People may tell you not to worry about the cost of health insurance. They obviously haven’t lived with your budget concerns.
Having or not having health insurance in America these days is a major debate. Those that have it know the benefits it offers.
Those that don’t think it’s a waste of time and money and they don’t need it – that is they don’t need it right now – but later? That may be a whole different can of worms.
The question still remains though, how does one get affordable health insurance in this economy? How does one stay safe and be covered and not be broke? Good questions and the answers are highly individual to each person’s specific situation. Of course, the bottom line is and will always be what dollars are there to go around in the household to pay for everything from soup to nuts and still include health insurance plans? This is even more of an issue when you are considering buying individual insurance and you happen to be self-employed – meaning your income will vary wildly from month to month.
Being self-employed and wanting insurance means finding a way to budget it and doing with less someplace else. Why is this a smart idea even if it hurts? It’s smart because if you are hurt, need medical care and don’t have health insurance, then your business may go under because you need the funds to pay the medical bills. If you work for someone else; well, lucky is the worker who has their health care costs picked up by the company.
Let’s say you want individual health insurance and you work for yourself or for someone else – either way, your premiums will vary depending on what you choose in terms of health insurance plans. Things like co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles are costly, but they are usually the plans with lower premiums.
So there you have it, the health insurance plans with lower initial costs usually have higher premiums, and the health plans that mean you need to use a network (like HMOs) will cost less. What to choose? You choose what your personal preference is, as health insurance coverage is a highly individualized thing.
Can any of these choices be done on a budget? You bet they can, as despite prevailing opinion that no one can afford health insurance, there are affordable health insurance policies out there for everyone. It’s just that some people, no matter how reasonable a health insurance plan is, still won’t buy one for their own reasons. For those individuals, when life happens, they too will see the necessity of needing health insurance.
Clelland Green is with Benepath.com, a leader in providing health insurance quotes. Benepath provides individuals, families, and businesses with affordable health insurance quotes in just a few mouse clicks. To learn more, visit https://www.benepath.com.
With new diseases on the horizon, we need affordable health insurance. Getting affordable health insurance quotes is a good place to start.
Getting sick these days without the benefit of having a health insurance plan in place is pretty risky; risky because if you need medical care, the cost of that care may wipe out your bank account. That’s honestly not too farfetched either. The cost for medical care for things like broken bones would almost put you in the poor house, unless you have a very high income, something that a lot of Americans do not have.
Many people today are lucky to have enough money to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads. This isn’t to say that there aren’t affordable health insurance plans out there that you can take advantage of by doing a bit of homework, because the truth is, there is always something that will suit your budget no matter what it is.
Get started looking for affordable health insurance by doing some online surfing. It’s easy, it’s convenient and you can do it in your jammies. You can’t beat that, plus it gives you the chance to take notes and make a list of questions, because at some point, you will need to ask a real live person those questions to get a better sense of what they are offering in terms of affordable health insurance.
While it’s hard to really know if the company website you are clicking on is reputable, there are a few things you can do to find out. If they have been in business for a long time, that means they are stable and know their products and are likely credible. Ask around and find out if any of your relatives or friends have insurance with them and how they like the service, etc.
Step two is to ask for affordable health insurance quotes. Try and have a bit of play in your budget if there are things you really need to have in a health insurance policy. Spell everything out and be honest about your pre-existing conditions, as this will give them an accurate picture of what you will need and also help them provide you with health insurance quotes. By the way, remember that if you ask more than one insurance company to give you quotes, that you need to give each one of them the same information. If you don’t do that, your quotes won’t be accurate.
Line up anywhere from four to six health insurance quotes, or more if you can stand the confusion of trying to compare that many quotes at once. Honestly? Ideally, working with four quotes is usually the best tactic and you can start by comparing prices “before” you sign up for anything. Find out why the health insurance quotes you got were different prices: for instance, did one have coverage for asthma and the other did not? You get the idea; you’re comparing actual coverage offered rather than just determining who you want to go with based on pricing alone.
Clelland Green is with Benepath.com, a leader in providing health insurance quotes. Benepath provides individuals, families, and businesses with affordable health insurance quotes in just a few mouse clicks. To learn more, visit https://www.benepath.com.
