Affordable Health Insurance Quotes - How to Get Cheap Plans Online

By Jim Westin

Despite today's sky-high medical costs, there's still a way to get affordable health insurance quotes. Here's how to find the lowest cost health insurance plan.

Health Insurance Quotes
It's important to shop around and learn what your health insurance options are before deciding on a plan to purchase. Managed health care plans are the most popular type of medical coverage because they are the least expensive form of health insurance.

Many people choose HMOs for their health care needs, here are a few reasons why:

• Low out-of-pocket costs Members of an HMO pay a set monthly fee, no matter how much care they receive in a given month.
  
• HMOs focus on preventative care Members are encouraged to seek medical care early, before a health problem gets serious.
  
• As a member of an (HMO) health maintenance organization, you are provided with medical coverage including doctors' visits, hospital stays, surgery, emergency care, x-rays, lab tests, and therapy.

In almost all HMO health insurance plans, you are allowed to choose a doctor from the network to be your primary doctor. Be sure to find out how many doctors you have to choose from when comparing plans. Managed care plans can vary quite a bit from insurance company to insurance company so look at each plan carefully before deciding on which one to purchase.

Affordable Health Insurance Quotes Online
One of the best ways to get affordable health insurance quotes is to go to a free insurance quote website. There you can get competitive quotes from up to 5 health insurance providers so you can compare plans and prices. After you have your quotes, you need to look closely at the policies and decide which one is the best for you.

Just click on the following link to get affordable health insurance quotes and more health plan information. It's fast, it's free, and you're under no obligation. You can get up to 5 competitive quotes for your individual or group health insurance. They also offer free quotes and information for affordable dental plans.

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Affordable Health Insurance - Health Insurance For The Self Employed

By Carrie Reeder

One of the things that is important to consider when you leave corporate America for the freedom of your own business is affordable health insurance. In fact, the reason most often cited for NOT taking the plunge into self-employment is the lack of cheap health insurance alternatives for people who are not employed by a company that can offer more affordable rates on health insurance through a group health insurance plan.
If you do decide to brave it and be your own boss, there are many places where you can cut corners. Letting yourself or your family go without health insurance isn't one of them. Here are some common options that can make health insurance affordable if you're a self-employed entrepreneur or crafter.

Coverage under a Spouse's Plan

By far the most common option is to cover the family for health insurance through a spouse's employer. As long as one member of the couple is working for a company that has a group health insurance plan, it's usually the cheapest option for insuring the entire family.

COBRA

COBRA is an option for the beginning of your self-employment. For the first several months after you leave your job, your employer is required by law to give you the option of retaining membership in their health insurance plan. You will have to cover the entire monthly premium paid by your company rather than the amount that you're used to paying as an employee when your employer was covering part of the cost. The true cost of that insurance can come as a shock to you - a family health insurance through a group can easily cost close to $1000 a month. It's still more affordable than most plans that you can purchase as an individual. It's also only temporary, so you should be looking for other health insurance options while you're still covered.
A Health Insurance Cooperative with Other Self-employed and Small Business Owners
There are national and local organizations of self-employed workers who have banded together to combine their buying power and get affordable health insurance premiums through group policies. You can find more information about groups in your area through the National Association for the Self Employed (www.nase.org) or the American Association of Home-Based Businesses (www.aahbb.org).

Group Health Insurance for the Self-Employed
In many states like Maine, health insurance companies offer affordable group policies for groups of one. You may have to shop around to find a company that does, but there are benefits other than being a cheaper policy. The most important of these is that they MUST cover everyone in the group, regardless of health conditions. This is important for someone who may have been turned down for an individual health insurance policy because of health.

No matter what, it is vital that you insure yourself and your family against the possibility of illness or accident. There are cheap alternatives to individual health insurance plans for the self-employed.
To view our recommended sources for health insurance, or to

read more articles about health insurance, visit:

Recommended Health

Insurance Companies Online [http://www.ezerk.com/articulos.php?category=53].
Carrie Reeder is the owner of eZerk, an informational website with articles and the latest news about various topics.

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Bridging The Gap To Affordable Health Insurance

By Amanda Pickett

One in five Americans is currently living with a pre-existing medical condition which affects their ability to obtain affordable health insurance. Starting 2014, insurance companies will be prohibited from excluding people with pre-existing conditions from coverage, but that does nothing right now to help the millions who are currently uninsurable due to their medical conditions. Until that portion of the Affordable Care Act takes effect in 2014, the government established the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plan which is available in all states. The plan makes health insurance available to people who have had a problem getting insurance due to a pre-existing condition and covers a broad range of health benefits, including primary and specialty care, hospital care, and prescription drugs. This would seem to be ideal for the 57 million people with existing health problems who are either uninsured or who are paying astronomical premiums for private health coverage, yet fewer than 19,000 people have signed up to date. Why?

