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Thursday, November 29, 2012

How to Find Alternative Health Insurance

Health insurance premiums have nearly doubled in the last ten years. Everyone talks about trying to lower costs of health care, but the reality is medical insurance is something we just expect to work without our thinking about it too much. Most people get coverage through their employer. Usually this is the best option for people because the employer pays for a majority of the insurance coverage. However if you are between jobs or waiting for your benefits start, your monthly premium could be prohibitive.

Short term health insurance plans are available to cover major medical issues without costing so much. COBRA plans are based on the insurance plans offered by an employer. These plans can be more expensive for several reasons. Employer based plans are deducted from the taxes of the company. This is a part of the reason that the plans have more benefits and cost more each month. People don't realize how expensive it is until they are between jobs and are asked pay for it themselves. If you are healthy, short term health insurance plans can help bridge the gap at a fraction of the cost. Information is widely available on the internet and you can get a plan in a few minutes with coverage starting as early as midnight of the night you apply.

Some individual plans can take a little while to underwrite for the company to look at your medical history. In these cases you would complete an application online and pick the benefits and premium that suits your needs. At that point, the insurance company will request a telephone interview or getting doctors records to finally approve the cost and benefit of the program. While this process can take a few days, it can be worth it. Short term health insurance plans are instant issue generally. Instant issue means that you answer a brief questionnaire and they determine whether you qualify for the policy or not based on the information you provide. They will ask you if you have certain health diseases and conditions. If you answer that you have some of the issues then you do not qualify. If you answer that you do not have the health problems, then the policy can be issued within five minutes and your cards emailed to you instantly.

It is important to consider this underwriting issue because everyone can not qualify for these less expensive plans. Employer health plans cover everyone regardless of their health history. There are plans for everyone but the least expensive plans will be available to the people who do not have health problems outside of an employer. Don't pay for COBRA if you qualify for short term health insurance plans. You will save a substantial amount of money on alternative health insurance plans.

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How to Find Great Medical Health Insurance

The first factor which will influence your health insurance medical quote, is the state of your overall fitness. If you are in good shape for your age, and have no preexisting conditions, you will have no problem finding coverage. However, you may have some serious medical issues, and are finding it a challenge to locate a company who will offer you a policy. While there are many discount plans available, these are not major medical coverage. They simply bring down your out of pocket costs for procedures, doctor visits and tests. Most often you must pay a certain percentage, and there is no cap to the expenses you can incur. In contrast, proper medical health insurance has a preset deductible, and once you meet this you won't have any other fees to pay for the rest of the year.

Did you know that most states offer a period called open enrollment? If you are having no luck due to a preexisting condition, this information can greatly assist you. These open enrollment windows occur at set times of the year, and are limited to a certain number of customers. Once the available spots are filled, the company no longer has to offer any more high risk policies. So, it is important to do your homework, at find out exactly when open enrollment occurs in your state. If you get to the health insurance medical companies soon enough, then by law they can't deny you coverage! This is great news, and is a tremendous option if you've been having trouble finding reputable insurance for you or your family. Expect to pay more because of the high risk you present to the underwriter. However, this type of more expensive coverage is still worth the investment, as medical bills can be run into the thousands or more.

Another great tip when shopping for medical health insurance, is to participate in a voluntary wellness program. This will lower your risk to the company, and can reduce your monthly premiums as a result. What can you expect from such a program? Often they will coach you on diet and nutrition, and many have tobacco cessation support as well. If you are struggling to pay your high premium, this can be an excellent solution.

So, now you have some great tips to keep in mind, which can help you in your search for medical health insurance! Remember that the more you compare policies, the better coverage and prices you can expect to receive. Take your time and find the right insurance for you, and it will pay you large dividends in the end!

Why a Health Savings Account Is Right!

The health insurance industry is very unique. When you compare it to other types of insurance, you will find that most types of insurances are based on the catastrophe.

Your auto insurance does not cover new tires or oil changes. Your home owners insurance does not pay for a new paint job or if your oven breaks down.

Somehow, health insurance pays for doctor visits (new tires) and prescription drugs (oil changes). These two benefits are what add most of the cost to a health care plan.

With health insurance you pay for these benefits whether you use them or not.

