Archive for July, 2009
Insurance Buyer Beware
While it’s a good thing to be able to access lots of Illinois health insurance quotes online, it doesn’t always mean that what the consumer sees online will suit them.
It’s a smart choice to find health insurance quotes online because it saves time. However, saving time and finding out what a person really needs to know doesn’t always work when surfing the Internet. There’s definitely a plethora of information about various Illinois health insurance plans, but is “all” the information there?
People may even apply for insurance online in the convenience of their own home, thinking they will avoid speaking to an Illinois health insurance broker. This is where people begin to fall through the cracks. Even if they are offered multiple Illinois health insurance quotes to compare online, no online insurance quote is able to completely answer all the questions a health insurance shopper may have.
Furthermore, even if an online shopper uses the single engine quoting technology, it doesn’t mean they will get quotes on all the plans that are actually available. This largely depends on the state where the consumer lives, who the insurance carriers are, and which plan options that particular Illinois health insurance agency offers. Since these Illinois health insurance quotes can’t give everyone every last plan they have online, most carriers will ask for contact information.
Once personal information is given, then in most cases, insurance companies are able to directly contact the consumer, if they want that kind of contact. There is an understandable reluctance to provide personal information by this method (quoting software) as there are some companies (even though they do provide quotes) that really only want the personal information to re-sell it.
A person who suddenly gets a whole slew of emails and phone calls from businesses vaguely related to Illinois health insurance will know their personal information was passed on. This is highly frustrating to people just wanting a quote and to talk to an agent for further clarification.
The other insurance marketing reality on the Internet is the tech companies who work it so their websites specifically gather names and contact info. The thing is that insurance agents or agencies do not own these sites; they belong to a company who sells leads to Illinois health insurance agents. The lesson is that if someone is searching for health insurance information, check the authenticity of the site by placing a call to the agent listed on the site.
To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com
For Those Who Need Insurance Now
When it comes to denying Illinois health insurance for pre-existing conditions, or having to sit out a waiting period, Americans are wondering what’s the point in having insurance.
If someone does have a pre-existing condition and gets declined by an Illinois health insurance company, or in the alternative, gets told they could have coverage, but only after sitting out a waiting period, what good is health insurance? “People in these situations need Illinois health insurance now, not later. The plain facts of life are that if an individual is forced into a waiting period before getting coverage, it might be too late,” said Randy Gillespie of the Focus Insurance Group in Liberty, Illinois.
It’s downright amazing the kind of creative excuses that some Illinois health insurance companies use to not pay claims. While this is somewhat amusing, those who are currently pregnant might not be so thrilled with the fact that pregnancy is classified as a pre-existing condition. That means some insurance companies may deny you coverage if you are pregnant when you apply for insurance.
As unfortunate as this kind of behavior may be, it is the result of a free market populated with private health care companies. All of these private health care companies also have one thing in mind – the bottom financial line. If they think someone will cost them money, they may try and find a way to not offer Illinois health insurance. However, that does leave some people in a major bind.
There is a way around situations like this and that is to shop for guaranteed issue Illinois health insurance. “This means a person won’t be denied health insurance – period. It means everyone gets approved, no matter what their medical history happens to be, whether or not they have pre-existing conditions, or are a higher risk for certain diseases or conditions. It’s definitely possible to find guaranteed issue health insurance for those with pre-existing conditions,” added Randy Gillespie of the Focus Insurance Group in Liberty, Illinois.
To find out more information about guaranteed issue health insurance for pre-existing conditions, contact an experienced Illinois health insurance broker who will not only explain how guaranteed issue works, but what its benefits are and how to sign up for it, if that is the decision.
To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com
Would Someone Please Explain Co-Insurance?
There aren’t too many people who really understand the concept of co-insurance.
This isn’t to say that some people “do” get the idea of what co-insurance really involves. There are, however, many more that get a nasty surprise when they leave a company for which they worked and had a group plan, a low deductible and a low doctor’s office visit co-pay. Co-insurance has actually been around for quite a long time; it’s just that managed care began to take over in the form of PPO and HMO plans.
In order to tackle the rising costs of health care, co-insurance came into being and varied by company and the plan they chose. It’s used to be the good old standby of 80% and 20% for the next $10,000. This isn’t to say that doesn’t still exist, but there are now newer options to cut Illinois health insurance premiums. The low-end co-insurance range is 50% / 50% to the upper end of 100% with the co-insurance coming in at zero dollars to $50,000.
Would you want a 50/50 split? That depends on how you feel about taking risks and also takes into consideration one’s budget and how healthy they happen to be. To be on the safe side, most savvy Illinois health insurance brokers will recommend the 80/20 or 60/40 percentages of the next $10,000 to $15,000.
So, to get to the meat of the matter, just what is co-insurance? Co-insurance is the amount of money you pay for medical services after you meet your deductible in a calendar year. A co-payment is a fixed dollar amount and co-insurance is a percentage. Let’s look at a quick example: there are quite a number of insurance plans with a 20% co-insurance of the next $10,000 “after” the deductible for hospital expenses, diagnostic tests, x-rays and lab work. This means “you” pay the 20%. Remember however, that the amount is capped per calendar year.
