Archive for the ‘Advice’ Category

Post border

Health Insurance Companies Often Pay For Wasteful Claims

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

(Image: bfishadow under CC 3.0)

Did you know that many health insurance companies don’t bother to look into the details of many reimbursements? While the number of health insurance plans denying claims and leaving patients with the whole cost is more widely publicized, the other side of the coin is insurers who fail to catch obvious waste.

Some experts state that a health insurer may not bother to look into claims under $100,000. That means that thousands of dollars can fall through the cracks, and those numbers can add up. A woman with Georgia health insurance used one IV bag during a two-hour emergency room visit, yet her insurance company was charged $4,000 for 41 bags. The insurance company initially paid the amount in full!

Why do hospitals overcharge? Sometimes it’s a simple billing error. Quite frankly, many do it because they can. Most Americans have health insurance, and health insurance providers tend to ignore small expenses. Meanwhile, public health insurance provides lower reimbursement rates. They increase the sticker price less severely for uninsured patients, though they are still affected.

As an informed consumer, you should report potentially wasteful medical expenses, in order to save yourself money on health insurance rates in the future. Beware that they can be hidden in the bill statements.

Post border
Post border

How to Save Money on Healthcare

Friday, March 5th, 2010

As health care costs continue to rise, here are some ways to save money as reported by CNN.

1. Insurance companies often can compare costs for you at different facilities. Go to your insurance company’s Web site. Vitalone health will compare the costs from several leading companies to find the most affordable health insurance in your area.

2. The wisdom of crowds. Ask other people who’ve had your procedure how much they paid for it. The most efficient way to do this is to go to Web sites where people talk about their medical experiences. Here are a few, such as Steadyhealth.com and Chatterhead.net’s health chat.

3. Even if you have medical insurance, call around. Call hospitals and doctors’ offices and ask what they’ll charge for a certain kind of procedure. This can be very frustrating and hard to do because the office can’t always give you a straightforward answer, but it’s worth a try because it can save you thousands of dollars.

Post border
Post border
Post border
Post border

Less Salt = Medical Health Insurance Savings?

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

A recent study by the Institutes of Medicine has found that cutting the average American’s salt intake by just 10% could save up to $32 billion in the cost of medical health insurance.

Excessive sodium intake can lead to high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. $14 billion of the projected savings would come from fewer hospitalizations of people with those conditions. High blood pressure-related diseases cost U.S. health insurance plans over $70 billion annually.

Salt is in many processed foods where you wouldn’t expect or even taste it, such as ketchup. The study’s authors suggest that the food industry take voluntary action. Failing that, they would suggest a government tax on overly salty products–a method that was successful in cutting sodium intake in Great Britain.

(Image: TooFarNorth under CC 3.0)

Post border
Post border

Injuries in the Comfort of your Home

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

You may feel pretty safe once you’re off the busy roadways and in the comfort of your home, but the reality is people hurt themselves at home all the time. According to USA today, In 2008, nearly 1,500 people found themselves in U.S. emergency rooms after run-ins with treadmills, weights, elliptical machines and other exercise equipment, according to the Consumer Products Safety Commission. And those were just the reported cases. The real number probably is closer to 50,000, the agency says.

This is where medical health insurance comes into play. In the event you wind up in a similiar scenario, at least you won’t have to worry about how you’ll cover the medical bill. Many uninsured individuals end up paying a hefty medical bill on their own.

If you don’t exercise much, you’re not exempt from such accidents. “Injuries can occur with everything we do in life, including rolling out of bed,” says Henry Williford, an exercise scientist at Auburn University in Montgomery, Ala. “The benefits of exercising far outweigh the risks.” Just be sure you have protection through an inexpensive health insurance policy.

Post border
Post border

Top 3 Concerns When Shopping For Health Insurance Online

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Shopping for health insurance has become a very competitive business with hundreds, if not thousands of websites promoting themselves online.
Some of these are carriers themselves or captive agents. Others are online health insurance agencies or agents. Still others are just procuring prospects in order to sell this information to others that sell insurance.

There’s a maze of confusion between carriers, agents, prospectors, and others.
It really can be confusing and more so very frustrating when going through the process.

