As most developed countries continue to move from a manufacturing-based economy to a service economy, and employee working patterns continue to evolve, health insurance coverage has become less stable. The service sector offers less access to health insurance than its manufacturing counterparts. Further, an increasing reliance on part-time and contract workers who are not eligible for coverage means fewer workers have access to employer-sponsored health insurance.

With health insurance premiums on the rise, many small employers cannot afford to offer health benefits to their employees. Companies that do offer health insurance, often require employees to contribute a larger share toward their coverage. As a result, an increasing number of people have opted not to take advantage of job-based health insurance because they cannot afford it.

How does being uninsured harm individuals and families?

*Lack of health insurance coverage compromises the health of the uninsured because they receive less preventive care, are diagnosed at more advanced disease stages, and once diagnosed, tend to receive less therapeutic care and have higher mortality rates than insured individuals.
*Regardless of age, race, ethnicity, income or health status, uninsured children were much less likely to have received a well-child checkup within the past year. Research shows that almost 50 percent of children without health insurance coverage did not receive a checkup in 2003, almost twice the rate (26 percent) for children with health insurance coverage.
*People without health insurance coverage end paying “up front” — before services will be rendered. When they are unable to pay the full medical bill in cash at the time of service, they can be turned away except in life-threatening circumstances.
*About 20 percent of the uninsured (vs. 3 percent of those with coverage) say their usual source of care is the emergency room.
*Studies estimate that the number of excess deaths among uninsured adults aged 25-64 is in the range of 18,000 a year. This mortality figure is more than the number of deaths from diabetes (17,500) within the same age group (10).
*According to one another study, over a third of people without health insurance coverage have problems paying medical bills. The unpaid bills were substantial enough that many had been turned over to collection agencies – and nearly a quarter of the uninsured adults said they had changed their way of life significantly to pay medical bills.
What additional costs are created by people without health insurance coverage?
*Its estimated that America spends nearly $120 billion per year to provide uninsured residents with health services, often for preventable diseases or diseases that physicians could treat more efficiently with earlier diagnosis.
*Hospitals provide about $35 billion worth of uncompensated care a year.
*Another $38 billion is paid by private and public payers for health services for the uninsured and $26 billion is paid out-of-pocket by those who lack health insurance coverage.
*People without health insurance coverage are 30 to 50 percent more likely to be hospitalized for an avoidable condition, with the average cost of an avoidable hospital stayed estimated to be about $3,300.
*The increasing reliance of the uninsured on the emergency department has serious economic implications, since the cost of treating patients is higher in the emergency department than in other outpatient clinics and medical practices.

Getting Everyone Health Insurance Coverage Will Save A lot of Money.
The impacts of living without health insurance coverage are severe. Many uninsured individuals postpone needed medical care which results in increased mortality and billions of dollars lost in productivity and increased expenses to the health care system.

There also exists a significant sense of vulnerability to the potential loss of health insurance which is shared by tens of millions of other people who have managed to retain health insurance coverage.

Every person should have health insurance coverage, participation should be mandatory, and everyone should have basic benefits because like we have seen above it’s benefits are awesome.

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In this economy, many people have lost their jobs or are in fear of losing them. Retirement savings are down and no one seems to know when the economy will turn around. In times like these we must pay close attention to how every dollar is spent. If you’ve lost your health insurance or otherwise need to get health insurance, it’s more important than ever to get the coverage you need to protect your family’s finances without paying for coverage you don’t need.

PPO, HMO, HSA…with so many health insurance plans to choose from, how do you know which health plan is right for you? With hundreds of health plans available it can be difficult to decide which health plan is best for you and your family.

The following guidelines are provided by Jeff Breazile, owner of Benefit Studio Health Insurance Services (http://www.benefitstudio.com), a California based independent insurance agency.

To help narrow down the many choices available and find the right plan for you and your budget, it’s important to compare premium quotes from different health plans. But what benefits do you get for your monthly premium? Look beyond just the quoted premium of a health plan and consider what benefits in a health insurance plan are most important to you.

Focusing on the benefits you need most is the first step in finding a Califorrnia health insurance plan that not only offers the protection you need, but is affordable as well. The health plan with the lowest premium may not give you the financial protection you need if you get sick, have an accident or otherwise need to seek medical attention. A comprehensive health plan that covers a wide range of services and benefits may cost more in premium, but could actually save you money over a basic or “catastrophic” plan on the other end of the spectrum where you would pay a much larger share of the costs when you receive medical care.

Here are some tips to help you narrow down the list of health insurance plans when deciding which plan will be the best fit. Start by deciding which type of benefits are most important to you. What benefits have you used most in the past? How much of the medical expenses could you reasonably pay yourself if you have a major medical event? Use the following list to focus on the most important benefits. Then you can compare the plans with the benefits that best fit your needs.