So let’s just use the example that you happen to have a $2,000 deductible in your calendar year with an 80% / 20% of the next $10,000. If you do the math, you will see that out-of-pocket expenses for that year would be $4,000 (for an individual) for covered services. Since a lot of this insurance lingo may be confusing, contact an Illinois health insurance expert to help you make some sense of co-insurance and what will work for you.
Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com
COBRA and HIPAA Save the Working Day
If you’ve lost your job, then you’re likely worried about medical coverage.
Losing a job these days in this recession seems to be far more common than we would like it to be. Those who still have jobs may even be thinking about quitting to work somewhere else with more stability, but are scared their health insurance provider won’t take them on because of a pre-existing condition. In either of these situations, you can rely on COBRA or HIPAA. Both of these protect coverage if you are switching workplaces.
For those of you not familiar with the acronyms COBRA and HIPAA, they stand for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reduction Act and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. In terms of COBRA it will let workers extend health coverage when their employer’s policy ends.
There are a number of reasons why that may happen, including your job is terminated, if you were covered but coverage is stopped because of legal separation or divorce, and in the event of a disability. There are other reasons as well, but it is best to speak with a qualified health insurance broker and have everything laid out in plain English.
Generally speaking, in most states, this kind of coverage is limited to workplaces with 20 or more workers. Having said that, there are states that have the minimum amount of employees, two. You need to ask an insurance expert what is applicable where you live.
Let’s say you’re out of a job. You now have 60 days to continue coverage under COBRA. If you choose to go that route, you then you have 45 days to pay your retroactive premiums. Once the premiums are caught up you will have coverage unless and until you cancel it, you stop paying premiums, become eligible for another policy or Medicare, or the COBRA continuation period has maxed out. Again, you really need to check all this out with an expert insurance agent who will be able to outline what you need to do and what will happen in various situations.
On the other side of the coin, HIPAA lets people switch companies and get approved whether they have pre-existing conditions or not. It’s pretty straightforward and simple. The company you go to must accept you. Again, there are a multitude of things you will need to know about HIPAA protections; e.g. pregnancy/prenatal health problems are not pre-existing conditions.
Also speak to your insurance broker about acknowledging credit for prior insurance polices in the previous 12 months, etc. Rather than be confused, take the time to consult with a knowledgeable health insurance agent who can help you keep your health coverage while switching employers.
Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com
Older People May Pay More for Illinois Health Insurance
While it might seem a bit lopsided, older individuals do tend to pay more for Illinois health insurance.
Paying more for Illinois health insurance if one is older may seem to be discriminatory, but on reflection, it actually isn’t. It’s very simply attributable to the fact that being older usually brings with it medical conditions that need more care. Older people also tend to need an Illinois health insurance plan that gives them more coverage.
Younger individuals happily don’t really need the extra care and attention some older individuals do. Current statistics, the cost of insurance policies, and our common sense all support that point.
While it might on the surface sound like it’s a punitive move, it actually has more to do with the realities of life for an older person. Of course, even as we age one of our major priorities needs to be taking care of ourselves, a key to a longer, healthier life. Unfortunately, many people don’t take care of their health and this choice is reflected in the increased price for Illinois health insurance premiums.
Providing health care to people who neglect their health comes in at an astronomical cost. This is one of the major reasons why the health system in America is really in trouble and has been for quite a long time.
If we don’t participate in our own health care, how do we expect others to take care of us? No one can make that decision for us – to do what we can to be and stay healthy. The health system is only able to pick up the pieces once the consequences of our not so wise choices come home to roost.
While age is a differentiating factor in Illinois health insurance costs and likely needs to match the realities of life, the bottom line is how a person takes responsibility for their own care, prior to using a system originally designed for major life illnesses.
To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com
Despite Health Insurance Changes Coming, Our Rates May Still Soar
Illinois health insurance rates will likely go up in the near future. It’s a bit inevitable, like taxes.
The question is why are the Illinois health insurance rates sneaking up? The answer isn’t going to be something many people like, although they may identify with it when they stop to think about it. The reason Illinois health insurance rates are going up over time is directly due to us. In plain English, we don’t look after ourselves and because we don’t, we have driven up the cost of health care.
Life is about choices, and many of us have made the choice to smoke, drink, take drugs, and participate in extreme sports that are dangerous or just in general live life on the edge. Many of us have also chosen to be overweight because we don’t have the inclination to work out or eat properly. Americans have the highest rate of obesity in the developed world and the costs of treating these patients, along with smokers, alcoholics and drug addicts, is staggering.
There are other factors that drive up the costs of health care as well. For instance, medical errors and medical inflation drive up the price tag on Illinois health insurance rates. While medical errors do tend to be costly, the good news is that they appear to be on the decline for now.
The real high ticket item in the health system is medical inflation, and the problem is, no one knows the “real” prices of any medical services provided. If someone needs a broken finger set and wants to know the cost, no one will volunteer that information.
