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Let’s face it, every now and again, all of us fall ill, or get in accidents or have some kind of medical problem, its just a part of life. Thats why most of us choose to have some sort of health insurance plan, for that just in case assurance.

But why pay more than you need to pay for an insurance policy that you will ‘hopfully’ never actually need to rely on. That just doesn’t make sense, the hard part is knowing which plan is right for you, or which extras you need to include. After making these choices, the ability to shop around for the best policy becomes a much more daunting task because you are no longer compareing apples to apples.

There are a few things you can look at to compare policy’s and to make sure you are covered for all eventualitys that may occur.

Things to Consider When Comparing Health Insurance Quotes

1. Is your potential health insurance plan affordable? You may want to consider various other things that fall into this category such as if there is a co-pay and how much, and how much it is going to cost you on a monthly basis. By receiving health insurance quotes, you can take a look at the price without actually buying it. It is recommended to get at least 3 quotes from different insurance companies before deciding to invest any money into a new plan. Having health insurance is great, but it is even better if you can afford it. One of the bad things is that some will often pay too much for health insurance and it won’t provide the right amount of benefits that you need to serve your own specific needs. Price is important, especially if you are on a budget. You do not want to wind up paying for a plan that is going to cost you more than what you would usually pay without going to a doctor. Do the math first.

2. Will the insurance plan cover the cost of my prescriptions? This is the other half of the story when it comes to health insurance. People expect to go to a doctor to get proper care, right? If they send them out with a prescription that their insurance plan does not cover, then they are going to be left paying for the medicine themselves. How effective is full treatment without medication when medication is a requirement for total recovery? Not very effective. Fortunately, there are certain health plans that cover a vast majority of medications and medical visits combined. But it always pays off to make 100% sure before you purchase.

3. What conditions/specialties will my potential insurance plan cover? This is a very important detail. Say for instance you have had a heart attack. It is a fact that the majority of health plans do not mess around in that area. Take into consideration that the coverage you are seeking out is compatible with your health condition. Several plans do not even cover the cost of giving birth. Some plans even shy away from folks that have an existing condition. But with proper investigation and research, you can find the right plan for you.

4. What doctors and practices are in the network? If you are choosing a new health plan or simply switching to a new one, you will want to be sure that you can still see the health professionals that you like and trust the most. Some health plans only provide patients with a limited amount of doctors and health care facilities to choose from. Others are a lot more lenient and have a larger network. You will also need to see to it that if you do choose to go with a health plan that has limited choices that the doctors and facilities are near where you live so you canonveniently get to them when you need to.

Remember that before purchasing your new, affordable, and most of all convenient health insurance plan, you will need to get at least 3 quotes from different companies. You are probably going to be very surprised at how different costs are and the amount of coverage you will receive under various health insurance agencies. This process can take some time, but the lengthy decision is worth the time and effort it takes to find the best health insurance plan for you. If you are looking for a great place to find some free health insurance quotes, just go to http//www.health-insurance-quote-center.com

The importance of Health Insurance, popularly known as Mediclaim has significantly increased in India in the recent years. Awareness and importance of health and health related issues has induced this growth. Along with the awareness, expenses on health care have seen a steady increase in recent years. Health care expenses can rise to a huge amount in a year, thus, in this situation, finding a cheap health insurance in India is matter of concern for the people. Health insurance generally covers hospitalization expenses including ailment or surgery. Health care and medical insurance can be categorized into Individual Medical Insurance, Group Medical Insurance and Overseas Medical Insurance.

Some of the leading insurance companies have come up with affordable health insurance policies. An affordable health insurance plan is designed to take complete care of the customer’s medical needs and requirements. There are certain benefits of an affordable health care insurance plan; it will secure your future. You will be relieved of meeting exorbitant expenses and other associated costs with an affordable health insurance policy. Whatever your age is, you will need to insure yourselves with a health insurance policy and health care plan. Amongst the most affordable health insurance plans, like Health Advantage Plus, Health Guard and Health first deserve special mention.