• PPO or HMO plan
• maternity benefits
• deductible amount
• copayment (copay)
• coinsurance amount
• out of pocket maximum
• prescription drug coverage (generic + brand name benefits or generic-only)
• preventive care services
• health savings account (HSA) compatible health plan

PPO – Is it important to you that your plan offer a large network of participating doctors and hospitals? Do you want to be able to see a specialist without having to obtain a referral from your primary doctor? Preferred Provider Plans (PPO) offer the largest networks of participating doctors and hospitals. With a PPO you also have the option of getting medical care outside of your PPO network, although you will usually pay more if you receive care from a provider that is not in your network.

 HMO – Another option is a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO). Although not as popular as PPO health plans, many people prefer them due to their simplicity. You can obtain most services for a low copayment and usually no coinsurance requirement. The tradeoff with an HMO is you must stay in network to receive covered medical services. HMO networks are normally smaller than PPO networks and generally a referral is required from your primary care doctor to see a specialist.

Maternity Benefits – While the cost of health insurance plans vary widely, and it’s important to choose a health plan that has the benefits you need, you may be able to save money by choosing a plan without certain benefits. If maternity benefits are not important to you, look for a health plan without maternity benefits. This alone could save you hundreds of dollars annually on your health insurance plan.

Deductible Amount – Except for services where you are only responsible for a copayment, the deductible is the amount you pay before the insurance plan pays anything. If you’re willing to pay more of the upfront costs when you need medical care, choosing a higher deductible can help keep your insurance premiums lower.

Copayment (Copay) – The copay is a flat fee you pay at the time of service. After paying the copayment, the plan usually pays 100 percent of the balance of covered services. Some California health insurance plans allow you to visit the doctor’s office for a low copay without having to meet your annual insurance deductible.

Coinsurance – In addition to the deductible, when comparing health insurance plans, pay attention to what coinsurance amount you will be responsible for after your deductible is met. Coinsurance is the percentage of the charges you are responsible to pay for covered medical services apart from any copays or your deductible.

Out of Pocket Maximum – The out of pocket maximum is the maximum amount per year you’ll have to pay for covered medical services. After reaching your out of pocket maximum, your health insurance plan pays for any additional covered medical expenses up to the plan’s lifetime benefit amount.

Prescription Drug Coverage – When it comes to prescription drug coverage, some health insurance plans keep the premiums lower by covering only generic prescription drugs. Keep in mind that while there are many generic prescription drugs available, not every prescription drug is available in generic form.

Preventive Care Services – In order to encourage healthy lifestyle habits and thereby reduce future medical expenses, many California health insurance plans offer low or no copayments or other financial incentives for preventive care services such as physical exams, immunizations, annual gynecological exams, mammograms, prostate exams and cancer screenings.

 Health Savings Account (HSA) – Are you interested in a health plan that will help you save money on your tax bill? Consider a Health Savings Account (HSA) compatible health plan. A Health Savings Account (HSA) combines high deductible health insurance with a tax-advantaged medical savings account. Withdrawals that are used to pay for qualified medical expenses, including your insurance deductible, coinsurance and co-payments are federally tax-free.

By focusing on these nine plan benefits when shopping for California health insurance, you’ll find a plan that fits your healthcare needs and your pocketbook.

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Having health insurance in Texas is crucial to keeping your health intact. There are plenty of places that have health insurance in Texas. Most of them are competitive, because they have affordable prices. So basically, you have your pick of the little when searching for a health insurance plan. If you are one of those people that don’t have a clue as to how you should go about looking for an affordable health plan, this article will explain how to go about it.

With the emergence of the internet, it is much easier to find what you’re looking for in health insurance coverage. Just use one of the major search engines and plug in where you live along with the words “health insurance quotes”. With some health insurance plans in Texas, they are connected with certain hospitals, depending on where you live. It’s a good idea to have health insurance where you can go to a medical facility that is close to your home.

There will probably be many entries for you to choose from. Look through the ones that you think best fit you and go over what they have. Look for those that are affordably priced and have the options that you want. There are some of them that don’t cover certain options, such as testing and related items. You need to know what options are available with the plan you’ve selected. You want your health insurance in Texas to cover the things you need.

You can always consult with the health insurance provider to make sure that you have the right options for your health insurance. Then you may not need extras with your health insurance. It all depends on what you need. Some people with health insurance in Texas need more; on the other hand some people need less. It all depends on the needs of the policyholder and their family. The need to have health insurance in Texas is very crucial; without it you and your family could suffer a great disservice.

If you are looking for dental insurance, that will probably be separate from regular health insurance. In addition to that, vision insurance may be on a separate platform. Ask the health insurance provider for quotes before you make your final decision on health insurance in Texas. Also, ask the health insurance provider about making arrangements for flexible payment plans. It’s important for you to know your payment schedule before you start giving them money.

Just like with health insurance anywhere else, you have to make sure that you can afford the payments. You don’t want to skip on a payment and then be cancelled. You should customize your health insurance so that you won’t have trouble paying on it each month. Having health insurance in Texas is crucial in order for you to stay healthy.

Even though you may be bogged down with looking for health insurance in Texas, it has still become easier to get, especially with the internet. the internet has made it possible to research further and get the best deal for you and your family.

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Vlog for Sunday July 26th 2009.

Help answer the question about health insurance

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