It’s nice to know instantly if you qualify for health insurance. Instant health insurance quotes also provide approximate premium prices.
It’s becoming a world where it is ultimately crucial that you and your family have health insurance; affordable health insurance. If you want that kind of information quickly, after all we are in the age of instant this and that, then accessing instant health insurance quotes will let you know within seconds if you qualify for a health insurance plan and what the costs may be. Leave the work of quoting to the health insurance website, because it means more time for you to do what you really want to do instead of searching for affordable health insurance.
There are a whole lot of people out there that are working harder and longer than ever before and making less to show for it. What they are making, they stash away for their children’s future. They don’t think they can afford any type of health insurance plans. More to the point is this question: “Can they afford ‘not’ to have a health insurance plan?” The answer is: “No, they can’t afford ‘not’ to have health insurance.” Not in today’s world of high cost medical care for everything from soup to nuts. Even a broken leg may run to $20,000; money most people don’t have on hand.
The bottom line here is that having good health and keeping it, is critical for you and your family. If you don’t have your health, chances are you will run the risk of losing what savings you do have to pay medical bills that could have been covered by your health insurance plan. Health is wealth and “means” wealth if you can keep working and stay healthy – with the assistance of a health insurance plan.
In other words, if you don’t want to be in the situation where you have to declare medical bankruptcy, then you need to be checking out health insurance quotes. Before you get started, know what kind of health insurance you want for you and your family.
Once you have a good idea of what that is, hit the Internet and do some online searching for an insurance website that provides instant health insurance quotes. Instant health insurance quotes are a bit like playing Bingo – under the ‘A’ for affordable health insurance, under the ‘H’ for health insurance plans and health insurance quotes.
The whole idea in sourcing instant health insurance quotes is to let you know right away what is out there and what you qualify for in terms of health insurance plans. Knowledge is power; make it work to your advantage.
Clelland Green is with Benepath.com, a leader in providing health insurance quotes. Benepath provides individuals, families, and businesses with affordable health insurance quotes in just a few mouse clicks. To learn more, visit https://www.benepath.com.
It’s nice to know instantly if you qualify for health insurance. Instant health insurance quotes also provide approximate premium prices.
It’s becoming a world where it is ultimately crucial that you and your family have health insurance; affordable health insurance. If you want that kind of information quickly, after all we are in the age of instant this and that, then accessing instant health insurance quotes will let you know within seconds if you qualify for a health insurance plan and what the costs may be. Leave the work of quoting to the health insurance website, because it means more time for you to do what you really want to do instead of searching for affordable health insurance.
There are a whole lot of people out there that are working harder and longer than ever before and making less to show for it. What they are making, they stash away for their children’s future. They don’t think they can afford any type of health insurance plans. More to the point is this question: “Can they afford ‘not’ to have a health insurance plan?” The answer is: “No, they can’t afford ‘not’ to have health insurance.” Not in today’s world of high cost medical care for everything from soup to nuts. Even a broken leg may run to $20,000; money most people don’t have on hand.
The bottom line here is that having good health and keeping it, is critical for you and your family. If you don’t have your health, chances are you will run the risk of losing what savings you do have to pay medical bills that could have been covered by your health insurance plan. Health is wealth and “means” wealth if you can keep working and stay healthy – with the assistance of a health insurance plan.
In other words, if you don’t want to be in the situation where you have to declare medical bankruptcy, then you need to be checking out health insurance quotes. Before you get started, know what kind of health insurance you want for you and your family.
Once you have a good idea of what that is, hit the Internet and do some online searching for an insurance website that provides instant health insurance quotes. Instant health insurance quotes are a bit like playing Bingo – under the ‘A’ for affordable health insurance, under the ‘H’ for health insurance plans and health insurance quotes.
The whole idea in sourcing instant health insurance quotes is to let you know right away what is out there and what you qualify for in terms of health insurance plans. Knowledge is power; make it work to your advantage.
Clelland Green is with Benepath.com, a leader in providing health insurance quotes. Benepath provides individuals, families, and businesses with affordable health insurance quotes in just a few mouse clicks.
