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Need health insurance? Instead of burying yourself in myriad booklets and advertising material, use our friendly, helpful service and complete our easy profile. You will then be matched with the companies best able to meet your need. You will receive quotes usually by email or return phone calls for up to five companies. Even if you have been denied because of pre-existing conditions, every attempt will be made to locate a company that will provide you with insurance.

Get an affordable medical health insurance plan tailored to your family's needs!

Many people are dismayed by what seems to be the high cost of their individual health insurance. You need to be prepared for the fact that true major medical (not just discount plans) may be less affordable from your prospective than group insurance. While you were working, you company paid 50 to 70 percent—and maybe even more—of your health insurance premium.   When purchasing private insurance, you will have to pay the entire premium, and the company will increase your rate based on age and pre-existing conditions. However, there are other options such as HSA plans, high deductibles, net-work health insurance like HMOs and so forth that may help you keep your premiums lower than an average major medical policy.

Everyone wants inexpensive individual health insurance; however, be aware that if a plan seems “cheap,” you may take your card to the doctor only to find out that he won’t accept it. Also, you might end up with a discount only plan, or a plan that just pays you back for a pre-defined amount regardless of what you pay. If you are not eligible for creditable coverage (the term used for real insurance), another health care plan may be your only choice, but doctors and hospitals will provide better care if you have true health insurance.

Traditional Health Care Coverage is the individual health insurance many people prefer because it allows them to see any doctor and go to any hospital without having to use a primary care doctor first. Also, while the insurance company will provide you with a book of “participating doctors,” you will simply be looking for a doctor who has agreed to accept the payment tables of that particular company. A non-participating doctor may charge a higher copay, and the percentage paid by the company will usually be less. You will always have deductibles and co-insurance or co-payments, regardless of the options you choose. You can often get a lower premium in return for taking a higher deductible or copay.

HMO Insurance plans came about in the mid 1900s as a means of lowering the cost of group insurance. Lately people are hearing more about them because they are less expensive than traditional health insurance. The doctor’s bill will be less than traditional insurance because he will be paid a larger portion by the insurance company. The primary care doctor is responsible for referrals to any specialist, including a doctor for a second opinion. If you go to a doctor without a referral, you may have to pay the full cost yourself. Since the purpose of HMOs is to reduce health care costs, the doctor will not send you to a specialist unless it is absolutely necessary. Still, if you are in reasonably good health and have a good relationship with your current physician, an HMO will probably be satisfactory.

Indemnity plans are plans that pay you directly. Most of them are for accidents only, but with the large number of people who have no insurance, indemnity plans have developed for illness as well. The advantage of an indemnity plan is that it does not count as “insurance,” so you can receive money from the plan on top of whatever your insurance will pay. The plans are inexpensive and usually have no medical underwriting. Having an indemnity plan in combination with a high deductible insurance will give you an inexpensive way to recoup some of your out of pocket costs.

Today indemnity plans are available that pay either you or the hospital for both illness and accident. You are provided with a fee schedule showing exactly how much will be paid per day in the hospital, per event for lab work, and so forth. These plans are very inexpensive and usually have simple or no medical underwriting. In most cases, however, they are not considered creditable coverage.

Catastrophic Care, Cancer and other focused plans
Catastrophic plans are plans that pay only for a major illness. Some are very specific while others simply have a high deductible—as much as $10,000 before they will start paying. The most common catastrophic plans are for cancer, intensive care, heart failure and kidney disease.  Some catastrophic plans pay like indemnity plans while others are considered insurance and will pay the providers.

Questions to ask an agent

Insurance is confusing for most people. The best way to make sure you have what you think you have is to talk to an agent who understands the policy. Don’t work with an agent who will simply leave you to find out for yourself what your policy will cover. Ask if the agent will be available for phone calls and if he or she will make phone calls on your behalf if you have questions in the future. Before purchasing the policy, you should have answers to the following:

• Is the insurance guaranteed renewable? Although your rates will increase over time, make sure you can’t be cancelled for filing claims.
  
  
• What is meant by “pre-existing condition”? Some policies only apply a pre-existing clause for anything you have had in the last two years while others will refuse to pay for anything you had in your entire insured lifetime until two years have passed. For example, such a company could say that if you had back surgery 15 years ago, but begin getting some sort of therapy after getting the policy, the fact that you once had that condition automatically excludes you from any back therapy—such as physical therapy or chiropractic—until you have paid two years of premium. It sounds crazy, but it happens. You have to ask.
  
  
• Does the policy pay for maternity?
  
  
• What conditions are excluded or require extra riders? This could refer to organ transplants, bone marrow transplants, experimental or alternative medicine such as chelation therapy, mental illness, emotional disorders and substance abuse.
  
  
• Is there a chart showing a guideline of rate increases? Some companies provide a breakdown of the maximum increase you should expect for each age category. Will you automatically get a rate increase if you have a catastrophic illness? Since a company will not voluntarily tell you that they will double or triple your rates as soon as you get cancer—for instance—you may have to do some research to find out. Check with the Better Business Bureau or Chamber of Commerce. Listen, and when you hear stories of people who suddenly had their insurance dropped after having a particular illness, ask questions and try to avoid such companies if you can. Also, be aware that companies typically apply to the insurance commissioners for rate increases across the board every year, regardless of age. Usually the increases are granted. Thus you can count on an increase for age and for “class increases” whether you ever get sick or not.
  
  
• What is the lifetime maximum benefit?
  
  
• What is the deductible? Does one deductible apply to the entire policy, or do you have separate deductibles for doctor versus hospital. Try to avoid companies with multiple deductibles as you can actually receive a lot of care before the policy will pay anything.
  
  
• How are co-payments determined?
  
  
• Is emergency room and outpatient surgery covered under doctor’s care, or are such services part of separate clauses?
  
  
• Who files the claims?
  
  
• When will payment be released? Immediately upon submission and review of the claim, or does the company hold the money back for 30 days?
  
  
• Can you call the agent and get questions answered, or will you simply be told to call the company?
  
  
• How do you get permission to go to the hospital?
  
  
• Are prescription drugs included? Is there a separate deductible? What is the copayment?
  
  
• Is an HMO option available for a low cost premium?
  

*Note: Not all of these companies provide coverage in all states. 1sthealthinsurancequotes.com does not recommend or endorse any of the above mentioned carriers.

Note also: "Insurence" and" insurnance" are frequent misspellings made by those searching for products within this industry.

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