Florida Heath Insurance asked:


Quoting and Saving on your insurance coverage has never been easier. You’re a few seconds away from obtaining detailed quotes for low cost student health insurance programs.

Florida Health Insurance for Students

December 02, 2008

Graduates of Florida A&M and Florida State University have received numerous speeches and congratulatory gifts, but one real-world need many of them have and did not receive as a gift is health insurance. With a myriad of short-term insurance policies available, young adults are now stuck between their diploma and a hard place.

“Many of them do not know there is an affordable insurance solution for them because they never had to buy health insurance,” said Ellen Laden, public-relations director for Golden Rule Insurance Co. “Basically, each year hundreds of thousands of students join America’s uninsured.”

According to research compiled by the Commonwealth Fund, 38 percent of college graduates go through some uninsured period in their first year after graduation. Golden Rule Insurance is an Indianapolis-based individual insurer affiliate of UnitedHealthCare. For more than 20 years it primarily has provided short-term insurance for graduates and adults going through a transition from one insurer to another.

www.EasyToInsureME.com offers short-term insurance policies for terms as brief as 30 days. Its owner, Chad Levin, started writing the policies more than 5 years ago because of the recent increase in college population.

Last month, Latoya Harris graduated from FSU with a degree in English. Unlike her classmates, Harris was without health insurance before graduation. When she turned 22 in January 2006, her parents’ insurer, Kaiser Permanente, dropped her, even though she could show identification proving she was a full-time student.

“Thankfully, I haven’t had any major medical emergencies, so I haven’t had to worry about paying a huge amount of money,” Harris said. “Clearly, it can happen to anyone, so it’s just been a blessing that it hasn’t occurred.”

A representative from Kaiser Permanente said it is up to an individual employer when dependents are dropped from coverage, even if they are full-time students when their policy expires.

To get by, Harris said she visited the clinic at FSU where she only had to pay for prescriptions. She said it can be scary to graduate and not have health insurance and that “it kind of kicked in for me: ‘Hmm. I need to find a job and get health insurance.”

Harris has found a position in Clearwater and does not have a probationary period before her health insurance begins. She may be one of the fortunate graduates. According to a 2006 article, “Rite of Passage? Why Young Adults Become Uninsured and How New Policies Can Help” (Commonwealth Fund), adults between 19 and 29 are the fastest-growing demographic without health insurance. In 2004, the most recent year available, 13.7 million adults in that age group lacked health insurance, which is 2.5 million more than was reported in 2000. The Commonwealth Fund will release statistics this month updating the figures.

“Because most students are under their parents’ insurance, they don’t take the time to research it,” Harris said. She added it’s “definitely wise” for students to educate themselves.

Kylan Chavious is one who educated himself. Before he graduated from FAMU with a degree in computer information systems and taking a position at Lockheed Martin, he researched the possibility of a short-term policy. He does not have to worry about a lapse in health insurance because his parents’ policy with WellPath, a subsidiary of Duke Select, covers him until he begins at Lockheed in late June.

“It’s like the saying ‘better safe than sorry,” Chavious said. “That could not only be for your sake, but that could be for future children of yours or your spouse.”

Do business with a well-known company that has an extensive network both in Florida and across the country. (Network discounts can make health care much more affordable because rates are negotiated for the consumer.)

Find a plan that offers a wide range of deductibles (the higher the deductible, the lower the cost) and choice of months of coverage.

Determine which payment options (one time, monthly?) best fit your budget.

Make certain that you understand the plan and that the application process is a simple, quick one.

Make certain that you can drop the plan at any time without penalty if you become eligible for coverage by an employer.



Bill

Pennsylvania Health Insurance asked:


Pennsylvania Uninsured Helping Pennsylvanians since 2005

Some states in the US require that all citizens of their state be covered for Health Insurance. Pennsylvania is one of the states that allows PA citizens to receive Free Health Insurance. There are 2 free health insurance programs CHIP for children and AdultBasic for adults. However a Pennsylvania resident must qualify first.

Do you Qualify for CHIP see income charts and apply now at EasyToInsureMe.com

Do you Qualify for AdutlBasic see income charts and apply now at EasyToInsureMe.com

SO, HOW DO I SIGN UP for CHIP?

You’re ready to apply - great! Before you do, you will need the following information handy to apply:



Income amounts for your entire household before taxes - this includes income from employment and all other forms of income (for example - social security, pension, workers compensation, unemployment, child support, etc)

Social Security Numbers and birthdates for all applicants

Day care expenses for your household (if any)

Work transportation expenses for your household (if any)

Private health insurance information (if you have or had private health insurance in the last six months)

Car insurance card information (if you have car insurance)



 

SO, HOW DO I SIGN UP for AdultBasic?

Recognizing the need to provide quality healthcare coverage that is accessible and affordable to the Commonwealths uninsured adult population, adultBasic was launched in 2002 to cover the basic healthcare needs of Pennsylvanians age 19-64 who have no health insurance and who meet certain eligibility requirements.

