subject: How And Where To Find Cheap Health Insurance [print this page] With the way the economy is right now, people are looking for ways to put more money into their own pockets not their health insurance company's pocket. Without a doubt, one of the most costly monthly expenses in any budget is health insurance. For those who don't qualify for group insurance through their employment, paying health insurance premiums or putting food on the table can become a monthly nightmare.
Unfortunately this decision has become a sad reality for many. Before dropping health insurance completely, look at lowering the cost of it. This may be a real possibility if you are paying higher premiums than most people but you are in fairly good health and have had no major health problems in the past.
Decide how much you can realistically afford for your monthly premium and set that as your limit. If you can only afford $300 a month you won't be tempted by a plan that has extended coverage but costs $400 per month. Decide the deductible level you feel comfortable with. The deductible is the amount you have to pay before the insurance company makes any contribution towards expenses. The higher the deductible per year, usually the lower the premiums. Finally look at the co-pay. The co-pay is how much you have to pay for prescriptions, doctor visits, treatments, hospital stays, etc. There are policies that have very very low co-pays, say $5.00 for a prescription and $10 for a doctor's visit, the offset is that the premiums are considerably higher. Many insurance companies express the co-pay as a percentage rather than dollar amount. A policy with a 50-50 co-pay will usually cost less in monthly premiums than one where you pay only 10% and the insurance company 90%. .
Do some comparison shopping between plans and companies. HMO plans coverage and prices vary from State to State and from plan to plan so you should contact insurance companies in your area to get quotes. You don't have to be a techno whiz to do a search on the internet for "affordable HMO" (or PPO if this is what you need). If you find that there are too many results, place your state or city before your first search to narrow it down to local companies.
Look at any organizations you belong to, or could join, that provide health insurance. Sometimes the local chamber of commerce will provide the opportunity for a group health insurance for their members, as a benefit of membership, as do other professional organizations.
Be realistic, if you've had major health problems in the past the insurance company will assume that you will have health problems in the future. The premiums are based on your own health status, as well as the average health of someone your age. Don't lie on the application. It's a false economy. If you've been treated for high blood pressure, don't check the "no" box on the application, hoping you'll qualify for lower premiums. When the insurance company finds out, and they will through your doctor, they may disallow all benefits and cancel the insurance.
With a little effort you can find cheap health insurance.
by: Dee Power
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