To learn more, visit https://www.benepath.com.
“BIKE 4 CHF” Aims to Raise $100,000 for Congenital Heart Defect Research
LINCOLNSHIRE, Ill. – A congenital heart defect survivor is pedaling his bike across America, beginning June 8, 2010, to raise awareness about congenital heart defects, celebrate children impacted by heart defects, and raise $100,000 in new research dollars for the Children’s Heart Foundation (CHF).
“BIKE 4 CHF”—the journey of Nels Matson, 27, of Bradenton, Fla.—is the first fundraiser of its kind for the Children’s Heart Foundation, a national non-profit that funds the most promising research to learn more about congenital heart defects (CHDs), the number-one birth defect in America, which affects 40,000 births every year and one in every 100 newborns.
Matson will ride his road bike 3,709 miles, from Santa Monica, Calif., to New York, N.Y., from June 8 to July 20, 2010, averaging 100 miles per day. Along his route, Matson will meet up with and ride alongside Children’s Heart Foundation supporters of all ages in 15 states and encourage them to donate to CHF through his Web site, www.athletes4heart.com.
The Children’s Heart Foundation has named Matson its first ever “KID 4 CHF,” in honor of Matson’s service to congenital heart defect awareness and fundraising in his BIKE 4 CHF ride. CHF defines KIDS 4 CHF as children who have been diagnosed with a CHD and provide hope and inspiration to other kids and families facing a diagnosis. KIDS 4 CHF are also children who were diagnosed with a CHD at birth and have since passed away.
“Nels Matson’s story resonates with people across the country—particularly with children and families who have lived, or are living, with CHDs,” said Megan Van Pelt, president of the Children’s Heart Foundation. “He’s a walking, running and biking example of perseverance and proof that nothing is impossible for these kids.”
Matson was born in 1982, and thought to be a healthy baby. When a doctor listened to Matson’s heart at age three, he was concerned. After a series of immediate tests, Matson was diagnosed with an uncommon congenital heart defect (Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return with an Atrial Septal Defect).
Matson underwent surgery at Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Ill. His heart was repaired, and he received a clean bill of health at age five. He still has the heart he was born with and today is remarkably active. Matson wrestled for Iowa State University in college, and in 2009, he raised funds for the Children’s Heart Foundation—completing an Ironman 70.3 (a race consisting of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike and a 13.1-mile run, which adds up to 70.3 miles of total racing) and his very first marathon.
“Whenever I tell people my story, and about how common congenital heart defects are, they are shocked,” said Matson. “The goal of BIKE 4 CHF is to turn that surprise into action. By supporting the Children’s Heart Foundation, donors are investing in research that will save little lives.”
There are 35 different types of CHDs, but little is known about the cause of them and there is not yet a cure for any of them. The Children’s Heart Foundation has funded 37 research projects and funded $3.6 million for research.
“We’re learning more about CHDs all the time,” said William Foley, executive director of the Children’s Heart Foundation. “But until children are no longer lost to congenital heart disease, the Children’s Heart Foundation will continue on. Nels Matson shares our passion, and we are so thrilled that he will be spreading this message on the road this summer.”
Matson will begin his ride in Santa Monica, Calif., on June 8, and end in New York, N.Y., on July 20, stopping in bike shops and parks across the country for early morning meet ups and quarter-mile ride-a-longs with Children’s Heart Foundation supporters. Along his eastward journey, he’ll pass through a host of small cities, as well as the following metropolitan areas:
- Las Vegas, Nev.: June 11
- Denver, Colo.: June 22
- Omaha, Neb.: June 30
- Davenport, Iowa: July 4
- Chicago, Ill.: July 7
- South Bend, Ind.: July 8
- Columbus, Ohio: July 13
- Pittsburgh, Pa.: July 15
- Philadelphia, Pa.: July 19
In each of the cities listed above, Matson will dedicate segments of his journey to local children with congenital heart defects. He’ll also invite congenital heart defect survivors, and people who have lost a loved one to a heart defect, to autograph his road bike so they can “ride across the country with him.”
