Health Insurance in Illinois

Health Insurance In Illinois - United Health One in Illinois

Golden Rule health insurance in Illinois has always been a strong name when it comes to minimizing your financial risks due to the rising costs of health care in our state. Golden Rule is a brand name of UnitedHealthOne. United Health One is the parent company, and they also offer employer group health coverage, as well as disability and life insurance amongst the other markets they serve. And they do represent their clients of Illinois and they have a claims office in Lawrenceville, IL.

Their health savings plans are interesting and perhaps, an avenue you’d like to look into, and if you do not have dental insurance, there is a plan for that too through Golden Rule. It might be wise to look at all they cover and get a quote for you and your family which is comprehensive in nature, one that fits all of your needs. I’ve noted some very decent health insurance quotes coming back from Golden Rule of Illinois, some very favorable and affordable insurance premium rates.

Whereas, they may not always be the lowest price or best value for everyone, as this all depends on your personal medical and health needs, they do offer a competitive comparison, and this is one reason, I like to run a quote by them to see where they stand. We need to get you the best rates and best coverage, health insurance in Illinois is important, and that means taking the responsibility to shop around. So, give me a call today.

Think about your reward - No More Stress - No More Worries - and Mission Accomplished!

Randy Gillespie is the owner of Focus Insurance Group, get expert help from an agent specializing in Health Insurance In Illinois. To learn more visit his site at www.focusinsgroup.com

Tags: ,

Saturday, March 13th, 2010 Health Insurance In Illinois No Comments

Illinois Health Insurance - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois

An important topic for residents of Illinois is that of health insurance. There are 12 million residents of the state and growing. Long-time inhabitants of Illinois understand that living in this state is one of the best places to be when you are seeking out insurance to protect the health of yourself and your family. This is especially true if you qualify for low income insurance rates. It is inconsequential what kind of Illinois health insurance you are seeking. You can find exactly the right coverage for you and your family at a cost you can manage. Often the key is to find the right company.

There are a number of plans you can choose from. Everything from short-term to long-term, catastrophic coverage for those at high risk or more basic plans for generally healthy people are offered in Illinois. Plus, you can seek individual, family or group plans at very reasonable rates. No matter your position, whether you are a small business owner looking for a plan to give your workers, the head of the household seeking proper coverage for your family, or a single person ensuring your personal coverage, Illinois health insurance comes in all shapes and sizes. If you feel overwhelmed with your choices, there are things you can do as a resident of Illinois to make finding the perfect coverage easier than ever.

Professional insurance agencies are set up in Illinois to help you choose the best plan. Blue Cross Blue Shield Illinois, or BCBS, is a prime selection that many residents of the state enjoy coverage from. Many people are able to find the absolute best plan for themselves, their families or their employees without making any compromises. The ability that BCBS has to give their customers the choice of tailoring an Illinois health insurance plan to their specific needs is a great draw to obtaining coverage from this company.

While BCBS is a nationwide company that offers coverage to people in many states across the country, the coverage you can receive in Illinois from this company is second to none. The headquarters is located in Chicago, hitting close to home for many Illinois residents. Whether you are a generally healthy person or suffer from a preexisting condition, you will not be victimized because of your specific situation. Hundreds of thousands of residents already enjoy their Illinois health insurance from BCBS, and you can as well.

Randy Gillespie is the owner of Focus Insurance Group, get expert help from an agent specializing in Illinois Health Insurance, & Health Insurance In Illinois, To learn more visit his site at www.Focusinsgroup.com

Tags: ,

Health Insurance in Illinois - Getting Back To Our Roots

With the cost of a fully fledged health insurance plan looming on the horizon in this country, now is simply not the time to implement such a change, at a time when the unemployment rate is high and people are desperately looking for work to support their families. People have more important things on their mind than doctor office co-pays in case they become ill.

Instead of offering a plan that covers everything, which most people would like to have, why don’t we implement a plan that covers the bare essentials? Let the people that want more coverage buy it as a supplement. This is what health insurance in Illinois was meant to do when it was first introduced back in the early part of this century. At first it was only there to cover accidents. Then awhile later it started covering major health conditions like cancer, stroke, heart attacks and other serious ailments. It did not cover doctor office co-pays.