We are proud to have already covered over 90,000 Pennsylvanians with adultBasic. You may be eligible to take advantage of the benefits that adultBasic has to offer. Find out if you qualify by accessing the links below. You’ll be glad you did.







Current Enrollment 55,256

What is adultBasic?

Am I eligible for the program?

What are the benefits?

How do I apply for coverage?

Is it true adultBasic has a waiting list? YES

Where can I find additional resources?







 

 

 



Jon

Pennsylvania Health Insurance asked:




Some states in the US require that all citizens of their state be covered for Health Insurance. Ohio is one of the states that allows Ohio citizens to receive Free Health Insurance. There are 2 free health insurance programs Healthy Start and Healthy Families. However a Ohio resident must qualify first.



Healthy Start & Healthy Families are Medicaid programs that provide eligible Ohio families with comprehensive health coverage. This means families get coverage for all of the following: doctor visits, prescriptions, hospital care, immunizations, vision & dental care, substance abuse, mental health services and much more! Not only is this a great benefit package, but families who qualify for Healthy Start & Healthy Families will receive covered services at no cost

Who Qualifies:



U.S. citizens of Ohio

Ohio residents

Ohio residents with a social security number

Ohio residents who meet the financial requirements listed below.



 

Who is covered? Income Eligibility Guidelines Gross Monthly Income Gross Monthly Income Gross Monthly Income Gross Monthly Income Family Size 1 Family Size 2 Family Size 3 Family Size 4 Children (to age 19) 200% FPL $1,734 $2,334 $2,934 $3,534 Pregnant Women 200% FPL $1,734 $2,334 $2,934 $3,534 Families 90% FPL $780 $1,050 $1,320 $1,590

 

 

The following services are included in the plan:



Ambulance services

Chiropractic services (children only)

Community alcohol and drug addiction services

Community mental health services

Dental services

Durable medical equipment

Family planning services and supplies

Home and community-based services waivers (restricted enrollment)

Home health services

Hospice

Inpatient hospital services

Lab and X-ray services

Nursing home care

Nurse-midwife, certified family nurse practitioner, and certified pediatric nurse practitioner services

Outpatient services, including Rural Health Clinics and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)

Physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech therapy

Physician services

Podiatry

Prescription drugs

Screening and treatment services to children under age 21 under the HEALTHCHEK (EPSDT) program

Transportation to medical appointments

Vision care, including eyeglasses



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Donna

Zack asked:


Cheap health insurance has become the issue of the moment in South Carolina and across the country. More small businesses are increasingly unable to provide cheap health insurance plans to their employees because of the rising cost and the lack of federal and state legislation that would allow small businesses to purchase cheap medical insurance in pools. In the meantime South Carolina and other states are looking to cut the costs of the Medicare and Medicaid health insurance programs for the elderly and the poor. However, more affordable forms of health insurance plans are available as some private companies are experimenting with a new variation of cheap health insurance known as health discount plans. In the article that follows we’ll explain the various aspects of cheap health insurance in South Carolina and how to find a plan that works for you.

Health Care Costs due to Managed Health Care

The current health care system in America is inaccessible to approximately 47 million poor and lower middle class people. In order to address the growing health care insurance crisis in the U.S. that resulted in health care cost growth in the 1970s and 1980s, health maintenance organizations (HMOs) sprung up. These were initially as non-profit groups designed to separate unnecessary tests and treatments from those that the patient required in an effort to keep costs down. Managed care organizations began screening requested procedures by physicians to pre-authorize what the HMO would or would not cover. However, the number of people who are the riskiest to insure-diabetics, cancer, etc.-continues to rise. Many South Carolina managed care industry experts say the cost of cheap health insurance is still high because of the existing pool of insured people who use the health care system more than an average amount.

The other battle that is ongoing in South Carolina involves the health insurance companies and hospitals, the latter which cannot turn anyone away from care by law. However, as the number of South Carolinians who cannot afford cheap health insurance increases, hospital emergency rooms are handling the majority of the load. More people have to turn to hospitals as their primary health care givers given a lack of adequate or non-existant health insurance coverage.

Cheap Health Insurance Plans Through the Workplace

Most cheap medical insurance policies in South Carolina are usually written through group coverage offered at work by your employer through a private South Carolina cheap health insurance company. This is usually the more cost effective way to purchase cheap health insurance now available since a large number of employees allows South Carolina companies to reduce their insurance premiums. Similar to buying in bulk, the more health insurance plans a business can purchase for its employees the less expensive the insurance is per employee. In South Carolina, like the rest of the nation, the number of companies that can provide cheap health insurance for their employees is declining.

Personal Health Insurance Plans

Health insurance plans can be purchased by individuals and families from virtually every insurance provider in South Carolina. Trying to purchase health insurance on an individual basis can be more expensive if the person already has a health problem, known as a pre-existing condition. Many companies will not cover people with pre-existing conditions if they have no continuation of coverage-renewing health insurance coverage after only a prescribed short period of time-picked up from an earlier cheap health insurance policy.