Buying a health insurance plan online is the cheapest way of securing your health.  You can purchase your policy online with the help of a quote. Your digitally signed document is available in your online account. You can access it whenever you want to. Just log in to any of the popular health insurance website company, get a quote and purchase instantly. Worried about the premium calculation? Here is the answer:

The premium is based on the amount of the coverage of the person and whether he is opting for individual or group insurance. Payments for the health insurance premium can be made on a quarterly/half-yearly/monthly basis. These Affordable health plans not only reimburses your costs but also enables you to save up to Rs. 5099, stated under Section 80 D of the Income Tax Act. Thus, buying a health insurance plan is a major step towards making a better future!

Even at the outset, it must be made clear that only businesses with 2-50 employees are eligible for small business health insurance. If you are self-employed and no one else works for you, then you should look into health insurance schemes meant for self-employed individuals.

If you own or a part of a business organization having 2 to 50 employees you will qualify for and benefit from a group health insurance plan. Small business health insurance holds a lot of benefits. Besides providing medical care for business owner and the employees, a small business health insurance plan is designed in a way that the financial risk is spread among all the members resulting in lower premiums and more extensive coverage for everyone in the company.

Further, small business health insurance has certain unique tax benefits. Employer contributions to a small business health insurance plans are 100% exempted from tax and employees will also save on their payroll taxes. As per law, no insurance company in any state can refuse to sell the small business health insurance as long as you meet the state’s minimum requirements concerning the type of organization you are insuring and the number of employees getting covered.

To get a precise quote on a small business health insurance policy, you will have to furnish the right information about the type of coverage you want and the relevant particulars of all the employees who have to be insured, including the number of dependents each one has.

To get a precise online quote for a small business health insurance policy, you will have to furnish the right information about the type of coverage you want and the relevant particulars of all the employees who have to be insured, including the number of dependents each one has. Please bear in mind that the accuracy of the online quote you get will largely depend on the correctness of information you provide.

Before obtaining an online quote, it is advisable to visit eHealthInsurance, the web’s largest health insurance marketplace. For small businesses, eHealthInsurance will offer instant online quotes. As soon as you enter all the basic information about your company and your employees, online quotes — customized for your company — will be immediately generated for you. You will be able to know the amount each individual employee will be required to pay toward his or her health insurance coverage, as well as the company’s contribution to each employee’s coverage.

Several health care companies present their small business clients with a portfolio of options. Within the portfolio is an assortment of policy choices regarding how the employer contributes, and what plan options the employee will have. The employees decide what sort of plan they would like to have and what they can afford. The health plans range from a standard HMO to comprehensive PPO coverage.

Either reducing coverage or asking the employees to contribute more to the plan is the obvious step to reducing small business health insurance costs. But this attitude of the employer will prove unpopular with workers. Small business health insurance may take a huge chunk out of business revenue, but insurance benefits will attract better employees and also help retain talented and skilled workers. Satisfied, healthy employees are more likely to help your business grow.

Health insurance is a well spread out business, so seeking online quotes from different providers could reduce the small business health insurance costs. Start by searching the Internet and also ask other owners of small businesses what they pay for health insurance.

Nearly one-third of all health-insurance premiums increased to 30 percent or more. At that rate, the average cost of health insurance per employee will exceed $3,000. Seventy-three percent of senior executives believe health-care costs will continue to increase 20 percent or more each year for the next three years. The message here is clear: If you haven’t already gotten serious about cutting your company’s health-insurance costs, now is the time. It can be done. The first thing you should do is learn how the system works–or doesn’t work. Most small employers spend fewer than four hours a year thinking about their company health plans. Learn what your options are. Your insurance agent can help you shop for cheaper plans. But don’t stop there. Compare plan benefits, insurance-company records, and service guarantees.

Consider Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans and HMOs (health-maintenance organizations), even if your agent doesn’t handle them. The Blues in some areas, offer clear advantages to small companies. Experts regard HMOs as the best buys in health care. Find out if your company is eligible for new, low-cost health insurance plans now available in five states. In addition, foundation-funded pilot projects in several parts of the country are demonstrating that it is possible to cut health-coverage costs 30 to 40 percent. In short, health insurance isn’t as simple as it used to be. And the pace of change is accelerating, offering new hope for a truce in the business battle with exploding health-care costs. The next couple of years present as much potential for change as at any time in the past 20 years. You can be part of that change by putting at least some of the following 5 ideas to work for your company.