  1. Choose Websites Carefully
    • It is easy to just enter into a website that promotes health insurance and provide your basic information in order to get an affordable health insurance quote. The problem is that unless you are certain of what the website does with your information, you could be asking for trouble.Your information could be sold to anyone willing to pay for it. Then, you’ll start getting phone calls from someone you don’t know, selling you who knows what, without you even knowing if they are even licensed to sell health insurance.
  2. Get Quotes From Different Carriers
    • Don’t be pushed into just any carrier without first weighing in other options. Take the time and go through the exercise. Compare and review.
  3. Understand the Underwriting Process
    • Find out about the carrier you are applying for and their underwriting criteria. You don’t want to apply and be rejected for coverage. This can exclude you from getting coverage from another carrier.
Post border
Post border

Don’t let COBRA strike while GI is Ready for Action

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

(Image: millermz under CC 2.0)

Whenever you have trouble with searching for health insurance, dont forget GI (Guaranteed Issue) is there. Don’t let COBRA be your only resort. COBRA is high cost health insurance offered by employers when you have been “let go”. Never fear GI insurance is a cost effective alternative health insurance for those of you deemed “uninsurable”. GI Takes the daunting task of insuring those with various conditions that would otherwise be turned away.

GI is, of course, not nearly as effective as Major Medical insurance, but for an affordable short term health insurance solution, or until you find new employment, GI can protect you from the dangers of COBRA; the dangers of not being able to afford your health insurance while you are unemployed or seeking work.

Don’t take your health insurance search lightly, bring in reinforcements, the agents at VitalOne are always armed to the teeth with health insurance plans ready for almost any situation. Their rigorous training and expert skills will help you find the right GI insurance for those with any condition. Send for reinforcements today!

Post border
Post border

Health Insurance Deductible

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

When buying a health insurance plan, understanding its deductible is very important. What is a health insurance deductible? It is a certain amount of medical expenses you must pay out-of-pocket before your medical health insurance picks up the tab. Most health insurance plans have an annual deductible, meaning that you will have to fulfill the deductible all over again the following year. Many family health insurance plans have family deductibles, as well as individual deductibles.

How do deductibles work? For example, if you have a certain deductible that must be fulfilled for surgical coverage, that entire amount must be paid within one year in order to begin receiving health insurance coverage for it. If the surgery costs less than the deductible, your health insurer pays nothing; but if its cost is more, they will pay a portion of the remaining amount. The exact amount your health insurance company will pay depends on the co-insurance percentage specified in the terms of your health insurance’s policy.

Preventative care, such as regular doctors’ visits, tends to be excluded from deductibles. Instead, it is subject to either a specified co-payment amount or a co-insurance percentage of the fee for the service. In addition, different types of services usually have separate deductible amounts: spending in one area does not count towards fulfilling the deductible in another. Also remember that there may be a smaller deductible for in-network care than the one that applies to out-of-network providers.

There are a variety of affordable health insurance options available with different deductible levels. Common deductibles offered range from as little to $500 to $10,000 or more, with most in the $1,000 to $5,000 range. A lower deductible usually results in higher health insurance quotes.

Which health insurance deductible is right for you? High-deductible health insurance plans are best for those in good health looking for cheap health insurance. Health Savings Account plans will even allow you to pay deductible with your pre-tax income. Older, less healthy people (including those with pre-existing conditions) may find a more comprehensive health insurance plan with lower deductibles better suited to their needs. In those cases, the higher health insurance premium may be offset by the out-of-pocket cost savings.

Post border
Post border

Using Your Health Plan

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

It is important to understand the benefits of your health plan to take full advantage of offered services. The two major types of health plans are “fee-for-service” and “managed care.” Managed care plans can go by many names including Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), Individual Practice Association (IPA), Point of Service (POS) plan, to name a few. What you need to understand is not the plan’s label, but the characteristics of the plan. It is important to understand your options and how they affect your choice of providers and services, costs, and quality of care. Each plan has different benefits for suite various medical needs. For example, if you have an HMO plan a primary care doctor will help you decide what other care you need and how to get it. In contrast, PPO plans give you the freedom to see a specialists and other providers without having to get referrals and pre-approval first. VitalOne health insurance agents will help you understand how to best use your health plan.

Post border
Post border

Choosing a Health Plan

Tuesday, February 9th, 2010

Today, there are many health plans to choose from depending on your individual medical needs and budget. VitalOne health insurance agents are available to help you choose an affordable health insurance plan that offers the best quality for you and your family. Your health plan affects many things including what kind of care you will receive and where you will receive it. Ans generally speaking, paying a little more for health coverage means you’ll get better health care. It’s smart to invest in a comprehensive plan that will adequately support you if you become sick or end up in an accident. Often times, those who don’t have good health benefits are stuck with high out-of-pocket medical expenses and many individuals wind up in debt. Most Americans feel quality of health care is the most important thing they consider when choosing a health plan. But research also shows that few people understand their options well enough to make an informed choice. VitalOne health insurance agents will help guide you through the process of choosing a reliable and affordable health insurance plan.

Post border

Archives

Talk to a VitalOne Specialist

Call now to
discuss your
health insurance
options

1-866-488-5200