This is because no one knows what the bill will be until it is made up – literally. While it may have been worth $150 on a regular day, it might be that an extra splint was needed for the finger, adding another $50 to the tab later. No one will even give what they think is a reasonable guesstimate for services either. You tend to be billed for each item used. Now we know why the costs are so high and somewhat on the creative side.
Doctor’s offices do tell the largest insurance companies paying the bills how much it costs per day to stay in the hospital and what a certain surgery costs. This is because the doctor is paid a rate by the insurance company and then bills the patient extra for other items.
For lower Illinois health insurance rates don’t smoke, don’t drink in excess, and get motivated to work out. The healthier a person is, the less expensive health care costs tend to be.
To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com.
It Would Help to Know the Real Cost of Illinois Health Care
If we all knew what the real cost of health care was these days, it would sure help out with budgeting to buy Illinois health insurance.
If we knew the real price of going to the doctor for a cold or to the ER for a broken leg, how would it make a difference? It would make an enormous difference in one very significant way. If you knew precisely what the cost of a particular medical “service” was versus being clueless about the price because someone else pays the bill, you would really watch your spending. You’d budget wisely to get the best and most affordable Illinois heath insurance.
Being smart with money, and in particular those funds earmarked for health care expenses, saves money and prevents us from overloading the health system. How does that work? If we realized the steep bill we’d get for going to the doctor for a cold, we’d be thinking twice about going as often as we do.
We run to the doctor to ask about trying some new medication we saw on TV, not thinking that one visit may run us up to $150 depending on what the doctor does. Seeing a doctor is not cheap, nor should it be given their level of expertise. We just need to learn to use Illinois health insurance to its best advantage and be covered for things we “really” need.
If you have children who tend to pick up every cough, cold and flu that rages through their school, you might want to wait on running to the doctor if you are able to successfully treat it at home. This is not applicable if your child has something really serious or a history of a weakened immune system.
If you have four kids and they all go to see the doctor for a cold and you use your nice low co-pay benefits, you have no idea what it really cost to have the doctor look in their ears, down their throat and say, “It’s a cold, drink plenty of fluids, and rest.” On the other hand, if you knew the cost is $100 per child and you had to pay for it out of your own pocket, you’d think twice about a trip to the clinic.
The thought of spending $400 for something that may have been treated at home would certainly make people think twice about overusing the health system. After all, the health system was initially created to deal exclusively with life’s major accidents, like a broken leg or a heart attack. It was not intended to cater to colds and other minor ailments.
Our health system is limited in what it is able to offer when trying to cover everything for everyone. The more the system is overused for things that we could handle on our own, the worse the system gets. Think medical practitioner burn-out, more medical errors, and ever increasing medical costs. We seriously have to take responsibility for our own health care.
Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com
Illinois Health Insurance - Politics in Action
We are well into the new “era” with many changes on the horizon for our Illinois health insurance system and for the economy. The real question perhaps is this: “Is it true that the more things change, the more they remain the same?”
It’s difficult to tell yet whether or not the changes made to tweak the economy will pay off in a big and positive way later. Trying to revitalize something that has been struggling along and looking sickly for many years is not going to happen overnight. Furthermore, changes to the health system, also long overdue, will not necessarily make an enormous difference once they have been implemented either.
The reason for change taking time largely has to do with the nature of the systems that need to be fixed. They are huge, all encompassing, all pervasive, and have “always been there” in one form or another since – well, actually no one remembers when. Our economy and our health insurance system have grown with the nation to meet its needs, until the nation finally outstripped the abilities of the health system to keep up with it.
Over time the Illinois health insurance system became overburdened, overused, and overwhelmed. The costs started to go up to keep pace with all the people using and, yes, abusing it; there were times when the ER became the easiest answer for the common cough and cold. To a certain extent this is still the case. However, with the looming advent of medical e-health records, this may start to change.
Other changes coming as of the 1st of June 2010 will see two different closed risk pools created with the old and the new Medicare supplements. Actually, the new isn’t really new; it is the old but has a new start date for those buying Illinois health insurance. Confusion will reign when this change comes into effect and those in the old pool will wonder what the differences are for those in the new pool and vice versa. In reality, there are likely not going to be many new changes.
The reason for this coming change is that it will hopefully drive down the cost of health insurance due to the competition for health insurance customers. At least in the beginning and generally speaking, closed risk pools drive the costs of premiums up.
Change is good, change is needed, but change does not happen overnight and this is something that we all need to remember when faced with frustrating new things in the Illinois health insurance system. The changes should ultimately make a difference in the long run, not just for us, but also for the next generation. While the health system may be a rather large political football, the ball is in play; we need to wait and see where it lands before we will know the final score of the game.
Randy Gillespie is with Illinois health insurance agency, Focus Insurance Group. To learn more about Illinois health insurance, Illinois health insurance quotes, Illinois group health insurance or to get an Illinois health insurance quotes, visit Focusinsgroup.com
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