1) Increase Cost Sharing By Employees

This recommendation is at the top of every consultant’s list. Small companies tend to pay far more of their workers’ total health-care bill than large companies do. Yet research shows that insulating employees from the costs of care encourages unnecessary use of health services. Fifty-two percent of the companies responding to the Nation’s Business health survey said they pay 100 percent of their employees’ health-insurance premiums. But 45 percent said they intended to implement or increase employee contributions to these premiums. An equal number said they plan to increase employee deductibles. Insurance companies first attached $100 deductibles to major-medical plans in the early 1950s. But 40 percent of employers still set deductibles at $100 or less. Raising a $100 deductible to $250 would cut premium costs for single coverage by about 11 percent. A $500 deductible would cut costs by about one-fourth. A $1,000 deductible would save about one-third.

2) Allow Employees To Pay For Health Premiums With Tax-Free Dollars

Set up a so-called flexible spending account, which allows your employees to pay their share of health-insurance premiums and un-reimbursed health-care expenses with pretax dollars. A flexible spending account could save employees 20 cents to 35 cents on the dollar, because state and federal income taxes and Social Security taxes are not imposed.

Moreover, the company saves by reducing the employee’s base salary on which it pays Social Security and other taxes. Hire an outside payroll accounting firm to handle the paperwork. You can pay the service fee and still come out with a net savings. The monthly administration fee would run between $2 and $5 per employee.

3) Transfer High-Risk Employees To The State’s High-Risk Pool

Insurance premiums soar whenever someone in a small-group plan becomes very ill–with cancer or heart disease, for example. As an employer, you should explore the possibility of moving employees with serious health problems into a state high-risk pool and then negotiating a lower premium for the healthy members of your group.

4) Switches To An Open-Enrollment Blue Cross And Blue Shield Plan

Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans operate as de facto high-risk pools in a number of states by providing “open enrollment” periods during which any group can buy insurance. Among the 74 Blue Cross and Blue Shield organizations nationwide, 21 offer open enrollment. All the Blues once used community rating to set premium levels. But that began to change in the 1960s when commercial insurers started to lure away firms with low risks by offering them cheaper health insurance.

5) Replace Your Traditional Health Plan With An HMO

Unlike traditional health insurance, HMOs cover all medical needs, including routine preventive care, for a flat monthly fee that typically is less expensive than traditional health insurance. Moreover, two types of HMOs, the staff and the group models, have proven to be more effective at controlling costs than any other form of health-care delivery. Staff models employ physicians directly and put them on salary.

 

For more articles related to this subject and others please visit Health Insurance.info

By Dr Nihar Ranjan Ray

 

Orissa is a high focus state for its culture, heritage, rich with minerals and diseases as well. It has rated as one of the measurable state so far the health care is concerned. Badly affected by the poverty, illiteracy, natural disasters Orissa registered very poor health indicators as per the WHO reports. Its state with a population of 3.68 crores, comprising of 85% rural habitants, with 22% Scheduled Tribe and 16.5% Scheduled Caste population. From a lot of health issues I need to focus the following topics with bird vision felling their importance and seriousness.

 

 Infant mortality

Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) is only 53 per 1,000 live births in urban areas as compared to 76 in rural areas, only 26.4 per cent of tribal children are immunized when compared to 43.7 per cent among the general population in the State and anemia is very high of 61.2 per cent among women.

The State needed to arrest the malnutrition trend as early as possible. “The level of malnutrition in the State is quite high. Over 30 per cent of children are severely malnourished. As per the latest survey, 40.7 per cent under age of 3 are underweight, 45 per cent are stunted and 19.5 per cent are wasted. About 65 per cent of children aged between 6 and 35 months are anemic.

Maternal mortality rate

One woman dies every seven minutes from complications related to pregnancy and child birth in India and in Orissa nine women die everyday for the same reasons.

