Monday, December 17, 2012

Tips for Buying Cheap Health Insurance

English: President Barack Obama's signature on...
 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In June 2012 the United States Supreme Court upheld the Obamacare – the individual mandate of the Affordable Care Act. According to the mandate every American citizen must have health insurance or pay a fine. This translates into millions of Americans having to get health insurance cover by the year 2014. With so many people looking for cheap health insurance, it is only fair to provide a few tips in order to make the task a little easy.

Many American find buying any kind of insurance a challenge because of the jargon involved. Not many know terms like deductibles and co-insurance, which make up important aspects of the offer document. Thus, the first thing to do for anyone looking to buy cheap health insurance is to learn a little about the subject. Resources like the Internet have made this chore far easier than imagined. All you have to do is run a quick search. Some of the topics you might want to cover are: what is health insurance, what are the benefits of having health insurance, what types of health insurance covers are available on the market today, what are the laws for health insurance covers in the US and in your State of residence, where all can you buy health insurance, what should you look for in a insurance policy, etc. Also, check out what the insurance providers mean by deductibles, premiums, co-pay and co-insurance.

Knowing your finances is always helpful. It can tell you rough how much you can afford paying out of your pocket in a year if need be. If your financial condition is not at its best, do find out about the various exemptions provided by the government and see if you qualify for any. You can also see if any insurance company is willing to offer a special discount to get your business. This is likely in case you already have other insurance policies from a particular insurance provider.

Premiums, deductibles and covers vary widely from company to company. Thus you may want to keep your details handy to compare different insurance providers and their services. Keep your family’s medical history in mind; make a note of your pre-existing medical conditions; whether you regularly take any specific medication, whether you are partial to a particular doctor, etc. This can be helpful in getting a more accurate quote. Since September 2012, insurance companies are required to use a standard form that shows the prices of each insurance plan. This form has been specifically designed to be easy to understand and includes details such as co-payments and deductibles for your convenience. This aspect makes comparison easy and effortless for the customer.

Even though all insurance companies may seem the same, it is imperative that you look for a company that is, first of all licensed, reputable, and known for its customer service. Having the best health plan is not nearly enough if you have to spend hours on the phone to dispute a denial or get clarifications about any aspect of your coverage. Poor customer service can result in future stressful situations becoming even worse. Go online to look through customer blogs and testimonials to get a clearer picture of the company in question.

The government is working hard to make sure that every citizen of our great nation can afford health insurance. The Affordable Care Act is a step in that direction. In the coming years many aspects of health insurance may be subject to change, therefore be sure to not blindly renew your existing health plan in the future. Take the time to do some research and find the best deal for you before signing the dotted line.

Bio
Jack is a freelance writer for the http://www.bestinsurance.com/ . Having worked in healthcare industry for years, he understands the importance of having a health plan. He often writes about how to find cheap health insurance in the US, ten things to know about health insurance before you buy a policy, how to choose the ideal health plan for your family, etc. He also blogs about movies and music albums.

1 comment:

  1. Finally you helped me in this critical situation i was very disturb in this matter with myself. Well thanks for the post

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