Sponsors for BIKE 4 CHF include Hilton Hotels, mix1 Protein Antioxidant Sports Drink, Myakka Technologies, Inc., WSLR 96.5 LPFM Sarasota Community Radio ‘Local Matters’, Santa Monica Pier Restoration Corporation, and families.
To follow BIKE 4 CHF, and to make a donation, visit www.athletes4heart.com. You also can find Matson and his journey on Facebook (Athletes4Heart) and on Twitter (@Athletes4Heart).
The Children’s Heart Foundation
Motivated by the needs of children, the goal of the Children’s Heart Foundation is to bring health, hope and happiness to children impacted by congenital heart defects, the number-one birth defect in the U.S. The CHF accomplishes this goal by funding the most promising research to advance the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of congenital heart defects. For information on the CHF, visit www.childrensheartfoundation.org.
People across the country have just seen a 20 – 50% increases in health insurance quotes in 2010. Kaiser Health News even recently reported on how government regulators were having a tough time determining the definition of an unreasonable rate increase.
Shopping for a health insurance quote has never been so important or so necessary for businesses and individuals alike. Providing a quality standard of living is important for the well being of employees and their families and may seem like a challenge in today’s economic climate. With so many options available for medical coverage, it is difficult to know who to contact and even if it is worthwhile.
It may seem tempting to push the research for an affordable health insurance quote to the back burner, but not making that call can mean the difference of thousands of dollars. A health insurance quote may seem to have skyrocketed outside your budget, but what has become truly unaffordable to many is the meteorical rise in medical costs. If the need arises for any type of procedure involving surgery, hospitalization, ongoing treatments and prescription medication, you will be faced with serious costs that most people cannot afford (That’s why health insurance is soo expensive…).
The advantage of getting health insurance is that you are getting some means of being able to handle exorbitant medical bills.
Going through one of Benepath’s national network of insurance agents gives you the absolute best prices from the top insurance carriers in the nation with service from a local agent who understands which carriers are the best in your community for your needs. They will also give you a health insurance quote comparisons from all the top carriers to determine which is the most cost effective plan for you that covers the essentials you need.
Because medical costs keep rising, it is important to enroll in some type of coverage now, before the health insurance prices get even higher, even if all you do is get the most basic plan. There are three major reasons that could save you thousands for getting your health insurance plan now:
- Avoid Future Increases in Health Insurance Rates. We have just seen how rates have grown 20-50%. How much higher are they going to be when you finally make your decision on a health insurance plan?
- Don’t Wait Until its Too Late. It may be too late if you wait too long and you or a family member becomes sick. At the very best your costs will be higher and the worst case scenario may be that you cannot even get insurance.
- Peace of Mind. While the others are quantifiable, there is nothing like knowing you and your family have good coverage and that you won’t have to worry about what might happen.
For individuals and families buying health insurance for themselves, the smart decision is to get a high deductible health plan and not to buy a plan with copayments for prescriptions and office visits. The reason is simple – it will cost you much less in the long run.
However, if you do this, you must set up and fund an HSA!
There is a lot of evidence right now that when someone has a copay to see a doctor, that they will see the doctor many more times than someone who has to pay for the service out of their pocket. Which means that person is more likely to see a doctor when it is really needed and they will end up avoiding more expensive medical care.
The big advantage of the high deductible health plan is savings and protection. It protects you from the large health care expenses and saves you money today on your premiums. But don’t be dollar wise and penny foolish and not get the routine care you need on a day to day basis.
One of the best ways to help you avoid making cost decisions for care you need is by setting up a Health Savings Account (HSA). My recommendation is take at least half of what you save by purchasing a high deductible plan and investing in your HSA. For my family its $100 a month, and that covers all of our routine care like pediatric visits and prescriptions. We have a debit card attached to the HSA, so its easy to use as well. After all of our treatments, we even have money left over at the end of the year – and the interest is tax free.
Having the money in the HSA will help you avoid the mistake of not going to the doctor when its needed and will help you spread out the expenses you will certainly face as you take on a greater share of your necessary medical expenses.
And if you don’t use the money, when you turn 65 the savings that are there are the same as the money in your IRA. So its your’s to use without penalty. But you can still take the money out tax-free for medical expenses – which will be one of your biggest expenses when you retire.