The MMR in the state has come down from 367 per one lac (100,000) child births in 1993 to 358 deaths per one lac births in 2003 which is a very negligible drop. In fact there has not been any significant reduction in the rate of maternal deaths in the last few years and this is a worrying factor, said participants at the “Know Your Entitlements” organized here to coincide with the National Safe Motherhood Day.

The White Ribbon Alliance-Orissa in collaboration with Department of Health and Family Welfare, government of Orissa, Unicef and UNFPA organized the workshop.

With a view to curb this problem by minimizing maternal death rate, the White Ribbon Alliance for Safe Motherhood unites individuals, organizations and communities who are committed towards increasing public awareness on this issue and promote Safe Motherhood.

This year, the Central government declared, “Know your Entitlement” as the theme of the National Safe Motherhood Day. The objective was to generate awareness amongst women and family members on their entitlements under various schemes and policies taken up by the government.

Several NGO’s working in the health sector across the state including the Nehru Yuva Kendra which has trained 12,000 youths for the purpose participated in the workshop here today.

Flood ravaged Orissa

Floods cause health problems in Orissa: Oxfam India has warned that 8.5 million people affected by July’s floods are facing serious health threats. 78 870 cases of diarrhoea have occurred, resulting in 41 deaths; 124 cases of jaundice were reported, with two deaths. 300 people have been bitten by snakes, leading to 22 deaths.

Malaria

Malaria is the foremost public health problem of Orissa contributing 23% of malaria cases, 40% of Plasmodium falciparum cases and 50% of malaria deaths in the country. The tribal population are badly affected by the  Malaria. More than 60% of tribal population of Orissa live in highrisk areas for malaria. Though the tribal communities constitute nearly 8% of the total population of the country, they contribute 25% of the total malaria cases and 15% of total P.falciparum cases. Various epidemiological studies and malariometric surveys carried out in tribal population including primitive tribes reveal a high transmission of P.falciparum in the forest regions of India, because malaria control in such settlements has always been unattainable due to technical and operational problems. In a specific

study conducted in undivided Koraput district, it was observed that the district is endemic for malaria and is hyperendemic in top hills where Bondo primitive tribes are residing.

 

Diarrhoeal Disorders

Water-borne communicable diseases like gastrointestinal disorders including acute diarrhoea are responsible for a higher morbidity and mortality due to

poor sanitation, unhygienic conditions and lack of safe drinking water in the tribal areas of the country. In a cross sectional study conducted by RMRC, Bhubaneswar in 4 primitive tribes of Orissa, the diarrhoeal diseases including cholera was found to occur throughout the year attaining its peak during the rainy season .Generally the infants ,preschool children and adolescent groups are mostly affected.

 

Micronutrient Deficiency

Orissa is very much infamous for starvation death cases. Micronutrient deficiency is closely linked with nutritional disorders and diarrhoea. Deficiency of essential dietary components leads to malnutrition, protein calorie deficiency and micronutrient deficiencies (like vit A, iron and iodine deficiency). Vitamin A deficiency in the form of Bitot’s spot, conjunctival xerosis and night blindness was observed

 

Skin Infection

Skin problems like scabies is a major health problem amongst the rural population of orissa and the problem is much worse in the primitive tribes because of overcrowding and unhygienic living conditions as also close contacts and lack of health awareness. In a study conducted by the RMRC, Bhubaneswar.

 

Intestnal Paracitism

Intestinal protozoan and helminthic infestations are the major public health problems and were observed in Most of these infections are due to indiscriminate defecation in the open field, bare foot walking and lack of health awareness and hygiene. The problem enhances in the rainy season. These are preventable with repeated administration of anti-helminthic and protozoal treatment at 4 months interval which can be used effectively in national parasitic infection control program.