This is why health savings accounts (HSA) make a lot of sense. The HSA, is used in conjunction with, a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). The deductible, as you might guess, is higher and only covers the doctor visits and prescriptions after you meet that deductible. It protects you from the catastrophic loss and kind of puts you in control of your health care dollars. They often times cost half as much as a co-pay plan would cost.

H.S.A plans were we created in Medicare legislation and signed in to law by President, George W. Bush, on December 8, 2003. They were originally called Medical Savings Accounts (MSA). They were created by Senator Bill Archer, R-Texas.

Mr. Archer's project was to reduce the cost of health insurance for the self-employed without sacrificing coverage for a major illness. Mr. Archer's brilliant idea was to eliminate the part of the traditional health plan that cost the most money. These expensive benefits include doctor visit "co-pays" and outpatient prescription drug "co-pays". Archer proposed to congress that if you eliminated these features from the health plan it was conceivable to cut your health premiums considerably. He was absolutely right!

Here is an Illinois example. A family of four with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois parents in the Chicago Area 40 years old with two children $2500 deductible individual deductible $7500 family deductible is $683 per month. That plan has co-pays, Rx coverage and an annual out of pocket maximum of $9000 ( 80% paid by insurance 20% paid by insured until they have spent $9000). That is significant because it is a high out of pocket maximum plus your premiums. And how often do you see a doctor in a given year?

Now let's look at the same situation, same carrier with an H.S.A plan. This we will choose a $5200 family deductible. This plan is 100% coverage after the deductible, so my out of pocket maximum is lower as well. It is better coverage for the big, more catastrophic things that can happen. This plans premium $473.

It costs this family $200 more per month for the privilege of having a co-pay and prescription coverage. Now, if you are on some significant medications, or go to the doctor twice per month, this type of plan might not be right, but I do not believe that most Americans do go to the doctor that frequently.

Then, if you choose too you can, the $200 per month savings and set up the "saving account" portion of the plan, in which, you can fund it like an IRA, in which money you put it tax deferred and goes out tax free if you use it for medical expenses. In two years, you would have $4800 saved in your account. That is almost enough to cover your entire deductible.

In 2012, the maximum you can put into the savings account is $3100 for an individual and $6250 for a family. If you are over age 55 you can put an additional $1000 per year into the account as a "catch up" contribution.

You can pull this money from your account, for qualified medical expenses if you should incur them through the year. Unlike the FLEX SPENDING ACCOUNT (FSA) that many have had through their employment, the money you put into the account can carry over from year to year. So if you were to put $5000 in your account this year and you do not use any of it, you have $5000 to start next year. Remember, most or all of this money is money that you would have given to the insurance company for the privilege of having a "co-pay".

Why Supplemental Health Insurance May Be a Good Idea For Senior Citizens

Medicare is good insurance but it does not cover all the expenses if you are hospitalized or need to go to a doctor. It is better than many plans available and good by itself. However if you get health care you will probably have a portion of the bill left to pay after Medicare pays what it owes. There are two sides of Medicare which are labeled part A and part B. Part A pays the bills if you are hospitalized and part B handles any doctor office visits that you might have. While you will not have to pay much you will have to pay some if you do not have a supplemental plan.

These rates are current for 2012. If you are hospitalized on Medicare without a supplement, you will have to pay a deductible of $1,156 for the first 60 days in a hospital. You will owe $289/day for days 61-90 in a hospital, and $578/day for days 91-150. After that point you will be responsible for all expenses if you do not have a supplemental plan. For doctors visits you will be required to pay an annual deductible of $140/year until Medicare pays 80% of your bill. You will have to pay 20% of the doctor's bill without a limit if you do not have a supplement.

There are a couple of options for senior citizens to choose from. They can choose to go with a traditional supplement which will pay everything that Medicare does not pay. These plans will cost an extra amount each month and may not be affordable to some people. However if you have a medical expense you will not have to pay anything extra to either the doctor or the hospital. Essentially with this supplement you go anywhere you want to and don't pay a copayment, deductible, or a coinsurance amount. You focus on getting well and the insurance will take care of everything.

The other option for senior citizens is the Medicare Advantage type of programs. These programs are good because they include extra benefits and they do not cost any more than you currently pay for part B. With the Advantage plans you can go to doctors in a network and pay a copayment. The problem is that you do have to go to a network of doctors or you don't have any coverage. But for people on a tight budget this program can be good. It also includes the part D or prescription drug benefit at no extra charge.