That’s why I am a big promoter of high deductible health plans with a health savings account. It has premiums that are significantly lower than the plans that offer doctor office co-pays and prescription drugs up front. It stands to reason, the more risk you are willing to take on your health insurance needs the less expensive the premiums will be. That is not exactly rocket science, is it?

One of the biggest advantages of having this type of health insurance in Illinois is that you are able to pay your lower monthly premium to the health insurance carrier and you can then put the money you save into a health savings account and write it off on your taxes 100%. Why give it away to the health insurance carrier if your rarely go to the doctors. Wouldn’t you rather keep your money in your pocket?

Then if you do become ill you can then use the tax free money in your health savings account to pay for your qualified medical expenses. This sounds like a no-brainer to me, but in fact in some scenario’s it is not the best deal for every single family. That is exactly why I recommend seeking out a specialist in the health insurance market place. Luckily there is such a person right here in Illinois.

Think about your reward - No More Stress - No More Worries - and Mission Accomplished!

Randy Gillespie is the owner of Focus Insurance Group, get expert help from an agent specializing in Health Insurance In Illinois, & Illinois Health Insurance Plans, To learn more visit his site at www.Focusinsgroup.com

Tags: , ,

Monday, January 25th, 2010 Articles No Comments

Illinois Health Insurance Doctor Co-Pay Plans

For a long time the doctor office co-pay plans have been the most popular type of plan for health insurance in Illinois. To this day they remain a very popular plan, especially for employees. They offer the catastrophic coverage that people are looking for combined with the low co-pay out-of-pocket cost when visiting a doctor. The doctor office co-pay plans are very similar to a employer-sponsored group plan as most group plans have offered this plan style for the last 20 years.

One of the main benefits of having a doctor office co-pay plan is that when you do need to go to the doctor’s office you usually pay anywhere between a $20-$30 doctor office co-pay and after that co-pay you are covered hundred percent for that visit. But what happens if the doctor needs to run any x-rays or have lab work done.

With a lot of carriers that offer Illinois health insurance doctor co-pay plans, x-rays and lab work would not be covered under the doctor’s office visit, but would count towards your deductible or max out-of-pocket in the case of the common cold for example. What that basically means is you would be out-of-pocket for the lab or the blood work until you met your deductible. After you meet your deductible most doctor office co-pay plans have coinsurance levels of 100%, 80% or 60% whereby 80% is probably the most common. This means after you have met your deductible any blood or lab work that you need to have done you would pay 20% and the health insurance carrier would pay 80% until you reach your max out-of-pocket.

Another advantage of having Doctor Office “Co-Pay” plans is that you usually have prescription drug coverage upfront without having to meet your deductible first.

Randy Gillespie is the owner of Focus Insurance Group, get expert help from an agent specializing in Illinois health insurance, & Illinois Medicare. To learn more visit his site at www.Focusinsgroup.com

Tags: , ,

Saturday, November 28th, 2009 Articles No Comments

Health Insurance in Illinois – Knowing When A Group or Individual Policy Is Your Best Option

If you’ve paid any attention to the news lately, you already know that the issue of health care is one of the most pressing and important ones being considered by the federal government right now. For the families that have to worry about taking care of the health of their children, health insurance really isn’t an option, or something that they have time to debate about. Families access to health insurance in Illinois that won’t empty out their bank accounts with high premiums and unreasonable deductibles. If you are shopping for more affordable health insurance for the first time in years, you should know that there are differences between plans offered.

First of all, most people have access to health insurance in Illinois through their full time employer. The companies agree to pay part of the premiums, or the monthly payments, for having the insurance, and in most cases the employees pay a percentage of the premiums out of their salary. Depending on what type of insurance company the employer has chosen to work with, you might also be responsible for paying deductibles that are due at the time that you are seen by your doctor.

The only problem with this arrangement is that often the employees have no say in the type of coverage or plan that is chosen. They are required to contribute toward the premiums regardless of whether or not they think they are fair, because otherwise they would be left without insurance. You should know that if you are not happy with the health insurance in Illinois that your company has chosen for you, you do have the option of not participating, and finding your own insurance provider. There are several advantages to choosing to do this, in the event that you don’t like or trust the company that your employer is working with.

