Archive

Archive for March, 2009

Affordable Health Insurance for Uninsured Already a Reality in Florida

March 19th, 2009 sbrennan No comments

The uninsured in Florida do have access to affordable health insurance plans thanks to the Cover Health initiative announced in January 2009. The question is whether this program will change now that the Obama bail out package has been announced.

The Cover Florida plan was designed to assist over 3.8 million people in the state that had no health insurance. The general idea was that six larger health insurance companies would offer 25 different plans and the cost of those plans would vary by county and whether a person chose a catastrophic or preventative plan.

The prices under this program could range from a low of $51 monthly to roughly $290 on a monthly basis, which is pretty good bucks all things considered in this particular economy. However even the lower end price of $51 may be impossible for the jobless and homeless – another frightening reality in the 21st century. It isn’t clear how this program would mesh, if at all, with the latest health insurance plans announced by the White House.

While the Cover Florida program is ideally about freedom and choices, the recent White House plan doesn’t seem to cater to the freedom or choices aspect of the Florida program. The two programs just might not fly together, as the national one may overtake and change the parameters of the Florida package.

As with every new or seemingly new plan there are things lurking in the wings, just under the fringe of the carpet. For instance, one major company’s deductible structure shows that a family who chooses a catastrophic plan would be paying a $3,000 deductible. This is hardly a plan that either the homeless or jobless will be able to consider.

The changes the new White House announcements will make to this plan are questionable at best, and unknown to say the least. While they may make the pricing structures more accessible due to the competition factor, there may still be a gap that low income and no income people are unable to cross.

The clock is ticking and the nation is watching where the latest developments in health care innovations will take Americans. The hope is that it will be to a place where everyone has reasonable health insurance coverage, and privacy and choices that suit their circumstances.

To learn more about Florida group health insurance, Tampa group health insurance, Sarasota group health insurance, Miami group health insurance, or Orlando group health insurance, visit Grouphealthflorida.com or call 1-800-873-5713.

Group Health Insurance Great For Employee Retention

March 19th, 2009 sbrennan No comments

Offering the benefit of group health insurance is a good way to keep employees in Florida.

Group health insurance is a fairly common term and most people understand what it represents. They may have even had it at one time, or currently are enjoying the benefits of Florida group health insurance through their employer. While some Americans are fairly health insurance savvy, others don’t really know what health insurance means.

Simply put, health insurance is a form of group insurance. What happens here is that people pay premiums or taxes to cover themselves or their families for health care expenses. The way that premiums are figured out is by estimating the “risk” for health-related expenses for a year and then projecting a payment structure for premiums based on the assessed risk.

The fact that a person is paying for health insurance coverage over a period of the year means they have the coverage at their fingertips when it’s needed. In general there is a health insurance company that regulates the benefits and administers the health insurance policies. The policy is a contract between the insurance company and an individual.

When people are paying their health insurance premiums on a monthly or yearly basis, it means their contract with the health insurance company is renewed every time they make a payment. Payment may come in the form of co-insurance, a co-payment, a deductible or as a premium. Paying on the health insurance contract guarantees the insured health care coverage; a guarantee that is outlined in the contract along with what benefits the insured receives from that particular health insurance agreement. Some policies will also cover the cost of prescription drugs.

People with health insurance don’t always see bills when they go to a medical professionals office, as the doctors, etc. tend to bill the insurance company if the person signs an agreement that says they will pay any difference the health insurance company does not pick up.

To uncomplicate things, health insurance providers have set up networks of physicians they work with regularly. When insured individuals go to an “in network” doctor, that doctor takes the insurance payment for services rendered from the insurance company and waives anything above that billed out amount.

To learn more about Florida group health insurance, Tampa group health insurance, Sarasota group health insurance, Miami group health insurance, or Orlando group health insurance, visit Grouphealthflorida.com or call 1-800-873-5713.

Who pays first , a guide to Medicare .

March 4th, 2009 sbrennan No comments

CHIP Legislation from BCBS

March 4th, 2009 sbrennan No comments

USA Today on Cobra Cost

March 4th, 2009 sbrennan No comments

Blue Cross Blue Shield on President Obamas health care budget

March 1st, 2009 sbrennan No comments