 

 

 

HEALTH INDICATORS OF ORISSA

             The Total Fertility Rate of the State is 2.6. The Infant Mortality Rate is 73 and Maternal Mortality Ratio is 358 (SRS 2001 - 03) which are higher than the National average. The Sex Ratio in the State is 972 (as compared to 933 for the country). Comparative figures of major health and demographic indicators are as follows:

Table I: Demographic, Socio-economic and Health profile of Orissa State as compared to India figures

S. No.

Item

Orissa

India

1

Total population (Census 2001) (in million)

36.80

1028.61

2

Decadal Growth (Census 2001) (%)

16.25

21.54

3

Crude Birth Rate (SRS 2007)

21.9

23.5

4

Crude Death Rate (SRS 2007)

9.3

7.5

5

Total Fertility Rate (SRS 2006)

2.6

2.9

6

Infant Mortality Rate (SRS 2007)

73

57

7

Maternal Mortality Ratio (SRS 2001 - 2003)

358

301

8

Sex Ratio (Census 2001)

972

933

9

Population below Poverty line (%)

47.15

26.10

10

Schedule Caste population (in million)

6.08

166.64

11

Schedule Tribe population (in million)

8.15

84.33

12

Female Literacy Rate (Census 2001) (%)

50.5

53.7

 

 

 Table II: Health Infrastructure of Orissa

Particulars

Required

In position

shortfall

Sub-centre

7283

5927

1356

Primary Health Centre

1171

1279

-

Community Health Centre

292

231

61

Multipurpose worker (Female)/ANM at Sub Centres & PHCs

7206

6768

438

Health Worker (Male) MPW(M) at Sub Centres

5927

3392

2535

Health Assistant (Female)/LHV at PHCs

1279

726

553

Health Assistant (Male) at PHCs

1279

168

1111

Doctor at PHCs

1279

1353

-

Obstetricians & Gynaecologists at CHCs

231

NA

NA

Physicians at CHCs

231

NA

NA

Paediatricians at CHCs

231

NA

NA

Total specialists at CHCs

924

NA

NA

Radiographers

231

8

223

Pharmacist

1510

1984

-

Laboratory Technicians

1510

311

1199

Nurse/Midwife

2896

637

2259

(Source: RHS Bulletin, March 2007, M/O Health & F.W., GOI)

Health Institution

Number

Medical College

4

District Hospitals

32

Referral Hospitals

 

City Family Welfare Centre

 

Rural Dispensaries

 

Ayurvedic Hospitals

8

Ayurvedic Dispensaries

624

Unani Hospitals

-

Unani Dispensaries

9

Homeopathic Hospitals

-

Homeopathic Dispensary

603

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion

     Despite the above said problems we have to make our stands strong to fight against the disease, poverty, illiteracy and natural as well as the man made disasters(Naxlite problem).Now under the able leadership of Mr Naveen Pattnaik Orissa has registered record foreign investment as well as an appreciable economical growth. Now it is time to flex our muscles and brain to expedite our development in health care system. Orissa is doing well in the influence of NRHM .Orissa has many a miles to go to improve its health indicators that needs a lot of patience, composure and brain storming.

                            

                                                                       Dr.Nihar Ranjan Ray

                                                                       Dt.29th july 2008

Being a health insurance agent is not a simple job. One may expend the entire day conversing with prospects, but the ultimate result might be wearisome, more than ever if your consumer discards you. Even if you manage to clarify the significance of your insurance policies and superior to any other agent working to enlist that prospect as a client, it may not be enough to, at the end of the day, make a sale. That prospect might simply not want to engage in any health insurance policies, he may appear to be listening but in reality is not really interested. Thus, you may be wasting your time trying to sell a health insurance policy to someone who doesn’t even bother. You are simply beating around the bush or shall we say barking up at the wrong tree.
One must be able to ascertain the people looking for or are open to health insurance policies. Health insurance leads are the means of avoiding wasting time, money and effort on trying to sell to people who don’t have any intention to buy. Health insurance leads can be bought from the Internet as there are thousands that can be found with just a few clicks. But beware, internet health insurance leads lack exclusivity as they are being sold over and over which means you will be having a great deal of competition in closing deals with the leads. A better and less risky, but more expensive alternative to Internet health insurance leads are telemarketed health insurance leads. But what if you can afford to make those regular purchases of telemarketed health insurance leads? Are you left with no other choice but to turn to Internet health insurance leads or just go on and try generating leads of your own? Well, there is a great option one may consider, that is having free health insurance leads.