South Carolina Health Insurance Pool

The South Carolina Health Insurance Pool is a state health insurance plan designed to provide coverage for those that either do not have or have lost medical coverage at no fault of their own and are uninsurable. The pool was created by the General Assembly to help people who couldn’t get health insurance coverage from any other source, including people with certain disabilities. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina currently administers the pool.

Coverage is available to a person who has been a state resident for at least 30 days and meets the following criteria:



They were turned down for private health insurance coverage for health reasons;

They were accepted for private health insurance, but have pre-existing illnesses or conditions excluded from coverage, for a period exceeding 12 months;

They are paying health insurance premiums for comparable coverage which are more than 150 percent of the premium levels charged by the pool;

In certain situations, other individuals whose last health insurance coverage was an employer based group health plan may be eligible for coverage.



No matter what your age, there are also several federally sponsored programs to help you if can’t afford the premiums for individual health insurance, providing you meet their eligibility guidelines.



Medicare, a health insurance program for people age 65 or older, certain younger people with disabilities, and people with end-stage renal disease.

Medicaid, a program for the poorest individuals and low-income families with children.

The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), a plan that provides health care to children whose parents make too much to qualify for Medicaid, but earn too little to afford individual health insurance.



Types of Cheap Health Insurance Coverage

Cheap health insurance plans generally fall into one of two categories: indemnity plans and managed care plans (HMOs, PPOs or POS plans). An indemnity plan allows you to choose your own doctors and pays for your medical expenses totally, in part, or up to a specified amount. Managed care plans generally provide broader coverage within a specified network of health-care providers.

Although you can purchase cheap health insurance plans that cover specific areas of health care (surgical, hospital, physician expense plans) most plans cover varying degrees of health care in a number of different areas. This health insurance coverage, known as major medical insurance, offers extremely broad coverage with a very high maximum benefit that’s designed to protect you against losses from catastrophic illness or injury.

When comparing cheap medical insurance plans, check to see if they provide additional benefits that you may need, including prescription drugs, preventive care, mental health benefits, maternity care, and vision care. A comparison of various health insurance policies and rates through many South Carolina health insurance companies can be obtained at www.insurances.sc.

Cheap Health Insurance Recipient Costs

With most cheap health insurance policies available in South Carolina, the way to control cost is to cut down on the out-of-pocket expenses. Since most health care insurance policies require you to make a co-payment (the amount you pay a health care provider with every visit), anything involving a lot of time spent in the doctor or dentist’s office can become expensive. Most also require a deductible (costs you must cover out of your pocket for any major expense before your cheap health insurance policy picks up the remaining costs). You may also have coinsurance, the percentage of cheap medical insurance cost you will still have to pay after you reach your deductibles.

Another thing to consider is COBRA health insurance. This law allows employees who leave a job the ability to stay on that South Carolina company’s employee health insurance for up to 18 months although they have to pay the full amount of the coverage. Check the COBRA benefits to see if purchasing a less expensive individual health insurance plan may be in your best interest.

How to Buy Cheap Health Insurance

If you need to purchase individual health insurance, it can be expensive. Unlike group plans, in which the costs and risks associated with health care are spread among many people; individual health policies are “medically underwritten” to take into account your personal health history. Any “pre-existing” condition such as heart disease, diabetes, and even pregnancy, can nix your chances of acceptance or boost your premiums.

To determine the acceptability of a particular applicant, a health insurance underwriter can require information regarding the following:



The individual’s age: Age determines rates and whether coverage will be issued at all.

The individual’s gender: at younger ages, males have a lower rate of illness and injury than females. That changes by age sixty.

The individual’s health history and physical condition: Someone who has had a previous condition that can contribute to a future illness/injury is not considered an ideal risk. In response to a less than ideal medical history, modified coverage may be offered depending on the individual’s health, higher than normal premiums may be issued, or the person may be denied coverage altogether.

The individual’s occupation and hobbies: Some occupations such as construction workers have higher insurance rates, along with people who enjoy dangerous activities such as skydiving or bungee jumping. At times certain occupations are considered so hazardous that insurance companies will not cover them at all.



Your first step in getting cheap health insurance coverage is to understand exactly what you need. Think carefully about what coverage you must have. Do you need health insurance for your whole family, or just yourself? Do you want to choose your providers? If you’re over 65, do you need insurance to fill the gaps in Medicare? Do you need - and can you afford - long-term disability and/or long term care coverage? Even if you begin by soliciting cheap health insurance quotes you must still know exactly what you want in terms of health insurance coverage so you will be comparing apples to apples when weighing any cheap health insurance premium quote.

After that, contact a South Carolina insurance agent in your area. Ideally, you can start with an independent South Carolina insurance agent who is familiar with the insurance companies that do business in your area. This agent is also not bound to write coverage for any particular health insurance company so he or she can give you an honest appraisal of various health insurance policies.

When you’ve found the right coverage, you’ll give information to your agent to complete the necessary forms. Be honest. It’s important to disclose your medical history thoroughly and accurately. Report all of your health problems to your agent. If any of your health information is misstated or incomplete, the company might refuse to pay your claims and could cancel your policy.



Floyd