One of the best advantages of striking out on your own to find health insurance in Illinois is that you will not have to worry about your coverage changing in the event that your employer decides to change companies, or if you change jobs to a new company. Having a plan that stays with you can only happen on an individual policy.

Think about your reward - No More Worries, No More Stress, and Mission Accomplished!

Randy Gillespie is the owner of Focus Insurance Group, get expert help from an agent specializing in Illinois Health Insurance. To learn more visit his site at www.Focusinsgroup.com

Tags: ,

Friday, November 20th, 2009 Health Insurance News and Comments No Comments

Health insurance in Illinois – Honesty is The Best Policy

Health Insurance in Illinois is easy to find and easy to get a quote. I have come across a lot of people that are looking to get a competitive quote and they are just not quite sure what to put on the application. You’re probably thinking, what does the health insurance carrier need to know? Less face it, it is not easy to remember everything, right? When did that condition start, what was the diagnosis? One solution would be to ask your physician for a copy of your medical records. That way you would have a copy at home under lock and key that you can reference when filling out an application. If you’re really lucky you’ll have a doctor’s handwriting you can read.
You might even find out you have a condition that you didn’t know about. How can you be expected to fill out a new application for health insurance in Illinois without this knowledge? You can’t, it’s impossible, not correctly at least. When filling out a health insurance application you need to be absolutely 100% honest. I can promise you one thing, they will find out about it anyway. They can pull your medical records from the doctors and if there is a serious discrepancy to your application they can rescind you policy.
Believe me you don’t want this to happen. They can also pull up a prescription drug MIB database that everyone is on in America and find out what prescription drugs you have taken in the past. That is going to give them a good idea of the conditions you had or still currently have. There is no reason to hide this, be honest and disclose it on the application; honesty is always the best policy. If you don’t have a copy of your medical records at home, and most people don’t, and you’re not exactly sure when your condition started or stopped simply say so on the application. If the carrier needs specific dates believe me they will go ahead and pull your medical records to be sure.
It is the customer’s responsibility to go over the application and make sure that everything is correct when your application is delivered. So don’t put it on the shelf to collect dust. Please open it and make sure everything is correct. You might have developed a condition between the time you filled out the application and when it was delivered to you. Be sure to let the insurance carrier and the agent know about the change in health status. It could possibly change things and it’s better to know up front and deal with it than to have your policy canceled at a later time possibly.
Once you’ve filled out an application that is 100% correct. Keep a copy of it at home for your records. If you ever want to shop the market place for a competitive quote, you can use your old application as a starting point. This way you only need to transfer in the information over to the new application, fill in the missing health history and submit the application to the carrier. The most important thing you can do is to find a good agent you can trust and that will help you through this process so it is done right.
Think about your reward - No More Worries, No More Stress, and Mission Accomplished!
Randy Gillespie is the owner of Focus Insurance Group, get expert help from an agent specializing in Illinois Health Insurance. To learn more visit his site at www.Focusinsgroup.com

Tags: ,

Thursday, November 19th, 2009 Health Insurance News and Comments No Comments

Health Insurance in Illinois – Choosing the most Cost-Effective Plan

Health insurance in Illinois can be a confusing field to navigate, with so many different providers, especially in the large cities. In addition, there are many different types of insurance plans that may be better tailored to some individuals and others to families. For many people, particularly in this time of recession, is to find the highest quality of health care that also fits their budgets. To this end, there are professional organizations that can help hook up families with the quality health care that is the most cost-effective.

One of the most economical options when it comes to health insurance in Illinois for many people is health management organizations, or HMO’s. These have the premiums and deductibles usually paid for by a person’s employer, making the out-of-pocket costs extremely low. Usually a nominal fee is paid at each doctor’s visit or to fill a prescription, anywhere from 5-30 dollars. This is idea for families in particular who may have small children that will need regular, routine doctor’s visits. However, by contrast for elderly people who may need many specialty visits, this can be a bad idea because they would have to pay extra for each specialty visit.