The answer appears to be the plan's waiting period. Dropping a costly private insurance plan for a lower-premium government plan sounds like a no-brainer, until you consider that you will have to be without any insurance coverage at all (including temporary insurance like COBRA) for at least six months before you apply. Anyone with diabetes, heart disease, or any other condition that requires daily medication or maintenance will tell you that the risk of going without any coverage is simply too great.

However, for those who are still considering canceling their private insurance plans in order to apply for the government plan, there is another option that would provide coverage and peace of mind during those six months. Non-insurance health plans can help bridge the gap between an individual's private insurance plan and the government's affordable coverage.

Non-insurance health plans market health services to a large group of individuals. When these individuals become members they have increased buying power, therefore the company can negotiate discounted prices on all medical and ancillary services performed. The discounts typically range between 25% to 80% on medical, dental, and vision services, medical supplies, and prescription drugs.

For hospitalization costs, the medical discount companies can either pre-negotiate the cost reductions on hospital procedures for a scheduled hospital stay or assign an advocate on your behalf to negotiate with the hospital to lower the costs significantly, usually greater than 80% off the total charges. The hospital advocate may also apply for financial assistance to pay the hospital balance off on your behalf where appropriate.

These discount medical programs are typically very affordable. For less than $50 per month you will be able to get a program which includes medical, dental, vision, prescription, chiropractic, and telemedicine discounts for your entire household. Most require no contracts and your benefits begin as soon as you sign up. And, since PCIP does not cover dental care, you may choose to simply downgrade to the dental-only benefit once you have enrolled in the government health plan.

If you or someone you know is struggling with high insurance premiums due to an ongoing condition and is considering the PCIP option, a non-insurance medical discount plan can help save money on all medical expenses during the waiting period. More information on the medical and dental plans available as well as a nationwide provider directory may be found at www.MyDentalAndHealth.com.

Amanda Pickett is an independent health benefits consultant and an advocate of affordable healthcare. Her work focuses primarily on the health and financial issues that impact American families. You may find more at Amanda's personal blog, http://www.myhomebasedcareer.blogspot.com or email her at amanda@myhealthanddental.com

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Affordable Health Insurance

By Dennis Alexander

As health insurance costs are increasing we have to take more responsibility for our medical insurance coverage. With health insurance cost rising health insurance companies are constantly coming out with new health plans. New plans offer you flexibility to customize your own medical plan. Most health plans in the past were pre packaged health coverage plans and we ended up paying for things we never use. We know that car insurance offers us flexibility to where you can pick your limits deductibles and the types of coverage that you want. It seemed that with medical coverage it took at while for health insurance companies to realize that is how they can stay competitive. The world of five dollar co pays and no deductible plans are over. Most of us and our parents come from the world where large companies paid for their insurance plans. Large companies do have advantage of numbers; more people are part of the group the more insurance companies are competing for their business.

First I want to address or medical insurance quote shopping. If you are looking for some great deal a plan that covers everything for small monthly premium you are going to get scammed. Health insurance prices are insurance prices no matter what insurance company you go with. The main difference how insurance companies compete with offering more affordable healthcare is by being more creative in their plan design. Stays away from "good deals" in health insurance, chances are the plans are not going to cover anything when you have claim. Then you will end up with bills from the hospital and your medical insurance premiums.
Health insurance companies like Assurant Health underwritten by Time Insurance offer health plans where you design your own plan. It is one of the only large reputable health insurance companies to offer customizable health plans. They offer five plan designs two of them are Health Savings Account qualified health plans and the other health plans are your standard PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). What makes Assurant Health unique is that every type of plan give you opportunity to customize that plan by choosing co-pay or no co-pay option, choice of deductible, prescription drug coverage deductible, dental discount plan or dental insurance and some plan specific options. If you are looking for simple to use and simple to understand HSA account plans, Assurant is one of the first companies to offer HSA plans.

When designing your own medical plan keep in mind of your previous healthcare usage. Choosing deductible for your health insurance plans will make the largest difference in your monthly price. Keep in mind in most cases deductible applies only to when you are hospitalized. That meant when you are admitted to the hospital. Most health insurance plans will cover you doctor visits, physical exams, prescriptions drugs and your lab work with a co-pay before you meet the deductible. If you choose a high deductible plan and something does happen to you that you end up in the hospital for something major and you do not have money at the time to cover your deductible. Every hospital will work with you by offering you payment methods. This way you can take as much time to pay off that deductible. Therefore it does not make any sense in most cases not choosing a plan with high deductible. Get health plans with high deductible and you are going to save thousands on your healthcare. Some companies like Assurant Health offer you option to where if you choose a health plans with deductible of thirty five hundred of higher you automatically qualify for two year rate guarantee. Save money monthly and avoid rate increased. Just with little knowledge and understanding of how health plan works you save thousands with the health coverage that you need.

Dennis Alexander - leading consultant for employer group and individual/family health plans. Marketing consultant for major online healthcare resources. Request cheap health insurance quote from Blue Cross health insurance company.

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