Are you in need of medical insurance? Shopping for a health care plan can be quite intimidating since the choices endless and every coverage is different. How does one make sense of the myriad of choices facing them when searching for a health care plan? For many people in the United States, a health care plan is chosen for them by their employer. In this case, individuals covered by their employer’s health care plan still need to understand the coverage and the protection it provides.
Health care plans have changed in the United States over the past fifty years. It used to be that most American’s were covered by indemnity insurance which allowed patients to seek out treatment by any medical provider, with the insurance company being billed for part of the cost. Now health care plans offer Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs), Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs), and point-of-service plans (POS). It is important to be informed of the differences between these health care plans when choosing one that is a proper fit for you since one plan may be a better fit than another. If your health care plan is administered by your employer, your employee benefits office is the place to start in finding out more about your health care plan.
Health care plans are divided into two groups: indemnity (pay per service) and managed care. Each health care plan requires a different premium, which is the amount you pay every month to be covered by the health care plan. The differences in these plans include choice of providers and expenses for services covered. Managed health care plans (HMOs, PPOs, and Poss.”) provide patients with specific doctors, hospitals, and clinics that will offer health care services at reduced costs. Meanwhile, most indemnity plans allow patients to chose their own health care provider and the indemnity insurance company then pays a percentage of the cost after being billed. The standard cost split for health care services on an indemnity health care plan is 20/80, with the health care plan paying eighty-percent of the cost. It is important to study the specific differences in certain health care plan coverage, as the indemnity and managed care providers have begun to compete for enrollment by offering similar protection.
HMOs are the oldest form of managed health care plans and its medical providers can be contracted out by the health care plan or be a direct employee. For a monthly fee, patients receive preventative care, including check-ups. Most preventative services are offered at a small co- payment fee of five to fifteen dollars. HMOs provide patients with a list of doctors to choose from as a primary care physician, with special needs being referred out. If a patient chooses to see a doctor that is not included on the HMOs coverage list, the patient will bear the total cost. PPOs closely resemble indemnity health care plans in that the patient does receive coverage if being seen by a doctor outside of the health care plan network. However, patients may have to meet the deductible and pay higher fees in this case.
This is just a start to the information available on health care plans in the United States. If you are seeking a health care plan and are in need of medical coverage, there is much more education available as to the unlimited choices you possess.
|
Westwood College is an institution of higher learning dedicated to providing quality, career-focused undergraduate and graduate programs that prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and credentials needed to launch, enhance, or change careers. The College offers broad access to education and serves a diverse, multicultural body of students in an environment that promotes pride, respect, and teamwork. The College's programs are designed to empower students to pursue their individual career goals.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Our programs are current, in depth, and job oriented. A sound educational background, combined with "hands-on" experience, is required to meet the needs of an ever-changing and increasingly technical society.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
At ITT Tech we are committed to helping men and women develop the skills and knowledge to pursue many opportunities in fields involving technology, criminal justice, and business.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Saint Leo University Online is a leading provider of accredited online education to working adults and is a major global provider of education to the military. The online programs are designed to meet the growing needs of adult students and offer the best attributes of traditional classroom education in conjunction with today's most innovative computer technology.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Newbridge College provides high-quality, career specific training and an emphasis on practical skills required by today's employers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Once you decide to become part of the expanding, exciting, and in-demand world of healthcare, selecting the best college to meet your needs and goals is clearly one of your most important decisions. Medical Careers Institute, the School of Health Science of ECPI College of Technology, understands the aspirations of people who want to experience the rewards of caring and who want a direct route toward their career goal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Courses that you can take with you---the varied curriculums at HoHoKus Rets School of Business have been evaluated by the American Council on Education, allowing graduates to earn up to 55 college credits at more than 1500 colleges and universities across the nation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Find out why so many students in Florida and nationwide are choosing Southern Tech as their school of choice. Whether you need to upgrade your skills or change careers, we have the right program to fit your needs. Let us show you how to get the skills you need in a short amount of time so that you can get into your career today!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bellevue University, a leader in adult learning, is your best choice. We accept ALL of the credit in your associate's degree - that's EVERY credit in your A.A.S, A.S., A.G.S., and A.A. degree! And, Bellevue University gives you accelerated bachelor's degree completion 100% ONLINE. So, you enroll with your associate's degree, and complete your bachelor's degree in as little as 12 months.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tags: education, health care, Medical and Nursing
This entry was posted
on Thursday, October 2nd, 2008 at 1:40 pm and is filed under Medical and Nursing.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