Preferred provider organizations, or PPO’s, offer a little more variety and flexibility when it comes to health insurance in Illinois. With this option, you choose the primary care provider, who you visit regularly, but still have the freedom to go outside of network if desired. You may have to pay the initial out of network fee, but have the option of getting reimbursed from the health insurance organization after the fact. This does take a great deal of paperwork at times, which is one drawback, but it may be worth it for both the low cost and flexibility.

These are only two of the many options when it comes to health insurance in Illinois. There are many other choices that are available to interested parties. Everyone’s situation is a little different, so it may be wise to examine which options can be individualized to your specific needs. This is best achieved with the assistance of a professional insurance agent, who knows the ins and outs of the complicated health care system of Illinois. With years of experience, they can generally figure out what the most cost-effective plan is in any situation that may arise. If interested in this most important of decisions that a person can make, please sit down with a professional advisor.

Think about your reward - No More Worries, No More Stress, and Mission Accomplished!

Randy Gillespie is the owner of Focus Insurance Group, get expert help from an agent specializing in Illinois Health Insurance. To learn more visit his site at www.Focusinsgroup.com

Tags: ,

Wednesday, November 18th, 2009 Health Insurance News and Comments No Comments

Health Insurance in Illinois – All Kids Program For Children

When you bring up the topic of health insurance or health care reform these days, you are sure to have a very heated, very opinionated discussion. As much as people want to talk about how the decision to make health care more accessible in America will affect taxes or quality of care, the sad truth is that millions of children all over the country are the ones that are suffering. If you can’t currently afford health insurance in Illinois, you should know that there are still options for providing care for your kids.

Children are more susceptible to sicknesses and injuries than adults, and while they are still developing their muscles and bones, it is important that they are taken for regular checkups with a physician that knows them and knows their physical needs. If you have a child with autism, a learning disability, or a chronic medical condition, it becomes even more important for them to have health insurance in Illinois. If you are struggling to make ends meet, and feel like you are being a bad parent because you can’t afford health care for your child, you should know that there are programs that can help.

The state government has created a program called All Kids that makes it possible for all children to have access to quality health insurance in Illinois whether their parents are able to afford the care themselves or not. Although there are other state funded programs designed to offer health services if the family is below the poverty level, the majority of people that are without access to medical care are those that work full time jobs.

Illinois All Kids provides comprehensive health insurance in Illinois for those children and families that make too much to qualify for other subsidized programs. A lot of these families are able to pick up health insurance themselves from their employers that offer an Illinois group health insurance plan but are not able to afford the premiums to add their spouse and or children to the plan. These parents are looking for options to get Illinois health insurance for their children and are often unaware of the Illinois All Kids program.

If you are interested in this program, you should know that there is more information available on the State of Illinois website. It is a good idea to read over the qualifications needed to get help through the program to make sure that you will be able to qualify.

Randy Gillespie is the owner of Focus Insurance Group; to get expert help from an agent specializing in Health Insurance In Illinois, Illinois Medicare Supplement, Illinois Group Health Insurance, Illinois Health Insurance, visit his site at www.FocusInsGroup.com

Tags: , , ,

Sunday, November 8th, 2009 Articles No Comments

Health Insurance In Illinois – Scheduled Benefit Plan are Risky Compared Too Major Medicals

Health Insurance in Illinois can mean different things to different people. To some it might mean having everything covered with absolute no out of pocket expense. To others it might mean having a higher deductible major medical catastrophic plan, just to be able to afford health insurance at all. Then there are the so called scheduled benefit type plans, which in my opinion can be very risky. While these plans in my opinion are far from the best I’m sure they do have a very small niche market where they might possibly be a good fit. And I stress very small niche market.

Scheduled benefit health insurance in Illinois plans typically have a scheduled list of procedures and maximum benefits payable in their outline of coverage and in this list they clearly state how much they are willing to pay for each and every procedure. If you’re medical bill exceeds the maximum that is listed in the benefit outline you are typically 100% out of pocket. Some carriers limit their surgical benefit to just $10,000. Some carriers offer what is called a miscellaneous benefit, which might be limited to $50,000. That means if you had a claim that say cost $100,000 with $30,000 of it being for surgery and you were paid the maximum from the health insurance company it could look something like this. You’d have $20,000 out of pocket expense just for the surgery, then you would have $50,000 out of pocket expense for the rest of the bill. This is exactly what a scheduled benefit type plan means. That is exactly the reason why they can be so risky.