What You Need To Know About Web Based HIPAA Training

All medical information of patients is processed and stored electronically and this confidential information needs to be safeguarded and protected. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) ensures that such important information stays protected by having several safeguards in this regard. It strictly prohibits any unauthorized access and patient would need to give a written permission to covered entities to access their records. The heath care providers would not require any written permission from the patients if the purpose of accessing the records is for treatment.

Before the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act was passed in 1996 there have been several instances when the information of patients had been used for commercial purposes. Employees of health care providers are most likely to have access to protected information and they would need to be trained on how to handle and safeguard this information.

Web Based HIPAA Training Procedure

* All aspects of privacy and security rules that have been specified by Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act would need to be covered in these courses. Apart from this processing and storage of protected information of patients in the electronic medium (computers and other storage devices) should also be learned.

* The various changes that have taken place in HIPAA legislation should be adequately covered in the course. The course can also provide a brief history about Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and how it benefits patients and employees.

* There are various certification programs that are offered online and depending on the needs of the specific employee who will be accessing the records the courses can be chosen. The certification options that are available to employees include Certified HIPAA Professional, Certified HIPAA Security Specialist and Certified HIPAA Administrator.

* Depending on the level of certification and the duration of the course the cost could vary significantly. If the employee wants to gain specialized knowledge they would need to pay an extra fee. There are many universities and hospitals that are offering these certification programs through the online medium. They also provide free support during the duration of the course.

* The training material that will be required for the course can be downloaded easily from the website. The online programs can be completed as per the convenience of the individual in the comfort of their home. There are some universities and hospitals that also provide an instructor for the course and you will have to pay extra to avail of these services.

* After you have completed the online program you would be required to appear for an online examination that will test your skills and knowledge in understanding the various rules and regulations of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. After successful completion of the examination you will be awarded a certification.

There are very stringent penalties for not following the rules and regulations of Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. You would be able to avoid these penalties if you are aware of the various provisions of the Act and the online programs will help you gain knowledge about HIPAA in an effective way.

The Various HIPAA Regulations For Laboratories

Laboratories are classified as covered entities as per the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). They would need to ensure that all protected information of the patients is stored and safeguarded in the best possible way. Laboratory assistants and other individuals who are working in laboratories would need to be trained in handling sensitive information of patients according to the guidelines specified by HIPAA.

The confidentiality of the test results will need to be maintained by all laboratories and they must take adequate safeguards to help protect it. All the staff working there must be aware of the various Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act rules and regulations pertaining to protected information of patients.

What Are The Top 4 Things You Need To Know About HIPAA Regulations For Laboratories?

1. Test results of the various treatment processes that are done by patients are the primary source of information that is available at laboratories. Apart from this there can also be information relating to insurance claims and visits to the physician's office. All this information can be stored electronically or on paper and it is important that only people who are authorized are able to access it easily.

2. There are various ways in which laboratories deliver the test results to other covered entities. This can include physicians, nurses, hospitals and clinics.When the test-results are delivered to the physician's office the laboratories usually trusts them and assumes that the doctor will have enough safeguards in place to ensure that the protected information is not misused. There is usually a lot of risk involved in delivering the results this way.

3. The other method in which the results of the patients are delivered involves acceptance of total responsibility by the laboratory. In this method the laboratory will assume total responsibility of delivering the results from one point to the other. This will ensure that the confidential results are safe and secure. The next method of delivering test results would involve sharing of responsibility between the laboratory and other health care providers (doctors and nurses).

4. The laboratory cannot be sharing the results with the patients too unless it has been specifically authorized to do so. The laboratories would be able to share the results only with physicians. It is also the responsibility of the laboratory staff to inform patients about their HIPAA rights so that they are aware about it.

There are various forms that the patient might be required to sign when they visit the laboratory for different tests. This will provide the laboratory with the requisite permission that it needs to access the results for the propose of treatment.

The patient can also request the laboratory for information pertaining to their results and if the state laws permit they should be provided with this information within a period of thirty days from the date on which the results were made. If the protected information is to be provided to any other health care provider it is important to take authorization from the patient.