Free health insurance leads lead generation equates to having a stable flow of prospects that you can benefit of absolutely free. Regularly, telemarketed health insurance leads are sold on an exclusive basis and are conveyed real-time to clients almost immediately after the online purchase has been made. If you are a health insurance agent, you can ask for referrals from the leads you already purchased. The referral scheme will now become your free health insurance leads lead generation system and the referrals your free health insurance leads. Those that will be referred are likely to be open to searching the Internet for health insurance providers, and as a policy provider, it is of outmost importance that you make sure they get that health insurance policy from your company.
Never forget that every health insurance lead you have possession of means more opportunities of making a health insurance sale. You can generate free health insurance leads from the health insurance leads that are already in your list if you possess that ability to mingle with people and forge that bond with them and gain their trust. Most people would prefer health insurance providers referred by ones they know rather than those they just find in posters or the Internet. But, it is essential that you establish contact with your free leads as soon as possible, be it by phone or email. Do not hesitate to converse with them several times in order to achieve that desired result of having s sale.

CallComLeads will be happy to provide you with more details on how to establish your own free health insurance leads lead generation referral system and can also provide you with high quality telemarketed health insurance leads to be your stepping stones into getting free insurance leads.

CallComLeads also offers high quality loss mitigation leads.

Pet health insurance is very important for pet owners because it will always ensure that they will have financial backup if their pet becomes ill or gets into an accident. Although there are many advantages of pet health insurance, it is wise to carefully research your choice of pet health insurance companies.

To help you choose the best pet health insurance there is, here are some myths and misconceptions that you should keep in mind.

Myth # 1: “Your pet does not need health insurance.” Like people, you will never know when you pet would get sick or get hurt. The main reason why there is a pet insurance policy is because there are times when your pet would need health care and you are not prepared for it. Vet care costs a whole lot of money and your pet also needs routine vet care. If you have a pet health insurance policy you don’t need to choose between your pet’s health and your money when you have a little problem with financial status. You may think you don’t need it today but the truth is everybody needs to make sure that their pets are covered with a good pet health insurance policy.

Myth # 2: “There are a limited number of vets that are accredited by pet health insurance policies.” Unlike some human health insurance policies where there are just some places and doctors that accept patients because of the limited accreditation, pet health insurance policies have more coverage when it comes to the vet of the owner’s choice.

Myth # 3: “You can’t include vaccinations, dental cleanings and check ups.” There are some pet health insurance comprehensive policies that include wellness care and preventive care in their coverage so it is best that you choose those types.

Misconception # 1: “It will cost a fortune to get a pet health insurance policy.” Basic accident policies are very affordable - and the most affordable health care policies cost fewer than 10 dollars a month. You wouldn’t want to take the risk with any of your other family members right? And like it or not, your pets are (for most of us) a true family member. The money that we spend on their food, the shelter that they have, the toys and the other things that we buy for them is part of our investment in them as a family member. Throwing it all away because our pets are not insured is a sure waste. Other pet insurance policies may cost a little more but the policies become more expensive because of their comprehensiveness and inclusions. Think over what policy best fits your pet and remember that peace of mind can be bought!

Misconception # 2 “It’s a drag to apply for one.” There are a lot of online references pertaining to pet health insurance and how to apply for it. If a pet owner wants to apply their pet for a policy they can get all the help they need from a lot of sources and people. The best companies will provide lots of help at the website too. If you are a pet owner and you need first hand information you can always ask your vet.

Misconception # 3: “Pet health insurance policies are complicated.” If there is any health policy in the world that is easy to understand - that’s a pet policy. Unlike a human policy where there is a sub clause for dependents legal claimers etc, pet health insurance policies are actually simplified for the owner’s better understanding.

Once you’re done comparing health insurance quotes and plans and you’ve settled on employer-based health insurance, it’s good to keep in mind the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) administers a number of laws that cover these health insurance plans.

Here is a list of some of the laws affecting health insurance :

1) The Employee Retirement Income Security Act - This law protects people in retirement, health and other benefit plans through private employers by providing rights to information and a grievance and appeals process for private employer health insurance participants.