Happy Hunting!
Health insurance issues are always a significant concern for both employers and individuals. Headlines frequently describe the ever increasing cost of healthcare and insurance, and constantly changing rules can make obtaining proper coverage a complicated matter. Many insurance shoppers are turning to the internet for information that they can use to make informed decisions and compare plans, packages and rates. To this end, Benepath has designed a website that offers users a comprehensive resource such as insurance news, informative articles and a powerful interface that allows users to compare quotes within seconds.
“One of the most common complaints about insurance shopping that we’ve heard is that it can be confusing to compare one plan to another,” explains Clelland Green, Benepath’s President. “We have made it our mission to give insurance shoppers the power and knowledge they need to make the best healthcare decisions for their families.” Benepath accomplishes this with a user-friendly website, an easy-to-use health insurance quote system, and a wealth of information that every insurance buyer should know.
The site benefits both the insured and the uninsured. Those who are interested in saving money on their existing plans can quickly compare offers from leading insurers, while new insurance buyers can find the exact package that suits their needs and their situation. Employers who want to offer their employees the security of a comprehensive benefit plan can also request quotes that best suit their business and their budget.
About Benepath: Benepath was founded by Clelland Green in 2004 as a consulting firm to provide insurers and managed care organizations with advice regarding the development of consumer directed health plans (CDHs) such as HSAs, HRAs, and high deductible health plans. When it became clear that insurance brokers did not have a firm grasp of the CDH market, Benepath was founded with a unique business model to ensure that businesses and individuals learned about the importance of these products and how they could be a better fit than traditional health insurance plans including HMOs and PPOs.
New viruses take their toll physically and financially. Be prepared to deal with new medical problems by having affordable health insurance.
Lately it seems like every time you turn around there is a new bug making its way around the world. Some of them may be treated with existing medicines; some of them may not. Either way, if you wind up getting sick and need a lot of doctoring, and if you don’t have affordable health insurance that covers your needs, you may have a problem on your hands.
Let’s face it, if you come down with something new and difficult to treat, you will likely be paying out more money than you have budgeted. That’s due to the nature of our expensive health care system. Even if you do have a high deductible, you’re going to be in a pinch financially. What are your options? The main option is to find affordable health insurance that offers the kind of coverage you need. Start by working out your budget first and then working out what you need. With list in hand, hit the Internet and start searching for health insurance quotes.
Once you’ve found a few sites that you like and that are professional and up-to-date in their information, ask for quotes and then compare them with others you have. Go for about three or four quotes to get an idea of what is out there. Pare down your list to show you the affordable health insurance quotes.
Next, you comb through what each of those affordable plans offers. For this you may need to speak directly to a health insurance agent. Write out a complete list of things you want answered and go to town asking them all. It’s important that you know that what you may get is what you need. Once you have found a cost match, your benefits are very important. Be careful here because some of the quotes may look enticing financially, but don’t offer the cover you need. So, read the fine print.
Weed out what is not suited for you and keep going until you have a quote that offers good benefits and it works with your budget; something you can manage financially. While this might seem like a daunting process, it does pay off in the long run with the thing you needed the most – affordable health insurance.
Clelland Green is with Benepath.com, a leader in providing health insurance quotes. Benepath provides individuals, families, and businesses with affordable health insurance quotes in just a few mouse clicks. To learn more, visit https://www.benepath.com.
If you have a co-pay plan, this is NOT the same thing as a Health Savings Account. We’re not sure why there is this kind of confusion over the two, but a lot of families who tried HSAs found out they don’t care for paying full freight at the doctor’s office. We’ve even heard stories of those who had HSAs wanting to switch back to a co-pay plan. The co-pay is a whole lot more popular because the cost of paying for medical care is lower at the doc’s office.
The likely reason that co-pay plans are preferred is because the benefits are visible right away when you pay that doctor’s bill. With the HSAs you save aside money every month for medical expenses and you have a High Deductible Health Plan. In plain English it means you pay for health benefits up to a certain dollar amount. If the bill is more than what the benefits cover, you pay for them out of your Health Savings Account.
To learn more, visit https://www.benepath.com.
