a short term and a long term health insurance plan is the coverage since a short term health plan does not cover pre-existing conditions and preventative care. A pre existing condition is a medical problem that one suffers from prior to getting into the insurance. The short term health insurance polices are specifically designed to provide protection against major health problems. 

Another point to be taken care of is that if one opts for a short term health insurance policy, one becomes ineligible to the guaranteed health insurance coverage that one is provided with irrespective of the status of one’s health. Also visitors to USA need to have visitors health insurance done mandatory.  

Despite its limitations, temporary health insurance is a boon for people who cannot afford to buy long term health insurance plans. Since major illnesses are covered under a short term health insurance plans, students and workers prefer buying it rather than any other long term plan.

By: Richart Rick

Switching from group to individual health insurance is a change many people are currently facing. There can be some big differences between the two types of insurance and their cost. Becoming familiar with some of those basic differences will help you to know what to expect.

Group health insurance

Group health insurance is purchased by your employer from a health insurance company. Everyone who is eligible can receive coverage under the plan. Group health insurance is less costly than individual health insurance, because you have the buying power of the group. The insurance company bases the premium upon a calculation of how much insurance the group as a whole will use. However, if you are buying individual health insurance, the calculation of your premium is not based on a group, it’s based on you alone. That is why individual health insurance can be so expensive.

Individual health insurance

Individual health insurance is health insurance that you purchase from an insurance company on your own, and not through an employer. You can choose coverage for either yourself or your self and your family, individual policies often provide less coverage than group policies do. Under an individual plan, some services such as substance abuse treatment may not be covered.

Another important difference between group and individual health insurance is that with group insurance, the law requires the insurance company to cover everyone who works for that employer. With individual health insurance, companies are not required to issue you a policy. This can be very alarming for people who have pre-existing conditions. If you have recently lost your job, it can be surprising to find out that even though you have been covered under a group plan, there is no assurance that you will be able to obtain individual health insurance coverage.

In some states, health insurance companies are allowed to issue policies to people with pre-existing conditions, but they are issued with an exclusionary rider. That means that any services for the pre-existing condition are not covered. Each state has its own laws overseeing how individual health insurance is administered. Therefore, plans can very a great deal from state to state. Plans can also vary from one insurance company to another. Be sure to check around and compare quotes and plans from several different companies before making a decision.

COBRA as an option

One of the first options presented to people who have lost their health insurance coverage is COBRA. COBRA stands for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act and it allows you to continue on your employer’s health insurance plan for up to 18 months after losing your job. However, there are several situations in which employees would not be eligible for COBRA coverage such as, if the company employed less than 20 people and went out of business, or if it dropped its group health insurance or went into bankruptcy.

One of the drawbacks of COBRA is the expense. Under COBRA you have to pay the entire amount of your health insurance coverage. Whereas when you were employed, your employer paid a portion of your benefits. One recent development that will be beneficial to COBRA recipients is that after March 1, 2009 recipients will only have to pay 35% of the cost of the monthly premium and the federal government will pay the remainder for up to nine months.

If you have recently lost your group health insurance, switching to individual health insurance will cause the cost of your health insurance to increase. Understanding the different types of insurance and how they work, will help you to prepare. If you have pre-existing conditions and are concerned about finding individual health insurance coverage, investigate COBRA and find out if it is an option. Also, check with several different health insurance companies and compare the costs before you make a decision.

By: Kevin Kielty