2) The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act - This law only applies to special instances, but if you qualify as a former employee, retiree, spouse or dependent child you can purchase a temporary continuation of health insurance at group rates.

3) The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act - This law applies to working Americans and families with preexisting medical conditions. Through this act there is a guarantee of individual health insurance policies for eligible people and it prohibits discrimination in health care coverage.

4) The Newborns’ and Mothers’ Health Protection Act - Just as it sounds, this law offers rules on minimum health insurance coverage on how long the mother and child can stay in the hospital after childbirth.

5) Mental Health Parity Act - This law ensures mental health is given as much emphasis as physical health by requiring annual, or lifetime, limits on mental health benefits to be no lower than limits for medical and surgical benefits provided by a group health insurance plan.

6) Women’s Health and Cancer Rights Act - Breast cancer is a frightening diagnosis and treatment runs a wide range of intensity and invasiveness. This law protects breast cancer patients who want to have a breast reconstruction after a mastectomy.

When you are part of an employer - based health insurance plan the Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration is a great source of information on subjects such as your rights to information on how your plan works, how to quality benefits available in your plan and how to make claims on your health insurance plan.

Remember EBSA administers these laws that help protect your health insurance when you lose coverage, change jobs or if you suffer from certain special medical conditions. Also remember when choosing employer-based plans to carefully compare your health insurance options to make sure your plan works best for you and your family’s medical needs.

Find out more about EBSA on the web at -www.dol.gov/ebsa.

A Health and Wellness Coach can help you:

Increase profits
Attract and retain more customers
Expand your reach beyond your facility
Increase services without adding staff
Greatly differentiate your gym from your competitors
Improve the health and wellbeing of your customers
A Health and Wellness Coach can expand your reach and increase profits without expanding your resources
Imagine that your members interacted with a health and wellness coach every day.  With consistent personalized attention, members would become more dedicated to their fitness regimen, feel better about themselves and their health, and be more satisfied with your fitness center—all of which makes them more likely to maintain their program and less likely to leave.

The Health and Wellness Coach solution from InfiniteHealthCoach.com
Our Health and Wellness Coach program is an affordable Web-based “virtual club and personal training studio” designed to help members succeed in achieving their fitness goals. It is a powerful and practical way for members to have daily interaction with a certified health coach, giving your fitness center an innovative advantage in member retention and profitability.

Each new member who joins your facility provides additional revenue that goes straight to your bottom line. In today’s aggressive market, it may just be the unique member benefit your fitness center needs to “outmuscle” the competition.

Boost Member Retention with Health and Wellness Coaching
By increasing your ability to provide personalized attention, InfiniteHealthCoach.com helps you reduce attrition, turning “at risk” members back into active members who renew at the end of their contract.

This high-quality health and fitness resource lets you target high-risk dropout candidates by offering them their own online personal trainer and health and wellness coaching service that…

Makes it easy to set goals and track progress
Demonstrates proper exercise techniques
Motivates and engages members regardless of their location
Satisfied members stay members longer, and each month they work with a health and wellness coach generates additional revenue for you.

Extend Your Reach with Health and Wellness Coaching
The anywhere, anytime the online convenience of health and wellness coaching allows you to expand your core services beyond the walls of your fitness center to reach non-traditional members who might not otherwise come into your facility. Offering a Web-based membership program to these individuals also helps you develop a feeder system for new traditional memberships.

Plus, you’ll be able to better serve corporate clients with a proven behavior-changing program that proactively addresses their rising health care costs. The system’s flexibility allows you to tailor a program to virtually any topic your client companies may request;from simple tobacco cessation or stress reduction to full-scale health and wellness coaching.

Health savings accounts (HSAs) are wildly popular.  Since their introduction in 2004, approximately 2.5 million Americans have enrolled in these so-called consumer-driven health plans.  But, alas, HSA plans are not for everyone.
Here are some pointers to help you consider whether an HSA will benefit you and your family.
1. An HSA plan can cut healthcare costs by an average of 40% for many people.
Nevertheless, some people will not realize any net savings. Those most likely to realize significant savings are people who pay all of their own health insurance premiums, such as the self-employed, who are relatively healthy with few medical expenses.