I’ve met so many people that have had scheduled benefit type policies thinking they had excellent coverage in place only to find out that when they needed their plan after an illness or injury the plan was virtually non-existent. Health insurance in Illinois can be had without taking all these risks. The main premise for buying such a plan is that they almost always have very easy underwriting. That’s logical considering the carrier knows they are not on the hook for much money in the first place. Because the maximum benefit it typically pays out is quite low. If you have a health condition that only a scheduled benefit type plan will cover, in my opinion you would be better off applying for coverage with the state’s high risk pool. In Illinois that would be the CHIP plan. It might be a little more expensive than your scheduled benefit plan. But in the long run it might save you several hundred thousand dollars.

If you have any doubts as to if the plan being proposed is a scheduled benefit plan. Ask your agent if it is a major medical policy. If he says yes, get it in writing. How can you be sure? A major medical policy is a policy where after you reach your out of pocket maximum, the carrier pays 100%, not you. Sometimes scheduled benefit type plans are sold as if they were major medical plans, so be careful. Ask a lot questions. When in doubt get a second opinion.

You would be much better off going with a major medical with a very high deductible than a scheduled benefit plan. At least then, you would know what your absolute worst case scenario is. It will clearly state what your max out of pocket will be.  With a scheduled benefit plan you can’t be sure what your max out of pocket will be, it’ll depend on how large the claim is. You could be several thousand dollars out of pocket. Can you afford that? The main thing is to find a reputable agent that specializes in health insurance and has access to a lot of different carriers to choose from. They can take the time and explain the pros and cons of different plans and policies to you so you understand exactly what you’re getting. Luckily there is such a person.

Randy Gillespie is the owner of Focus Insurance Group; to get expert help from an agent specializing in Health Insurance In Illinois, Illinois Medicare Supplement, Illinois Group Health Insurance, Illinois Health Insurance, visit his site at www.FocusInsGroup.com

Tags: , , ,

Sunday, November 8th, 2009 Articles No Comments

Chicago Health Insurance – Choose Wisely

Many people are worried about Chicago health insurance these days, and with good reason. There are announcements in the news almost every day about families that have lost their insurance coverage for one reason or another. Meanwhile children and senior citizens are forced to simply live with painful or difficult medical conditions because they simply don’t have the money to pay for out of pocket care. Insurance companies are tightening their belts and raising premiums because of the bad economy, and politicians can’t seem to agree that everyone should have access to quality health care, regardless of how much money they make.

While all of this debate and discussion is interesting to listen to, it doesn’t really help you buy medicine or seek emergency care when your child is hurting. This means that it is more important than ever to choose your Chicago health insurance wisely. Too many people enter into insurance policies simply because the price is right, and not because the coverage is right. If you are working with a budget, and can no longer depend on an employer to provide your health care benefits, you should know that there are individual options available for you, but you have to know where to look.

If you start to search around on the internet for Chicago health insurance for individuals or families, you might be surprised to learn that there are hundreds if not thousands of options. There are local agencies that offer you personalized care, and large corporations that will offer you low prices. The plan that you choose is ultimately up to you, so you have to come up with a list of features and prices that you are interested in. This way, you can immediately begin to weed out the plans and companies that simply don’t offer what you’re looking for.

Good things to include on your list of demands for Chicago health insurance is whether or not the company will accept you with your preexisting conditions. These can be something as small as asthma or as bizarre as whether or not you’ve ever been involved in a domestic dispute. In most cases, you are entitled to care as long as you haven’t gone uninsured for more than sixty days, but you will have to ask your potential provider about their specific policies. Don’t ever assume that a condition or need will be covered.

Randy Gillespie is the owner of Focus Insurance Group; to get expert help from an agent specializing in Illinois Group Health Insurance, Health Insurance in Illinois, Illinois Medicare, Illinois Health Insurance, visit his site at www.FocusInsGroup.com

Tags: , , ,

Sunday, November 8th, 2009 Articles No Comments