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Health Insurance Advice

Friday, September 04, 2009
Related Tags: insurance | health | advice | individuals | plan
 

Instructions

Choosing a Plan

  • Step 1:
    Individuals that are looking for health insurance advice typically have questions about the type of health insurance plan that is needed. This can include the choice of doctor or hospital that may be required and the quality of care that is received. Individuals may also seek advice about the cost of a health plan, including the deductible amount, any co-payments that apply and the total cost of the premium per year.

Covered Benefits

  • Step 1:
    Health insurance advice can also consist of figuring out what types of benefits are provided by a health insurance plan. This can include who is covered on the plan and benefits that are provided for hospital stays that are either out of network or out of state. Individuals may also have questions about any coverages that are excluded or not provided by a particular health insurance plan.

Coverage Continuation

  • Step 1:
    Individuals that are in-between jobs or have been recently separated from their job may seek advice about the continuation of their health insurance coverage. Typically, group health insurance plans are regulated by federal laws such as HIPAA and COBRA, which specify how health insurance applies to employees. Individuals can contact the employer's group health plan administrator with questions or visit the U.S. Department of Labor website for information.

Eligibility

  • Step 1:
    Advice seekers may also be looking to inquire about eligibility criteria for various health plans that are available. One of the biggest issues that individuals face when applying for an individual health insurance policy is being eligible for coverage. Many insurers may not issue a policy to an individual with a pre-existing condition or to women who are pregnant. However, insurers are required to follow any state or federal laws that apply to pre-existing conditions.

Complaints and Issues

  • Step 1:
    Many individuals that are looking for health insurance advice may want to know what types of issues or complaints exist for a particular health insurance plan or provider. These can include misconduct from an insurance agent, an insurer that cancels or does not renew a policy and any billing problems that have occurred. Complaints can also consist of pre-existing conditions that may apply and being unable to afford the cost of coverage for a policy.

Resources


Health Insurance Advice Provided by eHow.com
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