 

2. health savings plan restores freedom of choice.
An HSA plan puts individual consumers back in control of their own health care. This also means that each individual must be more responsible for his or her own health care decisions. This approach of self-reliance is not always popular with or appropriate for everyone, especially those who have become comfortable with HMO-type “co-pay” plans.

3. Health savings accounts reduce income taxes.
Every dollar contributed into your HSA account is deducted from your taxable income in the same manner as contributions into a traditional IRA account–regardless of whether you spend it or just save it.  Interest and investment earnings in a HSA accumulate tax-deferred, just like a traditional IRA. Unlike an IRA, withdrawals are tax-FREE when used to pay qualifying medical expenses.  In many situations, new account holders are able to almost fully fund their HSA with money saved on premiums from a prior, higher priced plan.  By stashing all or most of those savings into an HSA, the account holder realizes instant, additional savings in the form of reduced taxes.
4. You must have a properly qualified high health insurance policy in place first before
you can open a health savings account. One of the biggest misconceptions about HSA plans is that any insurance policy with a high deductible will qualify the policyholder to establish an HSA account. IRS regulations, however, are quite specific.  Not just any policy with a so-called “high deductible” will suffice.  It is important to be certain that you are insured under a properly qualified policy.  Your best bet is to work with a qualified and duly licensed health insurance broker who is experienced in marketing properly qualified HSA plans.
5. You must be insurable in order to qualify for the HSA-qualified health insurance policy.
Because most people do not have a properly qualified high deductible insurance policy, they will need to switch insurance plans in order to become HSA-eligible. Unless coverage is being offered under small group reform laws (generally groups with 2-49 employees), the new high deductible policy will be individually underwritten by an insurance company.  This means that some “pre-existing” conditions may not be fully covered.  Alternatively, some companies may opt to cover certain “pre-existing” conditions in exchange for slightly higher premiums. Unfortunately, some health conditions simply render an individual uninsurable (examples: diabetes, chron’s disease, heart attack, etc.).  Underwriting requirements vary by state, which is another reason to rely on an experienced health plan broker.
You should not switch to a HSA plan when the management of existing medical expenses is more important than saving up-front medical insurance premiums. Do not change health plans: in the middle of ongoing medical treatments; after a major health issue has been diagnosed; or if any family member is pregnant.
Generally, it is relatively hassle-free to qualify, i.e. no medical exams, etc. Most insurance companies offering HSA coverage will issue based on your application answers, perhaps accompanied by a follow-up telephone interview. In some cases, medical records may be requested, and companies always reserve the right to order a paramed exam.
6. Although HSA insurance premiums are low, they are not always as low as you might expect.
This happens for one main reason. Simply stated, the underlying insurance policy is just that? health insurance policy.  Although it has a “high” deductible, as required by law, the insurance company still must compensate for the risk it is assuming over the deductible amount, which it does by charging premiums.  Many companies offer policies with deductible?that all family members contribute toward.  With those plans, it is not uncommon for premiums for a 5000 family deductible with 100% coverage after the deductible to be comparable to a 2500 “per person” deductible plan with 80/20 coverage after the deductible.
Lower premiums represent just one element of the lower net cost achieved with an HSA plan.  The low net cost of an HSA plan is achieved after factoring in the benefits of lower taxes, made possible by the tax-deductible contribution to the HSA account. Thus, if obtaining the lowest possible gross premium is your main concern, you may wish to consider a high deductible, non-HSA policy, especially if you do not see the benefit to contributing to a tax-deductible savings account.

7. An HSA offers your best chance to keep a lid on health insurance rate increases.
Make no mistake-you will have rate increases with your HSA insurance policy. Because an HSA qualified policy is still a health insurance policy at heart, there is no logical reason to presuppose that an HSA policy would be immune to rate increases required by an insurer to keep paying claims and stay in business. But what you can expect is that the actual dollar amount of any future rate increases will be substantially lower compared to traditional health insurance plans (regular PPO and HMO plans).  This is true because insurers base increases on percentages, and the same percentage of a lower base premium results in a lower dollar increase. It’s not a perfect solution-but it is the most cost-efficient solution for many qualified people.